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| ___|_ _| \ | | / \ | | | ___/ \ | \ | |_ _|/ \ / ___\ \ / /
| |_ | || \| | / _ \ | | | |_ / _ \ | \| | | | / _ \ \___ \\ V /
| _| | || |\ |/ ___ \| |___ | _/ ___ \| |\ | | |/ ___ \ ___) || |
|_| |___|_| \_/_/ \_\_____| |_|/_/ \_\_| \_| |_/_/ \_\____/ |_|
__ _____ ___
\ \/ /_ _|_ _|
\ / | | | |
/ \ | | | |
/_/\_\___|___|
____ _ _
| __ ) ___ ___| |_(_) __ _ _ __ _ _
| _ \ / _ \/ __| __| |/ _` | '__| | | |
| |_) | __/\__ \ |_| | (_| | | | |_| |
|____/ \___||___/\__|_|\__,_|_| \__, |
|___/
_____ _ _ _
|_ _| __ __ _ _ __ ___ ___ _ __(_)_ __ | |_(_) ___ _ __
| || '__/ _` | '_ \/ __|/ __| '__| | '_ \| __| |/ _ \| '_ \
| || | | (_| | | | \__ \ (__| | | | |_) | |_| | (_) | | | |
|_||_| \__,_|_| |_|___/\___|_| |_| .__/ \__|_|\___/|_| |_|
|_|
By Mookiethebold
Version 1.0 / Yiazmat
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WARNING! This guide does contain some spoilers! Read it at your discretion!
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[===================]
[ TABLE OF CONTENTS ]
[===================]
*Using [Ctrl + F] type in the search code and click "find" to go to the desired
section of this guide.
1 - VERSION HISTORY........................[ BTVH ]
2 - INTRODUCTION...........................[ BTIN ]
3 - BESTIARY...............................[ BTBE ]
3.1 - THE DALMASCA SANDS...............[ BT01 ]
3.2 - GIZA PLAINS......................[ BT02 ]
3.3 - THE GARAMSYTHE WATERWAY..........[ BT03 ]
3.4 - THE BARHEIM PASSAGE..............[ BT04 ]
3.5 - THE LHUSU MINES..................[ BT05 ]
3.6 - THE YENSAN SANDSEA...............[ BT06 ]
3.7 - THE TOMB OF RAITHWALL............[ BT07 ]
3.8 - OZMONE PLAIN.....................[ BT08 ]
3.9 - GOLMORE JUNGLE...................[ BT09 ]
3.10 - THE HENNE MINES.................[ BT10 ]
3.11 - PARAMINA RIFT...................[ BT11 ]
3.12 - THE STILSHRINE OF MIRIAM........[ BT12 ]
3.13 - THE MOSPHORAN HIGHWASTE.........[ BT13 ]
3.14 - THE SALIKAWOOD..................[ BT14 ]
3.15 - PHON COAST......................[ BT15 ]
3.16 - TCHITA UPLANDS..................[ BT16 ]
3.17 - THE SOCHEN CAVE PALACE..........[ BT17 ]
3.18 - THE FEYWOOD.....................[ BT18 ]
3.19 - THE ANCIENT CITY OF GIRUVEGAN...[ BT19 ]
3.20 - THE RIDORANA CATARACT...........[ BT20 ]
3.21 - THE PHAROS......................[ BT21 ]
3.22 - ZERTINAN CAVERNS................[ BT22 ]
3.23 - CEROBI STEPPE...................[ BT23 ]
3.24 - THE NABREUS DEADLANDS...........[ BT24 ]
3.25 - THE NECROHOL OF NABUDIS.........[ BT25 ]
3.26 - MARKS...........................[ BT26 ]
3.27 - ELITE MARKS.....................[ BT27 ]
3.28 - ESPERS..........................[ BT28 ]
3.29 - BOSSES..........................[ BT29 ]
3.30 - RARE GAME.......................[ BT30 ]
3.31 - HUMANOIDS.......................[ BT31 ]
3.32 - THE ARCHADIAN EMPIRE............[ BT32 ]
4 - CONTACT INFORMATION....................[ BTCI ]
5 - CREDITS................................[ BTCR ]
6 - DISCLAIMER.............................[ BTDI ]
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[=====================]
[ 1 - VERSION HISTORY ] [ BTVH ]
[=====================]
Version 1.0 / Yiazmat
5-01-08: Set up a basic format and started transcribing the bestiary info.
5-15-08: Done.
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[==================]
[ 2 - INTRODUCTION ] [ BTIN ]
[==================]
-> Greetings, folks! This guide is a transcription of every page of every
bestiary entry in Final Fantasy XII. I have done this for those gamers who
have neither the time nor desire to spend hours upon hours running around
Ivalice and slaughtering all the necessary fiends just to make further
information about the games' world available. Undoubtedly, not everyone
possesses the patience to fight the mandragora family in the Feywood
fourteen times over, or to trek through the Great Crystal to eliminate Omega
Mark XII, or spend up to four or five hours (or more) to kill the ultimate
mark, Yiazmat!
Be aware though, this is not a guide about where to find or how to spawn or
how to defeat the beasties in this game. Please do not contact me asking
such questions, because you will not get a response.
Personally, I find the amount of background provided for nearly everything
in FFXII to be very interesting reading, and no doubt there are plenty of
others who do, as well (and plenty who don't, I'm sure). I hope those of you
reading this, who chose not to acquire this info in the game itself, will
find this guide useful and informative. Perhaps you'll think twice before
killing certain foes once you're aware of their tragic past, or appreciate
the beauty of the landscape in a particular locale a bit more upon learning
of its history.
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[==============]
[ 3 - BESTIARY ] [ BTBE ]
[==============]
Listed in the following manner:
-> entry #xxx - [monster name] / Genus - [type] / Classification - [type]
-> For Rare Game, the first line will look like so:
-> entry #xxx - [monster name] / Derivation - [type] / Rarity - rated with
one star* (common) through five stars***** (very rare)
-> The next section for the majority of entries is titled "Observations," which
provides basic information about the respective entry. Rare game, Espers,
Marks, etc., have a similar first section, just with a different title.
*This is the information presented on page one in the bestiary, unlocked by
defeating one foe in the respective entry.
-> The second section contains information about the world of Ivalice, be it
people, places, weapons, loot, etc. This section has many different titles,
such as "Sage Knowledge," "The Town Crier," "Aletap Rumors," and various
others.
*This is the information presented on page two (and later, for some entries)
in the bestiary, unlocked by defeating all of the required number of foes
in the respective entry.
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< 3.1 - THE DALMASCA SANDS > [ BT01 ]
001 - Cactoid / Genus - Plant / Classification - Cactus
Observations: Being a mischievous, mean-spirited beastie, mercifully lacking
the intelligence to do any real damage.
Sproutlings are called cactites. A rare strain is notable for its proclivity
to sprout a scarlet blossom; that being seldom seen, of the highest value, and
considered a sign of miraculous good fortune by sensitive young lovers with a
tolerance for needles.
The Adventurer's Handbook: Ye adventurers only beginning on your travels: your
first task should well be the collection of 1,000 needles from the fickle
cactoid.
Upon plucking this collection, you will find yourself not only the proud
owner of a bundle of needles, but possessed of great experience in interminable
combat withal, and, should you sell it, a pittance of coin.
If making a bundle exceeds your capabilities, the adventurer is urged to
reconsider his or her vocation and take up employ about town. Adventuring is
not all fun and games, mark you.
* * * * * * * * *
002 - Ichthon / Genus - Ichthian / Classification - Pirahna
Observations: Deceptively joyful colorations adorn this carnivorous ichthian of
vicious temperament.
Of its armaments, the naturalist Merlose has called it "a beast most fierce,
it having a lower mandible which jutteth out like a war-spear, this being used
to rend and tear the flesh of its prey, and a voracious appetite quite
exceeding its diminutive size."
When feeding in shoals, they are known to devour large creatures such as the
wild saurian in the blink of an eye.
Sage Knowledge (34 of 78): Kingdom of Dalmasca: A small kingdom comprising the
lands around the city of Rabanastre, governing a portion of the Galtean
Peninsula.
While its territories are small, its situation at the crossroads of three
continents has enabled it to prosper as a center for trade.
More than 700 years are marked in the charts of history since her founding,
yet many are the armies that have sought to claim her for her cultural richness
and strategic importance.
Upon her defeat to Archadia in the invasion of 704, her lands were placed
under the direct control of the empire.
* * * * * * * * *
003 - Wolf / Genus - Beast / Classification - Wolf
Observations: Agile, swift, and keen of tooth, the wolf is the preeminent
hunter. Widely known to roam in packs led by an alpha. Though once they lived
in close harmony with mankind, fierce competition over prey brought Man to shun
and eventually revile them.
Thereafter, the wolves took to the eating of monsters, from this arising
diverse strains of wolf, varying greatly in form and adaptation, befitting
their diet.
Sage Knowledge (46 of 78): Dalmasca Estersand: One of the large desert regions
of Dalmasca, located to the east of Rabanastre. Rife with all manner of
monstrous beasts, it regularly plays host to hunts organized within the city.
What settlements there are line the banks of the River Nebra, a vibrant blue
vein running through the heart of the sands, wherein can be found ferries for
the conveyance of travelers and goods across her flow. Many merchants make a
point of stopping in the villages to trade on their way to and from Rabanastre.
* * * * * * * * *
004 - Wild Saurian / Genus - Dragon / Classification - Tyrant
Observations: Once lords of the land together with the other wyrmkin; a war
with the gods dwindled their numbers to a mere fraction of their former glory.
This great creature possesses sharp teeth in its sizable maw by which it
catches and rends the flesh of its prey, and a grand tail, the latter being
used for balance as it strides upon two powerfully appointed hind legs.
Mysteries of the Ancients: One of the singular problems in clearing new land
is, surprisingly enough, the removal of monstrous bones, they being far more
resistant to wear, and far heavier, than those of men.
The worst of these by far are tyrant bones.
Though they too will erode over the ages, their weight and strength are most
uncommon, and even the hottest flame will leave no mark upon them.
To expect anything less from such a bone would be to forget the awesome might
of the tyrant from whence it came.
* * * * * * * * *
005 - Cockatrice / Genus - Avion / Classification - Cockatrice
Observations: Lo, the mighty cockatrice, proud-feathered sphere, known as much
for its ill humor as its dire rotundity.
The great naturalist Merlose once remarked: "...live they in the sands and
other arid climes, whereabouts they moveth in a rolling fashion most peculiar.
Subsist they principally on small creatures and vermin &c., for the
incapacitation of which they disgorge a sticky saliva, thence devouring
captured morsels only when appetite moves them. Swollen sacs containing airs
are found under the surface of the skin, and when inflated, these lifting the
creature upon drafts unseen, whence to espy suitable prey.
Sage Knowledge (47 of 78): Dalmasca Westersand: One of the vast deserts of the
Dalmascan region situated to the west of Rabanastre. Few roads pass through
this waste, and as such it is little frequented by merchants.
In Dalmasca Westersand, the sandstorms are more greatly feared than the
beasts; so much so, in fact, that whole societies of natural philosophers in
Rabanastre devote themselves to their study.
* * * * * * * * *
006 - Gnoma Entite / Genus - Gnoma Entite / Classification - Elemental
Observations: In the chronicles, it is said that in time out of memory the gods
fashioned here a paradise, yet Man was ill-satisfied and sought to cultivate
the lands beyond. The soil was thus enriched, yet this gave rise to
differences, differences to greed, and greed to war. The gods wept and raged
and cleft the land, casting men into the gaping abyss.
Out of this tumult, the gnoma entite was born.
The Entite Pact: The strength of the earth carries us, does naught but be under
all, languid, resistant, a mass against which the spirit is strained and,
eventually, broken. Only the power of wind may tempt the indolent soil into
action.
The earth, now called, cares for you. For you, heart-cleft, and for you alone
will it open and reveal the rich electrum it holds.
* * * * * * * * *
007 - Dive Talon / Genus - Avion / Classification - Diver
Observations: Called the "Pirate King of the Skies" for its uncanny powers of
flight, and ability to strike silently with fatal precision. Its startling
plumage is no evolutionary accident, being intended to dissuade dragons and
other natural predators. Ironically, the sturdiness of these vibrant beast
deterrents makes them highly prized for crafting another kind of predator: the
profit-hungry hunter.
Sage Knowledge (43 of 78): Nalbina Fortress: A fortress built on an oasis
located between the old kingdoms of Dalmasca and Nabradia. Defended by high
ridges and barren sands, long it stood firm against generations of aggressors.
