Dwilight/Monster Compendium

Monster Compendium of Dwilight

Munsel Keen, the editor of this new revised edition of the Monster Compendium of Dwilight, would like to express his gratitude to previous editors of the Poryatown Press edition

Fishmen of Asylon

These are said to reside in the bay around the lands of Asylon. They are said to drag fishermen from their boats and sometimes when it is raining and cold it is said that they have been seen inland and usually involved in petty thievery and mischief.

Dradak of lonely mountain Vakreno Heaps

Common to the single mountain in Vakreno Heaps. Named after the sound that they make when raiding. The Dradak looks like a hairy man but is much taller and with a beastly face and black eyes.

Batbeasts

Common to the lands of Valldir, these shambling devil bat men are of limited intelligence and capable of jumping long distances. There was once a Batbeast captured in Torrent's breath and found to have limited speech. It was later sent to Corsanctum as a gift from the Kingdom of old Thulsoma. The speaking Batbeast has since been lost.

Fithkin

• Spotted By: Macal Kandurell
• Located: Lurian Sea Coast (and coastal streams)
• Active Time: Dawn and Dusk
• Pack Size: Around 15
• Picture: Here

Bent over, a fithkin comes up to about 4 or 5 feet. With slimy scales, a bony crest and bulbous eyes the creature is quite repulsive to look at. It appears to have powerful hindquarters and weedy arms, but do not let that fool you; despite the creature's lack of obvious strength, it can be extremely dangerous. Fithkin are amphibious, and prefer to hunt in packs, wielding sharpened sticks and bone clubs or anything else that might come to hand. They are extremely efficient at fighting as a group, and appear to have a primitive hierarchy; when two packs go after a particularly worthy prize, they are quite capable of working in tandem. While fithkin seem to be able to live largely on fish, their diet includes large land dwelling creatures as well. Their favourite trick is to swim up coastal streams and ambush passing prey.

The most dangerous attribute of these monsters, however, is not their aptitude for teamwork, nor their ability to hide in any sort of water. Fithkin saliva contains a deadly poison that quickly putrefies their bites, turning them from mere annoyances into life threatening injuries. This means that any sort of combat with them is likely to result in a high proportion of casualties. The creatures' scales appear to be relatively efficient at repelling arrows, making close up fighting difficult to avoid, and in any case an engagement with the fithkin is likely to involve an ambush. The best counter to these monsters, therefore, should be in the form of pikemen, although the fithkin's speed often allows them to slip past polearms. Since they are amphibious, it is possible that they are scared of fire, in which case this could be used to ward them off. Fortunately, when a few of the creatures are killed they tend to retreat rather quickly, unless their coastal nests are threatened. Unfortunately, by this point several bites have probably already been inflicted.

Added 08 June 15 - It would appear that many groups of Fithkin are quite capable of banding together to fight a large force when necessary. At least 3 distinct groups, totaling something like 50 creatures, have been sighted in Grodno working together to fight the Guardians of Giask. -Macal Kandurell

Goatmen

• Spotted By: Leon Agenor
• Located: Fissoan Green Plains
• Active Time: Day
• Pack Size: Around Fifteen
• Picture: Click Here

They are 6 to 7 feet tall, having the body of a man but the legs and head of a goat. Their mighty horns are capable of smashing a man's ribcage, and any who fall to the earth will be quickly trampled by their hoofs. These fearsome monsters are stronger and faster then any man can be; it is a brave soldier who stands against a Goatman charge. Fear does not appear to trouble them as it does ordinary mortals, and their stamina is nigh unbeatable - when their formidable charge does not defeat the enemy, they are quite capable of fighting him to exhaustion. Goatmen live in nomadic herds about 15 strong, lead by a large alpha male. Squabbling for position appears to be frequent, even in the midst of battle, and this disorganisation can be used to your advantage if you split them up into several smaller groups.

