Category:Creatures: Difference between revisions

"You have rats: and some of the ratholes have been dynamited open, not gnawed."^[1]

Main article: Rattus Faber

L.B.s, known scientifically as Rattus Faber, are sapient rats known for their cunning and skills in engineering. They're also known for regularly causing trouble for the residents of Fallen London.

• 
  Rattus Faber
• 
  A Talkative Rattus Faber.
• 
  A Working Rat.
• 
  A Rattus Faber Bandit Chief.
• 
  The Scuttering Squad.
• 
  An Albino Rat.
• 
  Rats on a String.
• 
  A Rat of Glory.
• 
  A Rat Postman.
• 
  A Rattus Faber Assistant.
• 
  A Venge-Rat.
• 
  A Metaphysically Educated Rattus Faber.
• 
  The Formerly Talkative Bearer of the Sausage About Which Nobody Complains
• 
  "In a glass case, a stuffed Postal Rat is locked in mortal combat with a preserved blemmigan."
• 
  A Turncoat?
• 
  The Ratronaut
• 
  The Rat Brigade

"The landlord of The Blind Helmsman runs an illegal spider pit in his beer cellar. The place is packed with zailors, Clay Men, and thrill-seeking aristocrats. The room smells of mud, beer, sweat... and money."^[2]

Spiders in the Neath are often bigger and more dangerous than those on the Surface. The owner of the Blind Helmsman over at Wolfstack Docks runs a spider-pit, where patrons can place their bets in a free-for-all on a spider of their choosing. Such tournaments are, however, technically illegal.^[2]

The reigning champion of these tournaments is Florence, the Stackside Spinner. This spider uses her vicious, poisoned cobwebs to ensnare and neutralize her foes, as well as her powerful speed and dexterity to always prevail in the long game. Such skill is to be expected of a frequent victor, of course.^[3]

Millie, the Moloch Street Mangler, is an enormous spider with a hook for one of her legs. She uses powerful charges and her massive size to vanquish her foes, and is strong enough to fling a spider into the air and out of the ring by herself.^[4][3]

Daphne, the Graveside Creeper, is a spider who was supposedly raised on the blood of tomb-colonists. She may be slower than the competition, but she's known for her resilience; in fact, she's rumored to be impossible to kill!^[5]

Alonzo, Scourge of the Marshes, is the underdog of the spider-rings. He may seem weak given his diminutive size, but his venom is said to burn holes in lead; this venom is even capable of making smaller spiders explode in puffs of sulphur, and even larger spiders don't stand a chance against well-placed bites.^[6]

The faraway Kingdom of Vesture, located deep within the Elder Continent, has a fair share of arachnids as well. Vesture's economy is primarily based on silkweaving,^[7] so each palace in Vesture contains an enormous spider-matriarch. These matriarchs provide their palaces with silks for making textiles, and they're generally treated with utmost respect. When a matriarch grows weary, its replacement is sourced from a nearby cobwebbed forest as a larva; because of this practice of stealing their young, the spiders of the forest have a long-standing distrust of Vesture's citizens.^[8]

• 
  Florence, the Stackside Spinner
• 
  Millie, the Moloch Street Mangler
• 
  Daphne, the Graveside Creeper
• 
  Alonzo, Scourge of the Marshes

"Green eyes meet your gaze. It fears nothing. And why should it?"^[9]

Main article: Tigers

Tigers are sapient felines from the Elder Continent. They can speak human languages, and possess substantial political influence in the Neath.

• 
  A Tiger.
• 
  The Tiger Keeper
• 
  The Minister of War
• 
  The Minister of State Affairs
• 
  The Minister of Culture
• 
  The Minister of Enigmas
• 
  An Extravagantly-Titled Tigress.
• 
  The Love-Sickened Seneschal
• 
  Tiger stripes!

"Weasels have become fashionable pets in the city of late: small, clean, fierce and very happy underground."^[10]

Weasels are more or less outwardly identical to their Surface counterparts, though they display a limited degree of sapience like many other of the Neath's animals. They're capable of singing popular tunes,^[11] playing card and parlor games,^[12] and specially trained weasels were once used by agents of the Great Game for an unknown purpose.^[13]

Weasels have recently become popular pets in Fallen London, given their natural preference for the underground and their relative cleanliness. Weasel-sellers peddle these creatures throughout the streets of Spite, and they may train their weasels to attack anyone who tries to accost them.^[10] Weasels are also eaten as delicacies by certain individuals and factions, such as Urchins,^[14] Tigers,^[15] and apparently the Boatman himself.^[16]

On occasion, Londoners pit weasels against each other in tournaments of weasels, played in weasel-pits;^[17][18] this sport is often played a bit more seriously than one would expect.^[19] These tournaments are reported in the Fighting Weasel Digest,^[20] and ravens are known for their apparent oracular abilities in predicting these tournaments' outcomes, though this practice is considered cheating.^[21][19] Certain weasels are even bred for this purpose;^[22] Araby Fighting-Weasels are a bronze-furred,^[23] powerful breed specially trained to fight in weasel-pits,^[22] and are known for their cunning and proud disposition.^[24] Unfortunately, like all sports, tournaments of weasels suffer from their fair share of cheaters, including an apparent case of weasel-doping.^[25]

The Ancient and Honorable Company of Weasel-Fanciers are a group of renowned weasel enthusiasts who regularly send their weasels out to battle Rattus Faber.^[26] They notably hand out prizes to weasels who display amazing skill, elegance, and manners,^[27] though they dislike participants who game the playing field using selective breeding.^[28]

Lucky Weasels are weasels that are renowned for their exceptional luck; this unfortunately does not imply that they bring others luck.^[29] Salt Weasels are an extremely rare variety of weasel that originate north of Fallen London in the Pale Wastes; these weasels are known for their relative guilelessness,^[30] and are unfortunately hunted for their valuable fur.^[31]

The performers of Mahogany Hall frequently use weasels as part of their performances, putting the animals in high demand in the area.^[32] But a particular tune in Mahogany Hall may cause the poor creatures grievous harm...^[33]

• 
  A Weasel.
• 
  A Lucky Weasel.
• 
  An Araby Fighting-Weasel.
• 
  A Salt Weasel.
• 
  A Weasel-Infested Velocipede.
• 
  Plagued by a Popular Song?

