A Dance of Fang and Claw: The Ranger Archives Volume 3, page 51
Why this is the case remains as much a mystery as their perception.
As for killing a Naerwitch, aim for their protruding torso and swing hard—you don’t want to get into a prolonged fight while your fire is dying. Once you lose the light, you lose your life.
Anther Grane, Ranger.
Greyking - Like the Arkilisk, the Greyking is another sub-species of the Basilisk, which is itself a sub-species of the incredibly rare King Basilisk. Firstly, I would like to talk about their size as I’m sure that would be on any ranger’s mind when something as big as a Basilisk is mentioned. The Greyking sub-species fits nicely between the dog-sized Arkilisk and the Basilisk which, of course, is comparable to a horse. I believe the largest Greyking on record was just shy of seven-feet in length, so no easy beast to bring down.
Unlike those of the broader species, the Greyking does not possess a venomous bite. That’s not to say its bite can’t kill you—it most certainly can. However, depending on the season, the Greyking will either remove your limb with a single bite or implant a number of eggs into your body. I, personally, have come across two victims who believed they had survived their encounter with a Greyking by some miracle. Of course, once those eggs mature they poison the blood, resulting in a deadly fever. Once the victim has died, the newly-hatched Greykings begin to eat their way out.
It is not a sight for the faint-hearted.
Eletta Gelding, Ranger.
Banefisher - Devils of sea and land I say. They plague the coasts from north to south paying the weather no heed, for neither heat nor blistering cold can bother them. Their outer layer is that of a crab, a natural armour that can also lend them the appearance of a rock should they curl up on the beach. Upon their two feet—webbed claws—they stand at six-feet tall. Now these beasts are fast on land and even faster in the water, so mind your surroundings.
I’ve seen the buggers eat, or consume I should say. They have four rows of translucent fangs and an extendable jaw that can fit a man’s face neatly inside. Don’t let them get that close. You’re going to need something with a bit of weight behind it if you’re to crack their shell exterior. I would recommend a war-hammer or spiked mace even.
Hamish Harclaw, Ranger.
Red Daliad - At two-feet tall, these monsters might not appear all that threatening, especially since they seem all legs with an almost indiscernible body. But hunt these beasts with caution in your step. Should you wander into their nest (see A Charter of Monsters, Page 212, for known locations) they will quietly, almost innocently, approach you with feigned curiosity. Do not be fooled. They regard you as naught but prey.
When close enough, the Daliads will leap for you, their hooked legs fanned out. It is then that you will see their mouths, located on the underside of their small body. They’ll take chunks out of you while their hooks barb your skin to keep them anchored.
One of my earliest contracts was to exterminate a nest, just west of Vangarth. There were two of us, in fact, and I was the novice. I watched my mentor disappear, his body overtaken by these red monsters.
Now, depending on the size of the nest, you can either take your sword to the task or - as I did - use a portion of the contract money to hire a mage. If you take the latter route, for the larger nests, insist that the mage uses a freezing spell. The Daliads have a curious resistance to fire. I will continue to research the reason for this.
Rogaer the Blueblood, Ranger.
Ghola - If I’m being honest—and I know I’ve been discouraged by my peers to voice as much—it would be easier to relocate the village or town plagued by a Ghola than to kill the monster.
I have checked the records and found only one instance of a ranger killing a Ghola. The records are limited, however, as that same ranger died from injuries only moments after defeating the beast.
Luckily for all of us, Ghola dwell solely in the mountains. They rarely venture beyond them, only doing so if they feel their territory is threatened. Such was the case of Harvest Snows, a small village outside of Longdale. As you know, this area of the world is nestled well within the stony walls of The Vengoran Mountains (known colloquially as Vengora).
As you might not know, Harvest Snows no longer exists. Or, rather, it is no longer inhabited. Should you happen across the village site you will find naught but the shell of a village. From what I can tell of the records from the time, the village was in the process of expanding, soon to become a town in fact. That must have been when the Ghola felt threatened.
Now, the reason I suggest relocation over tackling the monster is their speed. Ghola can only be described as supernaturally fast, despite appearances being likened to a human. Before dying, the ranger who fought the beast described it as no more than a blur with claws.
Folaf Ingerson, Ranger.
Dathrak - In the cities, I have oft heard the pigeons be referred to as ‘rats with wings’. If such a phrase was to be coined for Dathraks, it would be something akin to ‘a Basilisk with wings’. In truth, one of the strongest theories I’ve come across actually suggests the Dathraks are distant cousins of dragons.
If the true size of dragons is to be believed, then Dathraks are considerably smaller. That’s not to say they aren’t large monsters in their own right. The largest recorded possessed a body close in size to a shire horse. Believe me when I tell you, a Dathrak will have no trouble snatching you in its claws and returning you to its high nest (see A Charter of Monsters, Page 112, for known locations).