Nalbina Fortress and the merchant town that sprung up in its shadow made the
area a focal point for local commerce. The treaty to end hostilities in the war
with Archadia was signed at Nalbina, yet immediately after the signing, the
Dalmascan king was slain, and as a result, the kingdom of Dalmasca came under
complete Archadian Imperial rule.
In the two years since the war and occupation by Archadian forces, the
fortress has become a key strategic stronghold against the distant, yet ever-
threatening, Rozarrian Empire. Works continue to this day to repair the damage
which the fortress suffered during the war.
Recently, markets where antiques and rarities can readily be had have sprung
up in the outer wards of the fortress, taking advantage of the steady flow of
traffic which passes through this midpoint between Rabanastre and Nabudis. It
is this pivotal location that gives the fortress its unique character. Many are
the travelers who visit Nalbina Fortress to witness this ever-booming oasis
that refuses to silt over in neglect, or crumble before the blistering winds of
war.
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< 3.2 - GIZA PLAINS > [ BT02 ]
008 - Hyena / Genus - Beast / Classification - Wolf
Observations: A gifted hunter, possessed of sharp horns and fangs, reputed
never to spare its quarry once sighted.
The larger variety of these is known as the alpha hyena. They consume all
manner of things from wee beasts to the largest of behemoths, and do not turn
up their noses at the carrion flesh of similar.
The horns growing from their snouts are used to impale larger opponents, and
are sharp as well-honed blades.
They excel in slipping past a foes defenses, whereupon they deliver a most
telling blow to the vitals.
Sage Knowledge (40 of 78): Lowtown: Lowtown lies, as its name would suggest,
beneath the city streets of Rabanastre. Great pillars standing throughout
Lowtown support the soaring edifices above. Prior to the war with Archadia,
many merchants used Lowtown as a place to store foodstuffs and wares for sale.
With the defeat and occupation of Archadia, many of the former residents of
upper Rabanastre were relocated here, leading to its gradual transformation
into a residential area. No natural light shines on Lowtown, save where there
are passages to the streets above, making it perpetually gloomy.
Many orphans from the war have adopted Lowtown as their new home.
* * * * * * * * *
009 - Wooly Gator / Genus - Beast / Classification - Gator
Observations: Formerly inhabiting tropical climes, the bodies of these fierce
predators have begun to adapt to deteriorating climatic conditions by growing a
thick coat of spindly hair.
Known to spend much of their time in the water, except during their mating
season when they are sometimes sighted furtively going about their business
during the Rains in Giza Plains.
Their jaw, being split into two halves, is well suited to keeping a tight
grip on prey, allowing them time to administer a finishing blow as and when
they see fit.
Sage Knowledge (17 of 78): The Shiva: No. 1 Light Cruiser Class Airship
Belonging to the 8th Fleet of the Archadian Imperial Army.
Ordered to return to Rabanastre after the nethicite fragment known as the
"Dawn Shard" was recovered, but sank in an explosion thought to have been
caused by the relic before she could make port.
* * * * * * * * *
010 - Happy Bunny / Genus - Beast / Classification - Dreamhare
Observations: Being a fiendish creature taking the form of an adorable bunny
(for which, indeed, it is all the more fiendish), living in the dry savannah
lands, such as can be found in Giza Plains during the Dry, or Ozmone Plain.
The name of the beastie is given to change according to its location, so that
those of Giza Plains are called giza rabbits, and those of Ozmone Plain called
ozmone hares.
They are wont to migrate during periods of inclement weather, and one may
find that, depending on the season, a given specimen may be found in Giza
Plains or Ozmone Plain.
Sage Knowledge (48 of 78): Giza Plains: A vast savannah spreading to the south
of the Royal City of Rabanastre, the environs of which vary drastically between
dry and rainy seasons.
Large dark crystals lie scattered here and there across the savannah. During
the Dry, they absorb the sun's radiance and glow with an auric brilliance. A
village of nomadic herders is located near the middle of the grasslands. During
the Rains, the villagers relocate to the mountains. While they reside in the
grasslands, the menfolk rarely return from their herding, leaving the women and
children to their own devices in the village.
These nomads know the art of capturing the energy of the dark crystals in
chunks of magicite, called sunstone, which they then bring to market to sell.
The animals by which they make their living are primarily of cockatrice stock.
* * * * * * * * *
011 - Great Tortoise / Genus - Beast / Classification - Titantoise
Observations: Being a sizeable tortoise with a massy shell of broad
circumference.
Customarily living in the deep places of the earth - caves and the like -
save during the Rains, when they are known to emerge and forage in the vicinity
of water. Tortoises, newly spawned, are wrapped in a thick shell, protecting
them after the fashion of an egg.
Upon their growing, the legs and feet break through the shell, this being the
adult form, whereafter they continue to grow until such growth is arrested by
illness or incident.
Sage Knowledge (18 of 78): The Leviathan: No. 1 Dreadnought Class Airship
Being the flagship of the 8th Fleet of the Archadian Imperial Army.
The 8th Fleet was assigned to the Galtea Tactical Force of the Western
Armada, under the command of Judge Ghis. Fitted with a skystone made to resist
the effects of Jagd, the Leviathan was a linchpin of the Imperial army's main
force.
Sunk in an explosion caused by the uncontainable reaction of the nethicite
fragment known as the Dawn Shard.
* * * * * * * * *
012 - Sleipner / Genus - Beast / Classification - Sleipner
Observations: Being the result of much breeding in a now long forgotten land,
the aim of which being the creation of a superior war charger around which to
build a cavalry without equal in all Ivalice.
In this time when a cavalry's strength meant victory or defeat, there was one
knight whose feats in the saddle shone above all others. This hero among men
named his horse "Sleipnir", a name later given to those steeds chosen by his
disciples.
In more recent days, the great cavalries of old are gone, their once proud
steeds grown wild and feral at heart.
Sage Knowledge (29 of 78): Ivalice: The region consisting of the three
continents of Valendia, Ordalia, and Kerwon, blessed throughout with verdant
natural landscapes and climatic conditions supporting a great variety of life.
Regional climate trends are thought to be determined largely by the density
of Mist present in the air, though this correlation is as yet not well
understood.
Many humanoids call Ivalice home, each belonging to a distinct cultural
sphere. By far the most prevalent of these are the humes, and it is around
their civilization that affairs throughout the rest of the world revolve.
* * * * * * * * *
013 - Silicon Tortoise / Genus - Beast / Classification - Titantoise
Observations: Being a variety of giant tortoise spending its infant stage
quietly beneath the soil, only to emerge upon maturity.
It is a quality of the giant tortoises that, depending on how deep down in
the earth their youth was spent, the composition of their shell, and thus the
particular species to which they belong, comes to differ.
Of their ilk, the silicon tortoise has spent its youth in the deepest of
tenable places, being born with a thick layer of fat inside its shell so as to
sustain its growth without the need to eat.
Talk About Town: Armor, once sundered, requires Repair, and that costing more
dearly when such is of High Quality. Why? Fool! You must use Materials of like
Strength lest all Assays at Repair be entered into vainly.
Nor is the Procurement of such a mean Task. Stories abound of hale Warriors
venturing forth to obtain Shells tough as Iron and ne'er returning, having run
afoul of said Shell's Occupant.
Kana, White Mage
* * * * * * * * *
014 - Wildsnake / Genus - Beast / Classification - Serpent
Observations: Being a curious creature having a serpentine body wherefrom grow
six blades. They are known to dig holes in the ground and to lie in wait for
prey therein. In antiquity, these were said to possess large mouths decked with
prominent fangs, these having since receded in concert with the gradual
flattening of the creature's form, and after splaying sideward to form the
aforementioned blades.
Indurate scales covereth the snake's body, which are so shaped to permit
rapid movement over all manner of terrain.
Sage Knowledge (39 of 78): Rabanastre: Capital of Old Dalmasca, and before
that, many other kingdoms stretching back into the storied history of the
Galtean Peninsula.
Rule by the Dalmascan royal family lasted for several hundred years before the
city's fall to the Archadian Empire two years past. Now an Imperial territory.
The story of the city's people is the story of three cultures, those of
Valendia, Ordalia, and Kerwon, who bore trade goods along the many well-
frequented routes leading to her welcoming gates.
The town proper of Rabanastre is divided into four sections by the cardinal
directions of the compass. The east and west are merchant districts, the
streets lined with shops and stalls of every description. In the north, the
streets widen into a large piazza facing the palace, and to the south can be
found three gates leading beyond the city walls to the Dalmasca desert and Giza
Plains.
The aerodome can be found in the western outskirts of town, surrounded by
numerous privately operated airship docks.
In the northwestern part of town stands a splendid cathedral built in the
Galtean style, the bell of which, when rung, sounds through every hearth and
home in the city.
* * * * * * * * *
015 - Werewolf / Genus - Giant / Classification - Behemoth
Observations: The story of this strange, man-like creature began it is said,
when a group of bandits ate the corrupted flesh of a wolf, becoming infected
and changing form. Indeed, like the wolf, these afflicted beings are known to
feed with relish upon rotting meat.
As carrion-feeders oft develop strong resistance to illness, some natural
philosophers have urged detailed study of the creature in hopes of culling
reagents for medicants from their flesh.
Talk About Town: You've heard the famous saying that a good steak is worth ten-
fold its weight in potions? Of course you have!
Now, that saying's older than I am, and potions and philtres have come a long
way since I was a lad, but you have to admit it still has the ring of truth
about it!
Eat a quality steak, look me in the eye, and tell me it doesn't invigorate
you!
Irrim, Apothecary
* * * * * * * * *
016 - Urstrix / Genus - Beast / Classification - Urstrix
Observations: Being the progeny of wildfowl taken into the magicite mines to
ascertain the presence of noxious fumes. On occasion of a mining accident,
these birds would be exposed to great quantities of Mist, under the influence
of which they would at length give birth to chicks with stunted wings of most
peculiar shape.
Perplexed, the hens discarded their unwanted, flightless brood, these
becoming the feral urstrix.
Sage Knowledge (30 of 78): Ordalia: Continent on the western edge of Ivalice.
The vast plains in the interior are home to the great Rozarrian Empire. To the
east of Rozarria the land is arid and largely desert.
The Galtean Peninsula on the eastern portion of the continent is a crossroads
connecting to Valendia and Kerwon both, and a strategic prize sought by empire
and kingdom alike.
Though Dalmasca controlled the peninsula for the last several hundred years,
it was lost to the Archadian Empire in an invasion two years past.
* * * * * * * * *
017 - Storm Elemental / Genus - Storm Elemental / Classification - Elemental
Observations: Being an elemental of lightning, traveled to our land on a bolt
from the sky.
On this subject, the old tomes speak much of the wrath of gods made apparent
in the stormlights, and their anguished cries in the rolling thunder.
Even today, when knowledge of the elementals and the natural order in which
they occur is widespread, these superstitions endure, such that many disdain
harnessing the power of the bright element, fearing to profane the teaching of
the gods. These "sacred" activities are reserved for and entrusted to priests
of the highest orders.
Aletap Rumors: One o' my mates, he has this funny habit o' takin' the fine
materials you might use for buildin' manses and the like and poundin' 'em into
plain ol' pebbles with his bare hands!
He's a famed pugilist, he is. Says that smashin' all that quality stone makes
for great trainin', and gives him somethin' to take his frustrations out on. I
dunno why he don't take 'em out in the ring, though. If you ask me, it's a
shameful waste o' gil, as well as some half-decent stones!
Gusten, Merchant
* * * * * * * * *
018 - Slaven / Genus - Giant / Classification - Slaven
Observations: Valued through much of history for their size and great
locomotive power as beasts of burden, recent advances in transport tecknologies
have seen this noble beast fall by the wayside.
Rare have their trainers become withal, such that only a few still remain
alive in Ivalice today.
While some argue that the breed should be preserved as part of our cultural
heritage, most modern specimens are thoroughly feral, beyond pacification by
even a skilled trainer.
Sage Knowledge (25 of 78): Marks: Beasts - scourge of the common peoples of
Ivalice. Foul creatures who take the greatest relish from inflicting the most
gratuitous harm.
Of these, the worst are identified as a public menace and made "marks," for
the slaying of which a bounty is offered. Most mark hunting petitions come from
commoners or local officials, though kingdoms have been known to issue requests
for the slaying of particularly malevolent menaces.
Mark hunters range from professional hunters to casual adventurers. The
unwary be warned: though mark hunting is imagined by some to be a short road to
fame and fortune, it is oft-times found to be a short road to an early grave.
* * * * * * * * *
019 - Mardu Entite / Genus - Mardu Entite / Classification - Elemental
Observations: Tales of the people speak oft of the wrathful gods visiting Man
with lightning, and the remorseful gods weeping the rain that follows. For this
did peasants once light fires, sending smoke up to the heavens in hopes it
would cause the eyes of the gods to water, irrigating their crops.
