The Bestiary

Adamantoises

Enormous creatures with nigh-impermeable—and oddly fertile—shells that play host to divers flora that provide the painfully conspicuous reptiles with much-needed camouflage in the bogs and fens they call their homes. At a glance, these lumbering giants may not appear much of a threat, but at the first sign of danger, they will retract their heads and limbs and whip themselves into frenetic spins that have been known to flatten entire homes.

Aevises

Middling dragons whose membranous wings are attached to their forelegs rather than their torsos, and end in hook-like talons used to rip apart the flesh of their prey. Their abundance in northwestern Storm eventually resulted in mass domestication by the Imperial Legion which, alongside the spreading of the Blight, drove remaining populations south into the deserts of Dhalmekia, where they now struggle for supremacy with existing species.

Ahriman

With their single unblinking eye, these winged horrors ever scan the horizon, seeking their next victims, using their singular ability to bend the very air around themselves and leap across great distances to take prey unawares. Those few who manage to survive this preliminary assault, however, are soon faced with a second horror—a crippling curse whispered from the lips of an abyssal maw, leaving them with but moments to lament their fates.

Ancient Goblins

Basic Information

Goblins in the Dim

While exhibiting many of the distinguishing features conventionally attributed to goblins—large ears, hunched gait, malevolent eyes—these unique specimens encountered in the Dim can be characterized by their rotten, gnarled flesh and a shock of fiery red hair running from their crowns down the length of their crooked spines. What is more, the weapons they carry are neither twisted boughs nor rusted pikes, but rather crooks and cleavers intricately crafted from material of decidedly Fallen origin—though how the goblins might have worked the material, where mankind has historically failed, remains a mystery.

Hidden Truths

Ancient Goblins

It has become ever more apparent that the strange creatures now roaming the Dim are not, in fact, a new species of goblin, but rather an old one, likely captured by the Fallen and imprisoned inside the Sagespire for the purpose of academic research. They would have remained suspended in time indefinitely, bound by the tower's arcane magicks, had not happenstance seen the locks thrown from their cages fifteen centuries after their capture. While these goblins exceed their more modern cousins in strength, hardiness, and overall ferocity (possibly through Magitek augmentation), there is no apparent difference in mental faculty.

Ancient Minotaur

At a glance, the quality and complexity of both the decorative markings on their skin and the goldwork they adorn implies that these ancestors of the tauri currently inhabiting the deserts of Dhalmekia achieved a much higher level of civilization than their modern-day progeny. The crystallization of their horns and hooves, however, is clear evidence of experimentation and the hands of their Fallen captors.

Angra Mainyu

Unlike Sigma or Omicron—creatures coaxed into existence through the miracle of Fallen science—Angra Mainyu is instead an example of Sagespire engineers imposing their wills onto an existing life-form in an arrogant attempt to stimulate or enhance its connatural faculties. The crystal imbedded within its cranium may either serve as a source from which aetherial essence is drawn, or as a means of control by an outside party.

Antelopes

A large, herbivorous creature found mainly on Storm. It has distinctive, elaborate antlers and long, sinuous limbs, which it uses to leap gracefully into the air. It attacks mainly with its antlers and rear legs, but many hunters are prepared to face such dangers nonetheless in order to acquire the lustrous, supple pelts for which these noble beasts are famed.

Bahamut

Basic Information

Bahamut

Affiliation: The Holy Empire of Sanbreque

The Warden of Light, whose power dwells within Dion Lesage, prince of Sanbreque. In the Holy Empire, the Greagorian faithful hold dragons to be sacred creatures, and Bahamut the most sacred of them all. Because of this, as well as the protection it grants them, the Eikon is loved and revered by the imperial populace.

Hidden Truths

Bahamut

Affiliation: The Holy Empire of Sanbreque

The Warden of Light, whose power dwells within Dion Lesage, prince of Sanbreque. A tribe known as the Motes of Light once dwelled in the northeast reaches of Storm where the great city of Oriflamme now stands, among which the Dominant of Bahamut would always emerge. In modern times, Dominants are often born among the Sanbrequois nobility—most likely because the tribe's bloodline still runs strong in their ranks.

