A thousand years ago (or so the stories go), monsters appeared upon the Earth, and began to spread and multiply until they covered every corner of the globe. Most seem drawn from the myths and legends of cultures long gone - the ancient Greeks, Egyptians, or Aztecs, for example. Some seem to have sprung from the imaginations of man, from games or literature or places unknown. But one thing is certain: thanks to the almost one hundred diverse monsters that inhabit the Earth, as well as the curse of their blood, technological and cultural development are at a standstill. And it doesn't look like this lack of progress will be changing any time soon…

Alicorn
An alicorn is essentially a winged unicorn. It appears as a horse of medium size, with cloven hooves and silvery white fur. A pair of wings sprout from its back, large enough to allow flight, and a long spiral horn emerges from its forehead between its eyes. Alicorns are even less common than unicorns, for the most part keeping to high plateau regions far from human sight. They are herbivorous, and docile unless provoked.

Amphisbaena
An amphisbaena is a two-headed serpent, with one head at each end of its body. There are several different species of amphisbaenas, each based on a type of snake, but most amphisbaenas are large and poisonous. Only young amphisbaenas have difficulties coordinating movement. They are cold-blooded, and several species have been known to be aggressive. Most dwell underground, in mountainous areas, or within swampy regions, depending on the species.

Ashura
Ashura is a mythical being, the existence of whom has never been proven. All that is known is that she appears to have three heads and six arms. Some tales say that she is immortal. But no one, human or blood mutant, seems to know where she resides, if anywhere at all.

Basilisk
The basilisk is a big eight-legged lizard, the size of a large dog or small predatory cat but with a long prehensile tail. The skin of a living basilisk is brownish-green in hue, and turns any living creature who touches it to solid stone. The inside of the basilisk's mouth does not have this effect, and its venom is potent enough to kill most animals before they are petrified, thus allowing the monster to eat. Dead organisms are unaffected by the basilisk's petrifying touch, as are living plants. Basilisks are cold-blooded. They are rare, and dwell in either remote swamps or subterranean areas. Some tell tales of a unique Basilisk, larger than others of its kind and possessing of human intelligence and remarkable longevity. But there is no proof that such a monster even exists.

Beholder
Beholders look like large fleshy spheres, between two and three feet in diameter, with a huge lidded eye and larger sharp-toothed mouth dominating one side of their body. Dozens of small eyes sprout from short stalks on top of the beholder's body. Beholders are capable of levitating up to three feet off the ground, and can paralyze most animals by maintaining direct eye contact. Beholders are carnivorous, and exclusively inhabit underground areas.

Black Pudding
A black pudding looks like a puddle of melted rubber, dark black and glossy. They range in size from about a quart in volume all the way up to a hundred pounds or so, splitting into two when they reach this size. Black puddings are remarkably adhesive, and can cling to walls or ceilings regardless of size. They are highly acidic, dissolving organic tissue in a matter of seconds and even corroding metal after prolonged contact. Glass and stone are impervious to the monster's touch. Black puddings dislike brightly-lit areas, preferring the darkness of caves or abandoned ruins.

Black Widow
Black widows are spider-like beings with the upper torsos of human females and the lower bodies of giant black widow spiders. Despite their human appearance, black widows have only a primitive level of intelligence. They live underground in rudimentary clan-based societies. They are carnivorous, and are very territorial. Black widows are always female, and their blood only causes transformations in females (though males can still carry the curse of transformation in their own blood).

Centaur
Centaurs appear human from the waist up, but possess the four-legged body of a horse from the waist down. Most centaurs possess human intelligence, and are either omnivorous or herbivorous. Typically, centaurs dwell in small close-knit communities far from human villages. Most centaurs live upon the plains, though a few tribes have been known to exist deep within forests.

Cerberus
Cerberi resemble oversized dogs or wolves, with three heads sprouting from their shoulders and a serpent in lieu of a tail (complete with its own head). There are several breeds of cerberus, each based on a different species of dog or wolf. Most are aggressive, and all are carnivorous. Cerberi inhabit underground areas, especially large cave systems or subterranean catacombs.