Grohzomms

• Spotted By: Karibash ka Habb
• Located: Gelene Plains
• Active Time: Varies
• Pack Size: Three to Ten

They are tall monstrous beings, their skin is like leather, a dark grey most foul. They look like giant men, about 15 to 20 feet tall. They possess a mop of dark hair atop their heads, and their arms are large and heavily muscled. They fight with trees and with monstrous punches. They travel in smaller family groups of 3-5, but sometimes as many as 10. They live in the Gelene Plains.

Human

• Spotted By: Anonymous
• Located: All over Dwilight
• Active Time: Usually during the day, but it is not uncommon to find some with routines running opposite to the norm.
• Pack Size: Ranges from tens of thousands in living in a community referred to as a 'city' to a single human living alone

A unique animal averaging at adulthood five to six feet in height and an average of 140 to 230 lbs in weight. Two different sexes of humans have been observed. They are referred to by these humans as either 'male' or 'female', each one having different physical traits. They have a keen sense of superiority to other living creatures (including themselves at times). This sense of superiority is usually expressed in inappropriate ways, most prominent being the slaughter of said creatures. These humans usually operate in communities and societies but some choose to live in solitude, usually in a remote areas. The best way to defeat them is through either creative wit or excessive brute force. Their lack of scales, fur, and other protective devices leave them vulnerable to the latter, while narrow-mindedness leave them vulnerable to the former. Frequent activities include the following: warring, feasting, drinking and reproduction, and at times, more intellectual efforts such as painting, writing, and music making. If one comes into contact with a human, friendly communication is the best option. If the response from the human is hostile, then prepare either for a verbal joust or a physical confrontation. Because of the relatively slow speed of humans, if one wanted to avoid battle, one should attempt to run away.

When fighting, humans are frequently armed with things from arrows and swords to large rock firing mechanisms. When armed, they should be approached with caution as they most likely have violent intentions.

Kneevil, Greater Spotted

• Spotted By: Macal Kandurell
• Located: Lurian Mainland
• Active Time: Day
• Pack Size: 1 to 4
• Picture: None in existence

The Greater Spotted Kneevil is a fearsome beast, living either alone or in small family groups. It is easily twice the height of a man, and it walks upon four legs. With brown fur and black spots, it somewhat resembles a massive lion or hyeena. Its huge jaw is quite capable of eating a man in two bites.

Kneevils prefer to live in caves near the surface, or failing that enlarge hollows in the landscape. Recently they have found a liking for large manmade buildings, like barracks and warehouses. They are extremely territorial creatures, dangerous when threatened, and have been known to cooperate with the undead.

Le Mordie

• Spotted By: Karibash ka Habb
• Located: Gelene Plains
• Active Time: Night
• Pack Size: Three to Seven

Le Mordie walk upon four legs, close to the ground. The beast has scales and a large, long mouth. It is green in colour, with dark eyes perched atop its long head. It bites and claws at you, the hide is impenetrable by spear and bow. Only by slicing along the scales can you wound it. They travel in small groups, called "Mordieurs", 3-7 individuals. They are active at night when they leave rivers.

Leapers

• Spotted By: Leon Agenor
• Located: Palm Sea and Fissoan Marshes
• Active Time: Variable
• Pack Size: Variable
• Picture: None Yet

In the dessert on might encountered beasts locally referred to as "Leapers", they're small but fast. While afraid alone they do dare to attack small mobs or even an army when they have the numbers. They are perfect ambushers hiding under the sands and rocks the dessert and can easily overwhelm a careless unit when they have the numbers. Their brown sandish scales offer some protection but the real danger are there small claws and teeth. As said, these small creatures about 2 feet in height can live solitaire or in enormous packs.

In the marshes locals have encountered a similar beast, it seems related but this one is able to swim and has a more green/blue like colour. It also is a little larger then its dessert cousin.