Yet these fires did naught but incur once more the gods' wrath, and in a
rage, they sent rainless lightning down to blast and scorch those who had
offended.
It is said these bolts gave birth to the mardu entite.
The Entite Pact: How better to quell the lightning's blind rage, to still the
mindless roar of her answering thunder, than by drawing a veil of ice around
it, cold enough to freeze passion itself?
So will the dark clouds part and let shine through a light as brilliant as
the sun: the light of electrum.
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< 3.3 - THE GARAMSYTHE WATERWAY > [ BT03 ]
020 - Dire Rat / Genus - Beast / Classification - Rat
Observations: Being a manner of vile and verminous beastie, much favoring the
fetid stench of the sewers and making their nests therein. Past attempts at
eradication to contain the plagues these pests are known to carry have greatly
reduced their numbers, yet a preternatural rate of reproduction has kept the
strain from extinction. And so they remain, an ever-popular subject for natural
philosophers keen to fathom the secrets of their indomitable constitution.
Today's Recommendation: The rat tail: a cheap reagent for all your potion-
crafting needs. And that's not all: some aficionados say they're quite tasty
fried with a little cactus butter!
The large volume disappearing from merchant's stalls would seem to confirm
their popularity. Rumor has it that, with the right spices, the flavor can only
be described as "transcendent." I, for one, am not sure I'm quite ready to
transcend.
* * * * * * * * *
021 - Baritine Croc / Genus - Beast / Classification - Gator
Observations: Should the traveler hear a hauntingly sweet song in the wetlands,
beware! For it is surely the dulcet lure of the baritine croc, a crafty and
dangerous beast favoring cold climes and dank underground caverns. The thick
layer of vermillion fur covering much of its bulk is of great density, and
containing of air pockets which further insulate the beast against the
elements, making it better suited to living in harsh environs than its gator
brethren.
The Adventurer's Handbook: Have you slain the sweet-singing baritine croc? Then
look into its belly for the lost treasures of those who hunted this wily beast
and fell. You may claim a broken sword or the like. Do with your findings what
you will, but we recommend turning a profit. Whatever it meant to those who
came before, to you it's a treasure with which to line your pockets. Then
again, you could use it to arm and armor yourself, adventurer. Who knows, it
may be your broken sword that is found next.
* * * * * * * * *
022 - Gigantoad / Genus - Beast / Classification - Toad
Observations: This amphibious, carnivorous monstrosity is said to live only in
the Dalmasca region, much to the relief of peoples living elsewhere.
During the mating season, the male inflates a great sac in his gullet
producing a distinctive galumph sound, whereby he makes his intentions known to
the fairer (as far as he's concerned) sex.
Its horns are unsuitable for combat, and are instead used to mark territory
with gouges on tress, as do some great cats, or for threatening the predatory
wooly gator.
Though possessed of a relatively peaceable nature, the gigantoad is fiercely
territorial and can be deadly when provoked.
Sage Knowledge (42 of 78): The Garamsythe Waterway: An underground waterway
running deep beneath the Royal City of Rabanastre. Built and rebuilt over the
centuries, no one alive knows all of its labyrinthine ways. Some are said to
lead even to the royal palace.
There are stairs leading down to the waterway in Lowtown, but they are
normally barred to keep unwelcome visitors down in the sewers where they
belong.
* * * * * * * * *
023 - Malboro Overking / Genus - Plant / Classification - Malboro
Observations: This malboro, through its abstinence of the odd practice of
heterogenesis by which its lesser ilk procreate, has reached the foreseeable
pinnacle of its development.
Its hide has grown hard to the very point of petrifaction, and the crown it
wears is studded with a glittering gemstone for each year of its life. Truly a
king among foul-smelling vegetables.
Research Notes: Completed phase three of inquiry into nature of putrid breath.
Unable to annul stench, though have developed several deodorant solutions of
passable strength, and three fragrances withal, such as may be marketable with
further refinement.
Indeed, three of my most experienced researchers have joined a small venture
marketing these scents, and so spend their days mixing, culling, and sniffing.
They have even achieved some measure of financial success with a particular
fragrance derived from putrid liquid, the public being none the wiser! I know
not if I will see them in my laboratory again.
* * * * * * * * *
024 - Garchimacera / Genus - Fiend / Classification - Gargoyle
Observations: There was once an unenlightened age when all manner of maladies
were believed to be the work of demons.
It was customary in those days to place statues with terrible visages in the
houses of curing so as to ward off these demons. Eventually, it came to pass
that the people thought of the statues themselves as a sort of demon, and they
feared them so much that the fear took shape, and the garchimacera was born: a
foul simulacrum of the statues carved to keep such evil at bay.
Sage Knowledge (41 of 78): Royal Palace: A short walk north from the center of
Rabanastre will lead you to the gates of the royal palace.
Before the war with Archadia, this magnificent structure was home to the
Dalmascan royal family, and barracks to the order of knights that served them.
It is currently employed as living quarters and apartments by the recently
appointed consul from Archadia.
The palace itself was built several centuries ago and has since been home to
many Dalmascan monarchs, King Raminas being the most recent.
Numerous additions have been made to the palace over the course of its long
history (the Royal City of Rabanastre having several times fallen under the
control of foreign powers through invasion), but the overall bearing of its
architecture is true to the original Galtean design.
Within the palace are secret chambers containing documents and treasures
belonging to the royal family. Few who live beyond the palace walls know how
they may be found.
* * * * * * * * *
025 - Gespenst / Genus - Undead / Classification - Reaper
Observations: Being an undead given to sudden manifestation in the streets of
large towns where the living reside in numbers.
Such that perish with sins unabsolved are barred from celestial repose and
cast into the darkness, from which pollution they rise once more.
Though they are related in sort to the ethereal ghost, their fearsome
appearance has led to the widespread belief that they are none other than the
very hand of Death. This has led some necromantic authorities to place them in
a genus altogether separate from their ghostly kin.
Aletap Rumors: More equipment and weaponry draws its power from the darkness
than your local armorer is like to admit.
Of these, the demon shield is one o' the best.
Why, they even apply leamonde halcyons to aged turtle shells and destrier
barding, these days. Makes you think twice about charging into battle against
the forces of darkness. I mean, what if you're one of 'em?
Strout, Acolyte
* * * * * * * * *
026 - Ghost / Genus - Undead / Classification - Ghost
Observations: Any soul when trapped in a coffin by magicks will become a
vengeful thing of passionate violence, no matter how innocent or unsullied its
former life.
The ghost is a lamentable example of such. Tales tell of a mage who trapped
his lover's soul in a casket of cold wood and set it at his side, only to be
rent limb from limb by the monster his love became.
Destroying the casket is often enough to dissipate the apparition, this being
more properly called "releasing," for it frees the soul at last to assume the
form assigned to it by Nature.
Sage Knowledge (16 of 78): The Ifrit: No. 1 Cruiser Class Airship.
Belonging to the 8th Fleet of the Archadian Imperial Army.
Led the Imperial response to the Resistance attack on the royal palace in
Rabanastre.
* * * * * * * * *
027 - Water Elemental / Genus - Water Elemental / Classification - Elemental
Observations: The element of water, the vital element, present in all spaces
where there exists life.
Should a water elemental appear near to a befouled pool, it is made clear as
a mountain spring, and for this, these entites are worshipped as purifiers by
diverse faiths.
"As water consumeth all, and cleanseth the land, so doth violence silence
uprising, and purify thought," says the central tenet of one such belief, much
to the dismay of those caught up in its holy wars.
Aletap Rumors: To heat tell of it, nothing packs quite the punch of the bombs
made out in the lands to the far west. But how exactly does one go about
fashioning something like a water bomb, an explosive which harnesses the power
of water? I've collected a fine amount of materials, yet aught's missing and
I'm lost as to what it might be. Truly, a challenge to warm the heart of this
old artificer.
Karimdt, Guild Artificer
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< 3.4 - THE BARHEIM PASSAGE > [ BT04 ]
028 - Steeling / Genus - Avion / Classification - Steeling
Observations: Being an avion possessed of clawed hands and a deep purple hue as
though 'twere cut from the dark cloth of night.
From the records of the naturalist Merlose: "Liveth they in the dark places,
feeding on the life-humors of other monstrosities."
It is known to the modern natural philosophers that they are not "guided
through the black by the devil's hand" as was once suggested, but instead that
they employ a cry of such high pitch that it is as silence to hume ears, and by
its echoing do they navigate with uncanny precision.
It is a peculiarity of their ilk that they hunt often in packs, whence comes
our common expression "Wings o' leather, flock together."
Sage Knowledge (14 of 78): Airships: Airborne craft, developed by moogles
centuries ago. They float by the power of skystone, and are given direction and
speed by means of propeller or glossair ring.
Currently, they are one of the most popular forms of transport in Ivalice,
and the skyroutes are comfortably the busiest of the highways linking the major
cities. Airships range in size from private yachts to giant military warcraft.
Unable to fly in jagd, where skystone is ineffective.
* * * * * * * * *
029 - Suriander / Genus - Beast / Classification - Toad
Observations: Being a carnivorous beast commonly dwelling near shallow bodies
of water.
Though their feet lack the webbing of other aquatic creatures, the fins on
their tails can be threshed in a sideways manner, propelling them with
frightening celerity.
Their horns being used to contest dominance over females, and determining
standing in the herd by virtue of length. Such with smaller horns learn swiftly
to keep out of harms way. While they are normally quite docile, during the
mating season they can be easily agitated, and attack asudden with a great
whooping cry.
Sage Knowledge (44 of 78): Nalbina Fortress & Dungeons: A great dungeon,
created when the Archadian army sealed off the lower levels of Nalbina
Fortress. Originally a complex lowtown region. In addition to the usual
collection of petty thieves and murderers, its inmates include political
dissenters and prisoners of war from the Dalmascan and Nabradian armies, all
thrown together without discrimination, separation, or order. An oubliette has
been created in the depths of the fortress to hold those prisoners whose cases
await judgment before the Court of Archadia.
* * * * * * * * *
030 - Mimic / Genus - Insect / Classification - Mimic
Observations: Being an insectoid with four sharpened limbs and a hard, metallic
shell.
Preferring to feast upon brains of high intellect, whereby they may improve
their own faculties. By arranging their own carapaces to resemble a coffer,
they wait for unwitting prey to "open" them, thereby proving some modicum of
intelligence, and thus suitability for consumption.
It is most often humes, wracked with base greed, who fall prey to this simple
but efficacious ruse, which in turn has made humes the mainstay of the mimic's
diet.
Sage Knowledge (11 of 78): Electricity and Magick: With the discovery and
harnessing of electricity, it was suddenly possible to operate devices of a far
larger scale than ever before conceived.
However, the vast quantity of solid fuel required to generate electrical
power, and the development of methods to artificially condense Mist, led to the
latter supplanting the former as the dominant usable energy source in Ivalice.
Only the most energy-hungry devices still use electricity today.
* * * * * * * * *
031 - Zombie / Genus - Undead / Classification - Zombie
Observations: Being a corpse exhumed, bound by foul magicks, and enslaved. The
corruption of the flesh is advanced, its stench both rank and cloying withal.
As exposure to the sun's rays speeds this decay, they are oft conditioned for
nocturnal activity.
Perhaps due to this, they seem to shun even the lesser light of candles &c.
Sage Knowledge (9 of 78): Mist: Naturally occurring energy, found in almost all
regions of the world, affecting all living things, the climate, and even the
land itself.
Magick is but one of the diverse methods of harnessing the power of Mist, the
most common being via its controlled release from magicite, an ore known to
hold high concentrations of condensed Mist within its crystalline structure.
For larger effects, a greater amount of Mist is required, making particularly
rich magicite a valuable commodity.
There are marked regional differences in the amount of Mist contained in the
atmosphere and soil. While typically invisible to the naked eye, high densities
of Mist will occasionally manifest in very visible phenomena.
The highest concentrations of Mist can even do damage, leading to over-rapid
changes in the environment, and violent behavior among animals and those more
sensitive to the Mist's effects.
* * * * * * * * *
032 - Tiny Mimic / Genus - Insect / Classification - Mimic
Observations: The wandering nature of these creatures has been attributed to
their apparent predilection for hunting prey of high intelligence.
From their diet of Nature's intelligentsia, they receive nutrients to aid
their own development, and it so follows that fledglings are often vapid and
dull. Some strains, however, such as the tiny bug, never leave the larval
stage, and so die as poor of wit as they were when they were born.
