Creature Categories

Per the rulebook, creatures in the gameworld fall into a number of “creature categories”. From a mechanical standpoint, each of these classes shares a series of mechanical traits; however, they also share a number of descriptive and narrative traits that help define those categories. This post is about those descriptive and narrative traits, and outlines information beyond what is listed in the table in the rulebook.

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PC Species
PC Species include all of the basic species meant for play: humans, elves, dwarves, hobbits, and all varieties thereof. PC Species are distinguished from other groups in part based on being humanoid and having average intelligence without any other distinguishing shared traits; they also all descend directly from the Makers (Lonely Goddess, Growing God, Cunning God, Dreaming Goddess) – or at least so their pantheon says. The main distinguishing feature, however, is primarily an out-of-game one: these are the species balanced for player use! While many Goliaths and Goblinoids would hypothetically be interesting candidates for character species, they’re simply not balanced for player use.

Goliaths
Golaiths include ogres and trolls – both old and new – as well as giants. Like PC species, their distinguishing features are that they are humanoid and have a fair amount of intelligence; unlike PC Species, Goliaths are distinct in that they are on average very large. With this size comes strength, which is the defining mechanical trait of this category of beings. Lifespans in this group vary widely – with wood trolls at the shortest around 50y, and giants at the longest with multiple centuries – but most lifespans average out to be similar to humans.

Goblinoids
Goblinoids include goblins, hobgoblins, gremlins, kabbits, and a handful of others. Goblinoids, like PC Species and Goliaths, are distinguished by being both humanoid and having human-like intelligence; quite the opposite of Goliaths, however, they tend to be fairly small. Other common traits amongst Goblinoids tend to include scaly skin, blunt nails suited to digging, and large eyes and batlike ears well-adapted to an underground environment. Some goblinoids have hair, though it tends to be wispy; many have none at all. Like Goliaths, Goblinoids have lifespans comparable to humans – though on average, often slightly shorter.

There is a sole member of the “goblinoids” that tends not to fit these parameters: namely, gnomes. Unlike most Goblinoids, gnomes are not scaly, nor do they have particularly large eyes or ears; instead they have rough potato-like skin, small beady eyes, and small rounded ears. Their lifespans are very short – often about 5 years – and they have no traces of claws. While mechanically and sometimes behaviorally they resemble Goblinoids – they still have Darkvision and Digging, and tend to make burrows and live underground – morphologically, there is little resemblance.

Low Fey
Low Fey are, as a catch-all, the “standardized” fey – fey that have traits consistent enough to have entries in the rulebook. Fairies are by far the most common low fey, but also include creatures such as pixies and grigs. Low Fey are highly magical in origin; almost all Low Fey have innate spells or magical abilities, and can generally cast fluent fey sorcery as-needed. They also tend to have “animal” intelligence, although this is somewhat of a misnomer: while they don’t tend to think of the world in terms that people do, they aren’t necessarily limited to an animal’s perspective, either. Their intelligence tends to be a little more alien, but is still heavily instinct-based and thus falls on the animal end of the scale. Low Fey most commonly have insect-like traits such as a fairy’s butterfly wings or a pixie’s iridescent carapace; secondmost-commonly, they may have more elemental traits such as appearing to be made of wood or water. Low Fey also tend to glow or have other clearly magical markers in their appearance.

Low Fey are often tied, one way or another, to high fey. In insect terms, this might resemble how workers insects are often tied to a queen; in animal terms, it might compare to a hunter and their hounds or perhaps a forest warden and the animal populations they maintain; and in courtly terms it might resemble how vassals might be tied to a particular noble. The relationship resembles all of these in its own way, and is not fully understood.

High Fey
High Fey are distinct from Low Fey in that, among other traits, they do not have standard stats – this is why there are no entries for High Fey in the rulebook. Each High Fey is highly individual; with its set of abilities being highly dependent on the environment of its origin, the environment of its current dwelling, its relationship to fey courts, and the sum total of its life experiences. All High Fey are highly magical and, like their Low Fey counterparts, have higher-than-usual amounts of mana and can cast sorcery fluidly; however, their appearance is highly variable. They can take on shapes ranging the full gamut from humanoid to animal to elemental, often blending traits from multiple categories – this blending being perhaps the most consistent way to identify a high fey from a morphological standpoint. It is known that high fey can change their appearances drastically throughout their lifetimes, and may have multiple forms; whether this is a choice or a natural evolution is hitherto-unknown. High fey are also known generally to be highly intelligent – though still in a highly alien way – and to be tuned in to a variety of super- or extrasensory shifts.

