Intro to Flora & Fauna

This article is designed for internal writing use and not meant for eventual publication.

The following article discusses the animals and plantlife of our world. They range from the mundane to the fantastical.

The foundation of our animals and plants is Earth, but with a twist. Our setting is heavily influenced by classic western-European-medieval-themed fantasy. Tolkien. Azeroth. The Forgotten Realms.

Fauna and flora can be split into several major categories:

• Sapient Races
• Semi-Sapient Races
• Near-Divinities
• Monsters
• Beasts
• Mundane plants and animals

Sapient Races

The sapient races live and work together upon Aropria. They are rich in diversity, history, and culture.

• Human
• Alium
• Synthoids
• Cryptum
• Ophidian
• Primordial

Semi-Sapient Races

There are several races of limited-intelligence creatures - often tribe-like (think “goblin” and “kobald”). These races pose a general threat to small communities and secluded homesteads. Periodically they may become threatening enough for larger populations.

• Arak
• Psylopods
• Kitteri
• Follett

Near-Divinities

Near-divinities (think “dragon”) are creatures not common to the day-to-day world. They feature high intelligence, major damage, and a multitude of attack types. Līxar, the Watcher, is such a creature.

Monsters

The monsters category is home of our fantastical creatures. Monsters are a real hazard to those living in the 4th Epoch. A defining characteristic of monsters is that they generate congruence cores. Such cores are unique to monsters; mundane creatures do not create cores. Thus monster = core. The following is excerpted from Congruence in the Natural World:

….The other source of congruence cores is within beasts and monsters. Oddly, not all living creatures form cores - usually it’s just the nasty ones. Such cores differ in form from those found in the natural world in that they are always orbs. Core size is generally consistent with beast size. Color appears to vary from monster to monster. And aside from their shape, you can tell a core came from a beast by the presence of a light pulse. Whether the core glows, absorbs light, or twists light, the effect will have a rhythmic pulse - the faster the pulse, the more recent the harvest. The prosperity of the Ion’cavar (monster hunting guild, see below) is in no small way connected with the harvesting of monster cores. It is even rumored that the Ion’cavar’s Council of Three Masters is charged with the protection of a massive core the size of a human head….

When discussing your monster, mention what the cores tend to look like. What color(s) are they? Do they glow vs absorb light vs twist light?

Note that the vast majority of monster cores will never be bigger than the size of a pearl. Only truly unique, old, and large monsters will have larger cores. For reference: pearl-sized is fairly common, fist-sized is rare, and human-head-sized is nearly impossible.

Here are some of the monsters of this world:

• Shelev
• Prak
• Tamais
• Jhund
• Strigoi
• Mistwalker
• Zopper
• Brown Beast
• Sprii
• Hummingbirds
• Null Daemons
• Giddy Flame

Beasts

Beasts are also fantastical creatures. They are quite common upon Aropria and pose an everyday hazard to people and livestock. Beasts are generally easier to hunt or kill than monsters, and they do not feature congruence cores. Here are some of the beasts of this world:

• Savulak
• “Aureus” -Aquila Leo Aureus

Mundane Plants and Animals

The mundane plants and animals of Aropria are only mundane compared to the incredible races, monsters, and beasts they are their world with. The category involves the day-to-day fauna and flora that we generally take for granted: grasses, trees, bushes, dogs, cats, horses, foxes, bears, rodents, birds, fish, etc. One familiar only with our own modern day would find the mundane animals familiar, but different.

A keen eye is needed to seek out the medicinal plants that could save your life, and a keener eye is needed to watch out for the predatory plants plants that could take your life. And while your watching, keep an eye out for the peesh - they like to run amok.

Ion’cavar - Monster Hunting Guild

The Ion’cavar are a guild dedicated to the defense against and hunting of monsters. This guild spans most of the continent, with headquarters in large and major cities. It is common for smaller communities to have a single member of this guild to consult on defenses and head local expeditions as the need arises. These single members have varying levels of competency and courage. The guild has specialists in hunting, cataloging, and engineering. An elite body is maintained and dispatched to handle extreme monster threats.