Monsters – V/W/Y/Z
V
Vepal (Columba Thermosexovarius)
Aerial creatures endemic to the Lost Continent (in particular the hill-slopes and tunnels of Mount Gulug), Vepals are an interesting pigeon subspecies that display extremely prominent sexual dimorphism, which is only present in one other species - Wraiths. Usually, species which show sexual dimorphism - noticeable differences in physical appearance between males and females of that species - just have different physical appearances. But with regards to Vepals, their very magical properties and metabolisms are different between males and females of their species. Male Vepals are Red in color, whereas the females are Green or Blue, and this is literally just the 'surface' of the differences between the two genders of the Vepals.
Male Vepals, being Red in color, somehow (rather predictably) display an affinity for Fire-based magic. They possess hyperactive metabolisms that generate trembendous amounts of body heat, and as such cannot be touched with bare skin. In fact, they have such fine control over their body's inner workings that they can actually heat up their body until all elemental magic will be deflected by the sheer heat that is radiating from their rotund form. This move is known as Scorch, and the heat released during its execution is more than sufficient to even melt gold - real hot stuff! As a follow-up to Scorch, Vepals will often try to Ram you and cook you nicely with their smoking bodies (not in that way, you filthy-minded pervert!). They also can use the spells called Mustard Bomb and Lava Gun, the latter of which is capable of conjuring large volumes of a fiery, viscous fluid over the heads of the Vepal(s)' intended victim. Mustard Bomb just makes you overheat physically, until any attempts at motion will send you into adrenal shock.
As a little extra knowledge; 'guns' are theoretical machines much like cannons, but which fire small pellets, similar to cannons in their basic physics. Maybe someday we'll see people walking about with these pint-sized, hand-held projectile weapons, but I don't think I'll live to see the 'gun' for myself...
Moving on to female Vepals, they are considerably less dangerous compared to their violent menfolk. They truly are the opposite of their male counterparts, even with regards to their elemental properties. For instance, female Vepals are have an affinity for ice, and hence are immune to Ice-based magic and significantly weaker against Fire-based magic. Other than that, their elemental properties are quite similar - immunity to Earth-based magic and a weakness against Wind spells. These feisty frozen females are also very attentive mothers, usually spending months at their nest to regurtitate food and feed their newly-hatched young. You see, when a Vepal is hatching her eggs, the father will bring food to her, which she then holds in her stomach, using her low body temperature to keep the food fresh. Upon hatching, the Vepal chicks are fed with the food from their mother's stomach. Personally, I have never fought a female Vepal, since just getting within a mile of them will set-off their angry husbands. So I'll just assume that they can cast Blizzaga and Freeze spells, and ccan Ram you with a super-cooled body if they needed to.
Given the sexual dimorphism and opposing properties of the two genders of Vepals, I'd say my assumption is pretty accurate.
Vepals can be challenged by experienced fighters.
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Veteran (Monoopteris Petraconjurus)
These annoying Aerial Demons are native to the high-vaulted ceilings of the mysterious castle that Colin and I discovered on the Forgotten Continent. They behave much like bats do, in the sense that they hang in an upside-down position from the shadow-cloaked ceiling beams and balconies in that abominable castle. When they sense potential prey approaching, using their singular, cyclops-like eye, they will swoop down upon said victim(s) and try to get a decent mouthful of whatever it was that had been down there within their sights by using their sharp Claws. Now, since they only have one eye, I'd advise you to give them a good poke in the bloody lens using a sharp object. The injured Veteran will then go into a most theatrical state of agonized convulsions, and it is indeed an amusing sight.
Once, when Colin and I were swarmed by an entire swarm of Veterans at once, I decided to try and blind them all simultaneously. So, I cast a full-strength Aera spell at one of the large stained-glass panels that decorate the mysterious castle's interior, and shattered it towards the swarm of the idiotic things. They were all blinded by the shards of glass in their eyes (well, one eye per veteran, but I digress), and soon were too engrossed to bother with the two of us anymore. Needless to say, we escaped easily from that encounter.
However, given that stained glass panels are not in infinite supply in the mysterious castle, here are the actual weaknesses and moves of a Veteran, for your information and knowledge.
Veterans are weak against Wind-based, Holy, and Water-based spells. They also have total immunity against Earth-based magic, and a partial defense against Shadow and Thunder-based magic, and the reason for the latter I shall elaborate on later. All of these elemental properties save for the Thunder partial immunity are easily derived from their Aerial, Demonic nature, and the Thunder thing is due to a trait they share with Toramas. In fact, Doctor Taxo might have been inspired to create Toramas based on Veterans - I guess this is possible, since he drew a rough sketch of a Veteran in his journal, but I couldn't decipher the Magian calligraphy he had written the journal's text in.