Talk About Town: I should think you know by now that arrows, shot, and the like
are a prized commodity in these parts, eh?
Most of them, you see, must be imported from other lands! We've none but
ourselves to blame, mind you. If only there were a few more people here with
the skill to craft them...
Aye, that's why you'll be going to the bazaar for your munitions. Bring some
scales or fangs and you'll get what you need.
Gobalta, Merchant
* * * * * * * * *
033 - Skeleton / Genus - Undead / Classification - Skeleton
Observations: Many are those who bear burdens through life, and fail to
relinquish them at the moment of death. Weighted down, they attain not heaven,
but are cast aside to wander the land as skeletons.
Robbed of the pardon of flesh, they are cursed to walk for eons, till their
very bones are reduced to ash.
Only when they are undone and gone from this world, and nothing remains to
bear that which they should not have borne, will they permit themselves eternal
sleep.
Sage Knowledge (8 of 78): Bazaar Goods: Loot from monsters and the like are
crafted into articles fit for sale.
Some of these are little more than refinements on the base materials.
Others require crystals, concoctions, and alchemy to produce. Few require too
much skill or effort, though, making crafted articles a common sight at market,
their quality, if not quite their appearance, being hardly distinguishable from
that of regularly produced goods. If one is lucky, one might find some articles
selling for below the going rate.
* * * * * * * * *
034 - Battery Mimic / Genus - Insect / Classification - Mimic
Observations: What strange manner of creature, to so readily absorb the
crackling power of electricity!
Having absorbed an appropriate amount of nourishment from their feast of
lightning, they discharge spectacularly, this being their primary form of
excretion.
Forgoing food of substance, their life-span is pitifully short.
Aletap Rumors: Witness the marksman! You'll find that the steadiest of arms and
truest of aims belong to the most cautious, cowardly fellows of the bunch.
These be they that use silent shot and like trickery to make sure that, when
that one killing shot misses its mark, it draws no unfriendly attention.
Just between you and me, I've found through plentiful study that this shot be
made with magickal processes of a most special variety, requiring darkness
trapped within a certain kind of scale! A scale!
Ffrimllad, Mage
* * * * * * * * *
035 - Specter / Genus - Undead / Classification - Ghost
Observations: The shapeless emotion of fear, coalesced and made manifest by
magicks.
Fear remains in traces for a time where men have been slaughtered, and it is
there, in aceldama, where specters are known to arise.
As their bodies are composed of little more than fear itself, other emotions
are anathema to them, and liable to incite attack. In defense of their very
substance, they will rend their victim's soul from its bodily cage, leaving
naught behind but fear. Thus are new specters born.
Aletap Rumors: The markets are astir with the news that a great storm of some
duration has made it impossible for the lands by the Eastern Sea to fish.
When the storm breaks, 'twill be a rush on the waters. No doubt why everyone
and his cousin is looking to get their angling supplies in good order. If
you've any horn or foul flesh to be sold for bait, now's the time!
Why, they're selling for as much as it costs to buy an imported javelin or
the like, I hear. There's never been a better time to sell!
Soma, Apprentice Swordsman
* * * * * * * * *
036 - Tiny Battery / Genus - Insect / Classification - Mimic
Observations: Gaze upon the larval form of the battery mimic and despair.
Wracked with hunger from the moment of birth, every moment of these poor
creatures' lives is spent in pursuit of sustenance.
Technically, they can be considered to be in a constant state of starvation
until maturity, and are prone to attack any perceived obstruction to their
feeding. On rare occasions, a tiny battery possessing a modicum of intellect is
born. Theories that these gifted grubs become queens have gained some following
of late.
Street Corner Musings: When things want craftin', a rock what's got magick in
it, even a sniff, is the order o' the day.
Now you don't need to know what to do with it, but you do need to know this:
Adventurers need society just like society needs adventurers. "What's that got
to do with the price o' potions, Leryll?" I hear you ask. Well, them very same
stones what you adventurers earn an honest gil floggin' at market just happen
to make the world go 'round, too. Simple as that. ...How'd you know my name,
anyway?
Leryll, Archer
* * * * * * * * *
037 - Mimeo / Genus - Insect / Classification - Mimic
Observations: Being a creature whose substance is almost entirely metallic.
That its parts so close resemble commonly worked metals assists its
camouflage. Few are they who deem an unmoving lump of iron to be just cause for
alarm, and so do the corpses of the foolish congregate around such innocuous
deposits.
Sage Knowledge (10 of 78): Terrestrial Conveyances: We all are told at one time
or another, but how many of us recall that Ivalice is covered with mimic-
germinites? Easy to forget, as they have little impact on living creatures, but
any moogle worth his hammer could tell you the horribly corrosive effect the
little devils have on the metals most often used for engines and vehicles.
All the better for airships, which fly high above the germinite clouds, yet a
sorry state of affairs for those who would make their journeys on land.
The next time you see a party traveling by chocobo and chocobo-led wagon, you
will know why they're the preferred means of overland transport, won't you.
* * * * * * * * *
038 - Flan / Genus - Amorph / Classification - Flan
Observations: Being an amorph, coated in slime, its eyes and mouth having a
most evil aspect.
They know no distinction of sex, instead absorbing prey until enough bulk has
been gleaned, whereupon they divide their mass, creating offspring in this
manner.
Recent research has shown striking similarities in the magickal ordering of
these creatures with the ordering seen in naturally occurring Mist, leading
some to believe that their generation is tied to Mist at a fundamental level.
The Town Crier: The Iron Stomach, a guild of tasters known for its roster of
legendary chefs, has announced a new dessert!
Called "flan" after the creature of the same name, and fashioned to look much
like its namesake, its popularity is rising as a hunter's treat.
In an astonishing example of creature influencing dessert influencing
creature, it has become common practice to refer to the darkened region near
the flan's head as "caramel," a truer sign of the dessert's popularity than any
of its creators could ever have hoped for.
* * * * * * * * *
039 - Skull Defender / Genus - Undead / Classification - Skeleton
Observations: Being the corpse of a fallen warrior, plated in armor of pale
bronze. Brave and eager for battle in life, they continue to lust for war in
undeath.
From their preferred haunts of man-made caves and mines, some skull defenders
are thought to be fallen hunters, slain in their quest for a mark.
Aletap Rumors: Rumor has it that the island nations to the west lack the iron
to make decent quality fishing goods. Apparently, they use one grade of iron
for the weapons they export, and a cheaper grade for the goods they use in
their everyday lives.
Seems to me, they could lower the quality of their iron swords and solve the
problem, but I think they've too much pride for that.
Tor'Na Moode, Swordsman
* * * * * * * * *
040 - Bomb / Genus - Fiend / Classification - Bomb
Observations: An ensorceled weapon for use against mages in days past, left to
grow wild. Known to react swiftly to the presence of magick, the action of
which triggering the explosive energies contained within.
Notwithstanding, the release of said energy leads to an explosion of a
physical nature, making it greatly effective against targets who rely upon
magickal protection. Many are the mages who hesitate to work magicks around
bombs and their ilk.
Sage Knowledge (45 of 78): Barheim Passage: An underground passage beneath the
fortress at Nalbina. Originally a railway to carry goods into the fortress, the
passage was closed with the introduction of airships as the primary means of
transport.
The abandoned railway line is now rife with Mist, and the dwelling place of
many fell beasts.
* * * * * * * * *
041 - Dead Bones / Genus - Undead / Classification - Skeleton
Observations: The fate of such who sought to barter with demons for exemption
from death, yet were found by the Reaper all the same. Their souls filled with
dark energies, they are cursed to live another life, a half-life, as
punishment.
To add to their torment, the dark energies within them slowly devour their
being, causing endless pain. And so people speak of these tortured souls, these
dead bones, with pity, relieved that their fate is theirs alone.
Mysteries of the Ancients: Why did the ancients perish? Given what we know of
their strength and power as a race, it is difficult to fathom.
The level of technology and magickal potency exhibited by their relics are,
in many ways, far superior to our own. So, why did they die? Could it be that,
for all our preparations, a similar fate awaits us? To solve this riddle, it is
imperative that we study what ancient bones are left to us, and thereby shed
light upon a past which may predict our future.
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< 3.5 - THE LHUSU MINES > [ BT05 ]
042 - Vampyr / Genus - Undead / Classification - Steeling
Observations: Being a variety of steeling draped in crimson fur.
The most vampyric of their ilk, obtaining sustenance from other creatures'
blood alone.
Making their abode in magicite mines and other darkened places, they feed on
beasts and miners alike.
Because of this, they are renowned for spreading disease, and depriving many
a mine of its entire workforce in the space of days.
Sage Knowledge (54 of 78): Lhusu Mines: A crystal mine located on the sky
continent of Dorstonis. Many years have passed since the ore veins were first
discovered here, yet even today, high-quality ores are found and processed in
these well-worked shafts.
Many claim that the success of the mines is due to a project begun many
centuries past by the Ondore family, whereby mining across their domains was
closely regulated, never permitting too much to be drawn from one place,
thereby allowing the magicite crystals to naturally recover.
The Lhusu Mines are most famous for their high caliber of skystone, the
material which enables airships to ply the skies, and memstone, a variety of
magicite that can store sound and even images in its unique crystalline
structure.
Unfortunately, the dense concentrations of Mist in the mines lure all manner
of beasts, and when mining expeditions are planned, palings must be erected to
keep such creatures at bay.
* * * * * * * * *
043 - Headless / Genus - Giant / Classification - Headless
Observations: The Headless are surmised to be criminals of the dark lands
whence they came. So called for the harnesses they must wear, obscuring their
bowed heads.
These poor souls are tortured to distraction, their only hope of release
being to coat their harnesses in the fresh blood of others. Thus they cut with
blades both cruel and sharp, and in hideous ritual, rub the severed limbs of
their victims upon themselves.
Sage Knowledge (53 of 78): Bhujerba: An autonomous city-state found on the sky
continent of Dorstonis. Originally formed as a magicite mining colony with the
advent of airship travel. The magicite mines of the skylands are superior to
crystal mines on the surface in both quantity and quality of ore, and Bhujerba
developed quickly on fortunes born of rock.
During the years of the Galtean Alliance, the Ondore family took over much of
the daily business of Bhujerba's governance, a rule which continues to this
day. Their neutral stance during the Archadian invasion two years ago
positioned them as mediators of the peace negotiations that followed.
Like much of Dorstonis, Bhujerba is a city of hills and sloping boulevards.
Merchant houses and shops are clustered near the peaks, while residences are
found in the valleys. At the very bottom of the hills lies the network of
crystalline shafts known as the Lhusu Mines.
Many visitors come to Bhujerba to enjoy the open-air parks with spectacular
views only available to those who live in the sky. Very rarely does anyone fall
from the skycity, and curiously enough, not a single death has been reported to
have resulted from such an occurrence to date.
* * * * * * * * *
044 - Killer Mantis / Genus - Insect / Classification - Mantis
Observations: Being a great insect with forelimbs resembling sharp scythes. The
head being directly attached to, and forming a part of, the creature's upper
body. The forelimb blades being jointed in three places, the better to grasp
prey, their tips sharp as needles.
While aggressive, they are also known to be quite cautious, raising their
scythes at the first sign of danger to threaten and give warning to potential
predators.
Aletap Rumors: Know what happens if you take entite lightning and direct the
charge at electrum?
I'll tell you: you get gold. Or something quite close, at least. Once, the
stuff was used in all manner of weapons, for the look. These days, you'll find
little other than the odd golden axe that still uses the stuff.
So you see, all that glitters really isn't gold.
Pantages, Alchemickal Scholar
* * * * * * * * *
045 - Dullahan / Genus - Giant / Classification - Headless
Observations: Being a fallen angel with guilt-burdened wings, its behaloed head
cut off and a cruel brace set in its place.
Though originally emissaries sent to warn mankind of unnatural death, they
came to enjoy the grim spectacle.
The swords they wield are called "blood brands," a sign of their bloody
treachery against humanity.
Sage Knowledge (33 of 78): Purvama, The Floating Lands: A great landmass,
floating in the skies above the Naldoan Sea. Such landmasses are not uncommon,
found throughout Ivalice in every sort and size, though the manner of their
formation remains a mystery.
The region in which they float has some bearing on their climate, however
most are warm to subtropical, boasting primordial jungles in which flora and
fauna both rare and wondrous can be seen.
The crust of these floating islands boasts a high magicite concentration, and
after airships became a common mode of transport, mining colonies sprung up on
the richest outcrops.
Bhujerba, in Dorstonis, is the largest of the skycities, and oversees the
administration of many of the rest.