Charybdis
The exact appearance of a charybdis is unknown; all that is sure is that charybdises are sea creatures that resemble gigantic sharp-toothed mouths, often large enough to swallow an entire ship whole.

Chimaera
There are two known species of chimaera. The most common (though still rare) resembles a large lion, with the head and neck of a goat sprouting from the middle of its body, the hind-quarters of a goat, and a long serpent for a tail, complete with its own head. A somewhat less common variant of chimaera has the full body of a lion and three heads and necks sprouting from its shoulders - lion, goat, and dragon. The dragon head can breathe fire. This species of chimaera also has a pair of large dragon's wings sprouting from its back, and possesses the same serpent tail. All chimaerae are territorial, preferring mountainous areas and nesting in small caverns. Due to their makeup, chimaerae are both carnivorous and herbivorous, with strong emphasis on the former. Legends tell of a third Chimaera, a godlike monster with human intelligence that cannot be killed. But if or where such a being exists, no one can say.

Cockatrice
A cockatrice resembles a rooster, but has bat wings instead of avian wings and a long serpent's tail. The breath of a cockatrice is capable of turning any living being that comes in contact with it to stone. This petrification only affects animals. Cockatrices are herbivorous, and prefer to nest in dark areas, especially underground.

Cortana
Cortanas are birds the size of medium dogs, with bodies covered in thick feathers, usually white but occasionally other colors. They have six legs and no wings. Cortanas also have two heads, one at the end of a long neck and a second at the end of an equally long tail. Both heads resemble that of a bird of prey such as a falcon or eagle. Cortanas are carnivorous, and despite territorial tendencies are not especially aggressive. They live in high-altitudes, especially forested mountains.

Displacer Beast
A displacer beast has the same size and appearance as a black panther, save that it has six legs (four forelegs and two hind legs). Displacer beasts also possess long tentacles sprouting from their front shoulders, like those of a squid but ending in sharp-thorned paddles. Displacer beasts bend the light around them at all times, so that they appear anywhere from three to eight feet from where they actually are. This ability is unconscious, and uncontrollable by the monster itself. Displacer beasts are carnivorous, territorial, and highly aggressive. They are at home in both thick jungles and cool underground areas.

Dragon
Dragons resemble huge lizards, with thin heads, sleek bodies, large wings, and long necks and tails. There are five species of dragon, each with a different color and each possessing a different breath weapon. Red dragons breathe fire, green dragons breathe a highly corrosive poison gas (although some green dragons have been known to be fire-breathers), black dragons breathe acid, blue dragons breathe lightning, and white dragons breathe intensely cold frost. All dragons are carnivorous, highly territorial, and aggressive, though this is tempered with near-human intelligence (especially in older dragons). Legend has it that there is one Dragon lord for each of the five species of dragon, an impossibly old and remarkably intelligent being that is less of a monster and more of a god. But no one, human or otherwise, has ever seen one of the great beasts, nor does anyone know where to find one.

Dryad
Dryads are 'forest spirits,' quasi-intelligent monsters that resemble the very trees they protect. They may be humanoid trees, humanoid creatures attached to trees, or anything in between. Dryads are as varied in appearance as the trees in a forest, but all are female, and all subsist on sunlight. Only females can exhibit the physical curse of a dryad's blood, although anyone can carry that curse in their own blood. Dryads are highly non-aggressive, but will not tolerate the destruction of their forests.

Faerie
Faeries resemble small human females, never more than a foot in height, with slim bodies and large pointed ears. Oversized wings sprout from their backs, either dragonfly or butterfly in appearance, and all faeries can fly. Faeries are not quite as intelligent as humans, but have their own language and band together into groups ranging from half a dozen to hundreds. All faeries are female, and while their blood will curse any gender, only females exhibit its transformative effects. Faeries are herbivorous. They are also quite shy, fleeing anything larger than themselves and keeping to the deepest regions of woods and forests.

Fenris
The Fenris wolf is a mythical beast, stories of which are told to children to frighten them into obedience. According to these myths, the Fenris is an immortal wolf of great size with a huge mouth large enough to swallow a man whole, sent to destroy the earth by a vengeful god. If there is any truth behind this myth, none have encountered it and lived to tell the tale.

