Creatures

The world of Varies contains a variety of creatures for you become and interact with. Here's all of them!

DRAGONS
The most common, smartest creature in Varkess. The are categorized by the elements- Earth, Water, Fire, and Air. Each Dragon has a unique design and personality, and they often act very much like humans, but in a more primitive form (think the clan cats from the Warriors series, but cooler). A group of Dragons is called a Fleet. All Dragons have different opinions about being domesticated and used by humans. You can get completely unrealistic in their abilities and weapons. Nothing has to be explained. Most commonly, breath weapons are personalized (i.e. colored fire). You can also have fun with their appearance- furry manes, cloven feet, heavy brows, delicate speckles, it’s up to you.

GRIFFINS
Just as smart as Dragons, but less tricky. Each Griffin has a tendency towards honesty and they make valuable companions, both in life and on the battlefield. Incredibly strong and brave, the Griffin is a mix of any feline with any bird, usually a lion and an eagle, though some posh nobility keep house cat-parrot breeds around, and the ferocious hawk-tiger is feared through all of Vargriff. A group of Griffins if called a pride, though each one has its own dynamics and none have to resemble lion prides. These designs can also get creative, but make sure that you study the wings of whatever birds your using, and perhaps base the Griffins personality a bit on that (for example, an ornery blue jay-snow leopard, or a wise owl-puma).

HIPPOGRIFFS
The gentler, less battle ready version of a Griffin, a cross between a bird and a horse. Though they make lovely steeds whose speed is almost unmatched, they shouldn't be your first guard creature choice. Inherently trusting and forgiving, Hippogriffs are easy to win over. A bit dumber than Griffins and Dragons, they also tend to be more beautiful. The hippogriff's coat always shines, her feathers always dance, and her hooves are always well groomed, even the ones that gallop over the desert of Varsell. Another peculiarity is their sweet tooth. They live for maple sugar and peppermint candy and are sure to become loyal to you if the right snacks are provided. Experiment with these- perhaps the back half is a goat or a zebra, not a horse? A giraffe? A group of these, along with pegasus and unicorns, is called a herd.

HIPPOCAMPS
The playful Hippocamp spend it's days splashing about in the water, mane twirling, tail slashing. The creature with the least difference in personality, they tend to fear loneliness and have a stronger flight than fight instinct. Some are based on tropical fish, others, that live in the icy north, have the back half of leopard seals with wide, clomping hooves and forelocks to keep them warm. A group of Hippocampus is called a school, and other aquatic creatures have been known to be parts of the school.

UNICORNS
Delicate and mystical, the unicorn travels in very small herds in damp swamps and forests, and close to none live in Varkridge, for their skin is too sensitive for the cold. With short, velvety fur in cream, white, or gray, as well as hooves that look like iridescent mica and a horn that shimmers gold, blue, and pink in the sun, it's hard not to be spell bound if you are ever lucky enough to see one. With horns that purify water and heal with one tap, they have been hunted to near extinction. However, after death, the horns magic is very limited, and can only be used a few times. The horns continue growing from birth, very slowly, and as the unicorn can live thousands of years, it occasionally is forced to break off some of their own horn, a very painful process that takes a full year to fully recover from. About the size of a pony, with cloven feet like a goat, the peculiar unicorn is one of the most heartbreakingly lovely things in existence.

PEGASUS
A tough, brutish creature with gold, black, or copper fur and broad shoulders, the pegasus is a fierce warrior. Fast, deadly and often bad tempered, they have been known to gore their trainers with the tightly woven, bone stark horn on their forehead. With powerful, feathered wings, fangs, and a lionlike tail that ends in spikes, the pegasus is something to be feared. Militaries covet them, but they are very hard to tame, and often do more bad than good. About the size of a Clydesdale horse, they can crush legs under their feet and trample armies. Though fast on land, they are quicker in air, and frequently duel with Dragons and Griffins, and feed on Unicorns and Hippocampus readily when they get the chance. Nightmarish creatures, often with red manes and wings.