* * * * * * * * *
046 - Bug / Genus - Insect / Classification - Mimic
Observations: Being a rare strain of mimic, its shell turned a jet black due to
magicite consumption in the larval stage.
While the magicite content of its body works to harden its shell against
attacks, this effect is lost outside of magicite-rich areas.
Consequently, all attempts at laboratory inquiry into the creature have been
in vain, and its mechanisms for absorbing the power of magicite remain a
mystery.
Aletap Rumors: Metal of the highest grade is being traded as fast as it hits
the market.
Word has it that a certain war council's seen which way the winds blow, and
is pouring all its efforts into gearing up for the coming conflict. What's
more, it's begun buying up broken weapons from anyone who'll sell.
I suppose even a notched blade is better than a handful of gil when the going
gets rough.
Sosi, Navigator
* * * * * * * * *
047 - Dark Lord / Genus - Undead / Classification - Skeleton
Observations: No warrior band of flesh and blood has followed so dark a leader
as this cold corpse, wrapped in armor caked in the gore of countless
slaughtered enemies. Chilling though it may be, there is reason behind this
macabre decoration: in the barbaric past, it was thought that true victory came
when you defeated not only the body, but the soul of your enemy. Once the
physical vessel of the soul was slain, the victim's remains were defiled and
rubbed on the victor's armor withal, so that the soul would find no sanctuary
but the arms of its enemy. Yet the hatred of the fallen placed a curse upon
these men, trapping them in their grisly armor even in death, and so they fell
to dark wanderings.
Aletap Rumors: Not all souls are created equal, my friend. Hmm? No, I ain't no
mission'ry tryin' to peddle me faith.
Try listenin' with your ears, not your mouth. Accordin' to my information,
and it's as good as its kind gets, the ones what top the list are called
empyreal souls, see?
It'd take a hero o' legend, or a first-class crook what's got himself a
serious reputation to make that grade.
Dolura-eh-Ro, Streetear
* * * * * * * * *
048 - Pandora / Genus - Insect / Classification - Mimic
Observations: Some boxes are made to be opened, others to remain closed. A
prime example of the latter is none other than the pandora, a fiendish creature
that assumes the look of a chest or coffer, granting death to any who open it.
But o, the folly! For still it is whispered that the taboo upon the death-
box's opening is nothing more than a rumor spread by those avaricious few who
would claim the treasures inside for themselves! How many, hearing this, have
opened what they believed to be a boon only to find a bane.
A Curious Treasure: Though it appears to be naught but a puppeteer's fantasy,
the pandora is a crafty creature, with complex, highly developed innards that
somehow harness the power of lightning. Where blood flows in our veins,
lightning flows in theirs.
Its heart, charged with the task of sending that lightning to the rest of its
body, works much like the engine of an airship. Mechanists call this unusual
organ the wrath of the gods.
* * * * * * * * *
049 - Gazer / Genus - Undead / Classification - Reaper
Observations: Being a demon-reaper, said to sense the presence of sinful
knowledge with the gleaming, baleful eye in the middle of its forehead.
Look into its depths and there you will see the reflection of all your sins,
a revelation which will drive you to madness.
How many have stopped asudden, stricken by the accumulated weight of guilt,
even as the cold, cruel claws of the gazer stripped their soul of its earthly
husk?
Sage Knowledge (19 of 78): The Bahamut: No. 1 Sky Fortress Class Airship
Belonging to the western divisions of the Archadian Imperial Army, a mobile
fortress and tactical base, under the control of the commandant of the
Archadian forces, Lord Vayne.
This was the last sky fortress designed by Dr. Cid, powered both by ordinary
skystone and manufacted nethicite, the latter absorbing Mist from its
surroundings to generate the massive amounts of energy the fortress requires to
function.
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< 3.6 - THE YENSAN SANDSEA > [ BT06 ]
050 - Alraune / Genus - Plant / Classification - Mandragora
Observations: A curiously sentient plant-like creature favoring warm climes,
both tropical and arid.
The horns on their heads are used for cracking rock-salt, from which they
draw the salinity that sustains their life.
The vines spreading like a mask from their necks have led to the
classification of these creatures as a sub-variety of mandragora. Apparently,
however, the distinctive viny ruff is a source of much frustration to the
creatures, and they can often be seen clawing at them, looking much like
irritated pets clawing at a leash.
Sage Knowledge (49 of 78): Ogir-Yensa Sandsea: A desert region in the west of
the Jagd Yensa, most of it covered in fine-grain sand that ebbs and flows like
water, compared from antiquity to a sea.
Abandoned drilling rigs can be found here and there, dotted about the ever-
shifting terrain. In the past, the Rozarrian Empire sought to draw rich oils
from the ground here, but relentless attacks from the Urutan Yensa, who
consider the sandsea to be solely theirs, drove them away. Men are now a rare
sight inside the desert borders.
* * * * * * * * *
051 - Danbania / Genus - Ichthian / Classification - Pirahna
Observations: Being a variety of ichthon traveling the desert regions in flocks
formed around a lone bull danbania.
It is a peculiarity of their physiology that a bone juts forth from the lower
jaw like a spear. Their brownish-yellow coloration perfectly blends in with the
sands, camouflaging them from their greatest natural predator, the wyvern.
Their fins are highly evolved for scooping at the wind, lifting them upwards,
and by flapping them as a bird flaps its wings, they can fly with ease.
Sage Knowledge (50 of 78): Nam-Yensa Sandsea: The desert in the west of the
Jagd Yensa. Fine sand beats in waves against the feet of the rolling dunes of
this region which, together with the Ogir-Yensa Sandsea, is called the Great
Yensan Sandsea.
To the west of the Nam-Yensa lies the gorge known as the Valley of the Dead,
so called because it has been the scene of many an ill-starred adventurer's
demise.
* * * * * * * * *
052 - Axebeak / Genus - Avion / Classification - Cockatrice
Observations: Easily identified by its band of colored plumage, which rivals
that of even the most exotic jungle fowl, this creature makes its home in the
sun-baked desert climes of Ivalice.
Adventurers be warned, its cheerfully colorful appearance belies a violent
nature, and its beak is as sharp as the weapon after which it is named.
Generally feeding upon smaller creatures, they have also been known to gather
in packs for the hunting of larger prey.
Our Daily Burden: Let the Egg Sing of Miracles, Let it Sing for the Children!
So pleads Kirus Andii in her latest song of succor for the orphans of war.
Since ancient times, rainbow eggs have been prized as a miracle food - a rich
source of nutrition in a small, easily portable package. Recently, however, the
egg's rich taste has attracted the appetites of the wealthy, the concomitant
rise in price lifting this amazing food out of the reach of those who need it
most.
* * * * * * * * *
053 - Yensa / Genus - Ichthian / Classification - Yensa
Observations: Being a great sandfish, living in the Sandsea of the Jags Yensa
that, when full-grown, becomes a bull yensa.
Though commonly found moving through the sands, they do occasionally surface.
Their outside being covered in a sheath of bony scales, from beneath which is
secreted a viscous slime having the likeness of a membrane, this being to repel
the intrusion of sand.
The Urutan-Yensa have learned the art of harnessing these beasts as an
excellent means of travel across the trackless Sandsea.
The Town Crier: The Iron Stomach, a guild of tasters known for its lust to
discover new edibles at any cost, has discovered yet another delicacy!
Known as the yensa fin, it's not only delicious, but reasonably priced to
boot! The response from housekeepers has been universally positive.
One such convert recommends a soup broth for bringing out the fin's full
flavor. A book of recipes is in the works!
* * * * * * * * *
054 - Wyvern / Genus - Dragon / Classification - Wyvern
Observations: This strain of dragon possesses both the sharpened talons of a
tyrant wyrm, and the wings of a wyvern, the latter having been traded for
forelimbs at some point in the creature's eons-long development.
Particularly fond of the flesh of the danbania fish, they wheel through the
upper air, searching with keen eye for their next meal.
Of the same strain, the more aged individuals are called bell-wyvern, thought
to be emissaries of the war gods for their effect on warriors in the field, who
are inspired to great acts of foolhardy courage and bravery by the merest sight
of these mighty creatures in motion.
Sage Knowledge (21 of 78): The Strahl: Airship designed and built by YPA, a
shipwright's guild of Archades.
Officially named the YPA-GB47 Test Combat Fighter, production was halted
after the completion of a single test model due to dissatisfaction on the part
of the Imperial customer with the costly dual-movable-wing design. Scheduled
for scrapping, Balthier liberated the ship at the last moment.
Balthier has since modified the Strahl to his tastes with a new engine and
numerous other augmentations, making it a very different ship from the one
envisaged by its YPA inventors.
* * * * * * * * *
055 - Salamand Entite / Genus - Salamand Entite / Classification - Elemental
Observations: When the gods looked down on Man, shivering in his ignorance,
they bestowed upon him the gift of fire. So did the gods give both warmth and
knowledge to Man.
Gradually, Man grew wiser, and made many things. Yet, when war came, he used
the fire of the gods for the taking of life, and the gods became angry,
scorching the world. In this inferno was born the salamand entite.
The Entite Pact: To prevent the ne'er-sated hunger of flame from consuming all,
drink only from that water which will ne'er parch, and thereby shall it be
sated.
Only then shall the shining electrum be revealed at last beneath burnt-weary
ash.
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< 3.7 - THE TOMB OF RAITHWALL > [ BT07 ]
056 - Seeker / Genus - Avion / Classification - Steeling
Observations: Being a sort of steeling, its body cloaked in fine white fur, and
favoring darkness to the light of day.
Known to employ shrieks of an extremely high pitch as a means to navigate in
the gloom, as well as to deprive potential prey of their sense of direction, a
more conventional approach being used thereafter to deprive them of their
lives.
Mainly feeding upon smaller creatures, but known to attack larger foes in
packs on occasion, giving rise to the extraordinary sight of a flight of white-
winged creatures speckled crimson with fresh blood.
Philosophical Musings: This wing, covered as it is in snow-white fur, is the
most exceptionally beautiful steeling artifact. Should the fur be rich and even
in its length and set, the wing becomes even more beautiful - a perfect work of
art.
To the trained eye of the collector, its value is beyond question. That is
why I seek out these bat wings and store them reverently as another might horde
precious jewels.
* * * * * * * * *
057 - Lost Soul / Genus - Undead / Classification - Skeleton
Observations: Men whose souls have been wrenched from the flesh and made to
march to another's tune are called lost souls. Sightings of these poor
creatures serving as guards for ancient ruins or graves are common. In modern
times, even those with power and title are prevented from performing the
rituals of extraction necessary to fashion these monstrosities, hopefully
ensuring that none shall ever more be made. To release their souls from
bondage, no other means is known save to pulverize their bones and return them
to the earth.
Sage Knowledge (2 of 78): The Age of King Raithwall: Many were the countries
and kingdoms dotting Ivalice, and many were the wars waged in this time. Legend
says that Raithwall, a noble from a small country in Valendia, was granted a
sword and magicite from the gods, and with these artifacts, a mission: to unify
the land. His strategic genius and deep empathy with his people were evident in
his rule of Valendia, and from there he went on to take control of the
remaining two continents. Soon all Ivalice belonged to the Galtean Alliance,
and a Golden Age had begun.
Now king of all he surveyed, Raithwall's was a benevolent and just reign,
guiding the Alliance for near half a century. After his death, the Alliance
held firm and knew peace and prosperity for four hundred years until its
dissolution with the passing of the last of Raithwall's direct descendants.
* * * * * * * * *
058 - Lesser Chimera / Genus - Fiend / Classification - Cockatrice
Observations: In times now ancient, mages worked magicks upon captured
cockatrices to effect the eldritch creation of these twisted beings. They are
possessed of a singularly wicked intellect, which they use to its full extent
for the infliction of pain upon their enemies.
Their wings shine as the rainbow, each bearing a blazing red eye marking that
shifts from side to side as they move, these being used to discourage foes
larger than they, and for purposes of attracting a mate during the mating
season.
Sage Knowledge (38 of 78): Jagd: Regions of Mist-laden winds and magicite-rich
soil, precluding the proper operation of skystone.
Shifts in weather have been known to make jagd where once there was none,
though the reverse has never been recorded by the chroniclers of such things.
As airships cannot operate in jagd, no such region is under the control of a
major country, making the jagds lawless, perilous places.
* * * * * * * * *
059 - Zombie Mage / Genus - Undead / Classification - Zombie
Observations: Behold the fate of the sorcerer who seeks to satisfy his dark
intellectual curiosity by means of the abnormal extension of his natural
lifespan!
Alas, though all manner of precaution be taken, he cannot stop the wearying
gradual decay of the flesh.
Yet what other means hath he to know the mysteries of this world? How many
have walked his grim path?