Behemoths

Towering agents of destruction known for their distinctive dual horns and a roar that can topple the mighty heavens. Simply the mention of one has been known to instill fear in the hearts of even the most seasoned of warriors, and as such, few ever venture to hunt these beasts of legend, leaving them to roam the blackened hills of Ash undisturbed. That is, save the scant few the royal army has somehow remarkably managed to fetter and tame for deployment on the front lines of battle.

Bighorns

Found to graze primarily in the emerald meadows of Rosaria or the windswept savannahs of Dhalmekia, bighorns are easily recognized by the eponymous growths—the length of which can oft exceed several score hands—that jut sidewise from their crowns. These horns, as well as their hardwearing hides are prized throughout Valisthea, and can be bought and sold at marketplaces all over the realm. Caution, however, is recommended when hunting the creatures, as they are highly territorial and will charge relentlessly at anything that might stray into their line of sight.

Black Widows

Unlike many arachnids which use gossamer webbing to ensnare their victims, black widows prefer instead to cling silently to trees and cliffs and await the passing of an animal below, at which time they leap down and assault their prey with hooked limb and caustic spit. They prefer dark, cool environs, and as such are rarely seen in Valisthea's southern deserts.

Bombs

Floating masses of self-contained flame found across both Storm and Ash, these creatures lack the flesh with which we associate with typical fauna, leading scholars of the natural world to posit that they are not descended of any beast, but rather ungodly creations of the Fallen. By suppressing their internal furnaces, bombs can allow their bodies to cool and harden until appearing naught more than simple stones unworthy of remark. It is in this form that they hunt their prey, waiting until an unfortunate soul has stumbled upon their place of rest before rising from the ground to spew forth fiery gouts of death. Oddly, should the prey fight back, the bomb will not flee but rather combust spontaneously, sacrificing its own life to save the flock.

Chimeras

That there might exist a creature so terrible, so twisted as the tricephalic horror that is the chimera is striking reminder of the madness of whatever deity first whispered life into them. It is not enough that the winged daemons are both astonishingly aggressive and adept in the manipulation of aether, but they are also able to wield their influence over other beasts, commanding them like a field marshal might his regulars. Fortunately, they are seen only rarely, and only deep in the deserts of Dhalmekia.

Chirada

An aetherial conjuration summoned forth by Benedikta Harman when Clive encountered the Dominant of Wind near Lostwing. Despite their size, the creature's heavily feathered wings did not seem to hamper its movement, which was disconcertingly nimble. More so than speed, though, it was Chirada's array of powerful magicks that set it apart from lesser foes.

Chocobos

Favored steeds of the people of Valisthea. While they are mainly bred for riding, some are used to pull wagons, and some are even eaten, but the boldest and bravest are put forward for use by the military. They are intelligent and fiercely loyal creatures, and tend to tolerate only their masters' attention. Wild chocobos are no less vigilant, and will readily attack anyone who they perceive to be a threat—anyone who isn't carrying a fistful of gysahl greens, that is.

Coeurls

Sleek-bodied creatures with coats of silken fur, coeurls are anything but soft, and will attack their prey viciously with tooth, claw, and even whisker—the latter of which can be used to generate powerful bolts of heart-stopping levin. Though native to the arid climes of Dhalmekia, coeurls have been known to wander far in search of new territory, and rumors place them as far north as the Dragon's Aery in Sanbreque.

Cray Claws

Found mostly in and around the lakes and rivers of Sanbreque and Rosaria, these deadly predators are equipped with scissor-like pincers with which to dismember and eviscerate their prey. If that were not enough, the creatures take in water from their habitat to create highly corrosive juices in their bellies, which they then spit out onto their victims' flesh to soften it, making it easier to consume.

