The Wildlife of Adel

After the Cataclysm, the world bled. It bled magma and gas, but it most of all bled essence. The magic of the core of the world bled out to become its atmosphere. The few surviving creatures of the world changed as the Spirits were born from the essence, and rectified the damage done by the near-eradication of the former inhabitants. What is known as “Adelian” today, be it the races, wildlife and geology were all created by these esoteric processes. Needless to say, it is all somewhat strange.

Adel is inhabited by as much wildlife and people, and in this article we’ll look at the composition of Adel’s wildlife, using examples from historical fauna known to other worlds. Of note, the Spirits, save for a few, are not considered “wildlife” despite the fact that many participate in the ecosystem. They are not animals – they are gods in miniature, mostly humanoid in form, and many also exist within civilization. What this article will discuss are animal species and magical animal species. Aside from the creatures discussed here, any others that make sense to include should be included.

Common Adelian Creatures

Cruciasaurs: Cruciasaurs (etymology comes from Old Adelian, roughly “Tortorous Lizard”), also known colloquially by Adelians as Drakes, are a variety of lizard-like beings of many sizes and shapes that are common predators in Adelian forests. They come in a variety of colors, and show gender dimorphism in the colorful crests that the male beasts use in courtship displays.

They are bipedal animals with raptorial adaptations to their arms and legs. Smaller Cruciasaurs are pack hunters of a dozen or more individuals, while the largest tend to be composed of smaller family groups. They take care of their young to a certain point, making them fruitful. Cruciasaurs’ largest predator and competitor might actually be the Sorian lizardfolk race, whose misguided attempts to domesticate or subjugate cruciasaurs for use in their campaigns often prove fatal and bloody.

Cruciasaurs adapted to all manner of environments exist. In the water, Cruciasaurs have paddle-shaped limbs, sharp teeth and much longer tails. Their streamlined bodies allow them to navigate the water easily and attack their prey. Some extremely large water cruciasaurs are referred to as Leviathans in Adelian folklore and mythology.

Some amphibious cruciasaurs are quite unlike the rest, having a body shape low to the ground and walking with four legs, like larger iguanas and crocodiles, but they are nonetheless included in the Cruciasaurs by the Adelians.

Floravores: Floravores (Old Adelian etymology, roughly “Vegetation Eater”) are a distinct species from the Cruciasaurs, composed of “drakes” that eat vegetation. Floravores tend to be large rough-skinned quadruped reptiles. Most of them are low-browsers, but their large size as adults allows them to reach some taller trees. Some might have armored plate skin and horns for self-defense, while others rely on pack mentality, quick retreats and deep, loud bellow alarm calls as defenses.

Floravores, like Cruciasaurs, are found in all manner of environments. There are water-borne Floravores with paddles and plump, long-necked bodies, and even Floravores in volcanic areas that feed on dusty, ashen magical plants.

Rodents: Some of the most common mammals in Adelian forests are rodents of some kind or another. Capybaras are common large rodents, and rabbits and field mice are also common (often as prey to larger animals). Adelian flying squirrels are also common villager pets in forests, since they are fairly docile, can be taught a few tricks and are friendly.

Giant Sloths: Some of the more prolific mammalian herbivores in Adel are ground sloths, often the size larger than an adult person. Ground Sloths travel on four legs but can stand on two to feed. They possess large claws which they use to trim vegetation from trees, and if necessary to beat (though not really slash) attackers away from it. They are related to smaller arboreal sloths, though they cannot climb trees due to the bulk and general shape of their bodies.

Wapiti: Wapiti include a variety of deer in which the male of the species grows large horns. They are herbivores of varying size, colorful pelts and known for their powerful sprinting. Adelians keep Wapiti as riding animals, since the Adelian horse is too small (about the size of a dog) to be ridden.

Aurochs: An important herbivorous mammal for the Adelians, Aurochs are large, horned animals that Adelians have raised as cattle. Most Adelians will not use the Aurochs for meat until they have died one way or another – much more valuable is the Auroch’s milk. An Auroch can eat many plants, grass and other fodder that is mostly useless to Adelians, and turn it into milk that is nutritious and useful, such as for making butter, ghee for religious offerings, or cheese.

Armadillos: Another common mammalian creature are the Armadillos, including anything from tiny pink armadillos to larger and more intimidating armored creatures. Armadillos use their front claws to dig out roots and other food. They are not very aggressive, even the larger ones, and Adelians tend to get along well with them.

Canines: Foxes are over-represented among the Canines, and this also shows in the number of Iomadi who manifest fox ears and tails being disproportionate to other kinds. True Dogs are actually somewhat rare in Adel.

Birds: Most Adelian birds are fairly large, with 3-foot or greater wingspans. Smaller birds are much rarer.

Insects: The most common Adelian creatures by far are insects. They serve as pollinators, and the nutritional base for some of the most important creatures in the natural ecosystem, and also as food for Adelian villagers.