We shall never know, for they guard their secrets fiercely with tooth and
nail to their graves and beyond.
Aletap Rumors: When we think of travelers, we think, perhaps, of people without
ties to any place or thing... but this is not so! Take, for instance, clothing.
The longer the journey one intends to make, the more important the clothes you
must pack.
Of the many choices available, traveler's vestments are held in highest
esteem.
Made of braid wool and tanned hides, purchase one of these, and you've bought
yourself a lightweight garment that feels great against the skin, with little
or no chafing!
Tongo, Morpher Apprentice
* * * * * * * * *
060 - Skull Warrior / Genus - Undead / Classification - Skeleton
Observations: Cold bones sheathed in armor forged of a strong alloy, wielding a
blade with more skill and more cruelty than any warrior alive. Perhaps all were
as skilled in the forgotten past, for this undead creature's bearing, arms, and
armor are of an ancient style.
Indeed, the skull warrior's skill with a spear illuminates the old ways of
war in a fashion more vivid and fearsome than any tome on the subject could
hope to effect. Though pale by comparison, even a modern interpretation of the
spearman's art is not to be underestimated when employed by a dedicated
practitioner.
The Town Crier: Hear ye! Announcing a feat of hunting mastery such as the world
has never seen! Donatelos the White Mage has trounced all existing records in
the annual city gathering of hunters. As you know, each year contestants vie to
see who might slay the most creatures designated as that year's quarry.
This year's target: the fiendish skull warrior! A tally has been made of
broken spears retrieved, and Donatelos has distinguished himself for eternity
with an incredible haul of 126! Honor to the champion!
* * * * * * * * *
061 - Lich / Genus - Undead / Classification - Ghost
Observations: Of the legions of ghosts that cling to this world, the greatest
are called liches.
When a man dies with hatred enduring, he is rent from his station in this
life, and given new station in undeath according to the depth of his passion...
a testament indeed to the depths of the evil manifest in these kings among the
dead.
Sage Knowledge (5 of 78): House Solidor: A noble Archadian family having a
permanent seat on the Senate, and de facto control over the Ministry of Law.
In the days following Archadia's establishment as an empire, House Solidor
found itself in opposition to the then-powerful military. Having won the
ensuing struggle, it then initiated far-reaching revisions to the law in an
attempt to prevent any further challenge to its supremacy. Subsequently, the
Ministry of Law was created to monitor the military, with the order of Judges
at its head.
House Solidor's firm grip on the workings of the Empire can be felt to this
day, with Emperor Gramis the fourth in a succession of Solidor emperors.
* * * * * * * * *
062 - Ragoh / Genus - Construct / Classification - Facer
Observations: Once a proud statue set to protect the Tomb of Raithwall for all
eternity, the blades and horns on its head being symbols of the Dynast-King's
authority and power.
On a fell day, monsters intruded the sanctum of the tomb, and with them came
a great surge in the Mist within. Perhaps this caused the mechanisms of its
control to fail, for now it is no better than the beasts it was charged to keep
away, and it will rampage down death-corridors until it is given its final
rest.
Sage Knowledge (52 of 78): The Tomb of Raithwall: West of the Jagd Yensa, deep
in the Valley of the Dead, lies the tomb of Dynast-King Raithwall, a titanic
stone structure built during the age of the Galtean Alliance to celebrate his
subjugation of the lands bordering the Naldoan sea.
Inside can be found many technologies and architectural marvels beyond the
ken of modern man. In addition to Raithwall's crypt, the tomb contains
priceless royal treasure, and only those with proof of direct lineage are
suffered within. Intruders are met with traps and guardians most terrible.
Though the sky pirates know of the treasure's existence, none have succeeded in
its theft as yet.
* * * * * * * * *
063 - Tallow / Genus - Amorph / Classification - Flan
Observations: Being an amorph appearing most often in those ancient ruins of
religious power and ensorceled bearing.
The nodules of metal that float freely through its body suggest a previous
existence as a statue, perhaps set to guard whatever building the ruins once
were. Regardless, it has now melted beyond recognition.
The inexhaustible flame atop its head is the source of its life-energy,
leading some to theorize (and not without merit) that the flame is indeed a
fire elemental forever bound to a strange, slimy master.
Sage Knowledge (4 of 78): House Dalmasca: Bloodline begun by the second prince
of Dalmasca to take up the mantle of rule after King Raithwall's passing.
The reign of Raithwall's direct descendants, House Galtea, drew to a close
after 400 years, marking the end of the Galtean Alliance, and the beginning of
rule by House Dalmasca.
Dalmascan reign continued for nearly seven centuries, until the Archadian
invasion brought their era to an end.
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< 3.8 - OZMONE PLAIN > [ BT08 ]
064 - Mesmenir / Genus - Beast / Classification - Sleipnir
Observations: Being a breed of sleipnir conditioned to be the perfect faithful
war-horse.
Uncannily skilled in warfare, able to sense the moment and flow of battle,
and carry out maneuvers of some difficulty, such as the timely withdrawal from
a fray to regroup and strike anew.
The conditioning wrought on these creatures by the masters for whom they once
fought was so steely that even after countless generations of breeding in the
wild, it has faded not in the slightest. A tragedy indeed, for they consider
all those not hailing from their long deserted homeland to be enemies, and
attack on sight.
The History of Things: At precisely what point the polished destrier mane came
to be used as a device for the casting of magicks is unclear.
The noble steeds from whence such mane-coverings came were named by a
sorcerer, however, and perhaps this association has given them their magickal
properties.
As tools for the castings of magicks go, these are among the best.
* * * * * * * * *
065 - Chocobo / Genus - Avion / Classification - Chocobo
Observations: What creature, fair or foul, has affected the lives of the common
man more than the noble chocobo?
Though the yellow chocobo is by far the most common, and the only
domesticable sort, many other wild breeds of differing hues have been
identified. In general, the other colorations of chocobo tend to be quite
violent, giving rise to the saying: "Yellow, best for riding; aught else, best
be hiding."
As even tame chocobos are known for their temper, true domestication requires
time and experience. Their curiosity can often get them into trouble, but they
are charming nevertheless, and popular throughout Ivalice. As famed naturalist
Merlose once wrote: "a little personality goeth a long way."
The Town Crier: Hear ye, hear ye! Good news for those knights who are sensitive
of nose!
Thanks to recent discoveries, you can bid a fond farewell to troublesome
chocobo odors!
The method is simple: ply your chocobo chick with only fresh gysahl greens,
and that disconcertingly disgusting stench will diminish by up to three
quarters!
The news isn't all good, however, as it takes two to three years to raise a
chocobo to riding age, meaning that the fragrant fruits of your labor won't
ripen for some time.
* * * * * * * * *
066 - Wu / Genus - Beast / Classification - Urstrix
Observations: The feathers of this strain of urstrix carry a distinctly bluish
hue, on account of their craving for the flesh of the blue-furred panther.
Though its wings have evolved such that it may no longer fly, its hind legs
have developed to allow it to walk on land without difficulty. It has adapted
remarkably well to life on the ground, being able to perform delicate actions
with its vestigial wings, such as the carrying and holding of prey.
Sage Knowledge (70 of 78): Ozmone Plain: Wide region of plains in Bancour,
bordering Dalmasca. Mostly tall grasses, though here and there can be seen
volcanic rock formations.
In the past, a great battle was fought in the skies over Ozmone Plain. The
decaying airshipwrecks punctuating the plains are monuments to the carnage once
wrought there.
* * * * * * * * *
067 - Zu / Genus - Avion / Classification - Diver
Observations: An avion whose beak has regressed, turning into jagged teeth like
those of a tyrant wyrm.
They have not a feather on their bodies, but instead are covered with a taut,
thin membrane, reducing wind resistance so that they may fly extremely fast
when necessary, and with little or no effort at other times.
Thus throughout the day do they circle the sky, waiting for prey to appear
upon the ground below.
Talk About Town: Fang of bat, phial of yellow liquid...
Crooked fang, phial of yellow liquid...
Hrm? What's that? Don't mind me. I'm merely repeating the goods I need to
exchange to get my hands on some new ammunition, lest I forget. They're not
easy things to come by, you know.
Mersam, Treasure-Hunter
* * * * * * * * *
068 - Viper / Genus - Beast / Classification - Serpent
Observations: Being a strain of serpent, its body covered in leaden scales, and
its mouth replete with razor-sharp fangs.
Favoring small animals and their eggs, it secretes a deadly venom from its
fangs which swiftly subdues its prey. Its midriff is divided in twain, each
side containing a stomach with strong digestive juices, connected to a long
intestinal tract running down the tail.
Their slender forms seem to suggest that they seldom eat, but this is far
from the truth, their unique digestive biology giving them a famously voracious
appetite.
Sage Knowledge (69 of 78): Jahara: A garif village in Bancour. Here, a
chieftain elder watches over the old ways, and so administers the tribe. Though
many other villages dot the area, there is little direct communication between
them.
The garif have worshipped magicite since ancient times, and tribal legends
tend much wisdom concerning the Stones. When the time is right, the elders
teach these lessons to the youth of the village, and, on rare occasion, to
visitors from other lands.
Abhorring machinery and iron, much of the garif material culture is based on
wood and stone and other unmanufacted things. Their houses made of grasses and
strips of leather allow a breeze to pass through, and are uniquely suited to
the hot, arid climate.
On the hill overlooking the village is a meeting lodge, warmed always by a
bonfire. Near the lodge are the elders' huts, and below the hill is a clearing
ringed by a healer's hut, and the tents of craftsmen, as well as a place to
take care of the livestock, called "nanna" in the garif tongue.
Dalmasca has for many years honored the ways of the garif, and so kept up
peaceful trade and relations with this isolated people.
* * * * * * * * *
069 - Zaghnal / Genus - Giant / Classification - Behemoth
Observations: Being a monster with the stature of a man. When the range of the
werewolf spread into the southern plains, they adapted to their new
environment, standing on two legs to better see across the vast savannah.
Their thin blue fur breathes well and retains moisture, perfectly
accommodating the dramatic temperature change between night and day. Though
they do not travel in packs, individuals are clearly ranked, and the weak
always follow the lead of the strong.
Sage Knowledge (27 of 78): The Espers: Beings of strange form and appearance
made by the gods in ancient times. Favored with great strength and intellect,
the Espers knew power far beyond that of men, but their power made them proud,
and at length they sought to challenge the gods.
Seeing this, the gods were angered and struck down their blessed children,
and binding their souls and flesh with the Glyph of the Beast, they stole their
freedom for all eternity.
Now they are bound to live only when summoned by their Glyph, to serve
whosoever called them forth.
* * * * * * * * *
070 - Hybrid Gator / Genus - Beast / Classification - Gator
Observations: Being a strain of gator originally accustomed to rivers in the
tropics, later having adapted to a changing clime, and life upon the hard land.
Their black fur absorbs and then traps in the sun's warmth, allowing them to
maintain their body heat even when the weather changes for the worse. The head
is set inside the cleft in the upper jaw, over which they peer from deep
eyeholes, on the lookout for prey and predators alike.
Sage Knowledge (12 of 78): Magicite: Common name for stones containing magickal
power, or as it is commonly manifest, Mist.
There exist varieties: Spellstone, being used for the preparation and working
of magicks, Skystone, giving flight to airships, and Memstone, holding fast
sounds heard and visions seen, that they might be experienced again.
Though their color, shape, and size may differ, these have no bearing on the
quality of the stone. Some of the smallest stones are the most powerful, and
some of the largest contain only a small amount of Mist, and are as good as
useless.
It is a property of magicite that it lose its Mist over time, and once spent,
a stone's Mist cannot be renewed. Magicite without Mist is mere rock. The
ability to manufact magicite of some power has only recently been attained, and
this after many long years of research.
* * * * * * * * *
071 - Sylphi Entite / Genus - Sylphi Entite / Classification - Elemental
Observations: To aid the weak, the gods sent knowledge on the winds.
The winds loft the seed of flower and tree, tell of the approach of beasts,
and carry the voice of an ally. But Man cut down the trees, slew the beasts,
and screamed in the waste he had created. The gods sorrowed and raged, and sent
a great vortex to flay the world of Man to dust. The vast energy so released
gave rise to the sylphi entite.
The Entite Pact: The Wind is fickle, going where it will, brushing like
maiden's hair on the cheek, bewitching men, and holding them captive.
Take the wild wind, traveler, and give it virtue through fortitude of
immobilizing Earth. For wind, once frozen, is a promise. And on the day that
promise is broken, will it surrender unto you shining electrum.