Dragonets

Lesser dragons known for their nimbleness in flight. Those specimens of the Sanbrequois subspecies known more commonly as the wyrm, or worm, are somewhat easily tamed, and as such widely employed in battle by the Imperial Legions.

Dragons

Majestic winged beasts that are commonly considered to be some of Valisthea's most ancient creatures. Albeit rarely sighted in modern times, there are countless myths and legends regarding dragons, one of the most prominent being that Valisthea itself was formed when a mighty drake fell from the sky. According to the Greagorian faith, dragons were created by the goddess herself to serve as holy sentinels over her earthly demesne and as such, have long been employed by the Holy Empire of Sanbreque in various martial roles within and without the Imperial Legion.

Fafnir of the North

An ancient dragon adapted exclusively for life on the ground, and as such, is encased in a thick, bony armor. Though its kin once claimed dominion over the Northern Territories, the spread of the Blight inevitably forced this once-gentle giant south in search of prey.

Flan

Massive amorphous beings capable of bending and distorting their gelatinous forms into almost any shape imaginable, making them not only notoriously difficult to find, but almost entirely impossible to kill, as most cuts merely melt back into the existing flesh within a matter of moments. These creatures can be found in all corners of Valisthea, though their heightened sensitivity to the subtleties of their environs means that their outward hue can vary wildly from region to region, hence the variety of names—bavarois, gelato, and fool—by which they are known.

Garuda

Basic Information

Garuda

Affiliation: The Kingdom of Waloed

The Warden of the Wind, who Benedikta transformed into during her ill-fated flight from the empire. It takes the form of a fearful harpy, summoning storms and tearing into the flesh of its prey with hawklike talons. Such is the Eikon's frenzy for destruction that even allies of the Dominant of the day are wont to begin fleeing the battlefield when dark clouds gather overhead.

Hidden Truths

Affiliation: The Kingdom of Waloed

The Warden of the Wind, who Benedikta transformed into during her ill-fated flight from the empire. It takes the form of a fearful harpy, summoning storms and tearing into the flesh of its prey with hawklike talons. Its Dominant is most often born among the descendants of the Motes of Wind, an ancient tribe that once dwelled in the lands spanning the Strait of Autha—what is now the Crystalline Dominion.

Gigas

As they are oft witnessed in the presence of goblins, many believe these lumbering brutes to be goblins themselves, albeit ones that have grown to prodigious size. Scholars, however, deny these claims, and insist the two tribes are independent and their relationship a symbiotic one with the gigas providing protection to the slighter goblins who, in turn, provide the craftless giants with sundry arms and vestures such as the charnel carcanets created from the bones of their victims. The spread of the Blight has seen both tribes impinge on human territory with increased frequency, and recent spottings having put them as close to civilization as Three Reeds in Rosaria.

Goblins

Basic Information

Goblins

A common species of beastman. While at first glance they may seem like mindless predators, goblins have their own unique language, and are skilled enough to both cast magicks and make rudimentary tools and weapons. While mostly found on the continent of Storm, the spread of the Blight has forced them to find homes nearby human settlements—a move that oft ends in misunderstanding and bloodshed.

Intercultural Exchange

Goblins

A common species of beastman. Found mostly on Storm, they have habitually avoided contact with other races, be ~~them~~[they] beast or man. The continued spread of the Blight, however, has driven the creatures to find homes near human settlements, making violent encounters more commonplace. That said, a rare few have been found to possess the ability to crudely converse—and at times even cooperate—with humankind.

Griffins

Fantastical abominations of nature, upon which the crown and wings of an eagle have been fused to the legs and loins of a ferocious land cat. They hunt their prey on high, circling a victim unseen before descending at terrible speeds, claws-first, to tear its throat. Should the prey prove more formidable, griffins have also been known to call upon the very winds to both slice and suffocate the quarry. Fortunately, these predators rarely descend from their mountain lairs, and sightings are few and far between.

