Monsters – R/S/T
R
Ragtime Mouse (Rattus Ragtimer)
Ragtime Mice are sentient (though this is a highly debatable term, and used loosely at that to describe them) bipedal rodents that traverse the wilderness all over Gaia, who yearn for nothing more than to amass knowledge, be the knowledge useful or even useless. They are extremely difficult to encounter, since they can run at godspeed, and can cast cloaking spells on their robes to avoid being seen. If confronted, however, they will attempt to sweet-talk their way out of trouble, by offering you money if you manage to answer their hare-brained questions correctly. This is actually a clever ploy to distract you, and most Ragtime Mice will cast a Confuse spell on you while you are thinking up an answer for them. If you answer immediately, however, they shall reward you richly for your 'intelligence', and take their leave of you.
Ragtime Mice WILL approach you if you are a scholar, though, and invite you over to their dwelling for a relaxing cup of herbal tea and some lengthy discussions regarding philosophy, science, mathematics, history, magic, or any other topic under the sun (this is possible, of course, since any Ragtime Mouse worth its salt will be knowledgeable in all fields, and also be proficient in magic). Indeed, it is said that Doctors Buter, Canaliculi, and Taxo were well-acquainted with several Ragtime Mice, and that significant portions of their knowledge were actually sourced from these creatures.
One thing I should point out though - only a scholar will be invited to tea with a Ragtime Mouse, their tea-time invitations are very exclusive. If the scholar brings along a guest, the Ragtime Mouse will try to poison the guest by slipping some potions into their tea, to ensure that the following discussions remain confined to the ears of 'knowledgeable' people (and Mice, of course). The poison is a derivative of Sleeping Weed, and makes the drinker fall into a drugged sleep, whereupon his body shall slowly shut down beyond salvaging. It is a humane way to kill people, and the Regency of Lindblum has decreed that these potions be used to kill the highest-ranking prisoners in their jails, to prevent public outcry. After all, if a prisoner expired in his sleep, what proof is there to say otherwise?
Ragtime Mice are immune to all ailments and have no weakness against the elements. This is because every Ragtime Mouse would have made it a point to master basic defensive enchantments such as Locomotion and Jelly before they traveled out into the world, from wherever they come from. Their offensive magical abilities, however, leave much to be desired for in terms of quality, and they often need several minutes to charge-up their energy to cast even a simple Confuse spell. A tell-tale sign of their spell casting is that their eyes shall glow brightly – this is often misinterpreted by some to be a sign of the Mouse being excited, and hence they (the soon-to-be victims) will rarely be prepared to counter the Mouse's strike.
Try not to get hit by a Ragtime Mouse's spells though - the last time Colin nearly got blasted, the Demi spell that he evaded actually shredded a tree into splinters! I've never seen a Demi spell do that before, even from several proficient Red Mages that I'm acquainted with. Most impressive indeed...
Don't kill a Ragtime Mouse, for despite their elitist habits, they live only to seek knowledge. You may kill all the Trick Sparrows and Zuus that you want to kill, but never ever kill a Ragtime Mouse.
xxx
Ralvuimago (Terowong Minimus Colipsen)
Ralvuimago are rare subterranean creatures related to Crawlers and known to humankind only through fossil records and unconfirmed sightings, except of course, for Colin and I. The two of us spent months camping out in dark and damp tunnels while searching for at least one Ralvuimago specimen, and nearly became nocturnal after that. Fortunately for us, our efforts payed-off when we one day heard a shuffling, rasping sound from one of the darkest tunnels we had yet to explore. All we had to do was throw a weak Water spell down the chute, and bless the poor worm - a Ralvuimago shot out of the tunnel like a crazed demon. It was relatively easy to subdue, and upon our return to Gaia's surface with the colossal worm in-tow, Colin and I were greeted like heroes by the scientific community, and had the Ralvuimago species named in our honor.
We had a good laugh later when we got word that the specimen we caught had delivered a whole clutch of live babies in the Lindblum castle's laboratories, and had started a castle-wide quarantine. It took four days for all the little darlings to be recaptured, and in the mean time, the mother had given birth to yet another clutch of them. What an industrious creature she was!
Ralvuimago have two pointed horns above their eyes, and they will try to Stab you with them if you get within eighteen feet of their head. These horns are rigid structures of a metallic material, and can pierce through copper plates with ease. Another notable offensive move of the Ralvuimago is its Thundara attack, which has been deduced to be the true source of several mysterious deaths in the vicinity of Pinnacle Rocks. You see, several decades back, a few ornithologists were found dead at the edge of Pinnacle Rocks, close to where the Gargant's tunnel was. Their bodies had markings similar to electrical burns on them, and some investigations into the matter reported sightings of a worm-like creature lurking around the suspected area. The creature was named as the 'Pinnacle Death Worm', and the name is still used as a nickname for the Ralvuimago till today.
These interesting creatures also seem to communicate in an fascinating way - they use sounds of varying frequencies to communicate, apparently. However, if a living creature that isn't a Ralvuimago is hit by the sound waves they emit, the poor target will be shrunken into miniature proportions. This has given rise to the theory that Ralvuimago produce sound via magical means, and not through physical structures. In fact, their Ultra Sound attack (as it is known to us) can even be used to target a specific limb or organ, and one scientist researching this phenomenon in Lindblum was understandably distressed to find that his... endowment had been shrunken to the size of a mosquito bite by the angry Ralvuimago that Colin and I caught.
Obviously, the man had never heard the saying that 'Size matters not'.
Lastly, they have an actual suicidal-type attack with two moves, namely Compact Form and Earth Power. The Ralvuimago will coil itself into a bundle, and start focusing its magical energies into its horns. At this point, any physical attacks will result in the creature losing control over its accumulating magical energy, and the energy shall explode out of its body through the horns. The resulting shockwaves will be fired into the ground, and cause several earthquakes to happen. However, the Ralvuimago's weakness to Blizzard spells can be exploited during its Compaction stage, by casting Blizzara on its horns. This will cause it to panic, and start focusing its energies on generating its Ultra Sound Waves instead.
Challenging a Ralvuimago is not recommended, since too little concrete knowledge has been documented about them, and I cannot say for sure if the methods used by Colin and I to apprehend that one specimen were safe.
xxx
Ralvurahva (Terowong Toxicus)
The Ralvuimago's distant, more common, and poisonous cousin in the animal kingdom is the Ralvurahva. It looks much like the Ralvuimago, save for its lack of horns and prominent lip-like growths that surround its mouth. Ralvurahva also are slightly smaller, and have a purplish coloration rather than the greenish tinge that their horned cousins have. Furthermore, Ralvurahva tend to live in large colonies in caves close to Gaia's surface and with plenty of water, rather than deep and damp underground tunnels as with Ralvuimago.
