Wistbeasts
"Unnatural creatures born of wistorms. Like all beings, they require wist to live. Because they cannot access wist as natural life can, they must hunt for it, killing the natural and continuing their doomed existence."
Professor Eldena paused, and turned from the board to face her audience.
"You all know of what I speak?"
"Wistbeasts." A few voices murmured.
"Indeed. The monsters from the highlands, which we have sworn to protect humanity from. Can someone give me an example of a specific wistbeast?"
A younger man in the front row raised his hand first.
"Like, goblins?"
She shook her head, "Not quite, that is a category we use to describe a type. Really, just any description will do."
"A lion with the head of an eagle."
"That's just what I wanted to hear, good job Melman. Wistbeasts are a combination of natural features. However, I would not call any of them a 'modification' of a base being. There can be dominant traits, but do not confuse that for it still being the same original creature. Each living and unliving thing was unmade by the wistorm. No trace of them remains, only the patterns found in the beasts that take their places."
The class still seemed confused."For your example, I would not call it a lion with the head of an eagle, but a beast with the body of a lion and the head of an eagle. This distinction is important."
Another student raised their hand.
"What about dragons?"
"Dragons are a rare exception that will not be discussed in this class. Please hold all further questions to the end of the lesson."
Basic Information
Growth Rate & Stages
Wistbeasts are formed around the arms of a wistorm. Most do not survive once the storm dissipates, their forms too dependent on the excess wist providing a constant transfusion. Those that remain enter a state of hibernation, followed by infrequent hunts of natural life to replenish wist.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Wist, as a fuel for existence for all living beings, is an ever present field that natural life feeds off of. Wistbeasts, being separate from the fabric of creation, cannot feed off of the field, and instead must excise those parts from the world to sustain themselves.
Additional Information
Domestication
The taming and domestication of wistbeasts is practiced by the Rognande culture, though it requires very specific temperaments found rarely in beasts, and is not often worth the effort.
Uses, Products & Exploitation
All wistbeasts have numerous tumors of Wistmettle, formed from the excess undefined matter left by wistorms. They are hunted in large numbers for the material.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Corrupted Lands, Stormlands, and can follow storms all the way to the coast at times.
Average Intelligence
Incredibly single minded and simple, but exceptions are well documented
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