Hornets

Most commonly found in the woodlands of Rosaria and western Sanbreque, hornets are oft mistaken for birds due to their prodigious size. This mistake, however, can prove deadly, for the overgrown insects are extremely territorial and highly aggressive, and will attack aught that might venture near their hive, using stingers laden with a poison potent enough to subdue creatures as large as a wyvern.

Hreidmar

Since man first sttled the untamed north, he has known not to journey too deep into the black forests, for there giants roam—namely giant lizards. With scales as hard steel, maws deeper than the deepest of wells, and a fleetness of foot that belies their enromous size, these aberrations of nature rightly stand at the summit of predation. When the Blight began consuming their habitat, however, a lack of prey drove many of the creatures south into Rosaria and beyond, leaving only the strongest and most terrible to lord over what little of the earth remained.

Ifrit

Masked

Second Eikon of Fire

A fire-aspected Eikon that first emerged in the Year of the Realm 860, when imperial forces attacked the Rosarian stronghold of Phoenix Gate. Clad in infernal flame, the fiendish creature flung itself against the Phoenix, overpowering the Eikon with a strength and ferocity never seen before—or since.

Unmasked

Ifrit

A fire-aspected Eikon that first emerged in the Year of the Realm 860, when imperial forces attacked the Rosarian stronghold of Phoenix Gate. Clad in infernal flame, the fiendish creature flung itself against the Phoenix, overpowering the Eikon with a strength and ferocity never seen before. Its reappearance was to usher in a second, shocking revelation—that its Dominant was none other than Clive Rosfield.

Ifrit Risen

United

Ifrit Risen

The two Eikons of Fire united as one. Clive and Joshua manifested this being in the skies above the Crystalline Dominion after entreating their Eikons to grant them the power they needed to quell the raging Bahamut. It has the body of Ifrit, the wings of the Phoenix, and a might that far exceeds either Eikon alone.

Hidden Truths

Ifrit Risen

The two Eikons of Fire united as one, with a might that far exceeds either Eikon alone. With the body of Ifrit and the wings of the Phoenix, its appearance closely resembles that of Ultima, as depicted in the ancient murals of the Circle of Malius. Could this be the final, true form of the vessel that Ultima requires to remake the world?

Infernal Eikon

A form long since discarded by Ultima that brings to mind Ifrit, the Eikon manifested by Clive. It is seemingly incomplete, lacking as it does the wings of the being created when Clive and Joshua combined the powers of Ifrit and the Phoenix.

Interdimensional Ultima

In order to further test the strength of the vessel "Mythos," Ultima lured both Clive and Joshua deep into the shadowy depths of his fractured mind, where he faced the brothers clad in the remnants of his erstwhile flesh—the Infernal Eikon.

Iron Giants

Oversized suits of armor animated by lost Fallen magicks. Deceptively swift despite their size, they wield both sword and shield skillfully and effectively, while the otherworldly plate which surrounds their vulnerable cores provide[s] them with a nigh-impenetrable defense.

Leviathan

Legend

Leviathan the Lost

Affiliation: Mysidia

Despite the prominence of the Dominants and their Eikons in modern politics and warfare, recent history makes no mention of an Eikon of Water. So long has it been, in fact, since Leviathan last appeared in Valisthea that he is now almost exclusively referred to as "the Lost." As to where exactly he went, though, no one is quite certain.

Basic Information

Leviathan the Lost

Affiliation: Mysidia

So long has it been since the Eikon of Water last appeared in Valisthea that many have forgotten Leviathan even existed, despite much evidence to the contrary. Old writings clearly speak of Dominants past summoing great whale-like creatures capable of swallowing entire cities with their gaping maws. Visual records such as the famed Circle of Malius tapestry also exist, depicting the Eikon as a giant serpent alongside its elemental brethren.