So, from the aforementioned details, it could be deduced that Veterans can use the Blaster spell. From my guesswork, I'd say that Doctor Taxo had tried to make Torama's capable of producing Blaster spells which could rival the Veteran's, but he failed. Hence, Toramas need to Electrocute themselves before they can use a toned-down Blaster spell, whereas Veterans can jump straight into battle with rocks flying out of thin air, conjured with several Blaster spells. Now, I feel that it is obvious as to why they have a semi-immune property against Thunder-based magic.
Other than Blaster, Veterans are well-versed in Doom and Roulette spells. Doom should be familiar to you by now, if you have been reading this manuscript in alphabetical order, and as for the definition of Roulette... Refer to my entries detailing the combat prowess of the Hecteyes or the Zombie for more information on the Random Spell.
Experienced fighters may challenge the Veteran with relative ease.
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Vice (Magus Rudimentera)
These pathetic losers are just that little bit (microscopic, really) above Goblins on my personal ranking scale of the Mage creatures that inhabit our lovely green earth called Gaia. They can't do much except wander around the Eunoras Plains, King Ed Plains, and the grassy areas surrounding the Village of Dali, while trying (mostly futilely) to find victims to exercise their kleptomaniac tendencies on. If a Vice is really that desperate to rob someone, it might even try to hold-up another monster or even a weaker Vice! This nonsensical thing has actually happened before - Colin and I saw two Vices holding a knife to a Ladybird's back, and the bumbling two were trying to threaten the angered beetle.
Needless to say, they were both skewered to death by the buzzing mad Ladybird.
Now, the only remotely-good property of Vices is that they have no particular weakness against any magical elements. However, even this little goody seems to be saddening when you look at the overall picture - most humanoid Mage creatures possess this very same trait. So on second thought, I'll have to say that Vices have nothing good going for them at all.
The suckers are just like Goblins on an adrenaline high, but oh well...
As for their attacks, they are just plain irritating. Mainly, they Slice at you with those large but unwieldy curved scimitars that they use in battle, and this move will only be dangerous if you're stupid enough to get hit by it. For Odin's sake - most 'intelligent' people have an ability to duck, you know! They will also try to use their stupid swinging scimitars to try and distract you, and liberate you of your Gil or some items in the meantime. While they have the subtlety of a blundering baboon at pilfering all these little trinkets, I do have to (grudgingly) give them some kudos for trying. Nonetheless, stupidity undermines persistence, if you ask me.
If you do get robbed by a Vice, send a Fire spell at it before it can escape. They can cast Fire spells, and since they move in groups, will often slow down in their escape attempt to see which of their friends it was who shot at them with that Fire spell. Yes, I say it again - Vices are STUPID creatures.
Gosh, I'm getting angry over these morons again...
Vices would make for good fighting practice - if you are a rookie fighter, that is.
W
Whale Zombie (Orca Necrotoxicus)
Undead, Aerial remains of whales that were killed using Dark magic, Whale Zombies are rather formidable creatures that inhabit the coastlines of the Lost Continent, Outer Continent, and the sandy beaches of the Salvage Archipelago. They are rather rare, and only appear consistently before certain astronomical phenomena are set to occur. Therefore, it has been common practice in the olden days, for astronomers to observe the appearance patterns of Whale Zombies to predict when astronomical phenomena such as lunar eclipses were set to happen. In fact, before basic mathematics and physics were developed enough to predict the timings of such phenomena, astronomical science was solely-based on observations derived from Whale Zombie activity.
It was once theorized by Doctor Buter, but never proven, that Whale Zombies derived their energy from the moon's nocturnal light. Indeed, they mostly appear during full moons, even despite the fact that the tides might be low. If there is not water to support their massive, decaying, hulking mass, they float just above the ground, and lazily use their fins and tail to ponderously propel themselves forward.
Now, I shall elaborate on the basic combat abilities of a Whale Zombie. They are venomous creatures, due to the large quantities of rare and virulent bacteria that infest their bloated, water-sodden carcasses. Their Venom Powder and Zombie Powder attacks are particularly deadly, given that these two attacks cause rapid and acute degeneration of the victim's brain. In fact, Colin and I once experimented on the effect of a Whale Zombie's Venom and Zombie Powders on Zaghnols - it was not a pretty sight. Our dissections of the deceased Zaghnol specimens revealed that the virulence of the two powders actually formed a normal distribution in terms of statistics, with most of the affected Zaghnols displaying chronic failure in several organ systems, and several specimens with total failure of all organ systems. Very few were just slightly affected by the two powders, and we discovered that those particular specimens had excessive amounts of sugar in their blood. Most curious indeed...
