Some New Fauna

Just like the new flora thread, this one is about the non-sentient/sapient animals/predators found around Felarya. For convenience, try to include its general location, average size, and its average danger level.

Here's one I used in chapter 2:

Polawken Boar

Size: 6'5" tall
Threat: Moderate
Location: Forests

Polawken Boar are basically bull-sized boars with massive tusks. They generally have grayish, brownish fur. They are extremely territorial and agressive. Anyone who intrudes on their territory, or is simply there, will be attacked. They aren't smart, and they blindly charges after everything they consider an intruder. However, they still have a marginal amount of common sense. A lone boar will turn tail and flee if confronted by a Kensha Beast for exemple. They either travels alone, or in pack of up to around ten individuals. Something interesting and bizarre among them is that whenever they are killed by any means that doesn't destroy their entire body, they will roast as if cooked. Blood will become juice, inedible organs simply vanishes, and everything else becomes tasty meat. The tusks of the boar are highly sought. They make excellent spear heads, are extremely durable and can slice the scales of a giant naga without any problems. Alone, they pose no threat to the sentient predators, but it's not uncommon for them to bite the dust when confronted by a pack of boars.

Scuttler

Size: 1cm - 50cm
Threat: Minimal - Very Low
Location: Forests / Jungle

Scuttler's are carapaced creatures that live a sort of two-staged life cycle. The adults feed off fallen vegetation and decaying matter on the jungle floor, while the 'larval' forms feed off the bark and mosses growing off trees.

Starting as externally fertilized eggs, the Larva develop in their earliest stages inside a damp and dark area provided with large amounts of moss, bark, compost, etc. A just-hatched 'nest' may include several dozen young, though by the time the original food source runs dry there may be just a dozen or two at most.

After the original food source is devoured, the larvae will leave the dank home to find a tree to feed from and gain much of their nutrients. Once there, they will continue to feed and begin to gain mass. Upon reaching almost a foot in length, the larvae will stop bringing mass into their bodies development and begin to apply nutrients to the growth of their unique, smooth shield-shaped carapace.

Scuttler carapace is curiously dense and strong, quite easily capable of equalling or surpassing stone in toughness. Similarly, the carapace has a sort of weight comparable more to iron than natural materials. Were it not for the second set of legs they develop (The first containing 20 legs, the body bilaterally symmetrical, the adult having developed another 20 deeper in the body), Scuttler's would be unable to even walk.

The carapace will grow from their back into a form that eventually resembles an umbrella or hemisphere, barely clearing the ground and effectively blinding the larval forms (Which then rely on hearing and touch to find their way along the ground). The low clearance to the ground, smooth shell and high density work wonderfully to prevent most predators from turning the slow adults into easy prey.

Scuttler's have an important job as they clean up the jungle floor of much decaying matter that would normally be handled by bacteria, as well as feeding on brittle bone and dead Scuttler carapaces remove what few other animals would find edible.

There are two major noteworthy things about these cleaners. Firstly, while the adults are most often on the ground, a rare few may be found in treetops. This can be hazardous to both Scuttler and demi-human, as a heavy solid object falling to land on your head from well over 20m up can lead to quite a world of hurt. Similarly, the Scuttler will be often dazed and, if on their back, defenseless from predators.

Secondly, Scuttler young die when feeding off Dryads. This allows one to easily find out if the trees near camp are not as they appear, though many Dryads have taken to simply brushing away the remains to keep this fact secret.

Nice ideas

I'll be following this thread closely ^_^

Banda Kuma

Size: 7-9ft
Threat: Moderate - Low
Location: Mountainous Areas / Forest Areas

Banda Kuma's are, in short, Bears who have succumbed to kleptomania. Bandas appear as bears with a brown coat of fur with a black 'mask' around their eyes and black fur around their arms legs and on their back. They seem to have a raccoon-like tail which is actually more muscle than it is fur. They're paws are like any other bears being large and wide armed with sharp claws which can be used as a means of self defense against rivals or enemies. Bandas are well known for their 'cute and cuddly' exterior and mannerisms, making them easy to get along with. However this is usually just a facade so they can raid their victims belongings and steal whatever they see as valuable from them (be it, jewlery, gadgets or in most cases food). Because of their nature of stealing things they have become quite a nusiance to humans.