Tracking Ralvurahva can be rather dangerous, since they have a limited amount of cunning on their person. They can swim very well, and as such, will often try to lead you into a dead-end submerged cavern if they sense you following them. Colin and I know this from experience, when a particularly large Ralvurahva we were tracking led us into a dark cave where there was some shallow water on the ground. The next thing we knew, we had fallen through a submerged hole in the floor, and were struggling to find it again. It still makes me shudder, the memory of trying to surface, and only hitting my head on a continuous layer of rock... We nearly drowned, but then the Ralvurahva specimen we were pursuing tried to come for us, and gave us the location of the hole. Thank Odin for that!
Another notable feature about Ralvurahvas is their similarity to silkworms. However, their silk is much thicker, as well as much stickier. Silk traces on cavern walls can be used to discern their presence, and often enough, their subterranean dwellings will be liberally splattered with silk threads. The silk is also tough enough to fix you to the ground if you get coated in it, and so evading their silk spitting moves during combat is advisable.
Ralvurahva can also cast Blizzara spells, despite being weak against that very type of magic. Colin and I presented this unusual case to the scientific community after our brush with the sneaky Ralvurahva, and eventually, this type of animal was given a new label that has stuck to all other similar species based on the theory we created - the Contradictory Theory of Taxonomy.
Now, we shall discuss a Ralvurahva's poisonous nature, which should have been obvious from its species name and my earlier description of its properties. They use their 'lips' to 'kiss' potential prey into a state of toxicity, and will then cast the Night spell to finish the job. The lips, upon dissection, revealed overwhelming numbers of nematocysts which secreted a peculiar type of venom similar to that which is found in Death Cap mushrooms. So if you ever need to turn a Ralvurahva into a princess, do not kiss it - such ways only work out in fairy tales.
Ralvurahva can be challenged by amateur fighters with some experience.
xxx
Red Dragon (Naga Scarletina)
These magnificent reptiles are the apex predators of Mount Gulug's natural ecosystem, and they certainly look the part. A Red Dragon will be massive, red, nasty, and did I mention red as well as nasty? Even the Wraiths that haunt the dormant volcano's bowels fear these terrifying beasts, since they have become the masters of their natural domain. You see, Red Dragons have an excellent command over Wind spells, and often enough, most encounters with them occur in narrow volcanic tubes that prevent you from evading their attacks. Despite all these hazards, some unscrupulous people have made it their profession to hunt down and castrate Red Dragons. This abominable act is due to the fact that Red Dragons have similarly shaped and sized penises compared to Grand Dragons, and certain superstitious people will willingly pay lots of Gil for a taste of the stuff - after all, they didn't see the Dragon being slain and relieved of its sacred member in front of them, did they? The sight of the 'process' would probably sicken them anyways, the batty superstitious morons.
Red Dragons are blind, but that doesn't prevent them from being capable hunters. Eons of evolution in the pitch-black darkness of Mount Gulug's undergroung tunnels has cost them their sight, but has honed their senses of smelling and hearing to a halberd's edge. A Red Dragon will often stalk prey for hours before making its move, and few have survived to tell the tale of an Red Dragon encounter. Normally, most Red Dragon encounters start with the Dragon knocking down all its potential prey with an Aerial Slash, and then savaging them with its sharp teeth and talons.
Given their considerable bulk, it isn't uncommon for a Red Dragon to Dive at you and ram into you. The mass and momentum behind such an assault usually renders most prey organisms into nothing more than smears of blood-soaked flesh on a cavern floor or wall, and sometimes, the Dragons might even knock a hole or two in the wall of the tunnel that they staked their ambush in. If the Dive attack didn't finish you, the creature will proceed to use the Twister spell to slam everyone save itself into the tunnel's walls. During our explorations of the Gulug Volcano, Colin and I noticed several skeletons, impaled on stalactites and stalagmites, that had clearly been placed there while they had been fleshier. So be wary of Twister spells, and I'd advise you to grab on to something solid whenever a Red Dragon starts its Windy attacks.
Fire and Earth spells are ineffective against them, but as with all other Aerial beasts, they are weak against Ice and Wind spells. Due to the vestigial nature of their wings, the aforementioned limbs are especially delicate, and can be snapped with a well-aimed Wind spell. At this point, I feel that I should clarify something - their Wind spells are magically generated through their environment, and are not channeled out through their wings. This is because their own wings will be damaged severely if they were to use their spells in such a way.
Only confront a Red Dragon if you are an experienced fighter.
xxx
Ring Leader (Dominus Cincin)
Extremely rare Terran Aerial Demons, Ring Leaders are also known by any of the following names; Ring Commanders, Ring Masters, Ring Bearers, and Lord of the Rings. Since not much is known about them (even to me), I shall share with you some history with relevance to their species. In case you didn't notice, their last nickname, the Lord of the Rings, is also the title for the renowned writer JRR Tolkien's world-famous and time-honored epic. This is because the entire story written by Mr. Tolkien was largely-based on the TRUTH, and the One Ring that held such importance during the tale was actually a Ring that had been taken from the hand of a dying Ring Leader. All the drama about the One Ring being forged deep in the crater of Mount Doom, together with all the other Rings... It's all hogwash, from a historical viewpoint. But Tolkien cannot be wronged for writing his tale as such, since he did have the right to take some creative liberty with his fictional works.
Before I proceed with the more accurate version of 'The Lord of the Rings', it should be noted that all our knowledge about these strange creatures is all from one man's viewpoint, and that the information he compiled might have been inaccurate. So take any descriptions of Ring Leaders with a pinch of salt, please. No need to strangle anyone, as Colin nearly did...
Now, I shall tell you the TRUE story of the Lord of the Rings, a true epic in history, which was aptly named after the original owner of the Rings it chronicled within its chapters.
Yes, Sauron the Dark Lord was indeed real once upon a time, and he did steal the Rings from twenty Ring Leaders which he killed, and which are a species known to us only through his memoirs. But since he lusted for power, he bewitched one of the Rings to hold part of his soul within its metallic body. He then gave the other nineteen Rings to Human Men, Dwarves, and Lizard Men. How he distributed the rings is often recalled in the form of a song, which I have written below.
Three Rings for the Dwarven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Serpent Lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne,
In the land of Oeilvert where the shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them,
In the land of Oeilvert where the shadows lie.
So you see, Sauron was a powerful Mage indeed, for his powers were the powers which eventually stripped Oeilvert of its magical energy. His black soul was the core of all the magic in Oeilvert, and he was also the one who built the cursed edifice in the first place. It was noted in his memoirs that as a youth, he discovered a gateway to another world somewhere on the Forgotten Continent. He then explored the other world through that gateway, and eventually learned much about the world itself. But his actions attracted the attentions of a sinister being supposedly named 'Garland', who then learned of the portal between Gaia and Terra.
