Bestiary of Ossedei

Monster Types

Monsters are divided broadly into three categories. Godlings are things derived in some way from the Twice Dead Gods. Fae are things derived from the realm of the Fair Folk. And Monstrosities are things wrought by human hands. 

NOTE: The creatures listed below are by no means all of the monsters in Ossedei. 

Godlings

These are monsters who have descended from the Twice Dead Gods or their magic. 

Drakes

Hydra

A Hydra is a massive wingless drake, with a body like a komodo dragon or monitor lizard. They are larger than elephants, and are born with three heads. Injuries to the necks of a hydra cause them to grow multiple heads, which sprout from the wounds like fruiting mushrooms. Hydra are dangerous, territorial, apex predators. 

Hydra are easy to track. They leave large dragging tracks. Hydra are best hunted by cornering them in their lair. The hard way to kill a hydra is to use acid or fire to cauterize the wounds as the hunter fights the hydra. The more efficient way to kill a hydra is to destroy the heart or other essential organs. Only the heads regenerate.  

Wyvern

Winged drakes, with batlike wings on their forelimbs, wyverns have a body not unlike a tyrannosaurus and a head not unlike a velociraptor. Wyverns are solitary predators, roughly the size of a war horse, and will hunt by swooping down out of the mountains at prey. Wyvern bone, called wyvern ivory, is highly prized for ornaments and tools.  

The primary challenge in hunting the wyvern is its mobility. A wyvern can be killed like any other beast. But since it can fly, tracking is difficult. Hunters typically employ bait such as cattle to lure in a wyvern. Wyvern lose much of their speed when carrying prey, and hunters typically attack the wyvern while it is attempting to carry off its kill. 

Immortals

Possibly the most feared of all monsters, the immortals are the only monster that can look human. Humans infected by lycanthrope, who survive the process, become immortals. One can also inherit lycanthrope from one’s parents. 

Immortals can shapeshift. Initially an immortal can only shapeshift into the classic werewolf form. But as an immortal ages they will gain the ability to shift into other hybrid forms, such as a half bat form capable flight. Old immortals can even shapeshift into regular sized animals, somehow reducing in size. In all these forms the immortal remains vulnerable to silver. 

Truly ancient immortals are said to be able to travel on smoke or mist or even moonlight. But such immortals have not been seen in centuries and such tales may be nothing more than folklore. 

Immortals heal inhumanly fast. But immortals are harmed by silver. Wounds from silver or from another immortal will heal at the same rate as an ordinary human, unless the immortal is ancient. The older an immortal, the more powerful its abilities. Immortals are faster and stronger than mortal humans. Hunters typically rely upon silver rounds fired from pistols or long guns to catch an immortal and wound it, thus slowing it down to a speed where the hunter can deal with the monster.

Old immortals gain the fangs and bite that lead people to call them vampires. Once an immortal has acquired fangs, they can heal even silver wounds by feeding on the blood of another. 

Fae

These are monsters that are believed to be members of the Faerie realm escaped into the world of Ossedei. 

Fiends

Fiends are faerie flora and fauna. Fiends resemble normal plants and animals, but twisted and alien. They normally have some supernatural ability to augment their predator nature, and virtually all fiends are predatory. 

Barghest

The barghest is a black hound the size of a pony or a horse. The barghest is a predator and hunts in packs. Barghest can turn invisible, but while invisible they are accompanied by the sound of rattling chains. 

Barghest use their invisibility only in the immediate moment before the strike. Because their invisibility causes such a racket, barghests stalk up without the aid of their invisibility and then turn invisible only if spotted. 

Barghest best killed at long range with large bore long guns. But close range, boar spears are a hunter’s best friend. 

Shuck

The shuck or black shuck is similar to the barghest, in that they are large black hounds. Not as large as a barghest, but still as large or larger than a wolf, the shuck is also notable for having a single glowing eye in the center of its head. A shuck’s howl causes people to freeze involuntarily, and it makes no sounds when it runs. A shuck will ignore those who do not look at it, and so the best defense is to close one’s eyes. 

Shuck are easily avoided by closing one’s eyes upon hearing its howl. As such, hunters are called to deal with shuck much less often than other monsters. But if a hunter finds it necessary to hunt a rogue shuck, alchemical potions to withstand the shuck’s howl. Once this is done, it is hunted like any other wolf or rabid dog. 

Faeries

These are actual fair folk, or are believed to be so. 

Giants

Little is known about the giants of Northern Karshvar. Even their listing as Faeries is in dispute. They are believed to be a species of faerie, possibly cursed in some way. Monster hunters disagree on whether the giants are sentient or not. They do not wear clothes, but will use simple tools. Giants can be trained for use in war or other tasks, but the process is difficult. Still a war giant can easily tip the scale on the battlefield and many commanders try to capture and tame giants as a result. 

Giants are powerful beings and can withstand gunfire from even large bore long guns. Giants are typically hunted best in large groups with long guns and boar spears. Killing a giant is a long and tiring process in most cases, as the giant can withstand inhuman amounts of damage before finally succumbing. 

Monstrosities

Monstrosities are monsters created by humans. These divide into two types. Those created using alchemy, and those powered by alchemy. 

Alchemicals

Alchemicals are monsters created by biological alchemy. They are not powered by alchemical means like golems are, but are formed using alchemy. 

Chimera

Chimera is a catch-all term for species made using alchemy to merge animals together into combinations. There are myriad chimera types, and most breed true. Chimera can range from as small as a cat to as large as an elephant or even a drake. 

Most chimera are quadrupedal. And most attack with teeth and forelimbs. Some have snakes in place of their tails. Hunters deal with chimera as they would a lion or a tiger, with care taken for those that have some form of venom. 

Manticore

A manticore is an alchemical monstrosity with the body of a lion, but much bigger. Manticore are typically the size of a rhinoceros. They have the face of a human, but with a much larger jaw and mouth and rows of shark teeth inside. Manticore also has enormous bat wings and can fly. Manticore breed true, and are considered different from chimera. 

Manticore can fly, but they fly neither fast nor with any agility. If spotted in the air, a hunter can down a manticore by shooting its wings. Once on the ground, the manticore is best tried as a rogue elephant, and hunted with large groups and spears. 

Golems

Golems are statues or colossi animated by alchemical means. The technique used is long lost. They are mentioned in the tales of King Brenin Arzhur. But no golem has been seen in a thousand years.