Bandas are rather smart (but are still lacking when compared to sentinent critters) and are capable of solving puzzles on their own and getting past traps and such with relative ease. As a result catching one requires alot of tenacity and patience being they will usually avoid obvious traps or in some cases will actually wait for the hunter to make his/her 1st move, just to counter with their own. Few have actually managed to catch a Banda on their 1st try, and those who do are considered expert hunters. Some species of Bandas have been known to set up their own 'traps' to catch prey more easily.

Bandas are solitary creatures, and prefer to travel alone, the only known time they pair up is during their mating season which lasts from late spring to mid summer. During the mating season, males steal trinkets and such from humans (usually along the lines of jewlery, lockets and other shiny things). After he has the item in his paws, he will then seek out the female that he wishes to mate with and will then give her the stolen item. If she finds the item in question, interesting then she will mate with him. Females usually have 1 to 2 cubs (in some rare cases, 3) and are very protective of them, getting just a few feet away is enough to get a mother Banda to knock your head off. The cubs stay with their mother for at least 2-3 years and will then leave her, starting their own life of stealing.

Bandas don't outwardly attack other creatures unless they are truly threatened, if they are confronted (either by a rival male or an enemy) then they will shed their cute mannerisms and brawl with a true beastial furosity putting their large muscular arms and sharp claws to full use. They can be persistant fighters and will always strike back on the opponent, Giant Naga's have been known to suffer wounds of varying seriousness from Banda attacks.

As like most bears, Bandas do 'hibernate' when winter arrives.

Well, these aren't plants, but I'll try my hand too.

Arklyons
Insects the size of ponies that live in colonies in fealty to their queen. They typically make their nests underground, in mountains, or in deserts. They have bodies with several segments, and the front mandibles of an Arklyon is strong enough to crush boulders. They make pits outside of their colonies in which to trap prey, but rarely attack humanoid creatures. In fact, bathing one's self in Arkylon pheromones (which can easily be plucked in a ball form from the rear of a sleeping Arklyon), can cause an entire colony to obey a cunning human. Several major battles have been won by a single man using Arkylons to swarm a castle.
Arkylon eggs are a staple diet of many neko tribes. This is disgusting to most other races, because nobody besides primitives would want to eat something that came from an Arklyon queen. Visiters in neko tribes must beware, since they are usually not told what Arklyons are until after they've eaten several dishes of Arklyon sauce. The later discovery that they've been eating giant baby bugs usually results in immediately tossing their cookies, which were probably baked with bug eggs.

I'm surprised no one did this yet:

Felaryan Killer Bees

Size: 3-4 inches in length
Threat: High
Location: Plains, forests, and if given the chance, cities

((Just think killer bees on steroids and you'll get the picture. I stretch it a bit further from the truth in the second paragraph))
Often thought to have come from Earth some time ago, Felaryan killer bees are becoming quite the problem. They are significantly larger than an average bee, and considering their nature, their threat level is truly justified. Loud noises, direct attack, close proximity or even simply the color black can cause them to attack in a swarm. If they are riled up, they will chase anything near their hive, and I do mean anything, up to eight miles in some cases. Adventurers should keep in mind that their stingers are comparable to needles. Even if their venom is not potent enough to kill a human outright, massive amounts of stings and venom in the body from a swarm attack are deadly.

Their hives are enormous and often are the sizes of small houses and practically ooze honey. Often the honey and honeycomb are sold in the market if anyone is able to get it.

It is ill advised for the average adventurer to attack a hive, but sometimes they will take their chance. Just remember that once a single bee stings it leaves behind its barbed stinger, as well as internal organs and dies soon after. Of course, you'll be fighting off hundred's of them, so this doesn't help much. Armor can be worn, but the wearer will be slowed down, and in a swarm attack, chances are they will find the joints, which often do not allow full armor coverage. Another tactic would be to use smoke. If you can get enough of it, the bees will drop like flies, although they are only asleep so you'd best work fast.