Furthermore, Whale Zombies possess the ability and competency required to cast Death spells with startling accuracy. Given that their eyes have rotted away, leaving nothing but barnacle-encrusted eye sockets, it is a wonder as to how they can cast their spells so accurately. Also, they will try to slice at you using a bony, rotting, barnacle-studded Fin. This attack is rather dangerous if it hits, solely because it has an effect on soft flesh similar to that of you being clobbered using a nail-studded club. To be avoided at all costs, a Whale Zombie's Fins...
Lastly on the offensive abilities of this species, they have the ability to use Ultra Sound Waves similar to those of the Ralvuimago's. These waves are generated from the organs that once enabled them to sing while they were living whales, and their Undead selves will shrink down any targets in the way of the high-frequency waves they generate. Due to their large size, however, a Whale Zombie's Ultra Sound Waves are never as accurate as those that have been fired by a Ralvuimago. So it is unlikely that you'll find your endowment being shrunken down by any of a Whale Zombie's Ultra Sound Waves - your WHOLE body will be down-sized, HAH!
As for their weaknesses... They are only partially affected by Water-based and Shadow spells, and are extremely vulnerable against all other magical elements save for Ice-based magic. Simple enough to comprehend, this is! If you can't recall these facts, go home and cry.
Even moderately-experienced fighters may challenge Whale Zombies, since they have THAT many exploitable weaknesses against such a great number of magical elements.
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Worm Hydra (Oligochaetae Omnihydra)
One of the creatures experimented on by Doctor Taxo, Worm Hydras are in fact gargantuan Dragons native to Mount Gulug's volcanic chambers and the forests of Salvage Archipelago. Apparently, he got his Worm Hydra specimens from Mount Gulug, but I have no idea just how he got them out of the narrow cave entrances that lead down into the subterranean tunnels beneath the dormant volcano. Maybe he had a pathway which has collapsed in on itself since he stopped going there? Or maybe he himself collapsed it, if there even was a pathway to speak of, in the first place...
They might not look the part, but they actually ARE Dragons. They just took a different evolutionary path compared to Red Dragons, and became into a much nastier creature, if you ask me. But Qus do eat them, with the only complaint being the unpleasant smell of their meat, and the certainty that those who eat Worm Hydra flesh shall be expelling large amounts of flatulent gas all night long after they partook of its grilled, edible form.
Now, a magically-formed hybrid between a dog and a Worm Hydra was the source of the Cerberus that now patrols the silent corridors of the mysterious castle I've mentioned for quite a few times already. Obviously, the Cerberus didn't get its nastier traits and abilities from the canine half of its origin. Hence, it's clear that Worm Hydras are nasty beasts, which could easily kill you and make a tasty snack out of you if they wanted to.
As further evidence of their relation to the Cerberus, Worm Hydras can also cast the Flame spell used by everyone's favorite three-headed canine monster. The Flame spell of a Worm Hydra is equally as deadly as that of the Cerberus, and to top it all off, Worm Hydras can actually cast Lightning spells to go with their Flame spells! If that wasn't enough to deal with, their Venom Breath and Cold Breath can also be used to incapacitate you in battle. Nasty is the word! Oh, and I nearly forgot - Worm Hydras can use Aero Breath as well. Much more accurate than an Aero spell, but could be potentially four times as nasty if it hits you. I saw an entire mining shaft in the bowels of Mount Gulug collapse due to a stray Aero Breath, which actually demolished an entire ROW of wooden support pillars that had been holding-up the tunnel.
Now, Worm Hydras aren't called Hydras for nothing, you know. Each Worm Hydra has a minimum of eight heads, and each head can cast the Flame spell, as well any one of the other four spells they use. This makes each Worm Hydra capable of setting you aflame regardless of how many heads you lop-off (unless you cut them ALL off), and capable of blasting you with a maximum of five different spells all at the same time! Not for the faint of heart, that's for sure...
But fortunately, they are weak against a very basic magical element - Ice-based spells. A well-done Blizzaga will kill a Worm Hydra on the spot, and save you the hassle of evading multiple spells and trying to avoid being bitten by those heads that aren't casting spells at you.
Yes, they CAN bite, but not with teeth - they will latch onto your body with a vestigial tooth or nine, and suck on you like how a leech would. The Worm Hydra's sucking skills, in my dear friend Colin's words, "Will put even the sluttiest of all hookers, be they male or female, to shame."
High praise from him, that is, if you consider that Colin used to sometimes moonlight as a gigolo... And for customers of both genders, at that! Thank goodness he stopped - venereal disease is a scary thing!
