A collection of strange beasts

Drawings by the scribe Blath of the weird creatures that inhabit the greater world

[drecmavideos]

From drecma galleries

[blaths-bestiary]

Blath

I’m finally on my way back to the college! It has been far too long and I am eager to get back to some desk work, these expeditions put quite the strain on a body built for study.

On one of the last legs of the sea voyage we navigated between some large rock cliffs, covered in large feathered creatures.  They looked like enormous chickens on the front end, and horses on the other.  The creatures, hippogriffs as I found out later, soared through the air with their wings and caught massive numbers of fish in their beaks.

A curious one got a little close and damaged the sail but otherwise we got through relatively unscathed.

See you soon,

Parchquill

I wonder if they could be ridden. Would it be like riding a horse, or like riding a chicken?

-Blath

[blaths-bestiary]

Blath,

I am finally at the base of that wretched mountain, thankfully without anymore sightings of the girallon.  The view from the summit was beautiful, if a little humid so again I apologise if this letter arrives slightly damp.  I have made a note to purchase a satchel which might solve this issue in the future.

Before I return I should mention another creature I spotted on the journey down.  We came across the remains of a camp, though it was spattered with gore and viscera.  It took all my will not to vomit at the stench.  Unfortunately we must have ended up on the same trail as these creatures for we soon caught up with a small band of horrible, blood-thirsty animals.  They stood like men but with scarred, fierce heads like dogs.  From where we were hidden it appeared as though their legs were backwards.  What purpose this serves I can only speculate but it did not seem to hinder their movement as they stalked their next victim.  Speaking of victims, they seemed to wear trophies around their necks or on their person.  Some had fingers, others had whole limbs.  Truly a gruesome sight.

See you soon,

Orel Bersk

Maybe their legs are backwards so that they can walk backwards, to trick its prey. Maybe I should try such a thing to get away from nagging family.

-Blath

[blaths-bestiary]

Blath,

I don’t know how you managed to talk me into visiting this backwater port town, it reeks of fish and the people are very rude.  A child, no older than eight by my guess, tried to steal my cloak as I wandered through the market.  In my desperation to get out of this place I chartered a small vessel to take me to some of the nearby islands where I was warned of a greedy and dangerous creature.

During the voyage, I asked the captain to take me to this creature, believing it may be an excellent opportunity to get some actual benefit from this trip, but he was reluctant.  Eventually with some gold in his pockets I could disembark on what the captain believed was the creatures island home.  The first thing I noticed was the flotsam and jetsam that littered the shore, why there must have been almost three score ships around me.  More concerning was the sense that I had some foul being’s eyes upon me always.

But I was not deterred, and pressed onwards towards a nearby cave entrance.  As soon as I entered I was compelled, by a will not of my own, to follow a winding path through the cave system towards what I believed was my destination.  Once I arrived in the inner sanctum, my eyes met a most disgusting sight.  The Morkoth, as it was known, was a large bulbous head supported by many tongues and spider legs.  It had a razor-sharp beak, like a bird, and two large, yellow eyes that seemed to look directly at me no matter where I hid.  Most alarmingly was the treasure it had affixed to its own back and around its lair.  I have never seen such wealth in a single location, why I doubt the college contains such treasures.

I was vastly outmatched and so fled with all the speed I could muster while the creature battered my mind with its powerful magic.  Should you ever have some twisted desire to visit these isles, I must recommend that you reconsider for no amount of wealth could be worth the risk you face by trying to reach the Morkoth.

Your friend and colleague,

Parchquill

Yikes, what a monster, too many legs. Going to cross that off places to go. Hope Parchquill remembers to bring back more of that ink.

-Blath

[blaths-bestiary]

Dear Blath,

I hope this letter reaches you well, and hopefully not too damp from the relentless humidity.  This mountain is atrocious.  Should you decide on the location of your next ‘adventure-holiday’, this ought to be your number one choice.

We’re approaching the summit now, perhaps a day’s journey away now and the view is spectacular.  I am glad to be able to rest now.  The guide insisted we keep moving through the night to avoid some of the more dangerous creatures that live in the upper reaches of the forest.  At one point during the night I spotted one such monster which the guide had warned us about, a girallon.  It had six huge limbs and was covered in thick silvery hair. When it opened its snake-like jaws to roar I could make out a number of large, sharp tusks.  Judging from its large stomach and, what I believe to be breasts, this girallon was likely a mother attempting to protect its young.

I am thankful we were not any closer to it as I have heard these beasts roam in packs and this one seemed particularly angry with our presence.

Expect another letter when I reach the summit.  Hopefully I will return to the college soon and we can discuss my trip in further detail.

From halfway up a mountain,

Your friend,

Orel Bersk

Better leave the letter out to dry longer, it nearly soaked my desk. Wouldn’t have  hurt her to wait until she was down the mountain to send this, honestly.

-Blath