Sauron managed to obtain all twenty Rings during just one trip to Terra, and defeated Garland in one-on-one combat by utilizing one of the Rings he had won. Returning to Gaia, he used that very same Ring to seal the portal to Terra, but left its 'anchors' to Gaia standing as a means by which to gain knowledge and energy. The remnants of his Terran portal can be seen in Oeilvert till today, in the wall of stone heads. Each face was one of the portal's 'anchors', and hence he amassed much learning and magical power from their carved mouths. It came to a point where he learned how to be so immersed in magical energy that he assimilated all of the magic that flowed through Oeilvert into his very being, and nearly tore his soul into two by doing so. Half-dead, he split his soul into halves, and housed one of them in the Ring that had aided him in defeating Garland.
Just as some extra information; the process of splitting one's soul to be housed in a foreign body is known as Horcruxy, and the body which holds your soul's fragment is known as a Horcrux. Making a Horcrux requires you to murder someone, for murder is the supreme sin which shatters a soul's integrity. Sauron was unique even in how his Horcrux was made - he killed an Epitaph to split his soul. Fortunately, the dark art of Horcruxy was been lost over time, and no one in living memory is in the possession of a viable Horcrux from ages past.
Then, posing as a most benevolent Mage under the alias of 'The Lord of Gifts', he bestowed the remaining Rings as gifts upon nineteen kings, and by doing so, became the true power behind nineteen of history's most influential rulers. During the five hundred years of his Ring's existence, he started numerous wars, ended countless lives, and held Gaia in his steel-fingered grip. In fact, he actually died at the hands of the sorceress Ultimecia, but survived in the form of his Horcrux. The Horcrux possessed various people over the centuries, and eventually started a planet-wide war which led to the discovery of its sinister nature. In the end, a band of courageous souls destroyed the Horcrux by throwing it into Mount Gulug, which was then still an active volcano. The Horcrux's destruction triggered a colossal explosion of Dark energy, which sapped every bit of magic out of Oeilvert, and killed all eight of the people who had fought to end Sauron's evil legacy.
The One Ring apparently must have 'sensed' its destruction, and therefore it drew upon all the energy it was bonded to, in a vain attempt to save itself. Such is the educated guess we have made, since we understand so little with regards to the nature of the Rings...
So, Mount Gulug erupted for one last time with such ferocity that the entire Lost Continent was made barren of all life, and the Lost Ocean was actually covered by a layer of hardened magma for months afterward for up to a mile from the Continent's shores. The eight who had ended Sauron's pseudo-life were consumed in the explosion, and the shockwaves of dark magic that radiated from Mount Gulug poisoned the land within a thousand leagues in all directions. A phenomena of mass-death happened, and soon, Gaia was starting over in the terms of civilization.
After that, the Lizard Men hid themselves from the rest of the world in their underground caverns, and only the Dwarves at Conde Petie survived as the remnants of a proud race which once stood as Man's equal on Gaia. Only after all these events had happened were the three Great Nations of Lindblum, Alexandria, and Burmecia founded, and as such, it should be noted that they aren't the first Great Nations of Gaia.
That, my readers, is the true account of the One Ring. Indeed the Lord of the Rings, Sauron, was a man who did great things.
Terrible things, but great things nonetheless...
And as for the other nineteen Rings? They were all collected painstakingly by several treasure hunters, and have all been accounted for as of today. I shall provide you with their names, but be aware that all nineteen have been sealed away in the vaults of the Lindblum and Alexandrian Castles. Any other rings with the same names are just reproductions of the original Rings, and these copies have barely a thousandth of the power the nineteen still possess individually.
The three Rings that he gave to the Dwarves - Promist Ring, Protect Ring, and Rebirth Ring.
The seven Rings that were given to the Lizard Men - Rosetta Ring, Reflect Ring, Coral Ring, Galian Ring, Supreme Ring, Shadow Ring, and Serpent's Ring.
The nine Rings bestowed upon the Human Kings - Madain's Ring, Enigmatic Ring, Gummi Ring, Force Ring, Death Ring, Famine Ring, Pestilence Ring, Bloodlust Ring, and Deceptive Ring.
Each Ring, being from a different Ring Leader, had its own deadly properties. Sauron merely handed them down to his victims, without any instruction on how to unleash those powers. Hence, only a fraction of the Rings' true powers have been used in history, but yet even those 'magic shows' have yielded such devastating results.
Thank the gods for this relative blessing.
S
Sahagin (Chelonia Lancer)
Relatively-weak reptiles from the Qu's Marsh in the Donna Plains, Sahagins resemble a bipedal turtle with prominent facial hair and a crudely made trident. They always travel in groups, and will never be alone when they attack some potential prey. Despite their aggressive disposition, Sahagins are actually mostly herbivorous, and will only eat meat during certain times of the monsoon season when the marsh reeds they eat are submerged by water, and lose their taste. It is not uncommon for Sahagins to ambush their prey from a submerged position, and if you offer them some succulent, fresh vegetables, they will leave you alone, and never again harass you if you visit their home in the future.
Sahagins live for centuries, despite their weak physiological nature. Their carapaces are softer than they appear to be, and their scales often flake-off during the dry seasons, leaving them with scores of scars and open wounds all over their cadaverous bodies. However, Qus have been known to kill a Sahagin or two to collect the blood, which is then used as part of certain medicinal potions. These potions have been proven to be effective in combating a cold, or fighting certain diseases which mosquitos carry such as broken-bone fever.
In combat, Sahagins will always start the fighting with a Water spell, to gauge their opponent's competency in a waterlogged battleground. If the opponent dodges the water spell, they will then use a 'Water-Gun' attack, whereby powerful streams of water will be channeled out of their facial whiskers and aimed at the enemy. If all else fails, they will finally resort to melee attacks, and use their tridents to stab and hopefully Impale a meaty morsel or two.
Being swamp-dwelling creatures, it shouldn't be a surprise if I told you that Sahagins can absorb Water-based magic. However, as with most other Water-elemental creatures, Sahagins are also very vulnerable to Thunder-based magic. If you are ambushed by large groups of Sahagins, try using a Thundara spell at widest dispersal - if that doesn't kill them, nothing will, hahaha... However, if they use a spell called Shell Defense, which makes their carapaces glow, you might need to hit them harder, since that spell actually hardens and shields the shell temporarily. You see, they know that their shells are the most durable parts of their body, and hence will turn their back on you when you start casting spells at them.
In fact, a type of martial arts called Soresu was created based on the way Sahagins could move during a fight, to defend themselves against attacks. Masters of Soresu-style fighting have been known to evade all sorts of attacks, be they magical or physical. I once saw a Soresu Master fighting during a show, and it was awesome, to say the least - he didn't take a single hit, and his opponent went down in minutes!