On two legs, their stance is not dissimilar to that of a vulture’s. Their snout is even beak-like, with a razored hook on the end. ’Tis their hide that sparks the debates regarding their relation to dragons. Dathraks are scaled from head to tail and hard it is too, harder than any scales a Basilisk might boast. See below for list of viable poisons and proven traps.
Arn Grawly, Ranger.
Urgal - It is highly unlikely you will ever encounter this creature, but there are two accounts in our oldest archives that detail Urgals, and so I have chosen to make an addition to our growing bestiary.
Having thoroughly read the reports from our long dead colleagues (it should be stated that neither man ever met, with forty years between the death of one and the birth of the other) I can see that their descriptions of an Urgal are identical. And disturbing.
The Urgals were seen north of Snowfell, at the base of The Vengoran Mountains. This alone would suggest that their species inhabits the area. There are local myths and legends about Urgals, though most in The Ice Vales refer to them as Goblins.
At a reported three-feet tall, they are green of colour with large pointed ears. They’ve sharp teeth and lethal nails on their six-fingered hands.
Now for the disturbing part.
According to both late rangers, the Urgals they encountered could speak and even wore clothes, if a little shabby in their appearance. Furthermore, it was reported by both that the creatures possessed a level of intelligence on a par with a human. It was the creatures who named themselves as Urgals, in fact.
The second ranger to meet an Urgal made note of tools hanging from several belts around its waist, though their purpose was never recorded. Nor was their reason for being around Snowfell.
With that, they remain a mystery.
Elswyn Palona, Ranger.
Harkon - Vicious aquatic hunters, the Harkons could best be described as eel dogs. They hunt in fresh water such as lakes and rivers (see A Charter of Monsters, Page 203, for known locations). They can reach up to twenty feet and weigh up to four hundred pounds.
It’s a myth that these creatures possess a venomous bite—as far as humans are concerned that is. To the fish it shares a habitat with, the bite of a Harkon means death within seconds. That’s not to say their bite doesn’t mean death for a human, for their jaws are extendable and capable of taking a limb, given the opportunity. A fully grown female could snap a man in half.
As with any monster who calls the water their home, Harkons can be difficult to hunt (see below for suitable list of bait).
When it comes to killing them, I would recommend using poisoned bait. Failing that, you’re going to need a spear and a lot of patience.
Good hunting.
Cal Phesto, Ranger.
Fade - A nightmare of the Shadow Realm, of that there is no doubt (see Monsters of the Deep World). ’Tis a plane of existence that should never have been tampered with, but I could write a book on the arrogance of mages.
The Fades are either brought through from their world and let loose or they find a way through to our world due to a mistake on the mage’s part. Either way, they will seek to create chaos in our world. Fortunately, in most cases, these creatures of the abyss are taken care of by the mages of Korkanath (they don’t want magic’s reputation to be tarnished after all).
Rangers are called upon when these monsters find people—and they will find people. They seem to be drawn to civilisation, as if we are no more than play things for their entertainment.
Fades are categorised by their appearance: unnaturally tall and thin, cloaked in black, they attack with claws the size of your hand. Unlike Wraiths, kin from the Shadow Realm, salt will not aid you in your fight. It is known, however, that Fades cannot cross iron. Even a fallen sword is as impassable as a stone wall. This makes for subtle traps—use them well.
Kasira Cornwell, Ranger.
Kruid - A good old-fashioned monster if ever there was one. If you’re yet to accept a contract on one of these beasties, perhaps you haven’t spent enough time in The Arid Lands, typically Karath. Kruids hail from The Undying Mountains, a place no man can say much about. Adding to the mystery of the mountains is, in fact, the Kruids themselves. It is unknown why they only appear during the summer months, though I would guess it has something to do with their food supply.
When it comes to slaying these monsters, you would be better off sharing the contract with another ranger, maybe even two. They’re easy enough to kill, but they’re big. The best description I can give would be to compare a Kruid to a scorpion, except they can reach twenty feet in length.
Now, as long as you have a sharp enough sword, you’ll do just fine. I would suggest assaulting as a team so you can distract the beast, specifically its pincers. Keep them busy, and you can attack from the sides.
Robyn Kobb, Ranger.
Skitter - Sometimes referred to as Ice Spider. These buggers start out life no bigger than your hand and can grow to the size of a small house. If you come across the latter, leave well alone. No contract reward is worth the risk.
I should also say, if you come across the smaller ones, there will be hundreds of them and their mother, one of the big ones, won’t be far away. Leave them all alone too.
Anything in-between is manageable. They appear to go through a phase in their adolescence that sees them isolate themselves, especially the males. When taking them on, use fire. Their icy hides are so sensitive to heat that even light has been known to burn them.
Elgor Thrice-Bitten, Ranger.
Cruul - A Cruul, pronounced ‘Cruel’, is well suited to its name. These monsters—a distant cousin of the Hell Hag—dwell in deep lakes, the darkest depths their home.
The majority of their bodies are made up of tentacles, and long ones at that. They reach up, towards the surface, and wrap a single tentacle around their victim’s leg. Once their human prey is ensnared, they will drag them down and then let go, allowing the person to swim back to the surface. This is by design. The Cruul wants its victim to shout for help, thereby bringing more into the water.