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< 3.9 - GOLMORE JUNGLE > [ BT09 ]
072 - Panther / Genus - Beast / Classification - Coeurl
Observations: Being a great flesh-eater, with pale rippling-blue fur, and long
whiskers extending from the corners of its mouth.
These predators move in packs of two or three, dividing roles as do hunters
with a far greater than animal intelligence. The breadth of their territory
varies with the amount of prey available, and in those places where food is
scarce, they increase their range so as to avoid starvation.
Sage Knowledge (72 of 78): Golmore Jungle: A sprawling jungle in the Jagd
Difohr, it remains much as it always has been, untouched by the hand of Man.
Though the viera make their villages within this jungle, the ways to their
enclaves are tangled and hidden.
Barriers throughout the jungle, too, prevent easy passage. These were erected
by the viera to prevent outsiders from intruding, the blessing of their people
needed before one may pass.
* * * * * * * * *
073 - Treant / Genus - Plant / Classification - Golem
Observations: A variety of golem, having a body like the trunk of a tree.
Indeed, they are known for their habit of blending into wooded surroundings,
silently waiting to bring their massive fists down upon any who disturb the
peace of the forest. It is said they are the manifestation of the forest's
lament at the loss of trees to the jaws of insatiable industry.
Sage Knowledge (71 of 78): Eruyt Village: Hidden village of viera in Golmore
Jungle. Viera enclaves are scattered throughout the jungle, but all are warded
against entry by those of other tribes or lands. Viera are reclusive by nature,
living separate from the world outside, shunning even the society of their own
kind, save when necessity demands.
This isolation is in part made possible by the viera ability to hear the
spirit voice of the Wood, and thereby know all that comes to pass within Her
borders.
Throughout the history of Ivalice, rarely have the viera ventured beyond the
borders of the Wood, and few outsiders know of their laws or customs.
Viera villages are formed of massive trees linked by suspended paths, with
dwellings and small shrines to the spirit of the Wood encircling the trunks.
During the day, many viera come to a clearing in the village, where a
glistering spring bubbles up from the earth, to meditate. Their leader resides
in the center of the village, and governs according to the Word of the Wood.
Those who perform the sacred ceremonial duties of salve-maker or wood-warder
stand at her side, defending the ways of the village and of the viera.
Compared to other races, the viera seem to move at a slower, more
contemplative pace, more at peace with the flow of time. However, some younger
viera have begun to question the wisdom of rejecting change in the midst of a
rapidly developing Ivalice.
* * * * * * * * *
074 - Hellhound / Genus - Beast / Classification - Wolf
Observations: Being a hunter of the highest order, with a body of jet black,
and an aura of eldritch ensorcelment, it would chase its quarry to the very
gates of the underworld.
Originally a type of hyena, a steady diet of malign, magicked creatures
transmogrified it into what it is today.
The sharp horn on its nose and long fangs jutting from its upper jaw are like
to arrested magma. When they die, their color fades, becoming naught but dull,
black stone.
Sage Knowledge (32 of 78): Kerwon: Largely forested continent lying to the
southeast of Ordalia.
Climate varies greatly by region, and many less hospitable areas are
uninhabited. In the west of Kerwon dwell the garif, in the wooded north dwell
the viera, both living in peace, apparently unaffected by the expansionist
hunger which has so dominated hume history.
Though the hume presence is strong on the other continents, in Kerwon they
can only be found in the eastern highlands, on the slopes of the holy mountain
of Kiltia, Bur-Omisace.
* * * * * * * * *
075 - Diresaur / Genus - Dragon / Classification - Tyrant
Observations: Being a creature of dubious origin: either a wyvern that has lost
its wings, or a creature of the water that became like to a wyrm.
Sheathed in armor-like scales, its upper body is highly muscular, serving to
support a giant head set with powerful jaws. It uses the horn on its nose to
charge and stab like a longspear.
Talk About Town: Did you know that servants are only legally allowed to wear
garments of a certain fabric? Turns out, this law is a relic of the time when
it was necessary to differentiate slaves form their owners, and perhaps it
still serves the same function today.
Funny thing is, servants have to wear the selfsame fabric used to make slaven
harnesses. Ah, 'tis an evil law, perpetuated by evil people.
* * * * * * * * *
076 - Malboro / Genus - Plant / Classification - Malboro
Observations: Being a hideous creature with brownish-green mottled skin, and
writhing tentacles.
It eats only of flesh, drawing no sustenance from photosynthesis as do common
plants. Favoring stealth, it approaches its prey in silence, then strikes
without warning, swallowing its victim whole. Its maw is filled with powerfully
acidic saliva, and breathing the miasma that is its foul breath causes
poisoning and madness.
Sage Knowledge (22 of 78): Clans: A group formed for the main purpose of
driving beasts and fiends from civilized areas, called to action in
particularly bad cases, when individuals and town watchers are not deemed equal
to the task. Able to react more swiftly than equivalent military units, the
clans are used by many smaller municipalities as rapid-response peacekeepers.
As a result, few clans' activities need heed the boundaries between
territories, and they move freely across wastes and sacred lands alike.
* * * * * * * * *
077 - Gargoyle / Genus - Fiend / Classification - Gargoyle
Observations: Being a creature with a visage so hideous, even other demons are
said to avert their eyes. Their form is derived from the carvings on churches
and shrines designed to keep away evil spirits.
The reputed effectiveness of such carvings led to their placement on many
buildings throughout the world, until their grotesque form became a common
sight.
This angered the demons, and in the spirit of wicked playfulness, some of
them took the form of the very creations meant to drive them away.
Aletap Rumors: When is a sword like a torch? When it's a flametongue!
If I'd some lumber, and a malboro vine, and a little bit of firestone, even I
could make one. Well, I could have one made... provided I could find a good
enough smithy, that is.
* * * * * * * * *
078 - Great Malboro / Genus - Plant / Classification - Malboro
Observations: On reaching an advanced age, some malboros have been known to
transform into an entirely different variety of malboro, gaining rank within
the vegetative hierarchy, as it were.
This phenomenon, known as the spirit-tree flux, is found only in plants and
related beings (for few other phyla enjoy such long life), and is thought to be
due to the absorption of Mist over several centuries. Such malboros' bodies
turn the color of a rich, argent ore, the saliva in their maws emitting a still
fouler stench than before.
Research Notes: The question of how exactly malboros produce their infamous bad
breath has puzzled researchers for generations.
A situation made all the more frustrating by the knowledge that understanding
the production process would be the first step toward creating a neutralizing
agent, not to mention adapting the stench for military use.
However, years of painstaking inquiry have revealed only that the noxious
fumes emanate from the foul liquid that constitutes the creature's saliva: a
substance which can be manufacted by no means known to Man.
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< 3.10 - THE HENNE MINES > [ BT10 ]
079 - Thunderbug / Genus - Insect / Classification - Mimic
Observations: Being a battery mimic that, due to Mist exposure, has left the
normal course of its development and become something altogether different.
As a result of the rapid changes induced by Mist, much of its form is twisted
and misshapen.
A residual static charge helps this creature to regulate its temperature, and
generate the energy necessary to break down the materials from which it draws
sustenance.
Its body is an example of evolution gone horribly awry, and many natural
philosophers have suggested that it is in a very much terminal state, seeing no
possible further permutation of form through which this creature has not
already been.
A Curious Treasure: Curious indeed is this organ capable of capturing the very
power of lightning.
Made of metal, and yet flesh. Lines made of a metallic substance trace this
gizzard like the strands of a spider's web, running thence throughout the
creature's body like our veins, delivering energy where it is needed. These
lines hold fast lightning, never relinquishing a drop while their host is
whole. Natural philosophers call this organ the charged gizzard.
* * * * * * * * *
080 - Jelly / Genus - Amorph / Classification - Flan
Observations: Being a variant of flan covered in a glistening, jewel-like
slime. These are known to cluster in areas with machinery and like devices,
seeming to derive energy from their operation, which stimulates them to divide
and multiply.
Because of this flan's odd ecology, they are often found in cities and near
residences where people and, more critically, their technologies are found,
this proximity creating a real danger of jelly breakouts.
Countless are the tales of villages and small towns consumed whole by a mass
of quivering slime.
Sage Knowledge (74 of 78): The Henne Magicite Mines: Crystal mines in the
mountainous region of Bancour still producing a great variety of magicite, even
as other mines around them close, their veins dry and spent.
The Archadian Empire possesses mining rights here, making this a key location
for their acquisition of the stones, bypassing intermediaries and fluctuating
markets.
* * * * * * * * *
081 - Tyranorox / Genus - Dragon / Classification - Tyrant
Observations: Being a creature tough as stone, draped in scales hard as
granite-rock, and bearing orange coloration on its upper body.
While evolution has favored its hind legs with speed and strength, its
forelimbs have shrunk, developing sharp claws for the tearing of hide and
flesh.
The name of the tyranorox, meaning "one who frightens the very rocks," comes
from the great saurian's habit of eating the wee creatures that dwell in the
crevices of rocky mountain ranges, often swallowing a mouthfull of rock in the
process.
Sage Knowledge (13 of 78): Nethicite: A variety of magicite with the unusual
property of absorbing Mist, thereby nullifying the effects of magick. Though
there is some mention of nethicite in ancient tomes, it had been thought lost,
or perhaps consumed, with no mention or record appearing for several centuries.
Sky pirates call it the magicite of legend.
Latterly, methods for manufacting nethicite have been developed in Archades,
and at the time of writing, several test samples are in active use.
* * * * * * * * *
082 - Hecteyes / Genus - Amorph / Classification - Flan
Observations: Being an amorph possessing many eyes. It is a little known fact
that of these eyes, only the foremost pair actually function. The others are
thought to be a clever sort of mimicry intended to confuse those who might
strike at the creature's real eyes, and to discourage ambush withal.
Unlike most flan, these do not reproduce by division of the entire body.
Rather, small nodules protrude from the eye-spots, these then detaching from
the creature, having attained sufficient mass, to form autonomous offspring.
The Town Crier: Hear ye! The patent for ether, held for years by EC Magicks &
Apothecaries, has expired today!
Thus ends the group's second monopoly on a popular philtre. The first, the
ever-popular potion, came down sharply in price resultant of competition from
other makers following the patent's release. Prices on unpurified ether are
expected to drop in similar fashion over the coming weeks.
* * * * * * * * *
083 - Gizamaluk / Genus - Dragon / Classification - Plate Wyrm
Observations: Being a variety of plate wyrm, its eyes impaired by eons of
living in deep magicite mines.
In place of sight, it has developed the ability to sense tiny eddies and
fluctuations in the Mist's flow, allowing it to determine the position of
enemies with preternatural accuracy.
Its translucent, insect-like wings have atrophied to the point where they may
no longer sustain flight, but still its sharp claws and fangs make this wyrm of
the deep a foe to be feared.
Aletap Rumors: Show me the alchemist who doesn't wish in his heart of hearts to
know the secret behind making an elixir, and I'll show you a fraud! Of course,
he might already know it... but it's taboo to reveal the ingredients. That's
why they all toil in solitude, though their goal be the same.
Now, I spied an alchemist hard at work the other day. Seemed to me he was
working at making an elixir, so I watched him for a good long while. And he
looked as if he was trying to catch something, so he did. If I didn't know any
better, why, I'd say he was trying to pick souls out of the air... Not a very
likely story, I know, but that's what it looked like, sure enough.
Tyak, Master Chef
* * * * * * * * *
084 - Etem / Genus - Undead / Classification - Reaper
Observations: Being casualties of invasion or oppression, these entities appear
before those who are doomed to die, cutting away their victims' lives with
cruel scythes, out of hatred for the men who ended theirs.
Many accounts hold these creatures to be a sort of grim reaper, but recent
research has confirmed them to be nothing more than ghosts.
The Town Crier: Hear ye, hear ye! Another Day of Dust has come and gone, and
what a day it was! On what other day can you have fey dust sprinkled upon your
forehead, instantly absolving you of all sin and evil?
Of course, it's not always such a day of rejoicing. Why, last year, shipments
of the dust, known as soul powder, were waylaid and merchants everywhere sold
out of the stuff far too quickly. This year, stock was set aside in advance,
and all who wished to participate could.
* * * * * * * * *
085 - Nightmare / Genus - Fiend / Classification - Nightmare
Observations: Being a nightmarish equine creature, living in deep forests,
possessing strange external organs that twist and wind like snakes.
Though they have the bearing of herbivores at first glance, the positioning
of their eyes and the set of their musculature are those of the flesh-eater,
and indeed their teeth are sharp, being made for the tearing of tendon and
hide.
They are relentlessly aggressive, never abandoning a pursuit once the quarry
has been sighted.
