Adventures in Comalan: The Zoo of Bion

Western Galeon, in contrast to the east, is known primarily for the vast stretches of unsullied land that lie between its few large settlements. The Galean people hold nature in high regard, but respectful travelers are encouraged to spend time appreciating the land's natural beauty, and can often find the locals to be very helpful when one seeks advice on places one should explore, and those one should avoid. Western Galeans often advise foreigners to use caution when traveling the expanse of chaparral between Abuk and Gienah. Queries about this are generally met with a smile and a response akin to, "The monorail route that curves through the desert is far more pleasant", as if everyone had agreed to just not speak of it. For a nation that so values knowledge and transparency, the culture of silence surrounding this place can be quite the mystery, at least until one understands the full story of what lies there. 

The Zoo of Bion, as the stretch is sometimes called if one is willing to pry, is a place that Galeans from the region are taught of at a very particular age; when they are old enough to understand the intended moral of the story, but young enough to absorb the lesson in a way that will shape their future development. When one asks why this story is not shared with those not of the region, the answer one will often receive is, "To avoid planting a seed of temptation". Seemingly, the reason that this particular site continues to be shrouded in secrecy is that knowledge of whatever lies there could, contrary to much of what Galeans believe with regards to the spread of knowledge and transparency, cause a particular atrocity to occur again, rather than be avoided. 

Of course, despite this secrecy, there are always those willing to explore areas they are cautioned against venturing into. A university student from Fides points to a well-poked at map of the country pinned to his wall, which shows the increased prevalence of a particular kind of report in the settlements surrounding the Zoo of Bion. A sighting of odd creatures that have the head of a lion and the body of a massive serpent,, which travel in packs. An attack by a monster that looked like a massive scorpion, but with as many legs as a centipede. A mysterious woman who wanders through the edge of a settlement, and when someone approaches, she turns and shows that she bears the face of a hairless mole. The reports go back as far as there have been reports, he says. He recalls a friend of his who sent him a correspondence while exploring the area. 

I reached the midpoint between Abuk and Gienah today, and set up camp. There's a dim glow in the distance, but it's too close to be from Gienah. Going to check it out tomorrow.

He claims this is the final letter he ever received from his friend, and that the boy never returned from his venture into the Zoo. He also claims that reports he made to the relevant forces in Galeon and to the council fell on deaf ears. This could not be confirmed, however, as they claim they never received such a report in the first place. 

Forms of Titan: Lucky

Lucky, a form of Titan (Art by Volt)

Among the gods' familiars, Titan is unique in that it has a multitude of possible forms. For today's update, we introduce the one resulting from bonding with Serenity's stone guardian, Amologra, and a geoli. As Lucky, Titan is able to ignore time itself as he moves around, giving him the appearance of an unmoving statue that seems to warp from location to location as he runs. In addition to his time-bending movement abilities, his stone body makes him heavy, which makes his tail whips particularly strong.

When interacting normally with time, Lucky shows the temperament of a friendly, docile dog. As a committed canine statue, he is one of Titan's few nonverbal forms, preferring to communicate as a dog would instead. The influence of Amologra's personality and the fey disposition of geoli towards Geos make him particularly loyal to two people in addition to Titan's own mistress, Nidarys and her Avatar.

Divine Familiars

Among the many powers bestowed upon an Avatar includes the ability to summon the Divine Familiars, a set of creatures owned by the elder gods and the newest deity, Nidarys. These creatures have powerful bonds with their respective masters that were forged in various trials.

Gyandala 

A phoenix named for the first star of Chaos, Gyandala was actually first captured by Crane, who sought to study him as the last living example of his species. Following the resolution of the War of the Gods, Crane gifted him to Chaos, having concluded that his species could not be saved. The war god spent nearly a century attempting to break this bird's powerful will to no avail. One day, however, Chaos unleashed him on a village that templars suspected of harboring blood mages. The resulting firestorm endeared Chaos to the wild nature of the Phoenix and the god relented in his efforts to tame him.

Gyandala is consequently known for having a powerful will and a dangerous proclivity towards destruction. The latter is, however, far from the case. Under Elidol Dawnstrike's control, Gyandala is revealed to have an innocent nature and may even be more loyal to the Avatar than the god himself. Unfortunately, since every one of his feathers burn to the touch, he cannot help destroying anything he flies over, so he is seen rarely.

