Mountain Monsters
If you sit in a tavern and listen long enough,
you’ll surely hear some snow elves telling
stories about Yetis and “Bears from the Deep.”
Those hulking monstrosities prowl the frozen
mountain peaks and seamlessly blend in with
the snow. To hunt one down is a feat worthy of
a ballad, and there are, in fact, a few good songs
written just about that.
Yeti. These ape-like creatures are said to inhabit the mountainous
regions, where snow never melts. They have shaggy, white or gray
fur, and a large, humanoid frame with a broad face and sharp
teeth. These majestic beasts are admired for their tenacity and
viciousness—they can stalk their prey for days on end and hold
a grudge for generations. Yet, if you try to find them yourself,
they are one of the most elusive creatures to find.
Intelligent enemies. Yetis, though treated by most races as
simple animals, are scarily intelligent. They know when to attack
and when to back down. It’s not uncommon for a Yeti to harass
someone for a long period of time, disappearing into the snow
to recuperate and returning when their victim least expects it.
Being underestimated works in their favor as well.
Hunted for their pelts. Yetis have a special place in the Vindu
culture. Vindu children are often presented with a swaddle made
from Yeti’s underbelly fur, and hunting one down is a mark of
becoming a warrior. Other parts of their bodies are also used
in healing and potion-making. Only the mightiest of Vindu
warriors are brave enough to wear Yeti’s fur as parts of their
armor or cloaks, as it is known that once these creatures smell
their kin on you, you will be relentlessly pursued.
Bear from the Deep. Hyste Talma’s underground mining
shafts are full of things that go bump in the night, yet there’s one
tale that strikes fear into the hearts of the mightiest of knights.
The creature that lurks in the darkness of the caves, in the
stillness of abandoned tunnels, and waits for its prey to lose their
way. Bears from the Deep, as they call them. The monsters born
out of rage and yearning for revenge. White or grey hair covering
their entire bodies with towering and muscular forms. These
nightmares can be found in endless caverns all over Kallonia.
They travel in packs and may sometimes wear clothing picked
up from their victims, but otherwise are treated like animals.
Unsettling origin. In Hyste Talma, it is said that the first Bear
from the Deep wasn’t a monster at all. The legend says that he
was born a dwarf and became a vicious warrior in his prime.
One day, he fell in love with a woman who rejected his advances.
Unable to cope with a broken heart, he killed her, her family,
and then ran into the caves underneath Hyste Talma. There, he
had found only madness and magic so dark that it twisted not
only his soul but his body as well. How much of that tale is a true
story passed from generation to generation, and how much of it
is mere fiction? Hopefully, you will never have to find out.
Terrible Shriek. Bears from the Deep have an unsettling ability
to imitate sounds and speech. They stalk their victims, learn of
their weaknesses, and lure them into the darkness using familiar
voices. Then, they knock their prey out with an impossibly loud
shriek that echoes up to the Inner Circle of Hyste Talma.
Insatiable Hunger. Regardless of how the creatures came to be,
they have always felt a hunger for flesh. Though other humanoids
rarely feature in their diet, they are a delicacy no Bear from the
Deep could resist. Thus, if a Bear catches your scent, it will do
anything in its power to sink its teeth into you.
Geographic Distribution
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