Moderately experienced fighters can easily defeat Worm Hydras, provided that they can cast a decent Blizzaga spell at the very least.
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Wraith (Spiritus Combustus)
Earlier on under the letter 'V', I mentioned that Wraiths were the only species other than Vepals which displayed extreme sexual dimorphism. This is true for these Undead, ghost-like inhabitants of Mount Gulug's volcanic tubes, and even the variably-colored flames of their hand-held oil lamps makes this evident. Wraiths are rather similar to Vepals, in the sense that male specimens are the ones with more Red on them, and the female specimens are the ones with more Blue on them. As for how to determine the gender of these ghostly creatures... Even I, with my poor vision, could see that female Wraiths possessed a whole set of ample enough... assets... on their physiques. Come on - it's not like their flowing robes are THAT voluminous about the chest and hips!
Wraiths can only be spotted by the flames of their cursed oil lamps, since their magical robes deflect all forms of light, and hence makes the wearer invisible. In fact, several renowned tailors who reside in Esto Gaza have made a profitable venture out of garments sewn from Wraith robes. These Cloaks of Invisibility are immensely expensive, and even rarer at that. This is mainly because Wraith robes will disintegrate if handled carelessly after their original owner is killed, and often enough, the Esto Gazan tailors who specialize in the making of Invisibility Cloaks accidentally damage the Wraith robes they have obtained before they manage to return to their workshops.
Just as some additional information, the robes of a Wraith can be handled freely only after five days of their original wearer's demise. For those five days, the fabric must be soaked in an alcohol-based solution, infused with a carboxylic acid and concentrated vitriol. Only in this aromatic solution shall the fabric not disintegrate completely, and retain its light-deflecting properties. To make this whole business more complicated (as if it wasn't already tedious enough), the aromatic solution used to do this preserving is a rather volatile fluid, and will evaporate rapidly under standard atmospheric conditions if placed in an unsealed container. It has been to the frustration of many a tailor, to struggle to obtain a Wraith's robe, and try to soak it in the special aromatic solution, only to find that the solution has evaporated away completely.
So, moving on, the only unique offensive ability found on Wraiths is their elemental spell, which Colin and I named as the Devil's Candle spell. To perform this spell, a Wraith will fly up to you, and overturn its oil lamp over your head. The viscous, combustible liquid within the cursed bronze lamp shall then either Freeze you or inflict you with severe Heatiness, depending on the gender of the Wraith that cast this particular spell on you. As such, it would be wise to defend yourself using magic of an element opposite to that of the attacking Wraith.
Aside from that, all Wraiths can cast Doom, a basic enough Shadow spell. Within minutes of being Doomed, you shall be dead on the ground, and the Wraiths that attacked you will feast on your freshly-dead body with those wicked-looking fangs of theirs, which are visible even when the rest of their semi-corporeal bodies remain invisible.
Obviously, given the aforementioned similarity to Vepals, red Wraiths have an affinity for Fire-based magic, and weakness against Ice-based magic, and vice-versa for Blue Wraiths. Both types of Wraiths are semi-immune to Shadow spells, and wholly unaffected by Earth spells, given their Dark and Aerial nature.
It is said by the Esto Gazan priests that Wraiths are the spirits of holy men whose hearts were riddled with Darkness and whose true selves were far from holy, but I wouldn't accept this story as the truth. After all, most Esto Gazan priests are zealous religious fanatics, telling anyone and everyone that doing good will get you some good graces, and doing even the smallest amount of bad will send you down to a flaming seat in Hell. Given that they scare enough children with their stories of Hell and God-knows-what, I'd say they're ALL doomed to a seat in Hell, the obssessed bastards. The Devil's probably set aside an entire cathedral's worth of special flaming seats in Hell for these Bible-bashing idiots, the whole lot of them!
Hypocrites! Fanatics! I shall stop talking about God-boys now, thank you very much!
Experienced fighters may challenge Wraiths.
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Wyerd (Pachyderm Quasisentius)
These peculiar, distant relations of mammoths live in the frozen environment of the Ice Cavern. Often slain by Cave Imps as a source of meat, they are actually speech-capable, and can be domesticated quite easily, too. In fact, some Cave Imps sustain entire colonies during intense snowstorms by drinking milk that was obtained from herds of domesticated Wyerds. In the wild, Wyerds are shy creatures that prefer to flee rather than fight, and who will give your behind a decent whooping if you push them too far.