"A thrashing reptile rears from the swamp...twice! A head at each end!"^[34]

Amphigators are bizarre creatures that roam the Wisp-Ways of Mangrove College. They're like alligators, but with heads on both ends for twice the threat.^[34]

"Feed it only the most terrible secrets."^[35]

The Bifurcated Owl is an exceptionally mysterious and intelligent bird with an appetite for secrets. Its most notable feature is a mysterious seam that divides its body vertically, giving it its odd name.^[36] This scar actually has a strange purpose: Bifurcated Owls are capable of opening themselves up via their suture, and they like to extract secrets from nearby minds using mysterious, finger-like growths that lie within their bodies.^[37]

• 
  A Bifurcated Owl.

"It has claws; it has a fierce double beak; but just now it seems disinclined to use them."^[38]

Main article: Blemmigans

Blemmigans are sentient mushrooms with powerful beaks and a penchant for poetry. PROPAGATE!

• 
  A Blemmigan.
• 
  A Blemmigan Pedant.
• 
  A Blemmigan Gallivanter.
• 
  A Blemmigan Tourist.
• 
  A Blemmigan Voyager.
• 
  A Blemmigan... hat?
• 
  A Blemmigan attack!
• 
  "In a glass case, a stuffed Postal Rat is locked in mortal combat with a preserved blemmigan."

"Eye-watering sigils occasionally form in his fur. Writes impassioned letters to the press. Enjoys a belly rub."^[39]

The Corresponding Ocelot is a strange spotted feline that's capable of speaking human languages,^[40] and it's notorious for its passion for writing and journalism, as well as its fondness for belly rubs.^[39] The spots on its body may rearrange themselves to form Correspondence sigils,^[39] which may reflect the Ocelot's mood or experiences.^[41]

• 
  The Corresponding Ocelot

"The body is preserved in a jar: legless, scaleless, deep blue. There are tiny tentacles on its face, below its sightless eyes."^[42]

False-snakes are creatures with superficially serpentine bodies, but are otherwise very different from actual snakes. They are dark blue and lack scales,^[42] and apparently reside deep underground, with pointed jaws and facial tentacles used to burrow through dirt.^[43][42] They also seem to possess a second pair of jaws within their exterior mouths,^[44] and, like many other animals that live in extreme darkness, their eyes are also recognizably sightless.^[42]

The bodies of false-snakes have an adverse reaction to light, emitting vibrant pink toxins upon exposure.^[45] These toxins can melt even stone, and may be released when exposed to the light of the Neathbow as well. Whether this is some form of defense mechanism against predators, or perhaps against light itself, is unknown.^[46]

Apparently, false-snakes are a relative of frogs and other amphibians.^[47] Many supposedly ancient false-snakes were found west of London in the Hinterlands, their corpses preserved in a strange, icy marsh. Whether or not these creatures still roam the Neath today is unknown.^[48]

• 
  A Preserved False-Snake.

"A silent crowd of frost-moths perches on the roof of the Chandleress' home. In the faint light of the false-stars above, their idly flexing wings are the colour of dirty ice."^[49]

Frost-moths are mysterious insects that are seemingly made of ice.^[49] These creatures are an extremely common sight in the Tomb-Colonies, and to a lesser extent Fallen London, where they're often considered pests.^[50][49] Frost-moths can grow to the size of a large bat,^[51] and they're known for their fondness for candles, which they're attracted to and often consume. They also have a tendency to bite or pick at anyone who tries to repel them,^[52] and swarms of frost-moths can be quite dangerous. However, they're very fragile and sensitive to high temperatures, and their bodies melt when killed or exposed to severe heat.^[51][52][53]

Frost-moths aren't common in the Tomb-Colonies because of the climate there, however; they're born from a unique process called Emergence, in which they burst from aged tomb-colonists like they would from a large chrysalis.^[54]

• 
  A Frost-Moth.
• 
  A Frost-Moth.

"A Fungus-column lurks in the nearby Bugsby's Marshes. Twelve feet of spongy savagery, complete with lashing barbed fronds."^[55]

Fungus-columns, also called fungus-towers,^[56] are twelve-foot tall monstrosities that lurk within Bugsby's Marsh near Watchmaker's Hill, and can also be found in large herds in the tunnels below Fallen London.^[57][56] These beasts possess powerful, bladed tendrils,^[55] and are impervious to many forms of damage, including gunfire.^[58] They're valued for their caps,^[59] but Fungus-columns also tend to ooze through any cages that capture them.^[60]

Notably, Fungus-columns appear to possess a degree of sapience, and they may emit utterances that resemble threats or even smugness.^[60]

• 
  A Fungus-Column.

"Thank you. There's nothing I can give you but my blessing. And this advice: learn when to blink."^[61]

Gallblighter Wasps are red, insectoid creatures that can grow to the size of a cat.^[62] Like many species of wasp, their swarms produce an unnerving drone,^[63] and can be found in secluded, dusty places.^[64] They violently attack, or even kill, anyone who disturbs their nests, also like many species of wasp.^[65]

Gallblighters are most infamous, however, for their tendency to lay their eggs in human eyes. They often sting nearby bystanders with their ovipositors when they're disturbed,^[66] and they may also infest those who sleep too close to their nests.^[64] The young Gallblighters then gestate in the eyeballs of their victim, turning them reddish-yellow and disturbingly swollen.^[67] During the gestation process, the host's eyesight is also entirely transformed: they may see visions of past memories,^[68] fantastical surroundings,^[69] or even hidden secrets, depending on where they look. Once their time is up, however, the newly-hatched gallblighters burst free, killing their host in the process.^[70]

• 
  A Gallblighter Wasp.
• 
  The Gall-Eyed Engineer
• 
  The Blighted Classicist

"Ornament and companion, or lodging-invading pest? And what will it consume next?"^[71]

Main article: Heart-Takers

Heart-Takers, also called Heart-Catchers, are strange, plant-like creatures that "flower" by growing living heads.