Hidden Truths

Leviathan

Affiliation: Mysidia

Eighty years ago, a baby was born to the Motes of Water—a Dominant, the first to awaken after decades of silence. Yet rather than embrace this miracle, they instead chose to use him for their own gain, subjecting him to a torturous rite that stirred the serpent slumbering within him. Fearing the destruction of their village at the hands of an enraged Eikon, the Motes cast a spell on the child, imprisoning him within time itself, where he remains trapped to this day, his anger stayed but not soothed.

Corruption

Leviathan

Affiliation: Mysidia

Eighty years ago, the Motes of Water committed a sin most atrocious—they attempted to sacrifice a baby Dominant with designs to create their own Mothercrystal, and in doing so corrupted both his body and mind. Unaccepting of this taint inflicted by mankind on his once-perfect creation, Ultima spurned the child, leaving him to his cruel fate while turning his eyes to another…

Liquid Flame

An ever-shifting mass of living flame that rose from the fiery pools of Drake's Breath in what appeared to be response to an unwarranted trespass into the Mothercrystal's inner sanctum. Possessed with both the swiftness and temper of an untamed wildfire, the creature rained fury down upon the intruders, wielding the molten lifeblood of sacred Mt. Drustanus like it were but fistfuls of mud.

Megalocrabs

Making a habitat of waters both fresh and brackish, these goodly crustaceans spend most of their time buried in the mud where they warm their sanguine humours as they wait for a potential meal to wander by. Since the time of the Founder, the peoples of Rosaria have hunted megalocrab for its sweet, succulent flesh and creamy tomalley—the species having long been known amongst the smallfolk as "firecrab" for the bright red color and Phoenix-like patterns which emerge on the shells after boiling.

Minotaurs

Towering beastmen that combine the heads of oxen with bodies eerily human. Minotaurs are abnormally aggressive—a trait that suggests that little "man" remains within the "beast"—and roam the grassy meadows of Rosaria, doling out violence seemingly indiscriminately with their crude, yet massive clubs. Despite the obvious danger, however, hunters still actively seek out these menaces for their lustrous manes which often command exorbitant prices at market.

Morbols

The foul cocktail of bile and partially digested prey that accumulates within these giant carnivorous plants' bellies makes their breath so spectacularly rancid that it can be used as a weapon to repel would-be attackers. Morbols favor more humid climes such as those found on the volcanic isles of the Iron Kingdom; however, the spread of the Blight has driven the mobile flora to cooler areas such as the swamps of Rosaria.

Odin

Basic Information

Odin

Affiliation: The Kingdom of Waloed

The Warden of Darkness, who rides into battle atop his spectral steed, and whose black blade is said to be sharp enough to split the very seas in twain. His latest Dominant: King Barnabas of Waloed.

Hidden Truths

Odin

Affiliation: The Kingdom of Waloed

The Warden of Darkness who rides into battle atop his six-legged steed, black blade in hand. His latest Dominant, King Barnabas of Waloed—a man scholars believe to be a descendant of the ancient Motes of Darkness within whose line all Dominants of Odin are born. However, they have as yet been unable to prove this point, on account of no records of any Odins before Barnabas Tharmr having come to light.

Omega

Omega, or "Eikonoklastic defense system Omega-1," was the Sagespire's last line of defense in the preservation of its most valuable asset—the artificial heart. Capable of warping the very geometries that define our world, the Magitek construct was likely one of the most powerful weapons ever created by the Fallen.

Omicron

Not content with the combat performance exhibited by their Sigma model, Sagespire engineers continued perfecting their methods until they had created Omicron—a mindless thrall similar in size and build to its predecessor, but stronger, faster, and more resilient. The engineers also felt the need to give it a sword, and teach it how to use it.

Orcs

Basic Information

Orcs

A warlike, yet surprisingly organized species of beastman native to Ash. They have long been in conflict with the Waloeders over control of the continent, and currently count the bulk of its eastern half as their own. However, the encroaching Blight continues to eat into the amount of livable land, making the fight for more territory ever more vital.