Now, Wyerds are decent combatants if in their frozen element. As with most other Ice-based elemental creatures, they have a immunity to all Ice-based magic, and an additional weakness against Fire-based magic. Any Fire-related spells might actually melt a Wyerd into a puddle of a colorless viscous fluid that releases pungent, ammonia-scented fumes, and no scientists have yet managed to concoct an explanation for how this melting happens, given that the solid in concern is a living, breathing animal.
I told them as I did with Seeker Bats - it's all magical. But the sniveling, snot-nosed backside-kissers refused to listen to me, claiming that next, I'll be telling them that water boiling into steam was magical, and attributing all other basic scientific phenomena to magical causes. For the record, I am grievously offended by all those heinous accusations. But I shall act as the bigger, more matured person here, and not KILL THE BLOODY ELITIST BASTARDS AND SET THEIR MOTHERS AFLAME AND-
Oops... I think I went slightly off-topic there...
So, Wyerds are weak against Fire. A simple enough fact for even the most simple-minded of people to comprehend.
As expected out of a creature that lives in the chilling confines of Ice Cavern, Wyerds can cast Blizzard spells in battle. Their spells are rather weak, but given that they usually reside in the coldest parts of Ice Cavern, where the freezing air could even partially-solidify water, this is an understandable occurance. Hence, if you see a Wyerd trying to use Blizzard spells, it is obviously close to its nest, and as such, poachers have tried to locate Wyerd nests using this method.
Now, male Wyerds have much beefier limbs and larger tusks than their female counterparts, and from that fact, should obviously be able to deal out more physical punishment than any lady-Wyerd. Well, this is true, and if a male Wyerd Slaps you with its paws, you'll definitely be feeling that one tomorrow... If you're still alive and not a mass of broken bones by tomorrow, that is. Fortunately, Wyerds are such gentle souls, that they'll issue you an actual spoken warning before they take a swipe or several at you. Normally, they'll say something along the lines of 'The wind lays out the road' or just plain tell you to bugger-off.
But their most fascinating property is a spell called the Health Switch, or HP Switch if you ask any of the savvier, modern scientists (who, I am glad to say, are much more open-minded and approachable in comparison to their older, more senior counterparts). This spell basically switches the health of two organisms, and Wyerds will use this sell to throw you off-balance if you dally too long while fighting them, or weaken them too much while keeping them alive. Some people have made pilgrimages to Ice Cavern before, just for the sole purpose of approaching Wyerds and beseeching them to switch the health of a sick person with that of some other benign organism, such as a mouse or plant. Most Wyerds are kind enough to agree, and as such, many people have been healed by their HP Switch spell.
I have such faith in magic, because as a wee lad, my grandfather took me to be cured by a Wyerd when I was smitten with the Mad Zaghnol disease. I was such a sickly thing as a child, but no more... Hence, I shall always have faith in magic, and this belief is equally as solid as my belief in the power of science.
Wyerds are weak fighters and kind souls, so just leave them alone. The battle tips I gave above are only to be used if the Wyerd insists on fighting you, and are not meant to be used aggressively against their kind.
Y
Yan (Angora Ramandu)
According to ancient lore, the first Yan was a spirit named Ramandu, and he was a star that had fallen from the heavens. Apparently, he had been the overseer of all Gaian life, and it was his sacred duty to ensure that peace and prosperity reigned over Gaian soil. But he became negligent at some point or another of his assignment, and the events of the Lord of the Rings took place. After seeing all the carnage and bloodshed that the Dark Lord Sauron had unleashed, the other Gods in the Heavens sentenced Ramandu to eternal banishment on Gaia, on a remote island where no one dared to tread, and in a form which no one dared to approach.
Hence, he was turned into the first Yan, a cute, sheep-like creature with solid horn for attacking and VERY formidable magical powers. So says the old legends, and I believe them. To those who don't believe in this myth... I'll just say this; you wont be stepping foot into Memoria even after your death, given your absymal faith in the fantastic and magical.
Now, Yans are weak against Shadow spells and are only slightly affected by Holy spells. Since they already possess amazing natural durability, this makes them especially tough to take down, be your weapons magic or melee strikes.
As for their magical abilities, I'd say that their magical versatility is second only to that of the Jabberwock. In terms of pure magical power, they could blow a Grand Dragon to a whole mass of smoking bits if they wanted to. You see, Yans mainly use Comet spells in battle, whereby they summon small stars out of the sky down onto the heads of their opponents. If that wont stop the opposition, a Yan will try its Float and Aera spell combination, whereby a target is forcibly thrown into the air and struck at mercilessly with Aera spells. If THAT still wont kill the poor soul(s) which so foolishly confronted them, the beleaguered Yans will then proceed to infect you using Virus Powder, and Snorting at you. Their Snorts are magical attacks that send a target flying away from them, and usually, an Aera spell is fired at the banished person for good measure.