• 
  A St John's Lily.
• 
  A Counterfeit Head of John the Baptist.

"Gently glowing, the serpent has a nose for devils."^[72]

The Hound of Heaven is a large, serpentine creature with gently glowing scales, a pale underside, and ruby-red eyes. This creature is famed for its ability to track, and scare off,^[73] any devils within a large vicinity,^[74] but its unclear where it draws its power from.

• 
  The Hound of Heaven

"Who's an adorable fellow, then? Well, not you, you repulsive horse-sized toad-monster."^[75]

Knot-oracles, also called Ocular Toadbeasts, are giant, toad-like creatures with several long tongues and eyes simply everywhere.^[76] These creatures reside near the prison of Wisdom, where they're used to thwart escape attempts - and execute prisoners - by eating any prisoner they can reach.^[77][78] While their diet partly consists of humans, knot-oracles can eat just about anything,^[79] and they have a notable appetite for secrets, both written and memorized.^[80][81]

Knot-oracles that have eaten people are capable of speaking human languages, and they also absorb parts of their victim's memories. To this end, the Governor of Wisdom regularly feeds hapless prisoners to knot-oracles to fund her profitable secret-trade.^[78]

The eyes of Ocular Toadbeasts are notable for being quite strange. They may reflect the things the Toadbeast has witnessed,^[82] and as might be expected of something with so many eyes, they are capable of tracking four creatures at a time. Should all of a knot-oracle's eyes focus on a creature at once, however, that poor thing's days are numbered. Some have suggested that the Toadbeast can prophesize deaths as a result of this strange behavior, but it seems more likely that the beast simply kills such victims itself.^[83]

Knot-oracle spawn are called oraclelets, and are usually no larger than a thumb. Like their adult counterparts, they still retain the tendency to stare.^[84]

• 
  An Ocular Toadbeast.
• 
  Knot-Oracles guarding Wisdom.

"The most delightful secret of the Neath: the honey of lamplighter bees fed exclusively on the Exile's Rose."^[85]

Lamplighter bees are unique insects that emit a dim glow from their bodies.^[86] Like most bees, they defend their hives fiercely with venomous stings, and produce honey and beeswax as well.^[86][87] When fed exclusively on the nectar of the mysterious Exile's Rose, they produce the popular drug known as Prisoner's Honey.^[85] However, when they're exposed to the crimson strain of Exile's Rose, the bees go mad and burrow into the minds of nearby victims. Using stolen memories, they produce contraband Gaoler's Honey.^[88]

• 
  A Lump of Lamplighter Beeswax.
• 
  A Drop of Prisoner's Honey.
• 
  A Drop of Gaoler's Honey.

"Don't worry, their screams don't really kill you. You might bleed from the ears a bit. I wouldn't get too close without protection, though."^[89]

Mandrakes are strange creatures that resemble roots with faces and legs. They're infamous for their piercing screams, which aren't necessarily fatal but still hurt,^[90] leading to the practice of "deshrieking" them using certain chemical concoctions.^[91] Even a deshrieked mandrake can sing quite loudly, however,^[92] and can often learn new songs from dedicated teachers.^[93]

Mandrakes are a common sight in the marshes near Watchmaker's Hill,^[89] and they're ferocious swimmers as well.^[94] In fact, mandrakes that have been domesticated require pots of special marsh-mud to thrive, being roots and all.^[95] Mandrakes also have a strange taste for blood, and they may display ravenous behaviors when given meat to feast on,^[96] or perhaps something even more horrific.^[97]

• 
  A Mandrake.
• 
  A Giggling Mandrake.

"Cheap but lamentably mobile substitute for candles. Evidence of Londoners' inordinate fondness for beetles."^[98]

Phosphorescent Scarabs are glowing beetles that are used as light sources throughout Fallen London, if one can stand the sound of their chittering.^[98] They're also used to power the lights in the various buoys scattered throughout the Unterzee, bobbing lonelily through the darkness.^[99]

The light of Phosphorescent Scarabs isn't derived from bioluminescence, however; these beetles actually draw their light from the small pieces of Parabola that lie within them.^[100]

• 
  A Phosphorescent Scarab.

"It followed you home from nightmares, but it's still a good dog."^[101]

The Slavering Dream-Hound is an intimidating canine with honey-scented breath. This beast is frequently seen wandering through people's nightmares in Parabola, but despite its appearance, it's actually quite friendly and affable to humans, just like any other dog.^[102] In fact, Slavering Dream-Hounds are frequently used as guard animals for adventurous dreamers,^[103] though these dogs seem to prefer to remain in the Is.^[104]

• 
  The Slavering Dream-Hound

"More a lullaby than a laugh"^[105]

Somnolent Hyaenas are mysterious beasts known for their soothing, sleep-inducing chuckles.^[106] Their true origins are unknown, but it's rumored they're born from the dreams of zebras.^[107] What is known, however, is that their eyes are viric, and may invoke visions of the faraway jungles of Parabola.^[108]

• 
  A Somnolent Hyaena.

"The story goes that spiders drink from your eyes while you sleep. Sorrow-spiders bite off a whole eye. They get their name from the tears that flow from the remaining eye."^[109]

Main article: Sorrow-spiders

Sorrow-spiders are cat-sized spiders that steal people's eyes for mysterious purposes, and can group together to form dangerous spider-councils.

• 
  A Sorrow-Spider.
• 
  A Sorrow-Spider.
• 
  A Luxuriantly Coiffed Sorrow-Spider.
• 
  A Spider-Council.
• 
  The Tree of Seasons at Saviour's Rocks.
• 
  The Tree of Ages
• 
  A Spider-Senate.

