Bestiary of the World

[Morty]

This thread is a catalogue of the wild and wondrous fauna of Dragon-Essence! From pets to predators to sentient species, this is the place to store your information.
Animals can be described by their name, appearance, function, rarity, etc. Are they a carnivore or a herbivore? If they are a predator, what is their danger level? (0 being completely harmless while 100 would be an adult dragon)
You can include as much or as little information as you wish. Enjoy!

[Morty]

Name: Gyrada

Appearance: Large birdlike creatures. Some have birdlike forelegs while others have none. They come in a wide range of colours and breeds.

Diet: Predator. Hunts large game and occasionally kills dragons.
Danger level: 110-140

Attributes: The Gyrada are not actually one, but two species: the gryphon-like four-legged ones and the bird-like two-legged ones. This misunderstanding stems from the fact that "gyrada" is a loan word from the tongue of the Garuda, meaning any type of large, birdlike creature-- thus including gryphons and creatures like the legendary Roc in its definition.

The four-legged and two-legged species, though not interbreedable, are very much alike, so the term "gyrada" will be used to describe both species. They were thought to have become extinct due to the ravages of the Disease, but isolated pockets of them survived, primarily on the continent. The wizards then enslaved and used the Gyrada as mounts in their attack on the Dragon Isle.
Presently, the gyrada exist mostly in two distinct demographics: the small, young gyrada bred by the wizards after the end of the disease, making up about 90% of the population, and the ancient, powerful gyrada that make up the rest of the population. Most wizards use the young gyrada as mounts, as the older gyrada are essentially impossible to tame fully.

Gyrada are quite long lived. The oldest often live to be 300 years old or older, however, very few of these gyrada remain due to the Disease. Not only does the violent culture of the gyrada cut down many of their number before they can reach old age, but the Disease killed many of the gyrada's oldest individuals-- unlike most species, gyrada only become bigger, stronger, and more intelligent as they age, leading to a tendency for despotism within the species. By age 50, they are almost twice as large as the average dragon. Elder gyrada are among the most, if not the most dangerous non-magical creatures alive.
Like their cousins, the Gryphons, Gyrada boast a slight resilience to magical attacks, though this is only noticeable among older gyrada. They also heal relatively quickly, allowing them to retreat and regroup to attack safely later, should they sustain any injuries. This regenerative property is fixed regardless of age. Gyrada hunt in flocks, which, combined with their razor-sharp claws and powerful beaks, make them a force to be reckoned with even to a competent group of dragons.

[Morty]

Name: Watcher Moth

Appearance: Large black and brown moth with eye-like spots on each wing.

Diet: Herbivore, feeds primarily on ferrus leaf.
Danger level: 15

Attributes: Found mostly in energy clan territory, this sinister lepidoptera starts its life when it hatches from a large white egg laid underneath the leaves of iron-rich Ferrus plants. It grows into a six-inch long white grub that feasts on the leaves, forming an iron aggregate around the grub's life source. This grub is unique in that, when threatened, it can emit a psychic scream that inflicts extreme agony on all within its range. It has a dark history of having been used to torture empaths.
Once it has reached the right weight the grub forms a metallic cocoon around its body from the iron it has accumulated. When it emerges, it takes the shape of a large moth the size of a dinner plate. These moths possess eye-like patches on either wing, thus earning its name. In this stage its psychic powers are severely reduced, however, it can still cause discomfort when the moths gather in large numbers. This moth is associated with madness.

Aaaand Kauria wrote an awesome poem about them!! This would be sung by children in regions where watcher moths are known to gather:

Quiet, my children,
When the Watcher moth sings.
Careful, my children,
Of the nightmares it brings.
For we've heard the stories,
Seen the great minds of kings
Carried away
On Watcher moth wings.

[Morty]

Name: Urunoc / Boreworm

Appearance: A jaggedly segmented worm-like creature with long, hairy tendrils and a round, voracious mouth. They can grow to be over 20 feet long with a diameter almost a meter across. They are usually dark blue colored.

Diet: Predator. The Urunoc uses paralytic venom to take down its prey, which it secrets from its groping, root-like tendrils.
Danger level: 75

Attributes: Living deep beneath the earth, boreworms are responsible for the vast networks of tunnels riddling the rock bed of many mountainous regions. Little is known about these reclusive creatures-- It is known that they can live to a great age, and may never venture to the surface during their entire long lives, instead sleeping through periods of starvation. Entire ecosystems exist within the tunnels they have created. Large Urunoc can pose a threat to dragons when they accidentally pierce the walls of their dens. Their poisonous tendrils make them dangerous at close range, and their mouths are dripping with digestive enzymes. Thankfully, the Urunoc are completely blind, and must rely on sound, feel, and smell to track their victims. They will eat practically anything organic. It is theorized that they prefer to be detritivores, only hunting when their need is great. Some necromancers have been known to keep them as pets.