I said that they were cute, not that they were nice.
Oh yes, I nearly forgot - the famous Qu chef Quartro (I've mentioned him earlier on in this manuscript) actually managed to kill several Yans and eat their meat. He said that they were lean and chewy creatures, but that with the addition of some egg-beaten breadcrumb batter, they actually tasted quite good.
Only the most experienced of fighters can challenge a Yan and hope to survive.
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Yeti (Spiritus Obscurococcyx)
Yetis are Aerial spirits that are endemic to the Daines-Horse Basin, and which resemble little more than a gaping, fang-filled maw surrounded by trailing strips of matted and tangled hair. Often called Penanggalan ('floating heads' in Esto Gazan), these creatures have long been extinct in the Lost Continent. Now, Yetis are vampire-like things, with very noticeable sanguivorous tendencies. It is not uncommon for a Yeti to try and bite someone to get a good few swallows of blood, and in fact, garlic actually works very well against Yetis. Even exhaling in a Yeti's face and giving it a good dosage of cologne de garlick should be sufficient to send the creature flying away in a fit of screeching disgust.
Now, I've already written these properties out a hundred or so times in this manuscript, but for good measure, I'll say it again; Yetis have the basic elemental features of Aerial beings. This means they aren't affected in any way by Earth-based magic, and are two times as vulnerable to Wind spells, along with Shadow spells, given their spirit-like nature. The previous sentence might have seemed contradictory, but there you have it - Yetis are further from demons than they are from light spirits. So it should be clear now that they also harbor a semi-immunity to Holy spells, and will not be affected if you start throwing crucifixes and holy water at them.
Moving onwards to their attacking abilities, Yetis are more physical fighters than spell-casters, and will either try to Bite you or Darken your sight using their nematocyst-laden tails (refer to my entry on Feather Circles if you have forgotten what nematocysts are). Yes, they do have several tails, but with the whole bunch of messy fair that trails behind them as they fly around, the several fine appendages are rarely noticeable without an up-close inspection. Analysis of Yeti venom revealed a strong ability to cause blurry vision, and if a sufficient dose is administered, Yeti venom could actually cause permanent blindness. In this regard, based on chemical properties, Yeti venom is very similar to the toxic sap of a plant called the Dumb Cane, or Dieffenbachia Seguine.
Aside from their melee attacks, most Yetis do know how to cast a respectably Blizzara spell, though they will usually only do this when they are desperate for escape.
As for their aversion to garlic, it was discovered that Yetis are actually in a way chemically incompatible with garlic. You see, garlic possesses a small amount of organic compounds which inhibit the clotting of blood, if taken in sufficient quantities. To feed on a living creature's blood, Yetis will secrete large volumes of their saliva into the victim's body, which has the same effect of the anti-coagulant substance in garlic. The excessive amounts of coagulation-inhibiting chemicals will result in the ingested blood remaining in a mostly liquid state in the Yeti's digestive tract, which will give it a mild form of indigestion and diarrhea.
If I had those physical traits, I'd avoid garlic, too!
Rookie fighters may easily subdue and kill Yetis.
Z
Zaghnol (Bison Zaghnol)
Foul-tempered beasts, Zaghnols are an excellent source of meat for steaks and chops. Easily found in the wilderness surrounding Pinnacle Rocks and the Donna Plains, Zaghnol calves are often stolen away from their mothers to be raised as the prize beast for the famed Festival of the Hunt in Lindblum Grand Castle. Usually, they will have the honor of being the toughest specimen to be fought during the festival, but there was one year where a Worm Hydra was actually imported from the Salvage Archipelago for the Festival - it was not a good thing, that. It took a good four months to fix everything that was broken during the ensuing scuffles, and another two months to evict the Worm Hydra from the Theater District's air-cab station.
Now, I have reason to believe that Zaghnols are in a way related to Toramas, and from there, Veterans. You see, Zaghnols can cast the Electrocute spell to charge themselves with electricity, and I figured that Doctor Taxo might have used a Zaghnol in addition to lions for his experiments in creating the Torama. Zaghnols, however, electrify themselves to build up an electrical charge for casting Thundara spells, and not Blaster spells as is done by Toramas. Zaghnols channel their Electrocute spells out of their massive cheek-mounted horns, so going for the horns might be advisable if you want to stop the spell form being cast.
Their Thundara spells are decent, but wont be any problem if you use protective items such as Coral Rings. Other than that, Zaghnols use their immense physical strength to Heave targets into the air, and then impale the poor suckers on their electrically-charged horns. They will rush towards you with frightening speed, and hit you with the broad-side of their large heads - quite a painful experience.