"Its wings are the thunder, its bite the lightning."^[110]

Wings-of-Thunder batlings are young, extremely large bat-like creatures that originate from the Elder Continent.^[111] Their size when fully grown is unknown, but even these youngsters are often large enough to carry humans comfortably on their backs,^[112] and due to their size, these batlings' wings emit loud, booming sounds when in flight, giving them their unique name.^[113] These batlings are also omnivorous, and can eat just about anything, including articles of clothing and other oddities.^[114]

Wings-of-Thunder batlings customarily migrate from the Elder Continent during their youth, and travel far and wide to find an artifact or secret to offer to their kind back home. These creatures may encounter many roadblocks during the course of their quests, but they're long-lived animals, and are allowed to return to the Continent upon the completion of their task.^[115]

• 
  A Wings-Of-Thunder Batling.

"The present life of man, O king, seems to me like to the swift flight of a sparrow through the room wherein you sit at supper in winter..."^[116]

Main article: Humans

Humans are medium-sized creatures prone to great ambition.

• 
  A Human.
• 
  A Human.
• 
  A Human.
• 
  Not a Human.
• 
  Erm...

"Are they really clay? Well that's a very personal question. They don't ask you if you're really meat."^[117]

Main article: Clay Men

Clay Men are golem-like beings that hail from the faraway island of Polythreme. Clay Men that lack a certain body part are called Unfinished Men.

• 
  A Clay Man.
• 
  A Clay Man.
• 
  Lyme
• 
  The Clay Coalman
• 
  A Clay Man.
• 
  A Clay Man.
• 
  A Clay Man.
• 
  The Clay Conductor
• 
  The Clay Scholar
• 
  Boris
• 
  Jasper and Frank, two Unfinished Men.
• 
  Soap, a self-proclaimed Unfinished Man.
• 
  The Pirate Poet

"Courteous, rapacious, merciless, beguiling. The emissaries of Hell are here for one purpose: souls. Well, and also perhaps the company, the sights and a little chamber-music."^[118]

Main article: Devils

Devils are mysterious beings that outwardly appear as impeccably-styled humans - though their fashion sense is notorious for being unusually ahead of its time. There's more to these beguiling folk than meets the eye...

• 
  A Devil.
• 
  A Devil.
• 
  A Deviless.
• 
  The Affectionate Devil
• 
  The Quiet Deviless
• 
  The Green-Eyed Devil
• 
  The Blind Pianist
• 
  The Gilded Minister
• 
  The Discerning Deviless
• 
  The Wistful Deviless
• 
  Virginia
• 
  The Exiled Antiquarian
• 
  The Solicitor-Baroness
• 
  The Presiding Deviless of Carillon.
• 
  Milton

"Drownies are, for practical purposes, walking drowned men. They shiver, they complain, they try to drag you under the Stolen River's surface and make you one of them. They are not neighbourly."^[119]

Main article: Drownies

Drownies are drowned humans, resurrected under mysterious circumstances, that lurk throughout the depths of the Unterzee.

• 
  A Drownie.
• 
  A Drownie.
• 
  A Drownie.
• 
  A Drownie.
• 
  The Drownie Docent

"They're actually very nice. Almost certainly."^[120]

Main article: Rubbery Men

Rubbery Men, known scientifically as Homo cephalopoda, are humanoid beings with the faces of squid. Squid!

• 
  A Rubbery Man.
• 
  A Rubbery Man.
• 
  A Rubbery Man.
• 
  A Rubbery Man.
• 
  A Rubbery Skull.
• 
  The Tentacled Entrepreneur
• 
  The Nacreous Outcast
• 
  The Solitary Glim-sculptor
• 
  A Rubbery Yes-Man.
• 
  A Rubbery Plongeur.
• 
  A Perpetually Festive Rubbery Man.
• 
  A Rubbery Herald.
• 
  A Rubbery Campanologist.

"A Snuffer. They remove the faces of men and wear them, being themselves monstrous."^[121]

Main article: Snuffers

Snuffers are humanoid creatures that like to rip people's faces off and use them as their own.

• 
  A Snuffer.
• 
  A Snuffer, wearing a comfortable face.

"SO ARE WEE SHAPEDE"^[122]

Main article: Starved Men

Starved Men are humans who partook extensively in the Shapeling Arts, transforming themselves into something beyond human.

"Pale and savage as a wolf-moon; toothed to rival the greatest of whales; and quick to take offence. Don't tease the beast. You'll be lucky to lose a leg."^[123]

Albino Morays (one may infer the existence of a regular-colored moray) are large, notoriously ugly eel-like creatures that hunt across the Unterzee.^[124][125] Albino Morays are deceptively fast, can charge their prey with surprising force,^[124] and possess sharp hooked teeth; however, they're not just dangerous while alive: their skin is tough, smells awful, and is coated in a poisonous, paralyzing slime.^[126]

Despite all these dangers, some particularly adventurous tomb-colonists may allow an Albino Moray to swallow them whole; the Moray's internal secretions are apparently quite good for the skin.^[127]

You know what they say: when you're zailing the zee, and an eel makes you flee... that's a moray.

• 
  An Albino Moray.

"We long hypothesised, from the still-glimmering corpse of this vast decapod, that it guised itself as a distant light, to lure its prey close. We discovered, eventually, that it simply pursues its prey across the zee with happy zeal. It evinces, also, a regrettable turn of speed."^[128]

Angler Crabs are enormous crustaceans with two glowing antennae, like the lures of anglerfish,^[129] and glowing, blueish blood.^[130] They come in three known varieties: the reddish Western Angler Crab, the blueish Eastern Angler Crab, and the weary Elder Angler Crab.

Despite their similarity to anglerfish, Angler Crabs do not use their luminescent appendages to lure in prey patiently. Instead, they hunt their prey the same way any other zee-crab would: with swiftness and ferocity.^[128]

• 
  A Western Angler Crab.
• 
  A seemingly friendly Western Angler Crab.
• 
  A deceased Western Angler Crab.
• 
  An Eastern Angler Crab.
• 
  An Elder Angler Crab.