Those wouldn't have anything to do with Antlions, would they?

Ohh some very nice ideas here

Is it just me, or are the branches of Felarya strangely empty? Here are some birds I came up with to populate the skies. ^^

Aviator
A large, garishly colored, flightless bird that dwells on the Great Rocky Fields. These three-legged, two-headed birds love to dine on anything smaller than them. And since they're the size of horses, that includes a lot of various things. Despite their awkward composition, they are very fast runners, clocked at easily reaching speeds of 40 MPH. Although their claws and beaks would be bad enough, members of either gender are capable of laying explosive eggs of stinking, noxious gas at least once a day if threatened.
There is evidence that a tribe of elves had discovered some way of taming them into becoming mounts, but this information was lost with their civilization when a particularly hungry centaur paid them a visit.

Airgle
Large birds with black, blue, and yellow plumage. Their feathers are jagged and sharp, almost like quills. They have long, sinewy bodies, and large crests of feathers around their heads. They have no legs, instead having several sets of smaller wings along their stomachs. They can freely manipulate electricity and use electromagnetism to allow them to fly in the air forever, never landing. It is questionable as to how Airgles actually lay their eggs, seeing as how they never land. They are fairly small throughout their adult lives especially compared to most of Felarya's inhabitants, and though they are aggressive they are only minor nuisances to experienced travelers.
The rare Airgle that reaches 100 years of age, though - will suddenly quadruple in size and experience a gigantic boost in their electrical powers, making them extemely deadly when they're hungry. They feed by stunning their prey with electricity, then snapping up the helpless meal. Airgle are found throughout Felarya and can be seen sparking through the trees in most jungles. Storm Sprites love to keep these birds as pets.

Kayeffsee
Kayeffsees are a species of jungle wildfowl native to various parts of Felarya. They have red and white plummage and enjoy more heated habitats. Over the years, Kayeffsees have developed a defensive adaptation that allows them to rapidly increase their metabolism so that their body heat grows so intense that they roast themselves alive. While this discouraged predators at first, later generations realized they had essentially discovered a self-cooking meal. Suffice it to say that they are quickily becoming endangered. The only reason they’re not extinct is because they spend 70% of their lifespan copulating.

Juicebats
Subterrainian dwellers, mostly found in man made underground spaces such as cellars. Juicebats feast almost entirely on man made juices, particularly having a fondness for fermented juices such as wines, and of those particularly Dragonapple wine. In the wild, they will drink the juices right out of a fruit, and as such are a nuisance to anyone with an orchard.
Also, they are the bane of wine cellars across Negav. They are known for their high pitch squeal and tendancy to flock to moving forms. Even though they are relatively harmless they can be quite scary.

Ah yes great ideas here !
The everflying bird is especially original

Raetsu Lord Pichu : I loved the idea of the Banda Kuma but a bit less their appearance which is a bit anecdotical in my opinion.. Would it be ok with you if I changed it ?

A new forest predator, and the main countender for Kensha Beasts.

Kirracka

Size: 20' (standing upright)
Threat: Medium
Location: Forests

Kirrackas are probably the main countenders to Kensha Beasts for the title of dominant forest predator. They look like giant weasels, with very dark brown fur, three lizard tails, and fleshy antenna shaped ears. They possess two long and extremely sharp hooked claws for each paw; the claws are about as long as an average human's forearm, hand not included. Kirrackas are quick and agile creatures, and one of the more intelligent forest predator. They can burrow underground with ease, and uses their antenna shaped ears to sense vibration. It's their only way of detecting their preys and predators when burrowed; they can't see in the dark. They usually impales their preys from below. They also use this trick in combat. Kirrackas uses their claws as their only weapon and makes full use of their speed and agility in combat. Because of their slender build, they can fit into tight spaces with no problem. Constrictor Nagas have a hard time dealing with Kirrackas. Their slender body is especially difficult to sqeeze, and if it manages to free one arm, it will cause serious damage to the naga's tail. However, if a naga manages to kill a Kirracka by constricting it, she'll have great satisfaction eating it, as Kirrackas are said to be a delicacy among nagas, and sqeezing them is very challenging for constrictors.

