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| Arachnid Zombie |
Although the practice of necromancy has been outlawed for many centuries, this has only served to drive the few surviving liches to ever greater feats of experimental reanimation. Reports of the existence of zombies constructed from components of multiple different creatures are not unheard of – the most macabre of which involve the combination of spider carapaces and human cadavers.
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| Demonspawn |
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It is said that all demons used to be the servitors of the God of the Land. With the slaying of the god, their realm suffered immense trauma. Although the summoning of demons from the Shattered Heaven into the lower realms is uncommon amongst human societies in the Heretic Kingdoms, some Sura tribes (and a few Taymurian shamans) maintain pacts with demons. The demonspawn are believed to be fallen angels of fertility; they breed rapidly, but fortunately do not mature to adulthood easily.
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| Ice Elemental |
Of the many elementals known to roam in the Outlands, the Ice Elemental is of most interest to practicing Water mages, as their bones and teeth (if not damaged when the creature is slain) make powerful focuses. Unfortunately, they are essentially immune to all forms of Water magic, and like most elementals, have no weak points to be exploited by skilled
swordsmanship.
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| Taymurian
Warrior |
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The strongest combatants in the forces of Taymuria are those which have mastered the battle fever. Whereas even novice soldiers may prevail against a Taymurian raiding party, a fully armoured Taymurian warrior presents a significant threat to whole militia units. It is fortunate for the Corwenth army that Taymurians do not employ organised battle tactics (preferring to employ hit and run tactics), as a unit of Taymurian warriors in good array would be a force to be reckoned with.
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Sura Warrior |
The Sura Clans are comprised of four closely related races – Elite
Sura, Sura, Surakai and Ishkai. The simple cultural goals of the Clans – to earn money in battle – belie the complexity of their social structure, which is based upon a caste system. Sura society values battle prowess and wealth, and each Clan member is required to know their place.The Warrior caste is comprised predominantly of Sura warriors, and represents the bulk of Sura military power. Each warrior aspires to a place in the Elite caste, a goal which drives their determination and brutality in combat.The Sura are feared as mercenary warriors throughout the Heretic Kingdoms; an alliance with the Sura Clans was the underpinning principle which kept the Garulian God Emperors and Empresses in power for hundreds of years before the rise of the Theocrat.
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| Ishkai Matriarch |
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Ishkai are the smallest and weakest of the Sura races. The lowest caste of
Sura, the Serfs, is almost exclusively comprised of Ishkai. Almost worthless in battle, except as front-line fodder, they are forced by the stronger Sura races to perform menial duties. The Ishkai’s own oral history claims that the Ishkai were born of a curse, and a certain fatalism surrounds most
Ishkai. Many believe that they were born to serve, and born to suffer.Ishkai Serfs form matriarchal societies, and in the rare cases when an Ishkai has risen to join the Freeborn caste it has usually been an Ishkai matriarch who has earned the right.
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Rift Fiend |
It is known that a true Mage has the power to walk the Dreamworld and pass out of reach of the mundane world, but it is not known what lies beyond this realm of spirits and nightmares. In the rare cases where the fabric of the Dreamworld has been torn asunder, Rift Fiends have been known to emerge into the Dreamworld from some unknown place beyond. They are believed to feast upon the fear and pain of the living, and where infestations of Rift Fiends have been found, people often report suffering sleepless nights and night terrors.
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Aphotic Spider |
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These arachnids are common in the Sundered Shield Mountains that protect the northern border of
Corwenth. Because their web is used by some mages as an Earth focus, and is highly prized by courtesans for the delicate bed sheets that can be spun from it, a cautious relationship exists between the Aphotic Spiders and the people of
Corwenth. Aphotic Spiders suffer severe averse reactions in direct sunlight, which ultimately result in death, and therefore they thrive in dark environments, where the fearsome Aphotic Queens lay their eggs. To protect farmers at the base of the Sundered Shield, the Corwenth Army performs an annual cull on the Aphotic Spider population each year at the Winter Moon Festival.
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