"These are the younger form of gargantuan zee-crabs - driven up from their spawning grounds in the south by peculiar radiations. Younger they may be, but they are still large enough to consume a pony with messy and clattering glee, or to pose a menace to ill-prepared ships."^[131]

Auroral Megalops are large crustaceans with glowing golden bodies that roam the Unterzee.^[132] These specimens are apparently juveniles of their species and possess blue blood;^[133][132] uniquely for their species, they also possess large, non-vestigial eyes.^[133]

Megalops meat is edible but often unstable and difficult to store.^[134] Apparently, these crabs were driven from their southern spawning grounds by a mysterious radiance,^[131] which may be none other than the Dawn Machine.^[135]

• 
  An Auroral Megalops.
• 
  A deceased Auroral Crab.

"Take its teeth as trophies, and its bones for corsets. What of its moustache? So many possibilities! Cut it up for exotic antimacassars; place it over the door of your lodgings as a warning to burglars; sell it to the Young Stags club, back in London, as a mascot."^[136]

Behemoustaches are massive fish with absolutely glorious moustaches,^[136] and they're aggressive predators that favor the warmer waters of the Unterzee.^[137] The meat of a Behemoustache is edible, their bones are used in making corsets, and their moustaches make excellent trophies.^[136]

• 
  A Behemoustache.
• 
  A Behemoustache, seen from above.

"A mortal battle against parrots. That's the Elder Continent for you."^[138]

Blue Prophets are an unusual type of bird native to the Elder Continent.^[138] A single Prophet is about as threatening as an average large parrot, but in flocks they can be vicious. Their feathers are sky-blue and are considered rather valuable, especially in London and the Khanate,^[139] but unfortunately, their value has dropped due to recent supply increases.^[140]

Blue Prophets receive their title from the belief that they speak the names of those about to die. It's difficult to tell whether or not this is true or superstition, since they mostly seem to utter squawks, but seasoned zailors still try to pick out familiar names in their calls regardless.^[141]

• 
  A flock of Blue Prophets.
• 
  A Blue Prophet's royal blue feather.

"The most tormented of zee-beasts. Its murderous eyes peep from its caged flesh like convicts begging release."^[142]

Bound-sharks are enormous sharks that have been bound by implanted metallic rods, mechanisms and cages. Because of their bindings, the shark's internal organs have become almost entirely reshaped into an unrecognizable mess, causing the poor shark a great deal of agony - not that this makes the sharks any less dangerous to passing zailors.^[143][144] These bindings are also said to have mysterious secrets and truths engraved on them, though this may also just be baseless zee-gossip.^[145]

The bindings that torment Bound-sharks are not the work of nature, nor are they the creation of any supernatural entity. Rather, these contraptions are man-made, and are manufactured and inserted into the sharks by the New Sequence.^[146] The Sequencers capture and bind sharks at the Grand Geode,^[147] and also manage a shark-nursery there.^[148] Why these people subject the hapless sharks to such torture is unknown, but it may have something to do with invoking a feeling of pathos for the tormented beasts, or maybe reminding a person of their own chains, increasing one's susceptibility to the light of the Dawn Machine.^[149]

• 
  A Bound-Shark.
• 
  A Bound-Shark, viewed from above.
• 
  A stuffed Bound-Shark.

"It looks very like Flourishing-of-Years - the grand shrine-face of Visage. Something about the eyes, the sternness of the mouth. Perhaps only that it stares at the roof, just as Flourishing-of-Years does."^[150]

Jillyfish are enormous jellyfish-like creatures that roam the Unterzee, known for their luminescent purple glow and extremely poisonous tentacles.^[151][152] Their seemingly soft caps are actually hardened, allowing them to ram ships with dangerous amounts of force,^[152] and parts of their bodies may be surprisingly edible.^[153]

Interestingly, the caps of these creatures appear to have a woman's face imprinted on them; this face resembles the giant shrine-face of Visage, the Flourishing-of-Years. Some zailors report that this face may even be able to speak, perhaps of "home."^[154]

• 
  A Jillyfish.

"The jillyfleur. Is it a young jillyfish? A lesser subspecies? Do the dreams of jillyfish become real?"^[155]

Jillyfleur are jellyfish-like creatures that may be juvenile jillyfish, a subspecies, or something else entirely.^[155] Like their larger counterparts, they possess leather-tough flesh,^[156] limited edibility,^[157] and the same, mysterious face on their caps.^[158]

• 
  A Jillyfleur.
• 
  A Cured Jillyfleur Cloak.

"Those – rifts – in the Lifeberg’s surface. Are they mouths? Lifebergs do not breathe. They kill from malice, not hunger. But they speak. Dear Christ, they speak."^[159]

It's a well-known fact that icebergs don't usually move on their own, destroy ships, kill crewmen,^[160] or speak.^[159]

The Lifebergs of the northern Unterzee, for some godforsaken reason, do all of these things.

Lifebergs are known for their homicidal nature; they ruthlessly hunt down and destroy unfortunate ships,^[161][160] and may display a limited degree of sentience - in the form of malice,^[159] or even cunning.^[162] Lifebergs may also be covered in strange crevasses that are apparently capable of speech,^[159] and they may hoard the treasures of their past victims for unknown reasons.^[163]

Lifebergs produce, or may eat, a wax-like substance called hell-droppings, which are known for being highly flammable.^[163] Furthermore, London has a fair share of Lifeberg-hunters, who use specialized ships,^[164] cannons, and weapons called great-rods to destroy Lifebergs with professional efficiency.^[165] The nature of their work and their sullen temperaments means that these Lifeberg-hunters often go unthanked,^[166] but their efforts do contribute to London's paraffin and mineral trade.^[167]

Within each Lifeberg is a shard of black glass reminiscent of Mt Nomad,^[168] and these beings will not die permanently unless this black glass is destroyed or stolen.^[169] Could these facts imply that Mt Nomad is in fact their creator or progenitor?

• 
  A Lifeberg.
• 
  A Lifeberg, containing a defeated ship.

"Swollen with hate. Swollen with wisdom."^[170]

Main article: Lorn-Flukes

Lorn-Flukes are some of greatest threats to the ships of the Unterzee. These beings are aggressive towards any ship that passes by, ramming it with their spikes. They can also speak the Correspondence, making even the bravest zailors shudder with fear.