Fire Salamander
Fire salamanders are large amphibians, slick-bodied lizards that grow up to two feet in length. They have bright red skin, and always feel warm to the touch. Fire salamanders can spontaneously generate fire (the older or larger, the more fire can be created), making them highly dangerous in any flammable region. Fire salamanders are insectivorous, and typically shy away from anything larger than themselves. They are most often found in volcanic regions or deep underground.

Frost Salamander
Frost salamanders are large amphibians, pale blue in color and growing up to two feet in length. They resemble non-monstrous salamanders, save their size and their pigmentation, and the fact that frost salamanders always feel cold to the touch. Frost salamanders can spray intensely cold frost from their mouths, and can lower the temperature of the air around them to subzero levels. Frost salamanders eat anything smaller than themselves, and are only aggressive when encountering other salamanders. They live almost exclusively in arctic regions, though an occasional frost salamander has been encountered in perpetually snow-covered mountains.

Gargoyle
Gargoyles resemble gray, hairless humanoids with dense stone-like skin, large clawed hands and feet, thick reptilian tails, and dragon-like wings that are useable for gliding but not for true flight. Gargoyles have variable facial appearances, but almost always have large horns and larger mouths. They are as intelligent as smart dogs, and tend to live in small packs, either underground or in abandoned ruins or castles. Gargoyles are carnivorous, and are very territorial.

Gorgon Bull
A gorgon bull has the same general shape as a male cow, save that it is somewhat larger and has a body covered in thick black scales. These scales grow harder the older a gorgon bull gets, eventually becoming as durable as metal. The breath of a gorgon bull will turn any living being that comes in contact with it to stone. Gorgon bulls are herbivorous, preferring wide-open plains for grazing, and are unintelligent. They are as aggressive and easy to provoke as a regular bull.

Green Slime
Green slimes resemble gooey puddles of bright green fluid with the consistency of thick syrup. They vary in size from only a foot in diameter to the mass of a human adult, fissioning into two green slimes once they reach a sufficient size. Green slimes are utterly unintelligent, drawn by sound and vibration and by body heat. Green slimes are extremely adhesive, and any organic matter that comes in contact with them is absorbed into the monster's mass. Green slimes dislike direct sunlight, and can be found almost solely within perpetually dark or underground areas.

Griffon
Griffons are lions with the head, wings, and forelegs of an eagle or falcon. They are highly territorial, staking claims to regions that can span hundreds of square miles. Griffons are carnivorous and are highly aggressive. Their territories can encompass a variety of regions, but griffons prefer to nest in high altitudes.

Harpy
Harpies look like huge birds, save that they have the head, neck, and upper torso of a human female. There are a few different species of harpy, but almost all harpies resemble either oversized vultures or great birds of prey. Despite their human visages, harpies have limited intelligence, and live in groups that are far more flock than family. All harpies are female, and only females will display the outward signs of a harpy blood mutation. Harpies are either omnivorous or carnivorous, depending on species, and all inhabit cliff side aeries or other mountainous areas.

Hippocampus
A hippocampus looks like a horse, save that it has smooth silvery skin and the tail of a dolphin in lieu of hind legs. Hippocampi also have flippers instead of hooves on their forelegs, and fins in place of a mane. Hippocampi are aquatic monsters, specifically salt-water, and are almost never seen within sight of shoreline. Hippocampi are herbivorous and are usually non-aggressive, forming underwater herds and seldom engaging human contact willingly.

Hippogriff
Hippogriffs are horses that possess the head and wings of an eagle. Their forequarters are feathered, and their forelimbs end in large avian claws. Hippogriffs are moderately territorial, far more aggressive towards other hippogriffs than humans or other creatures. They are carnivorous, and typically inhabit mountainous areas or high-altitude plains.

Hydra
Hydras are rare swamp predators that resemble giant lizards. They have long tails, webbed claws, and seven long necks, each with its own reptilian head. Hydras are highly aggressive carnivores, and as far as non-humanoid monsters are concerned, possess a surprising amount of intelligence. They are territorial, and have been known to go out of their way to provoke or pursue a fight.