Ivalice: The Wayfarer's Guide: The uncharted wooded marches known as the
Forests of Chaos are spoken of in legend, and though many are said to exist,
little is known of their actual location.
These dense forests, where the snowflies foregather in great flurries,
brushing against the faces of all who pass, are so named because the sound of
the snowflies' whirring wings pitch even the halest of wayfarers into
confusion. They wander, lost, never again to leave the forest.
While the marches may hide countless treasures, they are also places of
unknown and unknowable danger. Consider your future, wayfarer. Consider your
fate, and venture not into such places.
* * * * * * * * *
086 - Necrofiend / Genus - Undead / Classification - Ghost
Observations: Witness the fate of those whose learned minds were offered up in
sacrifice by alchemists performing forbidden rites in pursuit of eternal life.
These monstrosities live forever on the border between life and death,
neither breathing the sweet air, nor knowing the peace of eternal rest.
Though they retain dim memories of their former lives and knowledge, their
hearts were sundered long ago, and they are without morality or honor, wholly
consumed by jealousy of the living.
A Curious Treasure: They say that the candle's flame is the shining of a soul.
As the life dwindles and fades toward the end of its days, so does the flame
flicker, gradually dimming until it disappears in a whiff of smoke.
If the flame is the soul, then the smoke is the soul ascending to heaven.
So did the candle earn its place in ceremony, and these tallows are called
lifewicks.
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< 3.11 - PARAMINA RIFT > [ BT11 ]
087 - White Wolf / Genus - Beast / Classification - Wolf
Observations: Being a variety of wolf adapted to life in the frozen mountain
regions, with long white fur to protect it from the bitter cold, and camouflage
it against the snow.
Their shining blue eyes can see even in the fiercest blizzard, useful in
judging the position of others in the pack when coordinating attacks.
Sage Knowledge (77 of 78): Paramina Rift: Comprising a great ravine running
through the mountains of the Jagd Ramooda, this is a barren land covered in
hoarfrost and deep snows. The spent shells of airships hang in the frozen
river, and here and there can be seen the ruins of great cities built during
the years of the Galtean Alliance.
Many are the scholars who believe that the Paramina Rift was once a rich and
verdant land, and that a climate change brought about by the Mist made it into
the cold, harsh jagd we see today.
* * * * * * * * *
088 - Twintania / Genus - Dragon / Classification - Plate Wyrm
Observations: Being a strain of plate wyrm residing in the dark reaches of the
Paramina Rift, having evolved a feathered covering to protect against the harsh
cold.
Its smooth, metallic carapace is coated in an oily secretion which prevents
snow from adhering to its surface.
According to legend, mages once used these creatures in the working of a
great magick, powerful enough to destroy all Ivalice, yet little is recorded
about the magick itself.
Aletap Rumors: The undying phoenix is said to call back souls from the heavens,
but to win the attention of such a fabled bird, you must give up a feather as
an offering. The best are the downy feathers of the tail... hence the term
phoenix down, see?
Mark well that not just any feather will do. Depending on quality and size,
the blessing received varies greatly.
Displeased?
You get what you pay for.
Kirrik, Pugilist
* * * * * * * * *
089 - Lizard / Genus - Beast / Classification - Toad
Observations: Being a flesh-eating beast with four horns atop its head,
sheathed in scales much like those of a dragon.
Lives in humid grasslands, where it digs tunnels with its powerful forelimbs.
Its extendable tongue, situated toward the front of its mouth, is divided
into four at the tip. The creature uses it as a whip to snare prey. Thus
captured, still-wriggling meals are bound in viscous saliva, and stored for
later consumption.
Street-Corner Mutterings: You've heard of wind stones and ice stones, right?
Well, my friend, there is a stone more powerful than either... magicite!
Oh... you, er, knew that, did you? What's that you say? There's aught more
powerful than magicite?
Crystals, they're called?
Well that's something I've not seen.
Eh? And there's another stone more powerful still?
Kennie, Time Mage
* * * * * * * * *
090 - Emperor Aevis / Genus - Dragon / Classification - Plate Wyrm
Observations: Called "emperor' for the intricate pattern upon its wings, much
resembling exquisite embroideries such as one might find upon an emperor's
robe.
Living mainly in deep ravines and gulches in mountainous terrain, their
eyesight has deteriorated in the dark so that now they hunt primarily by their
other senses. They sense much through their distinctive horn, which serves
withal as a vicious weapon for the impaling of foes.
Sage Knowledge (28 of 78): Wyrmbreath: What could be more terrible than the
breath of the mighty dragon? Not many know that this fearsome weapon is indeed
a wholly natural emission generated in a large gland, rather prosaically named
"the breath-sac." Thus, wyrmbreath is a purely physical manifestation of
searing flame, and on that has provided an impromptu pyre for many an
overzealous adventurer.
* * * * * * * * *
091 - Garuda-Egi / Genus - Avion / Classification - Diver
Observations: Being the legendary foe of the wyrms, as told in The Legend of
the Dragoons.
Living atop only the highest peaks, they feed primarily on serpents.
Natural philosophers have confirmed the existence of two distinct kinds: the
garuda, whose glimmering gold wings distinguish it as original stock, and the
garuda-egi, whose wings have lost their brilliant luster.
Many are the cultures that regard these creatures as gods for their
auspicious appearance.
On the Extraction of Elements: Now it is generally held that the sun has an
affinity for fire. However, according to those natural philosophers who have
studied white incense, the sun's allegiance lies not with flame, but with holy
power.
This, of course, discredits the theory that the sun is but a large, fiery
sphere, and has led wiser men to suggest that the sun is indeed a holy object,
to which flame has clung: a base light yearning for a higher power.
* * * * * * * * *
092 - Dark Skeleton / Genus - Undead / Classification - Skeleton
Observations: Being the black-boned demon-skeleton of a man whose strength
faltered and failed in a place rife with darkness.
They are driven by the need to create more of their ilk, and so they exude
dark energies, polluting all around them.
The greater their number in a given area, the more likely it is that others
will join their eternal vigil.
The Jobber's Gazette: 'Tis a well-known fact that black mages head off into the
wilderness several times a year, clutching a death's-head from a dark skeleton
tightly in their hands, but few know why they travel or where they go. Rumors
speak of shady gatherings, or pilgrimages to the underworld, where demons
impart dark secrets to them in return for grisly sacrifice, but such
explanations are little more than idle conjecture.
Though nonetheless prized for their skills, this mysterious custom has earned
black mages a rather unsavory reputation.
* * * * * * * * *
093 - Slaven Warder / Genus - Giant / Classification - Slaven
Observations: Being beasts once used to pull freight sledges filled with heavy
materials over rough, mountainous terrain.
With innovations in transportation, they grew scarce, and now only a few
remain, and these feral.
Stories of fat under the thick hide of their backs provided sustenance when
famine visited the cold, barren climes where they once worked. Observers have
attested to the impressive efficacy of these deposits, individuals having
reportedly survived for over a year without nourishment.
The Art of Collecting, Excerpt: Those who are slaves to another, be they
humanoid, hume, or beast, must wear a harness with the brand of their master,
proving ownership.
Most such brands bear the mark of noble houses, and amongst them can
occasionally be seen the crests of houses long since fallen.
Scholars and collectors covet the harnesses of such forgotten dynasties
either for their historical value, or merely for their rarity. Of these, the
slaven harness is the most prized.
* * * * * * * * *
094 - Skull Knight / Genus - Undead / Classification - Skeleton
Observations: Being an ancient knight whose elegant bearing betrays nothing of
the weight of his thick steel armor. He wields a spear with the expert grace of
elder times.
In the distant past, in a war fought in a land of extreme cold, those that
lost their lives became undead, being hence forth called "The Brothers of
Bone." Their numbers being equal to the losses on both sides, returning them
all to the land's warm embrace would be an epic undertaking.
Sage Knowledge (76 of 78): Mt Bur-Omisace: The sacred mountain of the Kiltia
sect, located to the north of the Jagd Ramooda.
A temple was built here by believers to mark the place where the founder of
the Light of Kiltia began to spread the teachings. There are accounts of the
holy city here dating back to writings from the age of the Galtean Alliance.
In its long history, Mt Bur-Omisace has never fallen under the control of any
foreign power. On the understanding that Kiltia's followers would exempt
themselves from political dealings in other lands, Kingdom and Empire both
formed a pact to guarantee the holy city's independence, an agreement which
stands to this day.
It would not be an error to call Mt Bur-Omisace itself a shrine to Kiltia.
Apart from the temples, there are only a few residences, with roadside shops
catering to the steady stream of pilgrims.
In recent years, refugees from war-torn lands have gathered here, forming
camps on part of the mountain. The priests of Kiltia give them aid that they
might live here in peace.
As Mt Bur-Omisace is surrounded by jagd, the faithful must cross the Inner
Naldoan Sea by boat in their pilgrimage to the holy city.
* * * * * * * * *
095 - Yeti / Genus - Giant / Classification - Behemoth
Observations: A thick coat of fur is the perfect protection against the cold in
the snow-covered mountain ranges where these creatures reside.
In olden times it was said that mountain gods lived in the snowy crags, and
villagers would offer them sacrifices for their good favor. Now it is widely
believed that these "gods" were, in fact, yeti who had succeeded in cowing
superstitious local residents.
A Curious Treasure: Now, it is a well-known fact among researchers of arctic
monstrosities that the yeti possesses lungs of particular fascination,
operating as they do at a temperature colder than ice, making them well-suited
to the breathing of frigid air.
Unique structures within the yeti's lungs cause atmospheric moisture to form
icy tubes, with openings on either side which permit the flow of air.
Over time, these tubular structures grow ever more intricate, and when they
are later forcibly removed from the yeti's chest cavity, they become the
curious objects known as arctic winds, and are highly collectable.
* * * * * * * * *
096 - Ice Elemental / Genus - Ice Elemental / Classification - Elemental
Observations: Being an elemental of ice from the freezing blizzards of the
North.
The coming of such beings is perceived differently by the various peoples of
Ivalice: to some, it is a holy thing, blessed and ephemeral as the passing
seasons; to others, it is the harbinger of hard times.
As a matter of fact, cold spells do visit the places where ice elementals
gather, but research into the precise nature of their relationship with the
weather is frozen, so to speak, no new discoveries having been made in years.
Aletap Rumors: Know you of the magepower shishak?
'Tis said it is a helm made to heighten the magickal powers of knights!
Helpful when you spend long years training your body, and few years training
your mind.
I've heard they use chimera heads to give it the magicks it needs. Gives one
cause to think that even the savage chimera's brighter than your average sword-
swinger.
Floe, Seer of the Way
* * * * * * * * *
097 - Wild Onion / Genus - Plant / Classification - Mandragora
Observations: Thought to be a variant of mandragora, for the vines that reach
up from its collar, covering its face like a mask.
Notes the famed naturalist Merlose: "It weareth its skin in layers, much like
to the root of similar name, perhaps for the proffering of protection 'gainst
the cold. Men say the great gaping orifice on its face was gouged by a shard of
ice born of a midsummer blizzard. Though its former mouth was passing small,
befitting naught but low whimp'ring, its prodigious new one screameth full loud
and full much as the foul beast could want, thence earning it its name."
Street-Corner Mutterings: There's plenty of work in the world.
I don't know what it is you want to become, but take my advice: look at the
tricks of many trades, and look well. If nothing else, the knowledge you gain
will help you on your travels.
And visit shops frequently: you'll find what you need sooner or later.
Nakhiro, Onion Knight
* * * * * * * * *
098 - Leshach Entite / Genus - Leshach Entite / Classification - Elemental
Observations: Long ago, the gods looked down upon the warring peoples of this
land and were displeased.
Wishing to contain their violence, the gods arrested time upon the
battlefield, thinking to imprison those who fought there.
But violence would not be so contained. It spread beyond its confines,
contaminating other lands, and soon conflict was rampant once again.
In their grief, the gods made a scourging blizzard to rage, and when the
blizzard lifted, men looked to the skies and found they were alone.
This fateful tumult is said to have given birth to the leshach entite.
The Entite Pact: Madman! Seal all you love in ice, yet know that in the ice you
will see not your own reflection, but that of others. Jealousy!
With raging thunderbolt held high, take the fickle ice captive. Only then
will your heart be freed, and from within the ice, the shining electrum be
revealed.
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< 3.12 - THE STILSHRINE OF MIRIAM > [ BT12 ]
099 - Redmaw / Genus - Avion / Classification - Steeling
Observations: Being a variety of steeling whose body is covered in hard scales
like to those of a dragon. It prefers to make its home in dry underground
caverns.
The name "redmaw" comes from the fact that the creature's mouth is ever
painted crimson with the drinking of its vic