I wonder how Katrika would feel if she constricted a Kirracka to death?

Take it they go for throat-bites in giant pred's?

The Felaryan version of a mongoose and a cobra, no? With the Kirracka being the Mongoose and Naga being the cobra?

Sometime, but they'd use their claws to weaken them first. Eating a Kirracka whole and alive is a surefire way to have your throat slit from the inside (eaten leg first) or internal disembowelment (anything first).

Flare wrote:

The Felaryan version of a mongoose and a cobra, no? With the Kirracka being the Mongoose and Naga being the cobra?

Kinda, yes. I haven't thought that far yet. However, they bear no immunity to poison whatsoever.

Class: Arachnida Amplus
Size (s): 6" < s < Unknown (Constant shifting of record for largest recorded specimen)
Threat: Very Low - Very High (Depends upon species being hunted and AA current size)
Location: All land masses

Arachnida Amplus is less a new species as a stage that may be reached by members of class Arachnida during prolonged exposure to Felarya. After prolonged exposure to the magic in Felarya's environment, specific Arachnids may start to experience growth spurts that continue until something brings a stop (Usually either death or an intense magical backlash). Once the arachnid has grown beyond 6" in body-size alone, it can be then qualified as an Arachnida Amplus.

There are several biological changes that occur when one reaches such a state. First, the class member will become sterile (Or effectively such, as their organs will most often atrophy while their aggression to members of even their own species makes most encounters end with simple death). This in itself could be a good thing, as if Arachnida Amplus could reproduce and produce further generations of such many species could be driven out of their habitat - if not to extinction! - by the predators.

Secondly, the nutrients that would normally be sent to maintain reproductive organs will instead be used to modify the senses of the class member. Color sight, differentiation of individual shapes, and sharper vision are examples for those possessing photoreceptive organs. This process is gradual and occurs throughout the predator's life (Starting with small improvements, and eventually ascending to almost a supernatural level in the largest recorded species).

Third, the body develops an as-of-yet unknown mean to support its large size without crushing itself nor limiting the species. This is in part because members of Arachnida Amplus begin to decay rapidly after death, leaving almost no remains after just a few days as cadavers. It is theorized from brief studies that there may be some sort of honeycomb-like modification to the carapace to improve external durability, yet there has been no conclusive evidence to prove this or make even guesses at how the internal functions remain in stable and functional.

Fourth, while not developing true intelligence, the Arachnida Amplus will develop a great set of hunting techniques and skills from its decades of life (To even reach the state of Amplus the Arachnida must live a great deal of time) that make it effective against many non-sentient (And even a few true-sentient) prey. Along with the greater repertoire of skills, the tools of the creatures trade are also improved. A Scorpion's pincers may be capable of exerting pressures similar to (if not greater than) industrial claws, while a Spider's silk may be released in larger amounts until resembling more a steel cable than a thread.

Lastly, the Arachnida will only hunt what can effectively feed it at its current size. Those of smaller categories may eat nothing larger than a fat rodent, while larger species could feed upon Canines, Humans, Spine Beetles, Kensha Beasts, and (theoretically) even well-known "Predator" species if allowed to grow to such an extent.

Since the growth is a slow process and relies on none destroying the organism (Which is more likely to be hunted by sentient beings the larger it gets), Arachnida Amplus are usually only found in out-of-the-way or isolated places where civilization has yet to fully explore. It is rare for a human / neko / demi-human settlement to let nearby Amplus' survive for long after growing large enough to threaten their kind, which may be a sort of blessing for larger beings as this both protects their own food sources and eliminates a potential threat while the trouble has yet to manifest.

^ You can NEVER have too many giant bugs.

I love that one. It's simple, but it's extremely flexible in terms of what it can give us. Downright awsm.