Invisible Stalker
The true appearance of an invisible stalker is unknown, as they remain completely invisible even after death. Separated parts of an invisible stalker are still invisible; even the blood of an invisible stalker cannot be seen. It is thought that these monsters are quadrupeds, with large clawed limbs and reptilian heads. They are carnivorous, nocturnal, and moderately aggressive. Invisible stalkers typically inhabit subterranean regions, or the darkest recesses of the forests.

Kappa
Kappas are humanoid turtles with animal intelligence and aggressive tendencies. They are wiry creatures with thick reptilian skin, large turtle shells adorning their backs, oversized webbed hands and feet equipped with sharp claws, pointed noses and ears, and thin toothy mouths. Kappas inhabit swamps and other freshwater aquatic areas, and are carnivorous. They have been known to attack creatures twice their size without provocation.

Kirin
The kirin is a horse with metallic gold scales covering its entire body. It has cloven hooves like those of a goat, a bright red mane and beard, and a thick spiral horn sprouting from the center of its head. Kirins possess almost human intelligence, and stories have been told of kirins that could speak. They are exceedingly rare monsters, but those few kirins encountered have been found in remote high altitude areas. Kirins are herbivores, non-aggressive, and non-territorial.

Kitsune
Kitsunes are virtually identical in appearance to normal foxes, save that they have multiple tails. Young kitsunes are born with two tails, and they sprout more as they age, up to nine. Kitsunes are colored like regular foxes, most commonly reddish brown or silvery gray, with black fur adorning their paws, lower legs, and the tips of their tails. Young kitsunes are as intelligent as animals, but older ones can approach human levels of intelligence. They are carnivores, and inhabit forested areas.

Kraken
The kraken is a squid of phenomenal size; the smallest kraken ever encountered was still more than twenty feet in length, and krakens have been reported in upwards of several hundred feet in length. Krakens typically inhabit deep, cold waters, but on occasion have been sighted near the surface. Krakens are carnivorous and moderately aggressive; they have been known to attack cargo ships, assumedly mistaking them for breaching whales.

Lamia
There are two varieties of lamias: one species looks like a giant aquatic serpent with the head and breasts of a human female, and can be found in lakes, ponds, or other freshwater sources. The second type of lamia resembles a human woman with the four-legged body of a lion from the waist down, and usually inhabits dry plains or sparse forests. Both species of lamia are carnivorous and aggressive. Neither possesses more than below-average human intelligence. And the transformative curse of any lamia only affects woman (though men can still become infected, and still pass the curse on with their own blood).

Leviathan
Leviathans are huge oceanic superpredators, giant serpentine reptiles with clawed flippers and great toothed mouths. They are very rare, but on occasion have been spotted on the surface, far from land. It is thought that leviathans are highly territorial, and perceive any ship within their waters as a threat.

Manticore
A manticore is essentially a lion with large bat wings and a scorpion's tail. The sting of a manticore is highly poisonous, and the monster can detach its own stinger, flinging it with remarkable range and accuracy. The stinger grows back after a few days. Manticores also have humanoid heads, with mouths filled with sharp teeth. Despite this, however, manticores possess only animalistic intelligence. They are solitary carnivores, and outside of mating season will battle any other manticore they encounter to the death. Manticores live in remote forests and high altitudes, and occasionally dwell underground.

Medusa
Medusae are fairly intelligent monsters that appear as human females, save that they have long serpentine tails from the waist down, and numerous snakes instead of hair. The length and species of these snakes varies from medusa to medusa, but each medusa has serpents of one species. Any living being that makes eye contact with a medusa is turned to stone; medusae are immune to the petrifying gaze of other medusae. All medusae are omnivorous, and most are solitary and territorial. The blood of a medusa will only cause a transformation within females; males are unaffected, though the curse of the medusa's blood is still with them. According to legend, there is one Medusa above all others, an immortal goddess of a monster with unfathomable wisdom. But whether there is a foundation of truth behind this myth, none can say.

