![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bestiary ▫
 bestiary It's not just people that call this place home. Acatalepsy has an abundant population of flora and fauna at its disposal, in both the Temple of Beginnings and Forest of the Fey. While characters will travel to other worlds and encounter the wildlife of those places, to be expanded upon with the general information of the worlds in question, these in particular can be sighted in the homebase, should one know where to look. BAROMETZ ▫ no threat, free to play  Also known as the "vegetable lamb," this peculiar plant is known to bud upwards of three lamb-like creatures, all attached by vines to the base plant. Should the lamb be separated from the plant, they will wither away and die. Unfortunately, they're also fairly helpless in the fact that they're connected by these vines, and are unable to graze further from where they've sprouted. It means they need fairly active tending to, should someone wish to cultivate them to harvest their soft wool.The barometz are found scattered around the Temple grounds, as if seeds were tossed out on the wind and they grew at their own whimsy. Their wool, more cotton in texture, can be harvested without harm to the lamb, so long as care is taken in the process. They're fairly docile, although extremely shy, which doesn't help them in the long run given that they're incapable of escaping danger. NYMPHS ▫ minimal threat, somewhat dangerous if provoked (throwing, clawing, vine whips, thorns), free to play  No these aren't beautiful women for you to flirt with. Think more, instead, along the lines of what would happen if a Japanese kodama was meshed with a mantis or stick bug nymph. These tree spirits can be found all through the Forest of the Fey, inhabiting and effectively guarding the various trees that they call home. Small as they are, they're remarkably brave and tend to live together in colonies, making them fierce in their numbers should they be provoked.However, befriending them isn't a difficult task. Be kind to them, and treat their homes with respect, and perhaps you'll earn their favor. At the very least, they'll make it known when a tree might be ill, or there's something amiss in the area surrounding their little "communities." WYVERN ▫ minimal threat (biting, clawing, minor fire sparks), free to play  Does your world have pigeons? Crows? Birds that are typically considered common, maybe even pests? Congratulations, you've upgraded to tiny little dragon-like creatures, easily identified as wyvern by their single pair of legs and single set of wings.Only getting as large as a goshawk at their biggest, wyvern come in a variety of earthy colors and have the general habitat range of "everywhere." This can be a little troublesome, given the fact that they have the same penchant for shiny things as their much larger cousins, so be forewarned - if you have something important or valuable to you, it might be wise to utilize the locked chests that Astoria has provided in your living arrangements. But we know what your real question is: are they tamable? ... well, maybe if you can get around their rows of tiny, razor sharp teeth. TENT BATS ▫ no threat, free to play  With the abundant flora in the Temple of Beginnings - barometz included - it shouldn't come as any surprise that it's not just the nymphs that reside in nooks and crannies of the plantlife. Turning over large leaves, or peeking into tight hollows of trees, or even poking in the wool of the vegetable lambs of this world, may result in a small, cottony creature with sweet, black, beady little eyes.People who come from Earth may recognize these as the Honduran white bat, a fruit-eating bat native to Central America. Much like this counterpart, these bats are fond of creating tents out of large leaves, but can also occasionally be found in other locations when the weather is particularly chilly. This may even include warm cracks in the temple, so you might discover that you have small, squeaky visitors where you'd least expect them. And it is, in fact, plural - these bats come in colonies, although none that really exceed too much more than a baker's dozen. PERYTON ▫ dangerous if provoked (biting, swooping, charging/goring, trampling, clawing), free to play  A fantastical creature that supposedly escaped the fall of Atlantis, peryton are the combination of a deer and a bird. The front half of its body is that of a stag, whereas its hindquarters are those of a bird's, with very much functional wings. How they came to be in this world is anybody's guess, but much like deer in a rural city they can be found both in the Forest of the Fey and the outskirts of the Temple of Beginnings alike, with the same general temperament. One may even