Category:Creatures: Difference between revisions

The Neath is home to myriad forms of flora and fauna. Of course, said flora is often fungal, but we take what we can get. The animals of the Neath aren't quite as starkly different from their Surface counterparts, but they're much more intelligent for one, and some can even talk. A few species even form societies of their own, which may compete with human civilization.

Assorted Animals

Rats

"You have rats: and some of the ratholes have been dynamited open, not gnawed. An infestation of L.B.s, aka rattus faber! Viciously intelligent rats who set traps for humans! No landlord or Constable will tangle with these."

Rattus faber are an unusual breed of rat: they are sentient and can make tools, even complicated weaponry like rifles and explosives, and generally operate like tiny cunning humans. (They are bipedal as well.) There is a large population of these on Pigmote Isle, though that is not their location of origin. Where exactly they came from, and how they evolved from normal rats, is unknown.

Dead rats are often tied up on strings and used as food among London's lower class; members of the Topsy King's court are particularly fond of this delicacy.

A group of exceptionally dangerous rats by the name of the Rat Brigade roam the High Wilderness in search of employment. Their members have been scattered, however, after being betrayed by one of their own. 

By the way, "L.B.," their colloquial nickname, is just short for Little Bastard.

• 
  A Talkative Rattus Faber.
• 
  A Working Rat.
• 
  A Rattus Faber Bandit Chief.
• 
  The Scuttering Squad. The best mercenaries the Neath has to offer.
• 
  An albino rat. Poor thing.

Weasels

"We don't mean he brings luck to you. Things just work out for this cheery little fellow."

Weasels are more or less identical to their Surface counterparts in term of demeanor. That being said, they are renowned for their exceptional luck. But a particular tune in Mahogany Hall may cause them grievous harm... (Pop goes the... oh no.)

On occasion, Londoners pit weasels against each other in tournaments; certain weasels are even bred for this purpose.

Salt Weasels, a rarer variety, originate north of the Iron Republic in the Pale Wastes.

• 
  A Lucky Weasel.
• 
  An Araby Fighting-Weasel. Ferocious and cunning.
• 
  A rare Salt Weasel.

Spiders

"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."

Spiders in the Neath are often bigger and more dangerous than those on the Surface; the most notable species being the sorrow-spiders that rip people's eyes out. 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.

• 
  Florence, the Stackside Spinner.
• 
  Daphne, The Graveside Creeper.
• 
  Alonzo, Scourge of the Marshes.
• A sorrow-spider. Be very afraid.
  A sorrow-spider. Be very afraid.

Zee-Beasts

"There are some things we were not meant to know, they say. But you wouldn't be down here if you took that seriously." Beyond this point lie spoilers for Fallen London, Sunless Sea, Sunless Skies, or Mask of the Rose. This may include midgame or minor Fate-locked content. Proceed with caution. You can find out more about our spoiler policy here.

The Unterzee is practically overflowing with creatures and monsters unlike any on the surface. Many are (relatively) docile unless a zailor crosses into their territory, and many ships in the Neath are specially designed to deal with these horrors if they are encountered.

Zee-crabs

"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."

The Neath is riddled with crustacean menaces (aside from the big one). Of note are two species of zee-crab that are driven from the south by an unknown radiation.

Auroral Megalops are a glowing breed of zee-crab that roam the Southern Archipelago of the Unterzee. Despite being the smallest and least dangerous of the zee-crabs, the Megalops are still ferocious enough to endanger an ill-prepared zee-captain.

Angler Crabs are the more common species of zee-crab, notable for having two glowing antennae, similar to that of an Anglerfish. Despite this similarity, the Angler Crab does not use its luminescent appendage to lure prey patiently. Rather, the Angler Crab hunts its prey the same way any other zee-crab does: with swiftness and ferocity.

There are other species of zee-crab, of course. One particular individual was big enough to form Temtum (Hideaway).

• 
  An Auroral Megalop.
• 
  An Angler Crab.

Jillyfleurs and Jillyfish

"From above, the jillyfleur's cap does look a little like a woman's face. She dissolves like smeared paint."