Selon Res

Like Gyandala, the sky dragon Selon Res wasn't always the familiar of the God who controls him now. He was once part of an advanced civilization of dragons who protected some of Comalan's largest secrets in a skybound city that is largely believed to be a myth. During the war of the Gods, Pyromancers hunted these dragons for sport, stopping only as the war drew to a close. By then, Selon Res, once a scholar among hundreds, was the only one left. In gratitude for Crane's gift of Gyandala, Chaos personally captured Selon Res and gave him to Crane.

Selon Res' trust in Crane was hard won, because he understood better than any of the other familiars that he was to be subjected to life as a pet after years as one of Comalan's most promising civilizations. But Crane found that the dragon could be reasoned with, and so they talked for over a decade until Selon Res accepted Crane as his god. Selon Res is now a source of wisdom to the Avatars he has stood beside and a powerful zealot of Crane's ideals.

Amologra

Amologra is a massive stone golem to which Serenity gave life for the purpose of defending mortal kind. He was originally a statue the dwarves built to honor a hero named Elric, who was slowly rousing their courage with his dream of returning to the surface world in defiance of their old elven enemies. His dream and life were both lost when Serenity's quake sealed off the dwarves' only passages to the surface. Sensing their turmoil, Serenity gave life to the statue of Elric in the hopes that seeing a dwarven face as the protector of elves would ease the conflict between the two races.

Amologra has a patience beyond even the most devout of clerics and a slow wits. It is the deliberation with which he moves and thinks that contribute both to his elusiveness and his stubborn refusal to adapt to anything, even modern language. Communication with him is often difficult because he is stuck in the ancient language. But those who can bypass this language barrier actually find him to be a deep thinker.

Karashartal

The mother of all krakens, Karashartal was not always the massive, fearsome creature she is now. She was once a human girl, whose tribe had emigrated from Mortanis to the Vortex Archipelago, near what many consider to be the center of the world. But this was long before the terrible region had earned its name. Back then, the Archipelago was a peaceful place, where her tribe lived in peace and plenty. This changed when a band of pirates, possibly forebears of the Mariknights, raided the islands and pillaged the tribe, who were powerless to fight back. The ruthless attack left just one survivor, who stewed in the ruins of her village in the throes of unimaginable grief. What she didn't know, however, was that her island was home to a powerful source of divine magic. Salica's attention was roused as the magic twisted the girl's anger and sorrow into her body, transforming her into a vicious monster of the sea that terrorized the islands of Akis for centuries. Salica would tame the creature only be reminding her of the shock she felt when she was still human and showing her how she is inflicting that same pain onto others.

Among the familiars, Karashartal is easily the most volatile. Her anger has never fully abated, but she has regained her empathy under Salica's care. She lives peacefully near the Vortex Archipelago with her children, sired by other fearsome creatures of the sea. Although that peace is frequently broken by mortals who dare to trespass on the islands which were once her home. With Salica's magic, she is always willing to do her bidding in gratitude for quelling her darkness. When called, her presence can spontaneously be felt anywhere the water is wide enough for one of her massive tentacles. It is also said that her memory of pirates colors her attitude around mariknights, causing her to act more reticently in their presence. No one has ever seen her face from the deck of one of their ships.

Titan

Unlike the other four familiars, Titan is a life form created intentionally by its mistress, who was still exploring the limits of her power. It was created from a fraction of the sun's energy and Nidarys' own life force. The resulting creature was intelligent enough to communicate with its goddess and retain information and seemed to possess the ability to infuse itself with other creatures, including maulans, kerunites, geoli, and even the other familiars and share its energy and consciousness with its hosts. Nidarys encouraged Titan to explore this power further until it discovered that it can use this ability on more than one host at once, forming new creatures with three separate minds.

Preferring the memories it has made with its host creatures, Titan doesn't appear to be interested in an identity of its own. This singular preference for fusing with others and exploring life through their eyes is easily the only identifiable characteristic Titan has regarding personality.

Fauna of Comalan

Hey guys! Today's update is an excerpt from the Biological Glossary of Comalan that details some of the beasts that can be found in the world of Comalan.