• 
  A Lorn-Fluke.
• 
  Many Lorn-Flukes.
• 
  Deceased Lorn-Flukes.
• 
  Aigul

"A bat-swarm. Madam Doctor. But they are - I assure you - feathered. Blue feathers, Madam Doctor. Tremendous feathers. No, Madam Doctor, not proportionate, not indeed. I suspect the bats of theft. Madam Doctor, no! I have not touched a bottle since Tuesday last! No, Madam Doctor! Not the hole! Not the ho-"^[171]

Milliner-Bats are quite average as far as bats go - except that they're covered in sky-blue feathers, applied with glue of all things, making them similar in appearance to Blue Prophets.^[172] Their swarms are just as dangerous as Blue Prophet flocks, however, and the bats seem to be localized to the Southern Wall near Varchas.^[173]

But how did these bats get their feathers? Did they steal them?^[171] Were they the project of a mad bat-farmer? No matter; the feathers sell well, from bat or bird.^[172]

• 
  A swarm of Milliner-Bats.

"Playful. Heavily Armoured. Cheerful. Psychotic."^[174]

Plated Seals are heavily armored, serpentine creatures that grow to around fifteen feet long. These creatures lurk in the iciest, most turbulent waters of the Unterzee, and they're capable of leaping great heights when "investigating" nearby ships.^[175] In spite of their hostile appearances, they're actually quite playful,^[174] though unfortunately their favorite game consists of biting anyone in sight with their powerful jaws.^[176]

• 
  A Plated Seal.

"A woman in an iridescent green gown waves vaguely from a rock near the shore. Sorrowful sighs waft across the water towards you. An idiot castaway? A mermaid?"^[177]

Siren-serpents, known scientifically as Serpentus sirenesis,^[178][179] are serpentine creatures with sharp teeth,^[180] bullet-resistant skin,^[181] and maws large enough to rip a boat in two.^[182] These serpents are especially infamous for their tendency to disguise their tails as alluring, humanoid apparitions while producing human-like calls;^[178] for this reason, the siren-serpent is also known vulgarly as Neptune's Harlot.^[179]

Siren-serpents lay their eggs on suitable rock formations,^[181] and young siren-serpents are called Harlot-Fry. Notably, even hatchling siren-serpents possess extremely sharp teeth.^[183]

• 
  A Siren-Serpent

"Those mosaic configurations on its wings. Do they carry meaning?"^[184]

Strange moths are nothing new for denizens of the Neath, especially for those who've stayed in the Tomb-Colonies for a time. But the vicious moths that lurk near the Ragged Crow's guiding light can leave even the hardiest Neath-dweller at a loss for words.

These Tyrant-Moths are immense, with wings the size of a ship's sails, and are strong enough to destroy ships' sails if they're not fought off in time.^[185] Furthermore, being moths, they still may remain susceptible to other tempting lights.^[186]

Tyrant-Moths are a delicacy in certain far-off places, such as Whither, where their antennae are prepared in a... delightful dish called tyrant's treat.^[187]

Given their size, mysterious nature, and destructive behavior, Tyrant-Moths are naturally the subjects of many myths and stories. Their wing patterns are said to resemble maps of the skies, or perhaps something more: charming visions of faraway gardens, winged creatures from all walks of life, or maybe the light flowing from within a glowing mountain. However, looking at these patterns too closely or for far too long may be risky.^[184] There's also a legend that Tyrant-Moths' bodies are full of sapphires, but obtaining these gems is easier said than done.^[188]

The most mysterious tale of all, however, speaks of a time when a foolhardy zailor whispered to Salt, and a Tyrant-Moth answered...^[189]

• 
  A Tyrant-Moth.

"The Beloved's underside is a network of old and overlaid scars, as though it has been disassembled and stitched together, over and over. The thing is more patchwork than creature."^[190]

Beloved are strange fish that roam the depths of the Unterzee, infamous for their grating calls and piercing whistles.^[191] Their meat is notably palatable, unlike the repulsive flesh of other zee-monsters,^[192] but their bodies may not be a product of nature; rather, Beloved appear stitched, patched up, and reassembled, evoking a suspicion of human fabrication.^[193]

• 
  A Beloved.

"Rods of steel run through the Boundling's inflamed, swollen flesh. Its body had warped to fit its cage; even its red eyes are distorted, pulled out of alignment by the band across its face."^[194]

Boundlings are unfortunate fish bound by metal cages and rods, similar in construction to the devices that torment Bound-Sharks.^[195] Their bodies are so distorted that it's unclear what type of fish they were originally, but they seem to resemble extremely large, warped tuna.^[196]

• 
  A Boundling.

"The fear of the wide black zee, and the things beyond."^[197]

The Constant Companion is an enormous monster that scours the depths of the Unterzee. These beasts can sense fear like a shark can smell blood, and they aggressively pursue any underwater interloper with a particularly strong scent.^[198] Their carapaces are also harder than steel, and broken-off pieces may continue to fidget and emit ethereal noises even after the creature's death.^[199][200]

Anatomically speaking, these creatures possess ten legs, frontal pedipalps,^[201] powerful mandibles,^[202] greenish blood, and bodies covered in hair,^[199][201] giving them an appearance comparable to a monstrously large spider. Like many species of spider, the Constant Companion carries its large, yellowish young on its body; these grubs appear weak, but they may display dangerous amounts of combat prowess, and ingenuity, should they face imminent danger.^[203]

• 
  The Constant Companion

"Oh god! The warmth! Radiance... the sun the sun the sun..."^[204]

Main article: Dawn Flukes

Dawn Flukes are Flukes who fell in thrall to the Dawn Machine, transforming their bodies in mysterious ways.

• 
  A Dawn Fluke.

"One crewman complains of hearing singing - beautiful, but constant. In the night, you hear singing too. It is his. In the morning, he is gone."^[205]

Main article: Lornest Flukes

Lornest Flukes are Flukes who roam the blackest depths of the Unterzee, possessing a massive eye in place of a core.

• 
  A Lornest Fluke.