Behaviorally, High Fey are also all over the map: some are friendly to mortals, others are hostile, and others may be neither or both. High Fey have been known to take lovers and have offspring with mortals just as often as they have been known to trap them in terrible bindings or curses. It is also known that, much like mortals have their politics, High Fey have their own – though the specifics, we are not privy to. Generally, High Fey are protective in some way over nature; and generally they can be found in the same location over time, suggesting a certain framework of “home” or at least a place that is “theirs”.

Mundane Animals
Mundane Animals are, by and large, the category of creatures that real-world animals fall into: bears, salmon, deer, crows, cheetahs, sturgeon, parrots, etc would all be considered mundane animals. Their defining features are that they are nonmagical; animal-like in shape; have animal intelligence; and are generally non-threatening, with a few exceptions amongst major predators or large herbivores.

Mundane Beasts
Like Mundane Animals, Mundane Beasts are specifically nonmagical creatures that are animal-like in shape and intelligence. Unlike the other category, however, Mundane Beasts tend to be much more threatening – and tend to encompass creatures that do not exist in the real world. All the basic beast types – Common, Sky, Serpent, Sea, and so on – are considered beasts, and tend to resemble animals from our world; but Griffins, Wolfwers, Hippocampi, Rocs and other decidedly fictional or mythological creatures may fall into this category as well. The main defining trait here is indeed traits and abilities that all stem from a decidedly physical source – a Wolfwer’s wings for flying, a Griffin’s talons for Carrying, etc.

Vermin
Vermin are defined firstly by being animal-like creatures that are specifically “buglike” – having a hard outer shell and soft insides with many legs, antennae, and other such attachments; and secondly, by having aggressively pest-like behavior. Mudcrabs, Rustbugs, Giant Snails, Cave Cockroaches, Giant Wasps and more tend to set up shop near (and often in) mortal habitation and cause problems for everyday life; and tend to lay many eggs and propagate new generations quickly. Vermin as a category specifically refers to the larger, much more dangerous versions of these creatures – regular-sized bees or cockroaches would generally fall under the “mundane animals” category. Vermin tend to be heavily armored by nature of having a carapace; they also generally don’t have large biting mouths, and instead nibble away at their prey – often in large, swarming groups. Vermin tend to “hive” in large groups, which can make them particularly troublesome to get rid of; most regions and environments have their local type of vermin that they must contend with.

Magical Animals
Magical Animals as a category are creatures that resemble animals from our world, but which display magical abilities: a crow, for instance, with the ability to create fire; or a metallic salamander that detects precious metals. Like those in the “mundane animals” category, these creatures tend to pose a limited (though not nonexistent) threat; they also generally (but not always) have an animal-like intelligence. Creatures in this cateogry may have a wide variety of possible abilities, and thus share few common traits between species – they are mostly defined by what they are not, rather than what they are. Magical animal species, like mundane animals, vary widely by region – many can only be found in particular regions of the map, and nowhere else.

Magical Beasts
Magical Beasts, like Magical Animals, are beings that suit the “Beast” category – animal-like and dangerous – while also having magical abilities. A Chimera’s breath weapon, a Hydra’s quick regeneration, and a Lamar’s invulnerability are all examples of the kinds of highly-magical abilities these beings might have. Because of the variety of possible traits and abilities in this category, there tend to be no shared traits other than an animal-like appearance – even intelligence and speech have some room for variability here.

Magical Beings
Magical Beings – also sometimes listed as magical creatures – are the ultimate wastebasket taxa category: they are generally defined as the beings and creatures that fit nowhere else. Almost all of them are magical in nature, though the form of this magic varies widely; and almost all of them, from Ents to Gargoyles to Hags, blend both humanoid and animal traits, and have an intelligence to match. They lack the hierarchies of fey, as well as the ‘scape and outworld origins of outsiders; and generally have deep ties to the world itself. This category is generally fairly mysterious and highly variable, perhaps rivaled only by High Fey in how little is known about them.

Outsiders
“Outsiders” is a somewhat misnomer category; not all outsiders are from “outside” this world or plane. It includes Angels, Demons, Elementals, and some creatures from ‘Scapes within the world. The primary defining feature of the “Outsider” category is that they are powerful beings that can operate “outside” of the normal rules of the world. While they share many baseline traits, many are also highly individual and unique; no demon is quite like any other demon, and angels may have a wide variety of abilities and appearances based on the deity and pantheon they are bound to. Angels are indeed almost always from outside this world, as they are from the lands of deities; Demons, however, are as likely to be native to this world as they are to be from other planes. Elementals are almost always from this world, and are native to the Manascape; and again, there are a handful of other ‘Scape creatures that might be considered outsiders as well. Conversely, many less powerful creatures from other worlds – everyday people and minor beings – are not considered “outsiders” from a mechanical standpoint; again, because they lack the power level and – particularly – the ability to break or work outside the usual rules of reality. Outsiders are generally as much or more magical (or at least supernatural) than physical in substance, and are more affected by energy (eg magic, holy, terror) than they are by physical attacks.