Sahagins can be fought by slightly-experienced combatants.
xxx
Sand Golem (Sentius Silica)
Sand Golems are curious creatures native to Cleyra's Trunk. Why curious, you might ask? Well, to answer that question, I shall have to describe a Sand Golem's appearance to you first. Anyone who has encountered a Sand Golem will tell you that it is a huge being made of sand, with a glowing red crystal embedded in the middle of its massive chest. Now, I shall answer the initial question as to why they are curious creatures - the Sand Golem is actually the CRYSTAL, and not the animated mass of sand. The red crystal is actually a semi-sentient, spherical creature that has a magical affinity with sand, and which can also manipulate sand using its magical powers. The reason for its crystalline appearance is its high 'body' temperature, which causes the sand closest to it to be turned into a type of unrefined glass which encases the creature's entire body.
Now, Sand Golems are not impossible to defeat, but can gain the upper hand in battle if you make too many mistakes while fighting them. Fire spells are futile at best, since sand is not a combustible substance. Water spells will result in the Sand Golem turning into a Mud Golem, if you actually supply the creature with enough water. And I'll have you know that this isn't a good thing, since Mud Golems are significantly tougher to kill when compared to Sand Golems.
Just as some additional information, here's a little tidbit about Mud Golems for you to chew on. No Mud Golems have been seen on Gaia for the last three decades, since several misguided Red Mages tried to drown a Sand Golem to death when it attacked them. Somehow, they managed to pump it full of water, and it turned into a Mud Golem, as described in the above paragraph. When it completed its transformation, it killed them using its newfound fluid movement. You see, mud is just like a more mobile form of sand, and so, the Golem can actually hide itself beneath several layers of mud, and summon a cloud of sand to add a coat of 'armor' to its currently fluid-like body, too. If you are actually foolish enough to create a Mud Golem, use a Firaga spell to dehydrate the creature and regress it back into its sandy form. If done properly cast, the Firaga spell should actually bake the Golem into a solid mass which can't move at all.
To kill a Sand Golem, aim a Blizzard spell at the actual creature - the crystalline object. The sudden drop in temperature of the Sand Golem's glass-encased body will cause it to shatter, and the broken creature should then expire within the next few minutes. Do not bother trying to harm its 'body', since if you manage to destroy most of its sandy physique, the Golem shall then summon more sand to regenerate its 'body', and be as fresh as ever.
Among a Sand Golem's offensive capabilities are the ability to cast Fira spells and generate Sandstorms. They can also pack a powerful punch using their heavy 'hands', and in fact, they rarely miss, since their 'hands' can split into two, to cover your possible evasion paths.
Other than all that, little more is known about Sand Golems. Colin and I tried our hardest to uncover more of their secrets, but even our greatest efforts yielded nothing more than frustration. Maybe someday, a better person of science shall discover the secrets of these curious creatures.
An interesting fact about Sand Golems is that only the purest sand shall be utilized to form the 'body', and in fact, Cleyran master craftsmen have often hunted down Sand Golems just to steal chunks of their pure-sand masses. This pure sand can be used to make intricate and fine glassware, as well as certain blends of durable glass-like materials which will not melt under heat or chemical influence. Go to any well-stocked chemical laboratory in the world, and you shall see large amounts of laboratory glassware that was all made from the sand of a Sand Golem. I think the current accepted name for that particular type of 'glass' is borosilicate, or something like that...
Only challenge a Sand Golem if you can at least kill three Basilisks in close-quarters combat.
xxx
Sand Scorpion (Pandinus Imperator Silica)
These arachnids, related to the Emperor Scorpion (Pandinus Imperator) are endemic to Cleyra's Trunk, and linger around watering holes in the sandy hollow. They have sand-colored exoskeletons, and hence can camouflage themselves perfectly with a patch of sand. Despite their considerably small size (about six feet from mandible to stinger-tip), they can overwhelm even the toughest adversaries, if they manage to execute one of the ambushes perfectly. Their venom is a pungent substance very similar to, but a hundred times more potent than that which is utilized by Serpions for self-defense. Death usually comes to stung victims within ten minutes of the stinging, and as such, I'd highly recommend carrying at least five vials of Antidote on your person if you plan on traversing Cleyra's Trunk.
As with most other desert-dwelling creatures, these venomous beauties harbor a weakness towards Blizzard-based spells, and a partial-immunity to Water spells. In fact, if you manage to locate a spring in Cleyra's Trunk, it is likely that several Sand Scorpions are sitting submerged blissfully beneath the surface. So if you want to drink from a spring, cast a Thunder spell on the water first. It wont dirty the water, but it will drive out any hiding animals, including our arachnid friends here.
Qus value Sand Scorpions for their venom, and throughout history, numerous cases of severe poisoning have been remedied by using Qu-brewed Antidotes, which were all complex extracts of Sand Scorpion venom. However, Qus rarely venture into Cleyra's Trunk for their venom-collecting tasks, and will often hide in the Vube Desert that surrounds Cleyra, and ambush any Sand Scorpions that come close. The nocturnal creatures WILL leave the Trunk at night, and sometimes venture out even as far as Gizamaluke's Grotto.
As fighters, Sand Scorpions can be quite formidable. Their Claws are deadly when up close in range for melee combat, and their mandibles contain just enough magic to spew out a decent Fira spell at the unwary adversary. If they have assumed a battle stance with their tails arched over their backs, DON'T USE MELEE ATTACKS. This particular stance is an indication that they are about to discharge venom from their stingers, and if you get in close enough to them, it will be a sting or three for you. If no attacks are made towards them, they will spray the venom at you, and the liquid toxin is usually caustic towards anything that isn't metallic.
Sand Scorpions can be fought by experienced fighters with relative ease, despite their swarming habits.
xxx
Sealion (Behemothic Leviatonic)
Sealions were massive creatures that dwelled in the waterfall chambers of Ice Cavern. They would swim in the freezing cold waters, and make their nests there. Despite their nasty appearance, what with those pointed fangs and serrated fins, Sealions were actually docile and timid creatures, who would rather flee than fight. The reason for all the previous sentences being in the past tense? Sealions have been presumed to be extinct, due to poaching and hunting that was taken to the extreme. It is such a shame, that such magnificent creatures have been killed-off by humankind's gluttonous nature...
From historical records, we know that Sealions were immune to Earth and Water spells, and were weak against Fire spells. Blizzard-type magic was only partially-effective towards them, and they themselves were proficient magical fighters. It seems that Sealions were known to cast three spells in combat, namely Blizzard, Blizzara, and Tsunami. Tsunami was a spell unique to them, and which died with the last known Magian scholar, Dr. Calcite Canaliculi. He had somehow mastered the Tsunami spell, and when it came to using his knowledge during the First Lindblum War, he stood on the front lines despite his seventy-nine years, and struck down hundreds of Alexandrian soldiers using a Tsunami which he summoned from the Mist Ocean.