At Drake's Fang

Orcs

A species of beastman native to Ash, orcs have historically lacked the means with which to cross the Strait of Autha and make ingress into Storm. However, rumors of their having been sighted at Drake's Fang have begun to spread as of late, along with speculation that they might even have joined forces with their longtime enemy—the Kingdom of Waloed.

Under New Leadership

Orcs

A species of beastman native to Ash. Though they were seen fighting alongside Waloeder forces in both Dhalmekia and the Free Cities of Kanver. the death of King Barnabas saw a shift in their allegiances, and they now bend the knee to Ultima and no other.

Panthers

Archetypal predators known best for their brilliant spotted coats and a proclivity to lives of solitude. As is the case with most felines, the animals are severely strong-willed and efforts by the Republican Army to harness their inborn speed and ferocity for use on the battlefield has been met with varying degrees of success.

Perykos

Perykos was first encountered by Clive following his attempt at absorbing Leviathan's aether. Sensing danger, Leviathan's Dominant—the baby Waljas—summoned forth the Abyss, sending a cataract of salt and spray at Clvie and his companions. And though they did miss their mark, from one of these stray gouts emerged a horrible creature possessed of features both human and piscine. Able to call upon the seas as did her creator, this aethere[i]al surrogate, or egi, as their kind have oft been called, harried Clive until he succeeded in putting her down.

Ramuh

Basic Information

Ramuh

The Warden of Thunder, whose power most lately awakened within Cidolfus Telamon. The Eikon is known the realm over as a symbol of judgment, no doubt inspired by its sage mien and the scepter with which it summons its levinbolts. Folklore has it that not only are Dominants of Ramuh blessed with the command of lightning, they are also granted a deeper understanding of the true nature of the world.

Hidden Truths

Ramuh

The Warden of Thunder, whose power most lately awakened within Cidolfus Telamon. Dominants of the Eikon most often emerge among descendants of the Motes of Thunder, a tribe who once dwelled in the lands of central Ash—lands that the Kingdom of Waloed now lays claim to. Mayhap in part due to the tribe's comparatively advanced learning, Ramuh is associated with wisdom and judgment to this day.

Raptors

Though still widely believed by the commonfolk of Sanbreque to be the descendants of dragons—on account of their leathery wings, meagerness of plumage, and distinct ability to spit fire—learned scholars have long since concluded that these deceptively reptilian creatures are none other than birds of prey which, over countless centuries of hunting creatures on the ground, have simply lost their capacity for flight.

Scorpions

With pincers the size of boulders and a hooked tail as long as a chocobo is tall, merely the sight of a scorpion is enough to strike fear into even the most hardened of warriors. That said, the poison contained in their stingers is actually far weaker than those of their lesser cousins, and is primarily used to stun, rather than kill. They favor deserts and other hotter climes, and as such, are found mostly in Dhalmekia, as well as the fiery mountains of the Iron Kingdom.

Shiva

Masked

Shiva

Affiliation: The Iron Kingdom

The Warden of Ice, whose appearance on the battlefield makes her enemies' blood run cold. The Ironblood sent Shiva against the republican forces in the Nysa Defile, where she dueled against Titan, the Eikon of Earth.

Unmasked

Shiva

The Warden of Ice, of whom Jill Warrick is the current Dominant. With her glacial aspect and ability to conjure boreal boulders from the aether, Shiva's appearance on the battlefield makes her enemies' blood run cold.

Hidden Truths

Shiva

The Warden of Ice, of whom Jill Warrick is the current Dominant. Long before the fall of the Fallen, there existed a tribe in northwestern Storm known as the Motes of Ice, among whom the Dominant of Shiva would be born. Tales of the ice queens of the old north are passed down among the men and women of the northlands to this day.

Before Jill

Shiva

The Warden of Ice, of whom Jill Warrick is the current Dominant. All Dominants of Shiva are born among the descendants of the Motes of Ice, including Jill's predecessor in the role, the Witch of the North who devised the spell to freeze time. Her aether yet lingers in the vare she constructed atop the Aire of Hours in Mysidia.