***

Eversprite hound - Native to Tanis, these canine creatures host a belly of tiny sprites whose appearances change with the elements. These sprites are considered the offspring of the hound and will grow into a pup if they live to be three years old. Eversprite hounds are considered to be unisex as each hound has its own horde of sprite offspring. A few eversprite hounds also live in Resta, due to poachers engaging in an illegal trade. To date, the only known hound living naturally in Resta is an old and large beast named Bear, who watches over the famed Flora Field.

Geoli - Rare white wolves that are conjured by magic and controlled by Geos. Considering the fact that they are created by Geos, many consider geoli to be fey creatures. They are however categorized as fauna because, unlike most fey creatures, they can sexually reproduce.

Tanistrider - A four-legged, wingless bird that is found only in Tanis. They are strong animals, despite their hollow bones, and are therefore used by Tanisians as steeds.

Ridgewolf - A species of gray wolves that wander the many foothill regions of Resta. Their hardened skulls are used for ramming their prey and threats before they finish them off with their fangs. Although conservationists worry about the effect of their diminished population in most parts of the world, ridgewolves have come to be associated with Resta since it is now the only region where they can be found. This has led to foreigners to the kingdom using the word “ridgewolf” as a slang term for its citizens.

Lapis Sunfish - A species of freshwater fish found in the glacial lakes of Heron. This vibrant fish is named for its deep blue scales and golden striped fins. The lapis sunfish is displayed on the crest of the Piers Family.

Field Lynx - A feline species that favors flat areas with open skies. They thrive in areas with tall grass and can prey on  animals up to three times its size thanks to its agility and powerful jaws. They are rarely seen alone, as they hunt in pairs. 

Akisian Sorrowfish - Also known as the Akisian Hopefish, this species of saltwater fish is typically found within miles of Midania’s coastline. They are said to have been the lifeblood of the once-proud island’s environment. However, since the curse of Salica rendered the land unsuitable for life, very few of them swim close to shore. The sai’mul view the sorrowfish as a symbol of hope or despair, believing that if they ever plentifully swim close to Midania’s shores again, life will make its return to the island as well.

Heronite Snow Fox - The Heronite snow fox is a species unique to Heron, hence the name. This fox has white fur with a grey-tipped tail and ears, making it an easily identifiable creature when placed beside other types of foxes, but very difficult to see in its snowy habitat. These creatures are known for their intelligence, and are rumored to have magical qualities, but the wealth of cautionary Heronite legends and folk tales pertaining to them tend to discourage humans from investigating further. 

Seresian owl - These white and yellow feathered birds live in the woods to the west of Seres. They are adored by the citizens of the city, who view them as a symbol of Crane, owing to their intelligence.

Dove of Tranquility - A rare white bird that is seen flocking on the day before Day of Tranquility. As they can only be seen once a year, no one has ever seen one up close.

Silverfist - Gorrilas that were once plentiful in the lands of Coronos before its exposure to the Plague of Suffering. They were once trained by mortals as foot soldiers for their strength and relative intelligence among animals.

Firecrab - A crustacean species native to the shores of Galeon and Resta. They spawn on sandy beaches late in the spring and migrate into the deep sea near the end of summer. Their meat is naturally spicy and often served as a summer staple. Adult females are often mistaken for elementals due to the flames on their backs. 

Swampback - A species of apes living in the swamps of Tanis. They are believed to be modern descendents of the Silverfist, but lack the magical affinity of their ancient counterparts.

Mountain Snow Wolf - White wolves who favor low-elevation cold climates. They can be found mostly in Northern Resta and Tanis, but also appear in large numbers on Katrine. 

Kraken - Fierce, tentacled beasts who roam the deep seas, preying on hapless sailors. Although the existence of the Familiar of Salica would indicate that Krakens are fey creatures, no evidence has ever been seen of any living Kraken besides Karashartal displaying magic.

Deepwood Bee - These territorial insects are found primarily in the forests of Tanis. Few roam beyond their native forests, but those who do are believed to be of a different level of strength from the rest of their species. Their stings are poisonous, but the worst injuries inflicted by their species always tend to come from those who’ve strayed furthest from home. It is for this reason that Chaotics from Resta have a deep respect for this species.

Demons of Comalan

Although most magic is carefully governed by the Gods, there are some types of magic that are perpetuated beyond their control. The most sinister of these disciplines is the use of dark magic. It can be used to corrupt the many creatures of Comalan, and especially people, in hideous ways. Here is a working list of the various demons that one might encounter in Comalan.