Jillyfish are enormous jellyfish that roam the Unterzee. The smaller Jillyfleur may be the juvenile form of the Jillyfish, or maybe an another species entirely.

Both monsters share a common feature: they both have a woman's face on their cap, which constantly facing upward. Peculiarly, the faces on all Jillyfish look very similar to Visage's giant shrine-face, the Flourishing-of-Years. It also seems that some Zailors report that the face can even speak. What does that one say? "HOME?"

Lifebergs

"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."

Icebergs do not move or speak. Nor do they consume ships and kill crewmembers, or carry cargo to the Avid Horizon for purposes unknown. The Lifebergs of the northern Unterzee, for some godforsaken reason, do all of that.

Within the Lifebergs is a shard of black glass reminiscent of Mt. Nomad. Does the predator from Void's Approach create these moving icebergs? One thing known for sure is that a Lifeberg will not die unless the black glass inside of it is destroyed or stolen.

• 
  A Lifeberg, containing a ship.

Blue Prophets and Milliner Bats

"A mortal battle against parrots. That's the Elder continent for you."

Blue Prophets are unusual bird species that nest on Crying Heights, from where they prowl Carnelian coast of the Elder Continent. Single Blue Prophet proposes the same threat as a usual big bird, but in flocks they are merciless, and their beaks hit hard, even metal hull couldn't save you for long.

Some believes, that Blue Prophets can predict future, that they can speak the names of those about to die. Truth or not, it is hard to determine, because they mostly squawk, but seasoned zailors still try to distinguish familiar names from it. Also, their blue feathers are valuable, especially in the Khanate.

"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-"

Wait, those are not Blue Prophets! They are just usual bats. Well, as long as feathered bats considered normal. But it is easy to mistaken them, Milliner Bats have the same aggression in fight as their feather bird friends. But how bats ended up feathered? Is that another case of Elder Continent miracles? Or some form of cross-breed? Or a project of mad taxidermist? No one actually cares, as long as feathers sell well, glued they or not.

Albino Morays

"D--n me, it's an ugly thing! Even uglier dead than alive. Friendlier, though."

Albino Morays are huge eels often found around the Khanate, hunting smaller zee-beasts and careless zee-captains. Their pale heads, sharp teeth, and small red eyes are typically the only parts of their bodies visible above water... and you'd be very lucky to only see these, as they often outgrow medium-size ships.

While slow most of the time, Albino Morays can charge at their prey at dizzying speed - and they're not just dangerous while alive. Their skin looks disgusting, smells awful, and is coated in poisonous, paralyzing slime that keeps them safe from predators. You know what they say: when you're zailing the zee, and an eel makes you flee... that's a moray.

Behemoustaches

"The mouth gapes. The eyes are dull."

Behemoustaches are merely huge fish, but with glorious moustaches. (Seriously.) They're aggressive predators that favor warm water; their size tends to attract hunters, though their sheer fury deters wholescale industrial fishing. Their bones, known as stygian ivory, are used for making corsets and decorations. Behemoustache meat is tasty... and the moustache is always a nice trophy.

Bound-Sharks

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

Bound Sharks are sharks that have been bound since at least infancy by metal rods and cages. Infant Bound Sharks are known as Boundlings. Because of their bindings, the shark's internal organs reshape themselves entirely. Of course, their bindings do not make the sharks any less dangerous.

The bindings that torment Bound Sharks are not the work of Mother Nature, nor are they the creation of any supernatural Neathy entity. No, these contraptions are man-made, and are manufactured and inserted into the sharks by the Sequencers.

• 
  A stuffed Bound Shark.
• 
  A Boundling.

Knot-Oracles

"The knot-oracles are always hungry, but they are also delicate in their tastes. Their - meals - must be prepared assiduously."

Knot-oracles are giant frog-like creatures with eyes everywhere, which reside around the prison of Wisdom in the Sea of Lilies. Their primary prey is humans, and knot-oracles who have eaten people become able to speak human languages. They are used to prevent the escape of prisoners in Wisdom, and sometimes as a means of execution.

• Knot-Oracles guarding Wisdom.
  Knot-Oracles guarding Wisdom.