Other than that, these gentle giants would use their sturdy fins to swipe at anyone which forced them into violence. These 'Wing' attacks were misnamed as such, since from modern anatomical studies, it is clear that their limbs were more suited for aquatic locomotion rather than for flight, or the remnants of vestigial wings.
No one has fought a Sealion for the last three centuries, and as such, no judgment of their combat abilities can be made in this manuscript, or any other manuscript, for that matter.
xxx
Seeker Bat (Desmodus Osmose)
These Aerial mammals are weak things that were once thought to be extinct, after their colonies in Pinnacle Rocks were wiped out. But when Gargan Roo was excavated, innumerable swarms of this species were found there, and they have since re-colonized Pinnacle Rocks. Related closely to the Vampire Bat, Seeker Bats do not actually suck blood, but rather, they feed on the life force of their prey. This property of theirs is evident through their lack of any fangs, or even a proper mouth, at that. In fact, dissections that were carried out on Seeker Bat carcasses revealed no traces of a developed digestive system, and no traces of a respiratory system, too! These discoveries were indeed amazing, since they provide concrete scientific evidence that it IS possible for an organism to exist by being entirely dependent on magic for its sustenance!
So all you narrow-minded idiots out there who call yourselves 'scientists' can bend over and go get yourself some good buggery - you guys are WRONG! HAH!
Anyways, back on topic here... Seeker Bats will use a variant of the Drain spell to attack their intended prey, and will attack in groups of three or four. They are born in batches of three or four, and will tend to stick together for the rest of their lives in that very grouping. If you'll make the time and take a trip to Pinnacle Rocks during the afternoon hours, just go into any of the caves that riddle the rocky cliffs there - you'll see Seeker Bats roosting upside-down there, and in their little 'gangs' to boot. Currently, no accurate names have been given to their attacks, and their three modified Drain spells are simply known as Absorb, Absorb More, and Absorb Even More. How unscientific!
Other than that, they can cast Darkness and also Scratch at you. Darkness is highly-inaccurate when they cast it, so just shoot them out of the air with a Fira spell. But be careful when they get up close for the Scratching attacks - certain diseases such as Mad Fang Disease and the Zuu Fever are transmittable through their claws. Apparently, their claws are so filthy that just a tiny cut on your skin with those sharp things could make you fall deathly ill.
As for their weaknesses, Fire-based spells are recommended. This is because they live in darkness, and the light from Fire spells could blind them temporarily. In those moments of their handicap, take advantage of the situation and put them down using a Wind spell - their brittle little bones will snap like twigs in a strong breeze. And as usual for dealings with Aerial species, don't bother with Earth-based magic.
Qu medicine men often prepare energizing draughts from the blood of Seeker Bats, which are then sold to travellers that pass through their home Marshes. The draught is a very bitter potion, which allows your body to absorb heat energy from your surroundings. You'll feel heaty for a bit, but minutes later, you'll be pumped enough to take on a Grand Dragon.
Seeker Bats should be challenged by experienced fighters, due to their fast reflexes.
xxx
Serpion (Naga Scorpius)
Ah, another unusual monster that you'll find lurking around the coastlines of the Eunoras Plains, Lachenta Wetlands, and King Ed Plains - the Serpion. This Dragon is strange, even in a world where plants can walk about and eat you, and where a smog-like substance could turn you into a monster if given enough time to work its magic. You see, Serpions are actually naturally-evolved creatures, and not the results of another of Dr. Taxo's twisted experiments. No one know how they managed to evolve this way, but they have been around since before Dr. Taxo's time - something we learned from his writings. Of all the Dragons, these are among the weakest, but are just slightly more annoying and combat-worthy than those idiotic Ironites.
First, we shall delve into the physical structure of a Serpion. From their name (both scientific and layman) it should be obvious that they possess the properties of both scorpions and Dragons. Based on that sentence alone, I'm pretty sure you could deduce how they look like (unless, of course, you have the imagination and creativity of a frog). Serpions are quadrupedal creatures, garbed in a rigid exoskeleton and long on their necks and tails. Oh, I nearly forgot to mention the stinger! Such an elegant structure, the stinger of a Serpion... Did you know that a scorpion's tail is just an extension of its abdominal muscles? Well if you didn't, now you should know, hmph!
So, now that we've covered their physiology (rather superficially, if you ask me - but I think the details would be unnecessary), we shall move on to their combat prowess. Their beautiful stingers carry enough venom to kill a horse before an hour is out, and they are highly-proficient in using their stingers to Counter melee attacks. An easy way to see if they are in position for Counter attacks is to observe their stance - if they are crouched on all four legs, it should be obvious that they are going to Counter anything that you throw at them. They can also cast Blizzard, Cure, and Shell spells, which could make them slightly tougher to deal with.
Yet another interesting fact about Serpions is that they too fit under the Contradictory Theory of Taxonomy. In fact, Colin and I used Serpions as one of the primary species in our studies while developing the Theory. We even tried some Qu dishes with Serpion meat in them - very spicy, even without any spices added into the mix. Not for the weak of heart (or stomach, for that matter).
Even rookie fighters can challenge a Serpion with ease, though some strategising is necessary to defeat them if you are a weak combatant.
xxx
Shell Dragon (Naga Carapar)
Turtle-like creatures native to Pandemonium, Shell Dragons are actual dragons, and not animals labeled with a misnomer. They are sluggish but powerful in battle, and have a carapace that is impenetrable by anything short of a Blizzaga spell. Also, they seem to have a serious problem with influenza, as they tend to sneeze quite a bit. Their sneezing can be dangerous, since a Snort of sufficient strength might actually propel you off the high areas where they live, by sending you into the air. That, and the fact that you might get infected with their influenza - a much deadlier variant when compared to Gaian Influenza.
So if you ever get into a scuffle with a Shell Dragon, just fire a few Blizzaga spells at it, and it should go down. Keep moving while you're at it, too, since their reflexes are atrocious and can't keep up with anything faster than a tortoise. But if they do manage to Charge at you and Smash you... Lets just say that you'd make a decent, blood-stained tapestry on the floor. Once they build up enough momentum, Shell Dragons will keep going until they hit something, and if one of them misses hitting you, send a few Blizzara spells at its rear end as a parting gift.
However, I must warn you that their Earth Shake attack is infinitely deadly, especially in the rocky chambers of Pandemonium Castle. These spells have sufficient power in them to collapse a chamber the size of a small valley, and I say this from experience. The Shell Dragon that cast the spell might wind up being trapped under several tons of rubble, but it will eventually dig itself out - its carapace is THAT durable.