Mermaid
Mermaids are intelligent water-breathing humanoids found solely at the bottom of the ocean, far from human shores or ships. They have the upper bodies of human women, with webbed hands and gills upon the sides of the necks. From the waist down, mermaids have the tails of fish, varying in length and coloration according to species and climate. Mermaids cannot breathe outside of the water. They tend to gather into large families or small clans, with many of the same societal characteristics as human villages. Mermaids are omnivorous, and not especially aggressive (though they have been known to grow protective of their home waters). All mermaids are female, and as with many other monsters, only females can exhibit the outward signs of a mermaid blood mutation.

Minotaur
Minotaurs resemble well-muscled human men with the heads of bulls. Their legs from the knee down are bovine, and they have bull's tails sprouting from the base of their spines. Minotaurs are only slightly more intelligent than animals, and are fiercely territorial. Despite having the heads of bulls, minotaurs are omnivorous. They dwell primarily underground, or in dark abandoned ruins or catacombs.

Naga
Nagas are huge serpents with human heads. There are several different species of nagas, based on varying species of snake. Nagas possess only animal intelligence, and despite a tendency to congregate into groups of half a dozen or so, they are very territorial. Nagas inhabit caves and other underground areas, coming to the surface only at night, and rarely for any reason other than to feed.

Oitax
An oitax resembles an oversized dog with six legs. They are hairless, and have no eyes upon their heads. Long sharp spines sprout from behind an oitax's front shoulders. Oitaxes have thick tails, between one and two feet in length, that stick up stiffly into the air. Multiple lidless eyeballs adorn this tail, proving the monster with sight. Oitaxes are carnivorous, inhabiting caves and other subterranean areas.

Oriental Dragon
Oriental dragons are less like winged lizards and more like huge serpents with legs. They do not have wings, but oriental dragons are capable of flight nonetheless. Coloration varies, but most oriental dragons are white, pearl, or gold, always with a slight metallic sheen. They have no breath weapon. Oriental dragons are highly intelligent, equal to or even surpassing humans (especially older dragons). They are carnivorous, and typically inhabit high altitudes and other remote areas.

Pahari
Pahari are similar in appearance to mermaids, save that their tails are long-finned and brightly colored, like that of a tropical fish. Pahari are water-breathers, and have webbed hands and gills on the sides of their necks. They are far rarer than mermaids, found exclusively in warm oceans or tropical seas. Pahari are intelligent omnivores, forming tightly-knit family units and most often going out of their way to avoid other intelligent species.

Pegasus
Pegasi are beautiful white horses, with long silky manes and tails, and huge white wings adorning their backs. They are slightly more intelligent than regular horses but are animals nonetheless. Pegasi are herbivores, and are extremely nonagressive. Unless threatened and prevented from escape, a pegasus will go out of its way to avoid contact, and pegasi are rarely seen by human eyes. They typically inhabit high-altitude plains and plateaus.

Pegataur
A pegataur is a centaur with the body of a pegasus from the waist down. Their horse's body is white-furred, and their tail is somewhat longer than that of a normal horse. A pair of large wings sprouts from their horse's back, granting pegataurs the ability of flight. Pegataurs are of comparable intelligence to humans, and are both solitary and nomadic. They are omnivores, and prefer mountainous areas and other high altitudes.

Phoenix
A phoenix is a large bird with bright red feathers. It is unique in physiology, somewhere between peacock and eagle in shape. Its tail is especially long and brightly colored. Phoenixes always radiate heat, and they are capable of generating intense heat or fire. They are carnivores, typically found in high-altitude volcanoes or other warm remote regions. Phoenixes are extremely rare. It is said that all phoenixes are descended from the great Phoenix, a brilliant red bird the size of a house that is worshipped by a cult somewhere in a far distant land.

Quedaan
Quedaans are large amphibious lizards with smooth green skin and long prehensile tails. These tails are equipped with scorpion-like stingers; the sting of a quedaan is extremely venomous, and there is no known cure. Quedaans have webbed clawed feet, gills on the sides of their necks, and a huge fin on their backs. They are carnivorous and highly aggressive, typically the apex predator of their environment. Quedaans are found only in swampy or other wetland areas.

Quetzalcóatl
According to legend, Quetzalcóatl was the god who brought the sun to Earth, in order to shed light upon all living beings. No two myths agree on his appearance, but all refer to him as "the feathered serpent." After creating the sun (so the story goes), Quetzalcóatl left the Earth, promising to return one day.

