Yeah, I admit I laughed a bit but it followed some disappointment. To be perfectly honest, I was sorta expecting this - if a massive amount of beasts could barely scratch Shasi, then he'd have to die from something stupid like this. Oh well, atleast I fought most of the Seven Deadly Sins creatures in this. Only Sloth left (I haven't made Envy yet, though I do have a concept for it, only problem is working it into the game).
Anyway, third beastiary entry - I'll end the polling on Saturday.
Beasts - Pt. 3
Cockatrice
Large bird-like monsters, possessing the body of a black, quadruped beast, huge wings, and the head of a rooster.
These beasts are very deadly, mostly for their ability to spew a petrifying gas that is stored in the sacs on their throats. It's possible, although difficult, to puncture it, which makes them unable to use it's breath attack.
Even without the ability to petrify any traveler unlucky enough to come across it, a Cockatrice still possesses large claws which can easily sever limbs, and it's bites are nothing to scoff at either - I've seen an unlucky villager get torn in half after the beast latched onto his torso and started shaking.
Interestingly, the petrification doesn't appear to simply turn the afflicted to stone - the process, in a presumably excruciating manner, appears to reshape the victim into other forms, including completely different types of body or even multiple individuals, before stopping. The resulting statue appears as though it had been crafted by a master mason.
Gargoyle
Winged, humanoid fiends. It appears they are attracted to whatever causes some parts of the world to become corrupted, as they are found nowhere else - otherwise, they have no particular preference for any climate.
They are carnivores, and will eat both the living and the dead - they seemingly prefer to feast upon those who have died recently or who are still alive, although they won't turn away from long-dead carrion. Gargoyles are also pack animals, and are almost never found alone - should you decide to explore one of the tainted regions, don't forget to look to the sky for any groups of them.
A layer of stone covers most parts of their external body - piercing through it might be a bit difficult, and it certainly makes their punches and kicks a lot more painful. It appears that this stone is atleast partially organic, as it heals very quickly, along with their skin.
Don't be fooled by their humanoid appearance - in terms of intelligence, gargoyles are more similar to wild animals than any living being. They don't respond to any emotional appeals, and they cannot be domesticated - all they care about is feeding. Of course, they also have an instinct for self-preservation, and if you can kill a few members of a gargoyle pack, the others should flee.
Chimera
An unnatural beast - it has three heads - a lion, a goat, and a reptile, a pair of bat wings, and a scorpion's tail. Quite rare, they seem to often make their lairs in ruined shrines.
As with most multi-headed creatures, they can bite with all three heads at once - combined with their size, it allows them to easily rip any smaller creature to shreds. Their stingers also house a powerful venom - I've seen those unfortunate enough to have been stung by one of these beasts, and I've yet to see someone survive it - it seems to completely paralyze the body, including the lungs.
Their wings are powerful enough to carry them through the air, despite their weight - this makes it more difficult to flee, should a fight with one go badly.
They are most likely the results of strange experimentations performed by wizards and the like - while the chimera panics, it appears its heads struggle for control of the body, something that doesn't happen in other multi-headed creatures. It appears the lion's head is in control most of the time, unless it is decapitated, in which case another head becomes responsible for moving the body.
Griffon
A majestic, proud quadruped with wings. It has the head and front legs of an eagle, and the back legs of a lion.
It appears they never hunt for sport, unlike a lot of the more exotic beasts I've come across. However they appear to hold grudges and will track those who attempt to harm them, possibly back to their settlements, at which point they'll raid them, causing potentially large amounts of destruction and casualties.
They don't appear to have any special abilities - they don't really need them, though, as their ferocity and size alone are enough to kill even the most seasoned warriors. A scratch from its talons is enough to sever whole arms and legs - it's beak can do the same.
It is possible to domesticate them - I've known adventurers who would sneak into Griffon lairs and simply steal their eggs, then raise the babies when they hatched. They make great mounts and very loyal companions, if tamed.
Mammoth
Relatives of the elephants, they have adapted to the cold regions of the world.
They are covered with a large amount of wooly fur - quite useful for clothing. There is not much more to say about them - they are slightly more aggressive than their relatives from the savannas, but otherwise act similarly. They can even be domesticated and trained for war or as mounts.
Shoveltusk
Territorial herbivores, found in the cold regions of the world.
They possess a single large antler, and two tusks. Both of these are used for defending themselves, and also to establish dominance.
While not very aggressive, they will nonetheless get agitated if one was to stray too close them - at which point, it's best to simply run, as they can easily kill a lone traveller.
Races such as the Vrykul use them as pack animals. They can also be used as mounts, when tamed.
Mossrova
Fungal, vaguely bovine-like quadruped.
They are generally a peaceful and skittish animal, very rarely attempting to retaliate, and preferring to run from any predators.
However, while they are unlikely to kill any traveller directly, they are able to indirectly kill those who eat their meat or drink their blood. Due to the hallucinogens coursing through their system, their different organs can cause different effects. Most of them have a period where one feels great, and, for example, doesn't need to sleep, eat or drink, but that is often followed by a withdrawal period, with symptoms such as drowsiness, or bleeding from the eyes.
Other organs, most notably the brain, have no positive effects to speak of - they will instead cause vivid, terrifying hallucinations, often driving the afflicted into a confused frenzy. While they may calm down after some time, oftentimes they have to be put down, due to them becoming violent. For this reason, most races simply don't attempt to domesticate them.