Only challenge a Shell Dragon if you are proficient enough in combat to take-on a Grand Dragon, one-on-one.
xxx
Silver Dragon (Naga Neiphiti Argento)
These beautiful but deadly Dragons are native to Memoria, and are the guardians of the gateway to the Well of Memories. If a living soul manages to break through their gauntlet of one hundred vicious Dragons, it shall be deemed worthy of entry into Memoria. When Colin, Gilgamesh, and I tried to enter Memoria, we never expected to face a hundred of these monsters in battle. But the three of us used our knowledge of animal biology to gain the upper hand in combat, by striking at them with selected spells and at crucial points of their anatomy. I'm sure it must have been a fascinating yet terrifying sight to behold, the three of us fighting an entire swarm of Silver Dragons... If you ignore the fact that the three of us were riding our Golden Chocobos and trying to fly into Memoria's gateway at the time, that is.
Just a tidbit for the curious ones among this manuscript's readers - yes, we did enter Memoria during the Burmecian-Lindblum War. You see, the gateway to Memoria will open itself above the Iifa Tree during periods of time when death occurs in abundance and sorrow is prevalent in the souls of many. Trying to avoid conscription into the Lindblum Military, the three of us fled on our Golden Chocobos into the skies, and decided to take refuge in Memoria. Please understand that it wasn't cowardice nor fear that inspired our actions, but rather, it was our absolute refusal to use our knowledge for such abominable purposes like war. We were scholars, Colin and I, and Gilgamesh was a treasure hunter who enjoyed the occasional foray into zoology.
Fighting them was TOUGH. They didn't attack us physically, but rather, with memories and dreams. Aside from the rare Twister and Aerial Slash, the Silver Dragon swarm threw our deepest fears at us, our oldest nightmares, and our darkest memories. We could barely stand the mental barrage, and even our Chocobos were being driven to the brink of insanity by the unleashed waves of mental poison that the cursed beasts channeled towards us. Eventually, our fight with them came to a point whereby it became a mechanical process of dodge, fly, spell-casting, melee-attacking, and then rinse and repeat.
Fortunately for us, Silver Dragons seem to harbor weaknesses against Blizzard-based magic and Wind spells, as with most other Aerial creatures. It looked like a battle we were losing, when suddenly, out of the blue, a great Silver Dragon appeared out of the gateway, like a demon from the threshold of Hell. The three of us thought we would be finished by this behemoth, but suddenly, she spoke to us. Till today, I can still recall her words...
Welcome, worthy ones... You have proven yourselves worthy of passage... At the end of your Time, you shall be honored with passage into the Memory Well...
At that time, it sounded like a whole lot of unbelievable nonsense to us. But later, once we had actually made it into Memoria, we found that each of us was in possession of a fist-sized, ornate crystal. Colin and I kept ours for studies and sentimental reasons, but Gilgamesh did something different with his. Much further along the road, we crossed paths with Hades, the Master Smith. He challenged us to a battle, and we refused. Infuriated, he tried to smite us with his Doomsday Sword, but Gilgamesh stopped him with the offer of his mysteriously-obtained crystal. Hades was inordinately pleased, and told us what the crystals could do - apparently, when the time was right, you could summon a Silver Dragon using one of them.
We did encounter the great Silver Dragon again, and she shared her knowledge with us, the perfect teacher for a willing audience. We learned of worlds and things beyond our wildest imagination, and she even introduced us to a legendary soul that was housed in Memoria - that of Doctor Taxo himself. He appeared to be amiable enough, but when we looked into his eyes, and heard the way he spoke, we felt a distinct aura of darkness. Even centuries after his death, he still retained much of his knowledge of biology and magic, and also his ideologies. But the scariest part of all was when he told us that most of his creations had been let loose in Memoria...
A conversation with the Dark Lord Sauron was out of the question, obviously. His soul had been banished to Memoria's darkest dungeons, where he shall remain for all of eternity. The blood of hundreds upon thousands of souls have stained his hands for hundreds of years...
He wasn't the only departed scholar we conversed with over the duration of our eight-day stay in Memoria. We talked with the likes of Lord Avon, Doctors Buter and Canaliculi, Empress Strong, and of course, the great Silver Dragon. She herself was a considerably friendly creature, who apparently was a fallen Eidolon, sentenced to spend the rest of Time guarding Memoria's gateway with an army of underlings identical to her in aspects save for size and sheer power. When we asked her about how an Eidolon could fall, she merely gazed at us with a great sadness, and stated that the Sins of Eidolons are beyond the comprehension of mortal souls. It was also revealed during this conversation that Gaia was the prison of another fallen Eidolon - the fallen Eidolon of Darkness, Ozma.
She even told us that all Dragons were her descendants, and that even the Great Bahamut was in fact her son, fathered by Leviathan. It was at this moment that we actually saw an unforgettable sight - the tears of an Eidolon.
But the saddest fact she revealed to us was about Memoria itself. She told us that we could only ever cross Memoria's threshold TWICE, and that we had already done so once. So if we left... That would be it. She also told us that Memoria was in fact getting progressively more distant to Gaia, as fewer and fewer people believed in dreams. Supposedly, in the next century or two, Memoria's 'anchors' to Gaia would disintegrate in their entirety, and never again would a Gaian soul step through the gates of the Well of Memories...
So at the end of everything, Gilgamesh and I returned to Gaia, whereas Colin decided to stay on in Memoria to live out the rest of his days under Hades' tutelage. It was difficult, parting with him, since we had been through so much together... Even as I blot out the smudges made by my tears on this sheet of parchment, I wonder if he is still alive, learning to craft pieces of wonderous weaponry as Hades' apprentice. Every time I see the crystal the the great Silver Dragon gave to us, I remember the days of our journeys, and the wonders we saw...
Colin, my friend... Hopefully, we will meet again someday soon, in the Well of Memories.
xxx
Skeleton (Homo Necroosteon)
Skeletons are the living (actually non-living) remnants of the Necromancer Wars that took place several centuries ago, during the era of Regent Cid Fabool the First. In fact, their species name, Necroosteon, means 'resurrected bones' when roughly translated from Latin, if I recall correctly. They infest the caverns of Gizamaluke's Grotto and also the darker areas of the Daines-Horse Basin, and are mainly nocturnal. Little more than decaying flesh and cracked bones held together by necromancer's magic woven into their rotting vests. Skeletons will rarely engage in physical combat, as too much exertion will actually damage their undead bodies, much like how Dracozombies will refrain from Charging at you. These Undead creatures will attack in groups of two or three, with the occasional Hornet or Dragonfly accompanying them. The sonic attacks from their insectoid companions will not affect them, since their hearing apparatus have long since become decayed beyond usefulness.
Despite being the long-ago fighters in armies, nowadays Skeletons are significantly rarer than they used to be. Even fifty years ago, they were more common than they were today. Those days, I could walk into Gizamaluke's Grotto and slay a dozen of them - nowadays, finding just three of them is a challenge already. These strange creatures seem to be sliding towards extinction, as they tattered rags that they wear have recently been found all over the Grotto, their decayed owners missing. Are the skeletons dying off? Or is someone actually killing them and taking their body parts? Most curious indeed...
