Beasts of Topulan

Beasts

The beasts are the apex predators of the Topulan. Beasts may differ in size, shape, speed, color and in the danger they pose. Each region has differences in characteristics of the beasts dwelling there, but migration between regions is common enough that a beast could be seen far away from where they originated.

Description

While the beasts vary vastly, they share certain characteristics:

• Most beasts are either charcoal black, dark ashen, or covered with patches of white fur.

• Beasts will have great teeth, tusks or talons.

• From killed beasts, it is known that their skin is loose and hard to puncture.

• Most are often covered in a layer of dried mud.

• The beasts often reside, breed and spread through the teritory of the Durge.

• A beast can be as small as below knee height and as big as an average hut.

• Flesh of the beasts is foul both in smell and taste, and should not be eaten if it can be avoided.

Genesis

During the doom of the world, most of the animals of the old world died. However, those that survived were forced to seek shelter in the poisoned land that people were leaving for safer lands or they had already died. In these places, the animals were corrupted by the deathly energy of the Durge, and over the long cold changed into different creatures. Morphed by the evil presence lingering in the wilds, the creatures fought amongst themselves, and the most deadly and powerful ruled those cursed places. During the resurfacing, when the people tried settling the lands, they were reminded of their primal fears, thought long forgotten. Through the efforts of the sorcorers and warriors, over the first centuries new folk of Topulan pushed back the beasts, retaking back their place at the top of the food chain. However, unlike their forebearers, they could not hunt these beasts to extinction, because the beasts could always retreat back into the Durge. These days, beasts often stalk the remote parts of the empire, snatch up any careless traveler.

Taxonomy

Over the years, beasts have been classified according to their many traits, with many scholars attempting to compile bestiaries cataloging the creatures. That said, many scholars and apothecaries speculate that only a small portion of beasts have been catalogued, as the diferences found on new specimens often are far different than the creatures known in the region. The most common taxonomy, however, is the old taxonomy for the village folk, featuring the following common beast classes:

• Leaping beast

• Pack Howlers

• Dread maw

• Ripper beast

• Horned beasts

• Snakebeast

Other notable taxanomies include the sorcorer taxonomy of old for foraging, hunter taxonomy for hunting beasts, apothecary guide to beasts and fauna of Topulan, and the Imperial taxonomy of beasts. While these ar more detailed, classifying many differences between beasts, for most residents of Topulan, the old taxonomy is most useful, keeping the dangers of the beasts clear, while foregoing the mundane details such as horn ridgeing or the fur patterning.

Anatomy

Beasts are covered by a layer of tough and darkened skin. Some apothecaries have touted that the skin may have properties that may ward off the lingering death, however none have tested this theory. Most beasts either have a thin layer of fur, or have bare darkened skin. All beasts have either two or, in rarer occasions, four eyes. While all beasts seem to have two real ears, some may have multiple fake ear like growths. As beasts age, they may grow additional growths and organs on their skin. A beasts snout and jaw differs greatly between beasts, and the teeth indicate what is the preferred prey of the beasts. Internally, the beasts have lungs, a heart and heavy layers of muscle and fat. Depending on the beast it may have one or multiple stomachs, followed by entrails, exiting from behind. Organs of reproduction are hidden, located between the hind legs. Most have 4 legs, however some specimens with a different set of legs have been recorded. Talons, as well as the leg shape varies widely, and often indicates the danger the beast might pose. Most beasts have a small or nearly absent tail. Many beasts smell foul, with their waste having a certain disgusting odor to it. While the bones of the beasts are fairly dense, they are not much different in hardness to those of a mans, with them being easier to break, making them unfit for most tooling. Teeth and talons are much harder, and make deadly injuries.