Thursday, April 21, 2011

Orbrank

The Orbrank is found only on the island of Kurn. Though it is quite small, its numerous antennae can detect signs of life from great distances away, allowing it to stay hidden from predators at all times. It also has extraordinarily advanced eyes that are too sensitive to take in direct sunlight, so it spends most of its life in the shadows of the Kurnian Mountains. It is believed by some that these creatures are omens of great misfortune.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Farian Toothwyrm

This particularly nasty carnivorous wyrm can be found in the sweltering bogs of central Faria. It's bite is extremely venomous and usually leads to an agonizing death within minutes. The temperament of a Toothwyrm depends on the amount of sunlight stored in a series of mushroom-like solar panels on its back. The longer a specimen basks in the sun, the more sluggish it becomes. Thus, when traveling in Toothwyrm country it is best to stay out of the shadows.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Grumbus

A survivor of the hottest desert in all of Cretus, this hearty herbivore can withstand temperatures upwards of 130˚. The ridges on its back act as solar panels, providing it with photosynthetic nutrients essential for its survival. In fact, sunlight is so important for these creatures that they often spend days on end basking in the sun, foraging for plants and water only on cooler days. Specimens from the outer boundaries of the desert are generally smaller due to less sunlight.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Coptus

Horned wanderers of the planes, Coptus' are ever-migrating beasts that go where there is rain. Their formidable horns are used mainly in defense, though some support persists that they are also used to locate water, just as divining rods are used on Earth. The Coptus has a thick coat of luxuriantly soft fur which seems to be completely water-proof, and also provides them with unparalleled protection from the elements.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Charybdis

Named after the dreaded whirlpool of ancient Greece, these marine monsters are truly the kings of the warm coasts of Io. They are extremely aggressive, and have been known to attack creatures much larger than themselves when provoked. They possess massive jaws with unparalleled strength, commonly crushing their prey with a single bite. Their self-sharpening teeth are not separate as they first appear, but are rather fused onto the skull and jawbone.

Though they spend most of their time in the water, they can move quite quickly on land, and will eat any small prey they happen upon. They have ravenous appetites, and have been known to gorge themselves to death when food is plentiful.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Nactrill

One of the stranger predators of the Farian Isles, the Nactrill attracts its prey with the florescent, gas-filled, balloon-like appendage that also allows it to float. As with various Earthly creatures, such as lampreys, electric eels, and platypuses, the Nactrill relies on electroreception to detect its prey, and kills them with a powerful electric charge.

These silent drones do not sleep, nor do they ever seem to rest except the coldest days of the year when the usually solitary Nactrills congregate, forming impressive swarms in order to stay warm. They are thought by many to be distant relatives of the giant Nexalae, but the isolated conditions of the Isles caused them to develop extensively and uniquely.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Sphero

This armored giant roams the rocky planes of South Rhea, often in herds of fifty or more. They feed on any and all vegetation they come across, and are extremely adept at finding plants thanks to their highly-developed snout. Stores of nutrients are kept in three specialized reserve pods on the top of the skull, which comes in handy during the dry season. They communicate by a complicated series of stomps, which can be felt through the ground at impressive distances.

Because the eyes protrude directly off either side of the Sphero's head, it has a considerable blind spot directly in front of it. If confronted with one of these beasts, it is best to attempt to stay motionless in this blind spot and hope for the best.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Narapthian Unucorn

Native to the highlands of Narapth, the Unducorn is possibly one of the rarest creatures on Gliese 581 g.  Unocorn foals are born with strikingly blue skin which fades to gray after the first few months of life. This is generally thought to be an evolutionary defensive mechanism, as many of the larger predators in Narapth are unable to perceive the color blue.

It is rumored that the horn has extra-sensory properties that allows the animal to anticipate the near future, but scarcity of specimens and lack of research makes such claims difficult to confirm.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Haerent



This cryptic creature spends its entire life hanging from the top-most branches of Farian trees. Being parasitic entities, they attach two suction-like extremities to the nearest tree limb at the moment of birth. Each of these suctions allows the creatures to leech nutrients from the tree without seriously harming it.

There are no known predators to Harents, and even when one dies and drops to the ground below scavengers don't touch it. The fact that they give off a strong aroma of fermenting potatoes may contribute to this.