Anyways, back on topic about Skeletons. Being Undead, they harbor weaknesses against Fire spells and Holy spells, but also a partial-immunity to Shadow spells. As fighters, they are barely competent, but can be deadly if you let them get close enough. You see, their muscles and ligaments might have decayed beyond any usefulness, but the daggers that they once used have become embedded into their ulnas, at the wrist. So their punches and Hacking attacks can be rather messy, if they are within melee range. If they start jumping around in a frenzy, down them with a Fira spell, FAST. This is a sign that they are preparing to use the Whirl Slash, a relentless and speedy attack combination that is hard to deflect or parry. The last time I saw a person receive a Whirl Slash, the poor fellow was shredded into bleeding ribbons before his polearm could do anything...
Skeletons can cast Thunder spells, which are channeled out of their wrist-embedded daggers. This is rarely done, however, and it is therefore negligible.
If you are a novice fighter at best, I'd say that you're ready to take on ONE of these creatures.
xxx
Stilva (Phasmotodea Malodiabolos)
Named as 'Evil stick-phantom devils' by their scientific name (Esto Gazan Greek, if I recall correctly), Stilvas were once a vicious insectoid species that thrived in small clusters on the Lost Continent. Also known as Acklays or Silhouette Sneaks, they were the subject of the late Dr. Buter's most thorough studies. In fact, he understood them to such a level that they allowed him to socialize with them and observe them. However, the good doctor was assassinated by some unethical individuals who wished to hunt the Stilvas, and whose attempts had been thwarted by Dr. Buter. They were caught by the Stilvas in the end, and the alpha male Stilva dropped off the remains of the three damnable fools at Esto Gaza, together with the corpse of Dr. Buter and his research notes. Apparently, the Stilvas loved him very much - his entire body had been tenderly wrapped in a silk-like webbing, much like Carve Spider silk.
For the last few decades, several expeditions into the bowels of Mount Gulug's dormant volcanic tubes have been made, since the Esto Gazans claimed to have sighted a Stilva or three. All those expeditions yielded no results, save for a shredded piece of Wraith-robe that looked like a Stilva's sharp claws had been at it.
Since the day Buter was killed, Stilvas seemingly went extinct, as no one in living memory has ever been confirmed to have seen one. However, during our travels in Memoria, Colin and I met with several Stilvas, all in company with Dr. Buter's spirit. The old chap refused to let up fight his beloved Stilvas, but he did tell us a bit about them - that they were Fire-based animals, and that they had a weakness against Water spells. Ironically enough, the doctor's spirit was lingering in a part of Memoria where everything was submerged underwater, and yet, the Stilvas seemed to unaffected.
Years after I returned to Gaia, I was approached by several of my peers in the field of taxonomy. A new species of insect had been discovered deep within the Evil Forest - a species of insect resembling a mass of twigs fused together. They had decided to name the thing as a 'Stick Insect', appropriately enough, but decided to consult with me to settle upon a suitable name for their taxonomical Order.
So I named the Stick Insect as a member of the Phylum Arthropoda, Class Insecta, and Order... Phasmotodea. After all, they did resemble the Stilva in appearance, and I felt it fitting to honor such a wonderful species by naming an Order after them.
xxx
Stroper (Hepaticae Musci Petra)
Stone-elemental relatives of the Plant Brain, Stropers are towering carnivorous plants that inhabit the dark morasses beneath the tangled tapestry of the Iifa Tree's roots. They possess a single cyclopean eye in the middle of their trunks, and have several robust vines as their weapons and manipulatory appendages. Being creatures of Stone, they are tough to defeat, and often will be the death of you if you cannot ward them off successfully. Here I must highlight that they are not rooted down in one spot as most plants are, but rather, are capable of movement, however ponderous it may be. Often, it takes a Stroper about ten days to move a distance of fifty feet, and as such, they tend to be ambush hunters rather than active pursuers of prey.
A Stroper will wait motionless for a prey animal to approach them, and then lash out with its vines to ensnare the poor thing and reel it in to be devoured rapidly. Though it does not have any teeth, a Stroper does have a hole-like structure at the crown of its trunk, where it shall throw the captured food item into. Inside the hollow spot are large volumes of corrosive fluids that can easily digest most living organisms, as Colin and I discovered when we threw down several captured Blazer Beetles and Yetis into the maw of a Stroper that we sighted beneath our feet, as we explored the realm above Iifa's roots.
As they are plant-like, they do have a vulnerability to Fire spells, regardless of their Stony nature. Fire spells can actually ignite their digestive fluids, and will result in the Stroper swiping pitifully at its own crown in an attempt to beat-out the flames. But in a fight, Stropers are second only to the Ochu in terms of deadliness. A Slap or Sweep from their vines can result in broken bones and smashed rocks, and obviously their Silence and Gradual Petrify spells are also just as dangerous. You might escape from the Stroper who Silenced you, but a Dracozombie will easily hand you your backside if you can't even cast a curse word in their general direction.
And of course, there are the innumerable statues of people who got petrified by Stropers over the centuries all over the gloomy underside of Iifa's roots to testify for the effectiveness of the Gradual Petrify spell cast by Stropers.
Only experienced fighters can tackle Stropers.
T
Tonberry (Capuchin Enigma)
Within the mysterious castle that Colin and I discovered on the Forgotten Continent exists a unique web of life, dominated by three species. Namely, the Agares, the Cerberus, and the Tonberry. These three are the deadliest of all the species that inhabit the castle, with the Tonberry being the most dangerous, followed by the Agares, and then the Cerberus. Compared to a Tonberry's abilities, the spells from an Agares' Grimoire and the Flames of the Cerberus are but child's play, since these unholy monsters are in an entire class of their own when it comes to combat ability.
Garbed mockingly in the robes of holy men, Tonberrys are always in possession of a large knife and a perpetually-lit lantern that never dims its light. It is rare for someone to be able to steal a Tonberry's lantern, and indeed, the lantern's flame will continue burning for an indefinte period of time. No one has ever seen a darkened Tonberry lantern, and in fact, the Lindblum Grand Castle's Library is illuminated by thirty-four Tonberry lanterns, all of which have been obtained over the course of the last four centuries.
So, on to the fighting skills of these impressive beasts, which I have already described in such flattering phrases. Tonberry's attack with only two attacks, and both of those are close-range melee attacks. Mainly they will move around the battlefield in random and confusing patterns, hoping to tire you out and swoop in for the killing blow once you're exhausted. They will always stab you with their Knife to end the fight, and their stabs are so forceful and accurate that evading it is impossible, let alone surviving it. Their Knives are also enchanted to prevent any White Magic from sealing the wound that they have inflicted, so death is practically a certainty if you have been assaulted by a Tonberry.