Roc
The roc is an eagle of epic proportions, with a wingspan of up to a hundred feet and claws capable of picking up an elephant in one grasp. Rocs are exceedingly rare, and can be found only in the highest, most remote mountains. They are carnivores, but rarely bother with anything smaller than human-sized creatures.

Sandworm
Sandworms are huge worms, growing up to a hundred feet in length and almost six feet in diameter. Their bodies are segmented, with small chitinous protrusions that help them move quickly through the sand of their home environment. These monsters have large mouths, out of which extend up to a dozen long tentacles, each equipped with its own mouth. Sandworms are unintelligent and are completely blind, sensing prey by vibration during the day and by body heat at night. They are always hungry, and will not hesitate to attack creatures of any size.

Satyr
Satyrs resemble slim human males, save that their bodies from the waist down are covered in thick fur, ranging in color from brown to gray. Their legs are digigrade, and end with large cloven hooves. Satyrs have goat's horns emerging from their foreheads, and almost all satyrs have beards. They are always male, and only men are affected by the transformative curse of their blood (though woman can carry the curse in their own blood). Satyrs are not quite as smart as most humans. They are omnivores, and live their lives solitarily or in small families, deep in the forest far from human civilization.

Scylla
No one is quite sure what a scylla looks like, but all accounts describe a beautiful woman with numerous wolves and serpents growing from her body below the waist. Despite a seeming lack of aquatic component, scyllae are found in the ocean, most often near cliffs or rocky coasts. They are assumed to be carnivorous and are very aggressive, attacking ships and swimmers alike with equal fury. Only females can exhibit the outward physical signs of a scylla blood mutation.

Sea Serpent
Sea serpents appear as gigantic marine serpents with the heads of dragons. Fins and gills adorn their bodies, and adult sea serpents can exceed a hundred feet in length. Sea serpents are rarely found outside of deep waters. They are carnivorous and aggressive.

Shachihoko
A shachihoko looks like a giant fish with the head of a tiger. Though aquatic, they lave large flipper-like feet that allow them to come up onto land and even chase after prey for short distances. Long spines cover their body, very sharp and very poisonous. Shachihokos are aggressive carnivores, attacking anything of suitable size that happens to draw too close to the water's edge. They are freshwater, preferring swamps and murky rivers.

Shadow
Shadows are variable in appearance, most often resembling a free-standing humanoid shadow. They appear intelligent, but have no known form of communication, and no one has ever seen more than one shadow at a time (and lived to tell). They survive by sucking the life energy out of living beings. Shadows can be found anywhere that offers shelter from the sun or other bright lights.

Simurgh
The Simurgh is the greatest of birds, and is the wisest of all living creatures. It is an avian godlike being, the appearance of which varies from myth to myth. Most agree that the Simurgh has two pair of wings, and most refer to the claws of a lion or a huge peacock-like tail. The Simurgh is said to dwell within a lush garden at the top of the tallest mountain in the world.

Siren
Most accounts depict sirens as human women with the bodies of birds below the waist. They have unnaturally beautiful voices, and their singing has been known to distract even the strongest-willed sailor from the rocks and cliffs that make up their preferred habitats. Sirens are always female, and their blood only has a physical effect on women. They are moderately intelligent, and gather in small groups that are one part family, one part flock. Sirens are omnivores, and despite their reputation are not especially confrontational.

Sirrush
The sirrush is a small dragon, no bigger than a moderate-sized dog. It has the forelegs of a cat, the hind legs of a bird, a long semi-prehensile tail, and a thin spiraled horn emerging from the center of its forehead. Sirrushes are surprisingly intelligent animals. They are omnivores, and prey on creatures smaller than themselves. Sirrushes are predominantly subterranean monsters, and are territorial.

Sleipnir
The legendary Sleipnir is described as a hugely powerful horse with eight legs. It is said to be the steed of a god, but what god that might be has long-since been forgotten. It is doubtful that Sleipnir even exists.

