Animals

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Stonepecker: A large relative of woodpeckers that reside in the mountains surrounding Arove Valley. They primarily sport black and dark bronze feathers, but their breasts and crowns are a dark crimson-like color. Their average wingspan is about 140 centimeters, and they stand at just under a full meter themselves. Their hard beaks and powerful necks allow them to bore through stone with ease, hence their names. However, they’re primarily scavengers; they don’t mind carrion, and their beaks allow them to break bones and access the marrow inside, giving them a unique niche. They only live up to their name under extreme circumstances; if food is low, they’ll seek out anything that’s traversing the mountains—preferably along a predictable path. The stonepecker will then fly ahead to prepare a trap, pecking cliffs and mountainsides meticulously to create a small avalanche. Once their prey is crushed, they’ll fly down, dig their way through the rubble, and feast. It’s not uncommon for them to hunt in small groups. While they fortunately avoid humans, they will target them if the situation is truly dire.

 

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Drydesdale: A wooden golem born from the death of some of the oldest trees in a forest, these majestic creatures stand tall at a staggering 8'4" or taller and weigh just over 1200 Lbs. Their bodies are made from the tree they were born from and are covered in runes that glow a lime-green, with newly born foals often being a quarter of the height and weight of a fully grown adult. These majestic horses gather in groups of six to eight and roam the forests. They feast on the mana residing in trees and bushes alike and chew on fallen or decaying trees to turn into mulch, with the mulch becoming a potent fertilizer that can be used for farming and logging alike. Due to their wooden bodies predators in the forest don't bother hunting them, though both Beavers and Woodpeckers--alongside termites and carpenter ants--are often known to prey on young foals that become separated from the herd. They're not hostile to races such as humans and are particularly fond of races that respect nature such as Elves and Dryads, though they're less fond of Dwarves due to the smell of toxic metals they carry with them. However, while they aren't openly hostile to the various races they do still pose a danger to be around, as Drydesdales are known for their powerful kicks they use to fell decaying trees, infested trees, or any tree during times of drought - alongside an intense fear of fire. They can be tamed and used for various things such as farming or pulling carriages, so long as there are trees for them to harvest mana from. On nights where there is a full moon various herds of them will gather in a specific patch of the forest to dance, with the stomping of hooves and fancy footwork sending rhythmic vibrations into their surroundings. This dance serves to awaken some of the vegetation growing around the sacred site, which absorbs the excess mana from the Drydesdales present and uses it to revitalize the soil of the forest.