Sigma

A colossal killing machine forged not from iron and steel, but from living flesh grown in a laboratorium. Both deceptively swift and magically adept, Sigma is thought to have served the Fallen as a guardian of the Sagespire, tasked with preventing unauthorized access to the tower's upper levels and the secrets stored within.

Stolases

Owls capable of transmitting the thoughts of others—specifically those with whom they are attuned. In response to an ancient incantation, their lithified "third eyes" store these thoughts in the form of aether, allowing them to be passed on as and when required—though only to the intended recipient. Stolases are mainly kept by royals, nobles, and other figures of authority for the purpose of sending secret or urgent messages, and are seldom available to commonfolk.
The incantation "O mia lost elan. Tu isag elythe" can be loosely translated as "My will is now thy burden. Ne'er cleft our bond shall be."

Suparna

An aetherial creation of Benedikta Harman, Dominant of Wind. When summoned in Caer Norvent alongside her twin, Chirada, the pair worked in tandem to attempt to overwhelm Cid and Clive, wielding a panoply of potent magicks and deadly aerial assaults.

Thalaos

A corporeal manifestation of the Dominant Waljas's fear and anguish, this waterbound elemental—or egi—carved a trail of slaughter through Mysidia's primeval wood before arriving at the foot of Languor Falls. According to the people of Haven, it was here that the baby's mother was said to have taken her life upon learning her son's fate.

The Phoenix

Basic Information

The Phoenix

Affiliation: The Grand Duchy of Rosaria

The Warden of Fire, whose strength resides within Joshua Rosfield, heir to the Rosarian throne. The Phoenix is always born in the ducal line, and is worshipped by the populace—not least because its flames of both destruction and regeneration have delivered the duchy from disaster many times over.

Hidden Truths

The Phoenix

Affiliation: The Imperial Province of Rosaria

The Warden of Fire, last seen on the night of the imperial invasion of Phoenix Gate in the year 860, when the young Joshua Rosfield lost control of his powers. The Phoenix first awakened among the Motes of Fire, an ancient tribe who dwelled in the western reaches of Storm, and the careful preservation of bloodlines among the Rosarian nobility ensured that its Dominant would always be born in the ducal line.

Following the Destruction of Twinside

The Phoenix

Affiliation: The Imperial Province of Rosaria

The Warden of Fire, whose strength resides within Joshua Rosfield. Eighteen years after the imperial invasion of Phoenix Gate and Joshua's presumed demise, the Phoenix spread its wings once more in the skies above the Crystalline Dominion—wings in which reside the Flames of Rebirth.

The Timekeeper

Basic Information

The Timekeeper

Clad in iron from head to toe, the Timekeeper serves as both guardian of the Aire of Hours and watcher of the Vare, defending his charge with both mighty sword and malevolent sorcery, bending time as a cooper might a bilge hoop and descending on his victims before they can react.

The Witch

The Timekeeper

Before the Timekeeper became guardian of the Vare, he was a northern bannerman in service of the Dominant of Ice, Ysay. When the spell ultimately failed and the thegns turned their attentions to their ill-starred assault on Rosaria, the two were separated—and when he returned to Mysidia to stand with his lady once more, it was too late. Yet still he remained, loyal to the last, having pledged both life and afterlife to his lady, his spirit empowered with her song.

Titan

Basic Information

Titan

Affiliation: The Dhalmekian Republic

The Warden of Earth, of whom Hugo Kupka is the current Dominant. He takes the form of a stone-skinned giant, whose granite fists shake the earth with every mighty pummel. Titan's Dominant awakens among the peoples of the Dhalmekian deserts—the recipient of his strength being granted great power and status by the republic in return for a commitment to protect the nation in times of war.

Hidden Truths

Titan

Affiliation: The Dhalmekian Republic

The Warden of Earth, who takes on the aspect of a fearsome, stony giant. He is known to awaken among the descendants of the ancient Motes of Earth, a tribe who once dwelled in the deserts of what is now the Dhalmekian Republic. By far the largest and most physically imposing of all the Eikons, Titan's strength was the bedrock upon which the republic was built.