From the above descriptions of a Zaghnol's fighting prowess, it should be obvious that Thunder-based magic is only half as effective as it would normally be, if used against them. Much like the Toramas (which I still think are related to them by some connection), Water spells will cause their internal electrical balance to short out, and might kill them outright. As I said earlier, go for the horns if you need to take a Zaghnol down with haste.
Also, I earlier mentioned that Zaghnols are good meat animals for steaks and chops. This is the mouth-watering truth, and kings of old used to pay hefty prices to see a slab of roasted Zaghnol meat gracing their banquet tables. Colin and I, however, followed in Qu tradition and hunted down a Zaghnol for ourselves, and we sold the excess meat to the Qus for five Gil per pound. Considering that we sold them nearly four-hundred pounds of tasty Zaghnol meat, it was a good deal for both parties. On a related note, Qus like to prepare their Zaghnol steaks or chops with large drizzles of hot Dead Pepper sauce all over the dish. Alternatively, strong Blizzard Mint sauce can be used, as both of the mentioned sauces will mask the pungent natural smell and taste of the Zaghnol meat.
Moderately experienced fighters could confront and defeat Zaghnols if they wanted to.
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Zemzelett (Bubo Psychoformidabilis)
Mind over matter. That is what I think when I hear the name of the largest and most fascinating species of Great Horned Owl that has ever flown over Gaian soil. Well, I'll have to admit that Zemzeletts are not that good at taking flight, but they make up for all of their physical shortcomings by being the most amazing thinkers the animal kingdom has ever seen, superseded only by the Ragtime Mouse and Lizard Man. You see, Zemzeletts have evolved into creatures with superior cranial organs (also called brains) and have developed their latent psychic potential to the very best that it could ever be. Any one of these creatures, even the chicks, have vastly powerful psychic abilities, though of course, the young of this species do not have such fine-tuned control over their mental powers.
Despite their lack of aptitude for flying, Zemzeletts are Aerial enough to evade all Earth-based spells, and retain a weakness against Wind spells of sufficient strength. Their psychic abilities have given them the ability to even foresee anything that happens to them just seconds before the events actually will happen! So, it seems those big, dark eyes can see beyond our world, after all... If they do get caught unawares, they WILL get hit by your spells - they are more than capable of using their enhanced mental abilities to deflect or redirect attacks coming at them.
As for their offensive abilities, Zemzeletts are formidable fighters, but generally will flee rather than stand and fight. They mainly use Psychokinesis, a psychic attack which throws a target high into the air, and then lets the hapless thing take a free-fall to the rocky ground of the Magdalene Forest where these intelligent avians live. If Psychokinesis does not work in finishing the opposition or if the enemy still wants more, they shall unleash their Rainbow Wind spell unto you. Rainbow Wind is a unique psychic spell, that harnesses the energies of seven out of the eight magical elements (Earth being the excluded element here), and channels it towards a target with impressive accuracy and deadly multi-elemental effects. After using Rainbow Wind, it is almost a certainty that a Zemzelett will fling you skywards with Psychokinesis, and add in a well-timed Aero spell to hasten your fall.
In addition to all that, Zemzeletts can also use White Wind, the curative spell I first observed being used by Griffins. Zemzelett White Wind spells are more effective, however, and these gentle avians will sometimes use their White Wind spells on injured or sick travelers that pass through their nesting grounds, in the older parts of the Magdalene Forest. If you are lost in that very forest, make a series of hooting noises. If a Zemzelett is nearby, it will approach you, and might read your mind to see if you are truly lost. Then, if you are sincere in asking for its help, it shall guide you out of the forest, and bring you to the coastline.
If you ever receive help from one of these creatures, make a trip back to the Magdalene Forest, and bring some Gysahl Greens there for them. Give the Greens to any Zemzelett you see, and they shall give the gifts to the correct one. After all, isn't it only right to show your gratitude to someone that helped you in your time of need?
Most Qus, however, have little respect for these amazing avians. They will readily eat Zemzelett meat and eggs, though doing so will lead to spells of emotional unstability and mental disturbance. After all, a Zemzelett is a being with highly-developed psychic powers, and merely killing it will not eliminate all of its hidden strength.
As an extra bit of knowledge, psychic power is very much like other types of energy, and in fact could be governed using the First law of Thermodynamics - the Law of Conservation. The law states that energy cannot be destroyed, but will just be shifted from one form to another, and it is the same with psychic power. But psychic power just transfers itself from one person to another, and not from form to form. That is why those who consume these birds' meat and eggs experience all sorts of mind-related problems - their minds are not ready to receive such a great influx of psychic power. Even though the psychi power loses some of its intensity as it moves from host-to-host, it still could be quite overwhelming, especially if it comes from sources such as Zemzeletts.