Fish: Fish of various kinds and sizes exist. Inland fish of both docile and predatory nature are common, and extend their reach through rivers, flooded forests, swamps and lakes. Ocean fish, including horrifying megalodon sharks, also exist.

Other animals exist, of course, often from scattered portions of the Paleogene period.

Magical Adelian Creatures

Though not necessarily capable of casting spells or even performing magical effects, this group refers to creatures that are rarer and significantly advantaged over other creatures in supernatural ways. All Magical Creatures are sentient, and though they may have difficulty communicating with Adelians they are intelligent and not to be underestimated.

Sabertooths: Tigers of various sorts are a rare creature in Adel, and all of them possess overlarge fangs as a defining trait, and jaws powerful enough to turn a person’s head to pulp with a good bite. They tend to be elementally-aligned, possessing traits such as icy fur coats in the mountains, or flaming hides in deserted and volcanic areas.

Greatclaws: Bear-like creatures with some muted reptilian features, the Greatclaws are as rare as Sabertooths, and possess some of the traits, save for the fact that their eponymous greatclaws on their front feet are their chief weapon, rather than their teeth. Greatclaws are mostly quadrupedal, but can stand bipedal to deliver attacks.

Wyverns: Wyverns are a species of large, winged creatures with small forearm claws on their wings, and often possess long necks ending in a reptilian head with powerful jaws. Wyverns also exist that can swim, but all wyverns can fly. Unflying wyvern-like creatures are shunted into the Cruciasaurs. Wyverns use their natural strength, size and flight advantage to predate, often on other larger predators like Cruciasaurs but also on herbivores, who are often helpless against them.

Leviathans: As mentioned before, certain overly large ocean Cruciasaurs are referred to as Leviathans. These beasts often have traits of magical beasts, and are commonly classified as such, including having spell-like attacks.

Dragons: Top predators in any environment, the Dragons come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Dragons are large and powerful creatures. They resemble wyverns in general build, except that a Dragon’s wings stretch out of its back and are apart from its raptorial clawed arms – how one can sustain flight is anyone’s guess. Dragons are the most intelligent of the magical beasts, able to communicate and socialize perfectly. They are also one of the few types that outright does magic, often shapeshifting into a Iomadi traveler to migrate unmolested. Female Dragons tend to grow larger and more powerful than males.

A Dragon’s chief weapon aside from its magic and size is its natural breath attack. Dragons consume some material from their environment, be it ice, mud, hot coals, and keep it in storage within their bodies. When a Dragon, in any form (they can even breathe in Iomadi form!) wishes to make a breath attack, it consumes the stockpiled materials and uses them to fuel a spell-like attack. The principle of a Dragon’s breath attack inspired Adelian artificers to create the Arcane Engine. A Dragon is much more efficient than an Arcane Engine however, as it can consume anything to fuel its repulsion effects.

Some Dragons live their lives as animals do, hunting, lounging and seeking a mate, while others partake of civilized society, using their incredible intellectual potential to soak up Adelian culture and knowledge, ever-hungry for more mental bounty. Some live between both worlds, preferring to be away from Adelians, but close enough to partake of their stuff. All Dragons have an attraction to gleaming, colorful objects like jewels or gold. This is believed to be part of their sexual nature, as Dragons’ scales are very colorful and shine when the Dragon is fully matured, healthy and ready to mate. As such, all Dragons find comfort in keeping a stockpile of shiny things that remind them of dragons, and slowly accrue them.

Adelians And The Wilderness

The World of Adel is mostly rural, and the Adelians in their villages have adapted to the environment, and live about as harmoniously as they can. They put torches around the villages to keep away Cruciasaurs at night, and most villages have a few crossbows or old shotstaff firearms from the Intolerable War lying around for defense against such predators. Nature does not assault the Adelians, and they do not live with a siege mentality. But they are aware that animals of all sorts could sip overhead or parade around the village, and they must be ready to either step aside, or scare them off.

Adelians have a tradition of hunting and using the parts of hunted animals, especially Cruciasaurs, to make tools and weapons, and clothing and decorations for their homes. This tradition, however, is not paramount among them – though their culture can be said to be warlike, after the Intolerable War most Adelians would not glorify a proverbial war against nature, or want to see their lives in such terms. Being in peace with nature is just as commendable, if not more, as being able to conquer it. As such, hunting is a task given almost religious solemnity, and those who partake in it must have respect for life.

However, sometimes it cannot be helped, and the Adelians must rally to kill a Wyvern, or scare off an evil Dragon, or to stem an incoming migration of floravores or other stampeding creatures. During such times, village hunters are likely to be followed into battle by the guards, by the healers, by anyone chosen or volunteering to take on such an adventure for the continued survival of their village, and its continued balance with the many strange creatures of their world.