Fever Morph

Fever morphs are former mortals who have been radically transformed by a sorcerer. They do not have a standard appearance as their looks are determined by the caster who created them. What is known of them is that they conjured from images of horror and their aura can incite fear in even the bravest adversaries. Their bodies emit a distinctive dark-colored glow, which is the only way to identify one.

Bladot

The Bladot were once peaceful bipedal creatures that inhabit the land between worlds who used their sharp teeth to chew on the tough wood that makes up their natural environment. Seeing their unnerving appearance, users of dark magic subjugated their species by enhancing their aggression and attaching blades to their arms. After centuries of control, their innocence has been completely bred out.

Succubus

Succubi are former men and women whose lust is pushed beyond normal human reasoning. While wanton sexual desire is considered to be the first step toward becoming a succubus, it is well known that a true succubus can only be created due to prolonged exposure to dark magic. Warlocks tend to gravitate towards promiscuous people for this very reason and will use their magic to push them to think even more about sex. This is mostly for the purpose of creating compliant slaves, but a succubus who was practiced in magic as a mortal ends up developing unique powers suited to their new life.

Incubus

Incubi are formed from succubi who have lived for an extended period of time without a master. Through living independently, they regain their ability to think for themselves. While a succubus with a natural propensity for submitting to a sexual partner will never change, more dominant succubi will transform yet again into this new form. Their bodies are more muscular than that of a succubus and the physical differences between males and females are more pronounced.

Imp

Imps are former Kerunites whose eyes have been taken by warlocks. Traces of magic remain to form new, darker eyes, and their hair falls out, to be replaced by unnerving horns. Curiously, when a succubus gets pregnant, her spawn will always take this form.

Blood Thrall

Blood thralls are former mortals whose blood has been completely drained by a Blood Mage. They live with a desperate desire for blood that can only be briefly satisfied by drinking the blood of others. While feral blood thralls are extremely dangerous, some remain subservient to their creator in exchange for tastes of their own blood.

Shadowguard

These demonic warriors are former maulans whose physical features were optimized by dark magic. Their horns and bodily spikes are typically replaced with an extra layer of thick bone, which provides a natural armor that’s harder than steel These bones spiral across most of the creature’s skin, but completely encase its tail, head, and once-vulnerable neck. What makes them most terrifying is that, unlike a pure maulan, they can possess enough intelligence to control complex magics.

Wrathar

Like succubi and fever morphs, wrathar were once ordinary people who were corrupted by dark magic. But while succubi are formed of lust and fever morphs are formed from fear, the wrathar are bred in wrath, as their name implies. Their transformation begins with those who regularly spectate in bloodsports, forming a bloodlust that eventually grows into an unavoidable desire to participate. When someone under such a spell draws blood for the first time, their muscles began to grow beyond their mortal limit and they will lose all of their hair.. They will eventually lose any sense of pain or empathy before the final change occurs: once a wrathar commits to their new lifestyle of murder, its teeth sharpen into shark-like fangs.

Direwolf

True examples of direwolves are rare, as they result from the magical corruption of geoli, who are in themselves a rare sight. These canine demons stand at over eight feet tall, the largest of any wolf species. They appear to have eschewed the once-beautiful sheen of white fur and will often grow horns, depending on the extent of their corruption. Two of their front fangs grow into knife-like tusks, which they use to absorb the vital youth of their victims, even as they attempt to devour them. Thus, even if you survive a direwolf attack, you will find yourself aging rapidly. Teenage human victims of direwolf bites can die of old age in less than a month.

Chimera

The word chimera refers to any creature that was created from two animals fused together through dark magic. The warlock who wishes to create a chimera will first sacrifice one animal and saturate its remains with dark magic before stitching it to the second animal. Then, over a period of time ranging from an hour to a week, the dead animal's biology will be slowly integrated into the host as it decomposes.

Goblin

A goblin is a wretched creature that was once mortal before it was warped by its greed. In this transformed state, it is nearly blind and has stubby fingers that weaken its grip. With a natural inclination to pick up anything that brushes their fingers as grope around, they have been used by their warlock masters as suicide bombers. Those who find freedom wander the fringes of society, robbing travelers under threat of dismemberment between their razor-like teeth. This is a hardy race of demon which can be killed only through decapitation.