suffer the fate of having one on their rooftop, if they find something particularly interesting.However, take care - they may not attack without provocation, but not unlike an Australian magpie, they do swoop down over peoples' heads occasionally if they feel as if their territory is being encroached upon. The best sign of their presence is their shadows, cast from whatever high perch they've positioned themselves on. Supposedly, a peryton casts the shadow of a man until it kills one, where it starts to cast its own shadow. Astoria can neither confirm nor deny this, but recommends you try not to hand feed them. LAKE MERMAIDS ▫ minimal threat, suspicious and unfriendly but (mostly) nonviolent, free to play  The mermaids within Lake Dona are a suspicious lot, and they don't take kindly to strangers stomping through their territory. However, they are receptive to music, so if you are so musically inclined, they will definitely be more inclined to be a little more playful than territorial. If you aren't? Have fun getting tossed into the lake head-first by a bunch of pissed off mermaids who want you to get the hell of their lawn. They don't take kindly to your type around here.The mermaids tend to come in colors that allow them to blend in with the lakebed, rather than anything bright and colorful like one would expect in fairytales. It lends to their more reclusive nature, when it comes to visitors, and allows them to live in peace in their lake. They aren't the sort to bask on rocks, and prefer their time closer to the surface spending time in the lake's gigantic lilypads. It isn't too uncommon to see them holding onto them, spending time among one another in their community. An occasional trip to the shore may happen, but their bodies don't allow for them to easily unbeach themselves without help. More often than not, they're not going to want your help. "NESSIE" ▫ minimal threat, extremely friendly but also extremely large, free to play  Within Lake Dona is a massive plesiosaurus-type creature which seems to be ... oddly friendly? It seems to pop up at the most inconvenient of times. Are you sitting on the edge of the lake enjoying the water? Enjoy a massive ass dinosaur sticking its impressively long neck out of the lake to check you out and also scare the bejesus out of you. That being said, Nessie is an extraordinarily friendly being, and will even give you laps around the lake if you ask nicely!Trying to attain any photographic evidence of this creature tends to fail spectacularly, for whatever reason. It's as if the local cryptid is just incapable of being caught on camera, no matter the kind you're using. She'd be more than happy to pose for any attempts, though - whether it's for photos or for drawings - so long as she gets to see the final result! In the end, she's awfully intelligent, and actually seems to enjoy company. Maybe consider dropping by the lake sometime? ZHENG ▫ peaceful but dangerous, requires mod permission  Easily distinguished by its horned head and six tails, the zheng is a spotted, feline-like creature that roams the innermost depths of the Forest of the Fey and thus is particularly uncommon in comparison to the more frequent fauna of Astoria's home. It is unknown if there is more than one creature, what its general temperament is, and what, exactly, it may eat. However, if encountered and unprovoked, it seems to be disinterested in attacking whatever poor soul may have wandered too far into its habitat.For the most part, though, the zheng seems to be a highly intelligent being that thinks before it acts. Its size, appearance, and predatory seeming nature indicate that perhaps it may be best not to test ones chances should you find yourself face-to-face with such a beast. AKVOSIANS ▫ minimal threat, extremely rare and timid, free to play  The Circle, during the Third World Jump, pleaded with Astoria to bring some number of mermaids from Akvos to the Temple in order to avoid a civil war between the Queen Wai and King Ka'Pouli. While Akvos failed, some members of the species survived, brought back through Astoria's magic to reside in the Temple. There are male and female members of the species, and they remain in the shadows of Lake Dona, for the most part. They will interact with members of the Circle if asked, and most are grateful for being rescued, but they are still adjusting to their new world, and grappling with the fact their homeworld has been lost.They are mostly brightly colored, akin to tropical saltwater fish. Some are darker in color, suited to the deep depths. They seem to interact well with the Lake Mermaids, who take pity on them and view them as kin, but they remain mostly separated and near the lower depths of Lake Dona, out of sight, and out of mind. |