"The bone bears all tales, my friend. It is the road that runs beneath the skin, and we follow it to the heart, where only blood is salt."^[206]

Midnight Whales are enormous zee-beasts that roam the depths of the Unterzee. Whale bones are a popular medium for scrimshaw, the act of engraving tales and information on ivory and bones, so the whale bones that are strewn throughout the zee-floor are often covered in thousands of carvings in many languages.^[207] In fact, the skeleton of a Midnight Whale formed the foundation for the society of bone-carvers known as Scrimshander.^[208]

Midnight Whales are a popular source of food for the zailors that inhabit the Gant Pole,^[209][210] and they're apparently hunted by the Chelonites as well.^[211] The bones of Midnight Whales are also full of valuable, toxic marrow,^[212] and this marrow has the colorless hue of gant.^[213]

• 
  The bones of a Midnight Whale.
• 
  Scrimshander

"Never trust anything that seems in a hurry to die."^[214]

Neither are extremely mysterious creatures that roam the depths of the Unterzee. These creatures have bodies that appear more fluid than flesh, and they're capable of generating powerful vortices in their death throes, engulfing and drowning anyone who gets too close.^[215] The darkness of these vortices may also invoke visions of a faraway place: a night sky, a dense jungle, and strange, many-fingered creatures.^[214]

• 
  A Neither.

"I can’t make head nor tail nor stomach lining of it, skipper."^[216]

Thalatte are biological peculiarities that roam the depths of the Unterzee. Apparently, these creatures possess a "beaked mouth", a "hooked sucker-maw", a "double handful of maxillipeds," and an uncountable number of other mismatched organs.^[216] Their meat is also notorious for being extremely foul, and can drive a person to madness if not processed correctly. Part of this process apparently involves a full nine-hour boil.^[217]

• 
  A Thalatte.

"A light blooms in the depths. It grows like a climbing sun. The waters bulge, raising you aloft. Steam rises from the waves."^[218]

That Which Makes Light In The Deeps is an exceptionally mysterious zee-monster that roams the depths of the Unterzee. These creatures can produce light bright enough to boil zeewater,^[218] and they possess razor-sharp teeth that are tougher than steel.^[219] Each Monster-Hunter must slay one during their initiation ceremonies, and their peligin flesh is later consumed, transforming the Hunter into something beyond human.^[220]

• 
  A Notched Bone Harpoon.

"The roiling beast seems determined to drive itself further into the deep. Your vessel bucks and heaves as the maelstrom peels the plates from your hull."^[221]

Triskelegants are strange, triangular-shaped creatures that roam the depths of the Unterzee, notable for their ability to rotate extremely quickly,^[222] generating maelstroms strong enough to damage the hulls of ships.^[221] As their name might perhaps suggest, these creatures have three mouths, each one located on a "corner" of their bodies.^[222]

• 
  A Triskelegant.

"Hellworms. One must admire the advertising enterprise of giving them such a name."^[223]

Hellworms are serpentine creatures that originate from the lands of Hell. These creatures have law-furnaces within their bodies, and they're capable of chewing tunnels through even the most impassable of cliffs, leaving behind molten rock in their wake.^[224] They're also useful for mining and processing certain rare ores and metals, even ones that don't strictly exist.^[225]

Hellworms are reared by certain devils of Hell,^[226] who use Nevercold Brass brindles to direct and secure them properly.^[224] However, they can be extremely dangerous to handle without proper training, as would be expected of such a powerful creature.^[224]

"Some splinter faction of Hell has taken an interest. Everywhere you go, the Goat-Demon is ahead of you, menacing witnesses, stepping on leads."^[227]

Goat-demons are creatures that are native to Hell, and predate even the devils' arrival.^[228] They're typically encountered as staff of the Brass Embassy in London,^[229] and they're employed as enforcers for various infernal factions.^[227] Goat-demons have hooves and fierce-looking talons that are nonetheless capable of precise work,^[230][229] and despite their bestial appearance, they're sapient and are capable of speech.^[231] In fact, they may even dress up for formal occasions.^[232] Goat-demons typically graze on the bones that litter the grounds of the Hinterlands,^[233] but they'll gladly eat entire animals, such as horses, should the opportunity present itself.^[234]

The Overgoat is an extremely powerful goat-demon, or something else entirely, that is spoken of only in whispers across Fallen London. It possesses the ability to [REDACTED BY THE MINISTRY OF PUBLIC DECENCY],^[235] and when met with another Overgoat, they may [REDACTED BY THE MINISTRY OF PUBLIC DECENCY] goat of which Goethe wrote.^[236] And when seven [REDACTED BY THE MINISTRY OF PUBLIC DECENCY] the true Caprine Authority.^[237]

• 
  A Goat-Demon.
• 
  The Overgoat!
• 
  GOAT OVER GOAT
• 
  SEVEN INTO SEVEN INTO SEVEN

"Here – the Aureate Stags of the Oncewood. The fastest short-distance beast of burden in all known Parabola."^[238]

Aureate Stags are majestic animals that reside within the Oncewood of Parabola – famed for being among the fastest steeds behind the mirror.^[239] These stags have golden pelts, soft skin, and antlers that glow like a massive candle flame or pyre.^[240] They can be formidable opponents in combat, repelling strikes with their antlers and hooves, and attacking foes with powerful bites and kicks.^[241]

Aureate Stags can be tamed, and their handlers resemble animated golden statues, carrying orbs and shepherd's crooks cast into their hands.^[242] These creatures usually consume oats,^[243] but they're also capable of consuming enemy weapons when necessary, emitting golden smoke from their ears upon doing so.^[244]

Certain Aureate Stags have silver coats, midnight eyes, and broken antlers that emit light with a unique, moonish tinge. Unfortunately, these silver stags are the runts of their groups, and are significantly weaker than their golden counterparts.^[245] Not that such stags are completely lacking in value, of course.^[246]

"ONCE UPON A TIME there was a little snake, no bigger than your finger, who lived behind the mirror."^[247]

Main article: Fingerkings

Fingerkings are powerful serpentine creatures that reside behind the mirrors in Parabola. They are the aristocratic rulers of the dream-snakes, who do not exist.