Sphinx
Sphinxes are small lions with the head, neck, and breasts of a human woman. A pair of large eagle's wings sprout from their backs, and occasionally a sphinx will have the tail of a serpent. Sphinxes are as intelligent as humans but are almost unnaturally interested in games and riddles. They are carnivorous, and highly territorial, challenging any intelligent being that invades their space and attacking almost anything else. Sphinxes are typically found in higher-altitude regions, especially mountain passes and crevices. All sphinxes are female, and as with other gender-specific monsters, only females can suffer the physical curse of a sphinx blood mutation. There are stories told of a supreme Sphinx, an ageless monster far smarter than any other sphinx, whose riddles have never been solved, but these stories are unsubstantiated.

Tartax
A tartax is vaguely similar in form to a centaur, save that it is reptilian, and has six legs instead of four. Tartaxes have the heads of serpents, and their entire bodies are covered in smooth green skin with irregular brown blotches. Huge prehensile serpentine tails sprout from their hind quarters, and their legs end with two-toed hoof-like feet. Tartaxes are almost as intelligent as humans. They are carnivores, and typically gather in medium-sized clans of between one and two dozen. Tartaxes are most often found in well-forested regions.

Thunder Salamander
Thunder salamanders are medium-sized amphibians, shaped like lizards but with smooth skin, gray or yellow or some combination of the two. Thunder salamanders can grow up to two feet in length. Their bodies are always charged with electricity, causing mild discomfort with a touch, and are capable of generating lethal doses of electricity once or twice a day. Thunder salamanders are carnivorous, feeding primarily on insects. They are most often found underground, or in regions of high altitude and low moisture.

Tiamat
Tiamat is a goddess among monsters, the legendary "Queen of the Dragons" that is said to have given birth to all dragons. Descriptions of this mythological being vary, but most describe her as a dragon of great size and many heads, possibly even of different colors.

Treant
Treants are vaguely humanoid trees, essentially the male counterparts to dryads - although neither species has much love for the other. Treants are rooted to the ground, but some older or larger treants have been known to be able to uproot themselves and travel for brief distances. They subsist upon sunlight. Treants are relatively docile, but are fiercely protective of their forests. Anyone who comes in contact with the blood of a treant suffers its curse, but only males will display a physical transformation as a result.

Triton
Tritons are aquatic humanoids with the tails of fish in lieu of legs. They are somewhat similar to mermaids, save that tritons are far more fish-like, and are always male. The blood of a triton only causes physical transformations in men. Tritons are moderately intelligent, forming small self-sufficient groups deep under water, far from shore. They are omnivorous.

Unicorn
A unicorn looks like a small horse, save that it is somewhat thinner, and has cloven hooves like those of a goat. Unicorns have silvery white fur, and long spiraled horns sprout from the middle of their head, between the eyes. This horn is very sharp, and has been known to pierce the thickest of metal shields. But unicorns are one of the rarest of monsters, avoiding human contact as much as possible. They are herbivores, preferring temperate plains or well-foliaged forests for grazing.

Wemic
Wemics are a species of leonine centaurs, with the lower quadruped bodies of lions and lion-like humanoid upper torsos. They are as intelligent as humans, and most wemics are part of one clan or another. Wemics make their homes amid dry or arid plains. They are carnivorous, but rarely eat other intelligent species.

Wyvern
Wyverns resemble small dragons, with brown leathery skin and no forelegs. They have long prehensile tails equipped with sharp scorpion-like stingers; the sting of a wyvern is very poisonous, and there is no known antidote. Wyverns are unintelligent carnivores, extremely aggressive and territorial. They make their nests high up in the mountains, but have been known to travel great distances in search of food.

Yaxaban
The yaxaban is similar in size and shape to a lion. It has the head, forelegs, and front body of a lion, but its rear legs and hindquarters are covered in smooth green skin, like that of a frog or other amphibian. Yaxabans have large flippers in lieu of rear feet, and they have long tails that end in the head of a serpent, much like a chimaera. These serpents are moderately poisonous. Yaxabans are typically found in swampy areas, especially those juxtaposed with natural cavern systems. They are solitary creatures, territorial carnivores known to attack monsters of greater size seemingly without reason.