As a matter of fact, some martial artists have created a form of knife-fighting in recent years, that they have named Jar'Kai Style knife-fighting. It was designed based on the Tonberry's single, deadly strike, and utilizes two daggers instead of one enchanted knife. I once saw a Jar'Kai master in action against an opponent wielding a three-section staff with five times the reach of his daggers - the knife master's knives moved just as fast as the Tonberry does, and within just two minutes, his oppnent's weapon had been broken into several neat sections, and both his knives were at the opponent's chest and neck, respectively. Impressive, most impressive...
Also, Tonberrys have an unusual attack called 'Everyone's Grudge'. Apparently, the more souls you have killed, the more the attack will affect you. Nobody understands how this works, and this theory was tested by the Lindblum government only recently, by sending several convicted felons to the mysterious castle to be pitted against the Tonberrys. Unethical that experiment might have been, but then again, Colin and I haven't had much taste for ethics during our research. Ethical people are often hypocrites, and anyone wishing to pursue a career in the sciences should always remember this fact.
Now, what is just SO dangerous about the two attacks described above? Well, it's very simple; they NEVER miss. Couple that with a Tonberry's magical robes which can bar even the most advanced of spells and the magical field in the castle that reduces the effectiveness of melee strikes? I think my point is obvious.
NEVER challenge a Tonberry. Not if you want to live, that is.
xxx
Torama (Panthera Leo Ampere)
Toramas are the among the last of Doctor Taxo's known creations, and they can still be found in the abandoned Desert Palace which he once inhabited during his final days. While he had created Flans using Blizzard spells, Toramas he created using a Thundara spell on a regular lion, perverting his knowledge of anatomy to mutate the animal using his magic. The result was the Torama, a strange quadrupedal feline with an affinity for electricity. They served as his guard beasts, whereas the Grimlocks were his valets. So it goes without saying that these creatures are actually rather formidable in combat if you don't know how to handle them.
After all, most of the madman's monstrous works were never meant to be, and most people never knew how to fight them, and their weaknesses were unknown to us.
Back to the original subject; Toramas love electricity. Casting your favorite Thundaga spells at them will merely excite them and send them into a bloodthirsty frenzy, whereas drenching them with liberal amounts of water will actually kill them, since the electricity in their bodies will suddenly be disrupted, resulting in a very dead Torama.
To attack, they mainly use a spell known as Electrocute, which they cast on themselves. This charges their electrical capacitor organs, and enables them to use Blaster, a spell which conjures a solid rock out of thin air to be sent flying towards a target. Lots of energy is a precursor to conjuring the stone, and as such, a Torama will have to shock itself for a bit before it can cast Blaster. Other than that, they use Bio and Poison to poison potential prey, and Osmose to steal energy from any enemies who come close enough.
As a side notation, Toramas were also known to be vulnerable to the special Death spell cast by Dracozombies. All this research on the unique Death spell was conducted by a Red Mage named K.R. Elizabeth, an eccentric woman whose entire life revolved around the study of the psychology of death.
Moderately experienced fighters may challenge Toramas, but caution is advised.
xxx
Trick Sparrow (Columba Legerdemain)
These avian animals are actually related more closely to pigeons than sparrows, as dissections have revealed to us. The reason for their misnomers is the fact that male Trick Sparrows will develop a colorful ruff of feathers on their chests during mating season, as sparrows do. As such, in the earlier days of their known existence, they were given this grossly inaccurate name. But their scientific name, however, sets the record straight, and also takes note of their amazingly prehensile claws. You see, legerdemain is a word meaning 'small, precise actions performed using the hands', and Trick Sparrows actually have sufficient dexterity in their claws to even roll a Gil coin from talon-tip to talon-tip without dropping it, and are even capable of repeating the process. Some Trick Sparrows that were raised by circus performers can even write in a crude font, and the most famous of them all, the deceased 'Professor Tony', could do simple arithmetic, often answering the audience's questions on a wooden board using a piece of chalk.
The smarty bird was one day killed by a disgruntled member of the audience when it gave him the correct answer to his mathematical query, which turned out to be how much Gil the ruffled man had lost while gambling the night before.
Now, Trick Sparrows, for all their impressive dextrous talons, are actually pretty useless in a fight. They will attempt to peck you with their beaks and also to set you aflame using Fire spells, but otherwise, they can't fight worth a Gil. Even the Drain spells cast by some of them are pathetic at best, and if you feel any pain from these inferior attacks, go back to school and snuff it. A simple Wind spell can finish an entire flock of Trick Sparrows, and if you can't even do that... Never mind...
Qus enjoy serving Trick Sparrow Casserole with boiled Egg Noodles at small family gatherings, and I have to say that from my personal taste, it isn't a very tasty dish - too many small bones and stringy tendons. But each to his own, I guess... After all, I actually have a fondness for Carrion Worm flesh, which most other cooks (even fellow Qus) find highly disgusting.
Obviously, Trick Sparrows can be defeated by the most incompetent and inexperienced fighters, if my above sentences are any indication.
xxx
Troll (Magus Barbarus)
The largest of the wild Mage-type monsters, Trolls are snot-nosed, snivelling, foul smelling giants that wander aimlessly around the Outer Continent's more mountainous regions. They like to eat Dwarves, and the suspended city of Conde Petie is actually a type of fortress that was built to shelter the Dwarven race from the Trolls' gory appetites. The large roots of Iifa which support the City's structure are too twisted and slippery for the Trolls to walk on. Sometimes, a foolish specimen or two will try to run up the roots, and wind up falling down through the gaps between the roots. They would then lie in a dizzy heap in the small valley beneath Conde Petie, which occasionally floods during rainstorms. Apparently, this phenomenon of dropping Trolls was the basis of the popular fable about 'Three Gruff Goats' or some nonsense like that - I wouldn't know.
Now we shall examine a Troll's combat abilities. They always carry with them a large spear, crudely fashioned out of some low-grade metal ores. They are fairly proficient with these weapons, and given the abnormal length of their arms, Long Reach is sometimes necessary to get your melee weapons within striking distance of an angry Troll's body. When angered, they will drink a strange Solution from a hip-flask that is always at their side, and inflict themselves with Berserk. I must warn you that a Berserk Troll is very dangerous, as it could probably level an entire city block in Lindblum if it had to, under its current condition. Finally, they have the ability to cast Blizzara spells using their Spears as casting objects, and aren't weak against any magical elements in particular.
Trolls aren't spared from the Qu cooking pots, however. Their meat is described as being similar to extremely hard mutton, and I have to agree on this one. The flavor of Troll meat is excellent, but I'd advise liberal amounts of hammering with a metal sledgehammer to make it more tender. This way, the meat shall be much more enjoyable, and you probably wont lose your teeth when sampling it.
Trolls can be challenged by moderately experienced fighters.