Zemzeletts rarely fight, but if you want to challenge one, get some fighting experience first.
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Zombie (Homo Necrocorpus)
Yet another one of the Soulcage's Undead minions, Zombies are the source of all horror stories involving flesh-eating corpses and the living dead. They are the most common of the Iifa Tree's denizens, and anyone going for a stroll over within fifty fathoms of the Tree of Life should expect to be attacked by at least three groups of zombies (about two or three of them per group, I'd say). Little more than rotting flesh stuck onto age-worn bones by the necromaner's arts, approaching Zombies can usually be detected by the pungent smell of their rotting body and the sound of their brittle bones shifting as they move.
They don't have much as far as combat abilities go, but they get by with what they do have. Mainly, Zombies will Strike you with their gnarled, bony limbs. This method of offense, however, is damaging to them, as their decaying bodies could get broken beyond repair if they hit you too hard. Based on this knowledge, those who fight with shields as their weapons might have an easy time fighting against these particular Undead creatures - using a shield in combat, it is possible to slap their limbs until said appendages get knocked-off, or to throw the shield with enough force to smash up their bony frames.
Also, their Roulette and Melt spells are considerably deadly, given the effects of said Undead magic. Roulette is a spell which summons Death himself, and is not directed at any target in particular. Hence, Roulette basically means that someone on the battle field will be randomly killed, and if the odds are against the non-Zombies... Better hope that Lady Luck is in good spirits over them (the non-Zombies). Melt, on the other hand, is an extremely disgusting attack whereby a wounded Zombie jumps onto a victim, and dissolves itself into an oozing mass of corrosive liquid. Apparently, the less damaged a Zombie is, the more the corrosive fluid produced. So, if you want to kill a Zombie, do it fast.
As with most other Undead creatures, Zombies are weak against Fire and Holy spells, and only partially-effected by Shadow spells.
Only challenge these foul beings if you are a moderately experienced fighter at the very least.
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Zuu (Condor Infectigaleum)
Native to Cleyra's Trunk, Zuus are large avians that are distant relations of the Condors. Despite knowing how to use White Wind - the restorative spell used mostly by Griffins - they are actually virus-laden, carrion-eating birds. In fact, just touching a Zuu can actually give you a deadly disease called the Zuu Fever, if you are human. This disease is particularly virulent, and often resides within a viable human host for months before manifesting itself with its deadly sympthoms. During those months, it can be spread to other birds that come into contact with the disease-carrier, and it is not unheard of for even a simple chicken to be infected with the Zuu Fever, and then spreading the infection further.
Aside from an unusual weakness against Ice-based magic, Zuus are rather basic in makeup, with regards to their Aerial nature. Their strong claws and beaks can be rather deadly in battle, and only a fool would willingly throw himself in the way of a Zuu's Claws or Swallow attacks. Getting swiped at with a Zuu's filthy, virus-saturated talons is dangerous enough, but if you actually get swallowed by a Zuu... Suffice to say, you wont be living much longer if you are human. Only by killing a Zuu can its vice-like beak be opened forcibly, and as such, if you see a Zuu coming your way with its mouth wide open, EVADE!
Other than that, they cast decent Aera spells. Their spells are pretty accurate, though, and are particularly deadly because their own bacteria can be blown towards you by any Wind-based spells they send at you.
The Cleyrans, being the flea-bitten rodents that they are, have developed a means of cooking Zuu flesh. They fry the Zuu flesh in a flour-based batter, and the resulting food items are indeed delicious. Even humans can eat COOKED Zuu flesh, as the frying process kills any and all bacteria within the meat. Qus, which are also unaffected by the Zuu Fever, prefer to steam the Zuu flesh, and even though this method makes the meat much tastier and preserves more of its natural flavors, it is riskier for humans to eat Zuu flesh prepared this way. This is because steaming might sometimes not cook the meat completely, and even the slightest amount of raw Zuu meat can still serve as viable carriers of the Zuu Fever.
Moderately-experienced fighters can fight Zuus, but particular care must be exercised to avoid infection with the Zuu Fever.
Now, my dear readers, we have covered the biographies of every living monster on Gaia, and I shall soon end this book.
It has taken Colin and I two decades of joint research, and three decades of solo research on my half, before all the facts in this manuscript were compiled for reference.
Kindly refer to my ending note before you close this book - I have several people to thank, and you should read my closing note to be aware of who they are, and what they have done to aid me in writing this manuscript.