Margopi

• Spotted by: Karibash ka Habb
• Located: Libid Island and Eidulb Coast Area
• Active Time: Day
• Pack Size: Ten to Forty

The Eddons, those from Libid Island, call it "Bifyipo" while Dulesians, people from Eidulb, call it "Margopi". I battled some once in Eidulb Outskirts.

The Bifyipo or Margopi is a creature the size of a large hound. It has no fur, only wrinkled brown skin. It is fierce but has no teeth. Its bite is disturbing though, it can bite through flesh with ease and it poisons the victim, most bitten do not survive. It also slashes with four large nails, about three inches each. The problem with them is they they travel in large packs of 10-40 and fight with surprisingly efficient tactics. They group around one man, with the inner circle biting and slashing while those on the outside defend the flank. They attack most often during the day and are typically near the coast. Their usual prey are horses, so cavalry aren't much use.

Pawclaws

• Spotted By: Macal Kandurell
• Located: Sword Mountain and Surrounding Plains and Forests
• Active Time: Night
• Pack Size: ???
• Picture: Here

With superb night vision and deadly claws, the Pawclaw is a thing to be feared. Although normally on all fours, the Pawclaw can measure anything up to 10 feet tall when standing. While they are not known for their exceptional speed, these fearsome beasts blend into a forest's dark leaves with alarming ease, and prefer to hunt at night time. This makes them deadly ambushers. They have four long claws on each paw, and are suspected to be excellent diggers; it is possible that they burrow into the ground to stay out of sight during the day, since Pawclaws appear to be primarily nocturnal.

Unterstrom Bane

• Spotted By: rumour; very few have seen it but none have evidence that it exists
• Located: Unterstrom surround; but it's believed that it moves from Mimer to Flowrestown
• Active Time: Unknown
• Pack Size: Swarm
• Picture: None

Some rumors have recently shaken the foundations of every human realm on Dwilight who heard of this "beast". To clarify one thing; Unterstrom Bane is not a single monster or some monster specie and it is not yet confirmed. Unterstrom Bane is a swarm of monsters whose numbers go higher than 100 (all in one group); some say a lot higher, and has a total strength somewhere between 8000-9000 of combat strike. It can be said that this swarm probably has some leader who is more intelligent than the rest of the pack, but informations are quite obscure. It probably composes of all sorts of creatures; from dragons to hydras - everything that fits under description "monster".

There are two theories how such a large swarm can grow. The evolution theory and some war scholars who are studying this unique monsters in Dwilight that are so different than their kin on other continents, are claiming that the longer the beasts live the better they become, which is a natural process, and monsters are a part of the nature no matter how unlogical it seems. If they are free to kill and burn on their own for a long period they start "ganging" with other groups and with time become an ultimate death machine. They say that Unterstrom Bane is a product of such activities; one can only imagine what kind of "beast" has grown in the far West, where civilization hasn't entered yet. War scholars also say that the best way to fight this superior monsters is to kill them in their infancy when they still are weak. Elimination of these groups one by one is the answer, they say.

The other theory is the one of myth and legends, and it tells a story long ago when Morekian flags were wavering from the high towers of Unterstrom. In a certain moment in time, the death of a hero named Armand Vici spilled deep forests of that land. His fall was heroic, they say, as he was defending with his last breath some of the high nobility of Morek, who are still present to tell the tale. Peasants, terrified by daily monster invasions started to spread urban legends that the spirit of Armand Vici is roaming through that land - supposedly giving strength and the much needed intelligence for the beasts to gather as one.

Added on 7th of August - Boreal Arrakis, Strategos of Astrum

Woodlings

• Spotted By: Nobles of Corsanctum (reported by Munsel Keen)
• Located: Unterstrom and its surrounding forests
• Active Time: Unknown
• Pack Size: Swarm
• Picture: None

Called 'woodlings' because of their uncanny resemblance to forest trees. Vicious creatures with mystical properties. Thought to be connected to the Druids; possibly summoned, created or controlled by them. An unusual number of woodling victims rise from their graves as undead.