• 
  A Fingerking.
• 
  A Dream-Snake.
• 
  A Mirrorcatch Box Full of Very Angry Dream-Snakes.

"Wide wings. Quite a lot of beak. And then, where the body should be, a distortion point like something in a funhouse mirror. Looking at it makes your eyes wander."^[248]

The Focused Albatross is an avian creature that roams the wilds of Parabola. Its head and wings are just like those of any other albatross, but instead of a torso, it has a strange focal point in its center, distorting light that passes through.^[249] This distortion can focus the cosmogone light and heat of Parabola, causing the Albatross to leave behind a path of scorched earth wherever it flies.^[250] The Albatross can also vanish away its body and head when provoked, leaving behind a floating pair of wings, perhaps in an attempt at self-defense.^[251] Despite its lack of internal organs, the Focused Albatross does still eat its prey, and it may hunt for what birds typically hunt for; for example, goldfish.^[252]

The Focused Albatross resides in a stone hollow called an Eyrie, which may inexplicably turn to glass at a moment's notice.^[253] Unlike many creatures of Parabola, the Albatross does not speak, and it may line itself up, sometimes with others of its species, to refract light in a certain manner for reasons that remain unclear.^[254] Furthermore, when left in complete darkness, the Albatross may disappear entirely, leaving its wings behind.^[255] Apparently, this occurs because the Focused Albatross is not quite a bird entirely; rather, one of its parents was "cold-born", originating from the space between stars in the High Wilderness.^[256]

• 
  The Focused Albatross

"Look toward a distant forest and see the triangular fin cutting through the canopy. It is following someone – a dreamer crying out for escape."^[257]

The Pinewood Shark is a mysterious shark-like being that plagues the nightmares of a particular dreaming Zailor. This creature appears to made of, well, pinewood, and its body is sturdy enough to be used in furniture. It also bleeds resin,^[258] and its bones appear haphazard and blackened around the edges.^[259]

Notably, the Pinewood Shark cannot survive on the other side of the mirror in any capacity,^[258] but certain parts of its body are edible and can be prepped and made into delicious meals.^[260]

• 
  The Pinewood Shark

"It lives wild now, but it was bred to give testimony in the courts. Concerned with evidence, motives, and explanations, whether accurate or not. Sometimes one throat contradicts another."^[261]

Seven-Throated Warblers are avian beings that possess seven heads and seven strikingly-red throats. These creatures roam the wilds of Parabola, but they were originally bred to provide testimonies in court.^[261] Warblers reside in their Terraced Nests in Parabola, which are enormous trees with seven trunks and large canopies,^[262] and they possess beaks that are hard as steel, making them powerful fighters should they feel threatened.^[263] Their nests are also littered with many documents of ancient trial proceedings, perhaps from the Warbler's old days in court.^[264] Unlike many Parabolan creatures, Seven-Throated Warblers are also capable of crossing the mirror with no known ill effects.^[265]

Seven-Throated Warblers are capable of speaking human languages, and each head a unique personality and temperament.^[261] Because of its unique speech patterns, the Warbler's song is also known for being quite unnerving.^[266] However, the Warbler's utterances aren't always completely sincere, and they may make unsubstantiated comments or expound flattery.^[267] This insincerity can cause a severe buildup of venom in the Warbler's throats,^[268] and they spit up this venom in the form of powerful egg-shaped explosives called Hillmovers.^[269]

• 
  A Seven-Throated Warbler.
• 
  An ordinary Seven-Throated Warbler... or is it?
• 
  A Hillmover.

"Raise your arms to the sky and it will come for you. It will lift you away."^[270]

Main article: The Storm-bird

The Storm-bird is a mysterious avian being that roams the wilds of Parabola, known for saving dreamers from their own debilitating nightmares.

• 
  The Storm-Bird
• 
  A Winged Creature of Considerable Speed.

"I don't want to know. I said: I don't want to know!"^[271]

Eye-scuttlers are mysterious shapelings that once roamed the pools of Axile. They acted as servants for the Rubbery Men during this time,^[272] and based on their name, they presumably had eyes on their feet.^[273] Not much else is known about these beings, and it's unclear whether they ever left Axile at all, but they may be the original owners of the Meticulously Altered Stockings.^[273]

• 
  A Meticulously Altered Stocking.

"The Fluke exudes a thick black ink into the water. Is it communicating with its own kind in the other pools? How can a thing that resembles an oversized sea urchin hold such sway over the near-human Rubbery Men?"^[274]

Main article: Flukes

Flukes are sea urchin-like creatures that reside in Flute Street. They're ill-tempered, cannot breathe air, and might range from tiny lumps to the size of a large pumpkin.

• 
  A Fluke.
• 
  A Fluke Core.

"A moon-miser! They live on the roof – you know, the false-stars."^[275]

Main article: Moon-misers

Moon-misers are strange, insectoid creatures that reside on the roof of the Neath. They emit large amounts of light from their perches, so Londoners often call them the false-stars.

• 
  A shard of glim.
• 
  A White Glim Telescope.

"Good lord! What is this abomination? Does the Duchess know?"^[276]

Rubbery Cats are feline shapelings commonly found near Ealing Gardens.^[277] Their behavior is similar to ordinary cats,^[278] and they possess the ability to slip through tight spaces and crevasses undected.^[279]

• 
  A Rubbery Cat.
• 
  A Rubbery Feline.
• 
  A Morally and Physically Flexible Rubbery Cat.

"What did they do to this adorable horror?"^[280]

The Rubbery Hound is a doglike shapeling that roams in the depths of Flute Street. It's about the size of a wolf, but apparently very young, and it has two black teeth under its facial tentacles. This creature was apparently created in the amber and steel chambers of Flute Street, though it's unknown if its unique anatomy was an accident or not.^[281]

Rubbery Hounds exhibit many typical canine behaviors, like playing with bones or begging for food,^[282][283] but they also have an inexplicable fondness for candles. Furthermore, they possess a unique worldliness and are able to communicate through oblique means; apparently, they possess a fear of the dark and the "Great Light", a love for justice, and positive feelings towards the other shapers.^[284]

• 
  The Rubbery Hound