Corporeal Undead
Corporeal Undead are, put simply, undead that retain the flesh of their body. The condition of this flesh may vary, of course – but the flesh is essential. Having flesh leaves them more vulnerable to most kinds of injuries; and, generally, they function much like a normal person or creature when it comes to taking injuries or damage. Like all undead, corporeal undead are made by trapping a spirit in its dead body; this can happen through natural or necromantic means, though necromancy is by far the more common source. Corporeal undead all gain common abilities from being dead – how they are affected by healing and necromancy, mental effects and spiritual abilities, etc – as is normal for undead.

Skeletal Undead
Skeletal Undead are undead that, while still solid, have lost most of their flesh and are skeletal in appearance. Fresh bodies that are animated as skeletal undead tend to slough off their flesh as they animate, leaving it behind as only the skeleton moves on. Because they have lost their flesh, skeletal undead are generally less affected by certain types of attack and damage: missiles are less effective against them since they may simply miss, and there are no tender vital spots to target for vitals-based abilities.

Note that skeletal undead do not technically require a skeleton: rustbugs and other vermin can technically be animated as skeletal undead, but retain only their carapace without any of the soft fleshy bits inside. Creatures without any hard bits, however – such as slimes – generally cannot become skeletal undead.

Spiritual Undead
Spiritual Undead are specifically those undead which are corporeal: rather than being trapped in a body in the manner of corporeal or skeletal undead, spiritual undead are trapped without their bodies. Like all undead, this can happen naturally or through necromancy: and, while necromancy is still most common, natural spiritual undead are more common than natural undead of the other two types. Creatures native to the Spiritscape may also sometimes be considered Spiritual Undead – and all spiritual undead have ties and the ability to travel to the Spiritscape at will.

Because Spiritual Undead have less substance, they are more likely to need more than just steel – silver or magic – to damage them; as such, they are almost always full or greater undead. They are also more likely than their counterpart undead to have spiritually-aligned abilities – be it animation capabilities, fear-causing or other mental abilities, and additional mana drain options.

Amorphous
Amorphous creatures are those creatures which lack the regular anatomy of most living (and even undead) beings: skeletal structures, brains, organs, and so on. These include creatures such as slimes, gillicaps, and taluses. They may be non-magical, or have magical traits; and almost always have a very limited intelligence and a highly integrated anatomy. Because amorphous creatures lack those bodily structures common to other beings, it is often challenging to injure them in a meaningful way; most do not take vitals attacks and must be hacked to pieces before they will drop, and many do not take injuries.

Amorphous creatures often take their forms after non-animals: plants, rocks, wood, and other pieces of the environment. Some, like slimes, are heavily elemental in nature and are connected to other ‘Scapes (in slimes’ case, the Manascape). Amorphous creatures and High Fey may, ironically, be mistaken for one another at times based on appearance alone – though behaviorally, the two could not be more dissimilar.

Construct
Constructs are created beings that move autonomously but do not have a spirit and are not “alive” in a meaningful way. Undead, for example – while constructed and created – are not technically “constructs” because there is a spirit and the body of a being involved in their creation. Constructs are created truly from scratch from crafting materials: clay, wood, stone, and other substances. Most Constructs are created for a particular purpose, and act according to a set of instructions laid into them during their crafting; as far as behavior goes they are generally limited to these instructions and are not capable of operating outside of them or in novel situations, though the possible scope of instructions from construct to construct are very wide. Constructs generally do not “die” the same way that living things do; when they sustain enough damage, they simply “power off” and may re-activate as needed. Golems are the only true Constructs listed in the rulebook, although hypothetically others may exist.

Additional Categories
Every once in a while, events in the game world will align such to create a new category of creatures; these creatures, like other creature classes, tend to share common traits both mechanically and descriptively. The Walking Crops are an excellent example of this: though in many surface ways they resemble the Amorphous category, they also have behavior and additional stats all their own that are consistent across individual species. The mutated animals of the Wildlands and the Halimin Desert are another example of this, as are the Lifedead created by the Dark Council; and there have been others throughout the game’s history.