With up to a dozen tentacles, the beast can easily drag down numerous people. There is no escaping it then. There are no records in the older archives that detail any ranger ever killing a Cruul. Most are slain when the problem is escalated to the local lords or even kings and queens, who have access to court mages.
Suesh Nas-Arteese, Ranger.
Narkul - Known as the Mushroom Folk to some, these monsters do not actively hunt out human prey, though they are more than capable of killing humans.
When left to themselves, Narkuls will simply get on with their lives but, should their territory be disturbed, they will not only protect it but consume those who have wandered into their path.
Their true form is unknown due to the sheer number of mushrooms that protrude from every inch of their bodies. We do know they are capable of standing on two feet and possess two stubby arms.
Their main form of attack is to rear up and burst a number of mushrooms on their chest. The spores and flesh that explode from these mushrooms will melt you to the bone. (If harvested correctly, this substance can be used as a weapon against other monsters).
Killing Narkuls is relatively easy, though it does feel cruel to kill an animal for no more than defending its territory. Still, a contract’s a contract.
Wovun Bhear, Ranger.
Wither - Forest dwellers—the darker the better. In fact, a prevailing myth surrounding these creatures suggests they possess some ability to darken the areas they inhabit.
At six feet tall, they are entirely covered in coarse black hair. Beneath all this hair stands a beast not unlike a wolf. This likeness ends, however, when taking into account the ram-like horns on their heads.
Exclusively meat eaters, these monsters have no problem eating humans should they cross paths. Of course, it is not very often the two encounter each other, as most people avoid these strangely dark areas of the forest.
When a contract arises though, and they do from time to time, you need to know how to tackle the creatures.
Firstly, they live in groups of male or female. The two only mix when it comes to mating season during the autumn. From studies, there seems no difference between the male and females when it comes to facing them, but it should be noted that the females are more territorial.
Galus Kroma, Ranger.
Husk - These skeletal monstrosities haven’t been seen for some time, though they are worthy of note in our fine bestiary. Their origins is unknown to our order of hunters and, perhaps, even the mages of Korkanath. What we can all agree on, however, is that magic had its part to play.
The beasts do not have brains or working minds as we do—they do not even possess organs. Their bodies are capable of reshaping its form to match whatever prey has endured the misfortune of crossing it. They simply engulf their victim from head-to-toe, wrapping around them like strips of filthy cloth, and leech every ounce of energy. You see, these creatures are not named for their appearance, but for the manner in which they discard their prey.
Steel, neither sharp nor blunt, will aid you here. Fire is key when it comes to destroying Husks. Until fire and flame are required, prey to the gods that the monsters stay in seclusion.
Beregor Nine-Fingers, Ranger.
Scelda - Known as Gremlins to those who call The Shining Coast their home. Scelda burrow in and out of the white cliffs in the east - excellent climbers. The people of Velia and Barossh, in particular, have started many a legend about these small creatures. Most of them are absolute twaddle, the spindled tales of storytellers with nothing better to do.
Ask any along the coast and they will warn you of Scelda, the baby-snatchers! ’Tis ludicrous, of course, since these s0-called Gremlins prefer to eat stone over meat. The only real threat these monsters have ever had was nigh on three centuries ago, when they displayed a liking towards the hewn stone of Velia’s walls. Small as they are, however - and none have ever been recorded as being taller than one’s knee - it would take hundreds, if not thousands, to weaken Velia’s walls.
Still, if you piss the little bastards off you can imagine the bite these stone-eaters are capable of. Best kill them quick, eh.
Old Bill, Ranger.
Hell Hags - You best be having some years behind you before taking on a contract for a Hell Hag. One wrong move—or if you’re too stupid to plan ahead—and you’re Hag food. These wicked specimens of life call swamps their home, and the worse the better. If you can’t see through the water or you feel the trees around you have gathered to defy the light, you’re probably right in the middle of their lair.
Now, I’ve heard some talk of this evolution rubbish, as if monsters can change according to their environment, but no one can argue that Hell Hags were designed by the very scaled hands of demons themselves. Atilan protect us.
To see a Hag from the shore, you would think you were watching some poor girl drowning in the swamp, even crying out for help, arms flailing. You’d be wrong. And if you dived into the water to save that girl, you’d be dead too. That girl—at least what you can see of her—is the humanoid bait that protrudes from the top of a Hag’s back. The spider-like creature that dwells below the surface is a monster you wouldn’t soon forget. They vary in size, but I’ve never seen one dredged out of the water that was smaller than my horse.
You can see below the numerous methods used against Hell Hags over the years but, more than anything, you’re going to need a big set of lungs.
Veador Hemsmith, Ranger.
Royal Gobber - I’m sure you will agree that slaying Gobbers is nothing short of fun for the experienced and exhilarating for the recruits, but—and there is a but my fellow rangers—a Royal Gobber is a completely different beast.