Tonberries

Basic Information

Tonberries

A race of beastmen native to the ~~northern territories~~[Northern Territories]. While distinguishing features include dark green skin, an unnaturally round head, and a slightly hunched gait, tonberries are probably best known for their unhealthy obsession with vengeance and the unnaturally sharp knives they carry to exact it. Slighting a tonberry—even in the most insignificant of manners—will plant a foul seed in its heart that, over time, will take root and grow, driving the tonberry to madness that can only be stemmed with murder. And should you harm one of its kin? Prepare to face the rancor of the entire tribe.

Rancor

Tonberries

Vengeance is a central fixture in tonberry culture, with societal value apparently being placed on the number of individual grudges a tonberry accumulates over its lifetime. As such, most older tribe members are admired, or even revered by their younger peers. Mysidian folklore suggests that one might redirect the rancor of these creatures to a personal enemy—or curse him—by leaving an offering on one of their many stone altars. This, however, can come at the risk of being cursed yourself should the enemy already be dead.

Tonberry King

Tonberry kings are not of noble blood, nor do they rule over their tribe—they are simply those individuals who have survived long enough to accumulate significant amounts of rancor. Their hearts stained black with rage, these elders tend to be not only the most violent and bloodthirsty of their kin, but also the strongest and most nimble, despite their advanced years. Some believe that one may curse his enemy by making an offering to these kings, but science would suggest this is pure fancy.

Typhon

Seemingly drawn to the destruction of the heart of Drake's Head, Ultima emerged from a tear in reality wearing the skin of Typhon, a withered and wizened colossus, and drew Clive into a space between worlds wherein the aetherial entity might test his worth as a "vessel."

Ultima Prime

One of Ultima's many discarded avatars, this iteration of the self-proclaimed deity was awaiting Clive, Joshua, and Dion upon their arrival above Origin. Though structurally similar to the Infernal Eikon, centuries within the dark crystal served to dramatically slow its deterioration, preserving both form and function.

Ultimalius

True name of the incarnation of Ultima that brought the last of his race to safety in Valisthea. When Origin was buried beneath the earth in order to absorb the aether it would need to rebuild the world, a great shrine was placed in the sky above it, from which humanity could be looked down upon. Having granted man the gift of magic and the seeds that would grow into a prophecy of the "savior" to come, Ultimalius placed his brethren into an eons-spanning sleep, that they might one day rise again.

Vampire Thorns

While most flora is thought of as stationary, roots binding them to the soil upon which their matron's seed first fell, there are some species which have an uncanny capacity for locomotion—species such as northern Storm's vampire thorn. Instead of drawing nutriment from the earth, these pitcher-like plants hide themselves in the undergrowth where they wait for prey to haply stumble by, at which time they rush out, emitting a foul cloud of mind-numbing pollen and viscous sap to disorient the victim while they strike and strangulate it with a pair of frighteningly long vines.

Vultures

Opportunistic avians that, like many other predatory birds, prefer to stealthily swoop down on foes from above and skewer them with their razor-sharp beaks. Though they are thought to primarily feed on carrion, traveling in large flocks in search of the dead and dying, it is not uncommon for vultures to attack living prey when times are lean. If you happen to hear their eerily human-like caws, skwarks, and warbles, it is best to find cover, and quickly.

Wolves

Individually lacking in both strength and speed to subdue prey of any considerable size, wolves will instead hunt in packs, communicating amongst one another as men might, so as to overwhelm their victims. And, while forever wary of other creatures, some breeds have been found to be more willing to form bonds with humankind, and thus can be found everywhere from traveling menageries to elite infantry units in the imperial army. Following rumors of children being mauled by wolves, the duchy ordered a mass culling of the beasts which saw their numbers in Rosaria reduced to almost none.