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Full Name:
Infernosus dirus (Fearsome Boar from Hell)

Nicknames:
"Hell-Pig"; "Hell Boar"; "Hogs From Hell"; "Monster Pigs"; "Dire Boar"

Biomes:
Grassland Plains, Woodlands, and Scrublands

Creature Notes: Known as the bullies of the plains, the infamous Dire Boar have rightfully earned their fearsome reputation, taking the title of being the largest species of boar in Astraia. Usually seen farther north in cooler, more open environments, a small population had made their home near Hillhaven and have no intentions of leaving anytime soon. An average boar can grow up to 1.35 meters (4.5 feet) tall at the shoulders with 65 cm long skulls, however the largest specimens have been known to grow as big as 1.82 (6 feet) meters tall with 90 cm skulls. They are highly aggressive and will chase anything that gets too close within their territory with surprising speed.

However, much like their smaller relatives, Dire Boars are omnivorous. They often eat hard fruits, stems, and roots, while usually scavenging off dead animals and chewing their bones for marrow. They rarely hunt anything bigger then an adult Navik, however they have been known to prey on smaller or juvenile animals if given the chance. Human interactions are rare, yet there had been reports of vicious maulings by lone males or defensive mothers. Dire Boars usually resort to violence as a last resort, as they usually scream loudly at their opponents as effective intimidation efforts. Still, one wouldn't want to wrestle with an aggravated boar.

Only one death had been reported, being that of a trapper who shot into a group of boars and caused them to attack and rip into his flesh. They ate him soon after.

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Full Name:
Lanivenator horridus (Horrible Woolly Hunter)

Nicknames:
"Woolly Raptors"; "Llamaraptor"; "Alpactors"; "Woollied Freaks"; "Spitters"; "Murder Llamas"

Biomes:
Grasslands and Alpine Forests

Creature Notes:
Founding prowling in the alpine forests of the Mosscrag Mountain Range or scouring the lower grasslands, woolly raptors are cunning as they are vicious. Standing at 2 meters tall and 5 meters long, these carnivorous creatures are essentially wolves in sheep's clothing (or raptors in llama clothing) and often hunt in pairs or in small packs. They have long powerful forearms tipped with three sharp claws, with powerful back legs each sporting a sickled claw. They are unusual creatures in Hillhaven, being considered as dangerous pests by farmers and ranchers as they've been known to kill adult livestock and snatch vulnerable calves who've strayed far from the herd. Woolly raptors are surprisingly intelligent, often having individuals distract adult animals or human ranchers away while the others go in to pick their meal of choice. One way they can distract or disorient their quarry is by spitting at their eyes, attempting to blind them before initiating their next move.

The evolution and taxonomy of these particular predators has been highly debated in the scientific community. Some consider these creatures as a branch of highly-specialized, carnivorous descendants of ancient llamas, while others believe they are bird-like creatures having undergone convergent evolution, yet being in no way related towards their mammalian relatives. Considering they are not native to the continent of Astraia, many suspect that the neighboring continent in the south is the catalyst of the woolly raptors and their alikeness. This debate still rages on to this day.

While these creatures have not yet been domesticated, local natives often kill these raptors for their precious wool which in turn are made into fine warm clothes and blankets to survive the winter seasons. Their wool can come naturally in white or grey to reddish-brown, golden-brown, brown, dark brown and black.

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Full Name:
Basilisk cocatris majoris (Greater Cockatrice)

Nicknames:
"Cockatrice"; "Basilisk"; "Chicken-Dragon"; "Chragon"; "Murder Chicken"; "Hell's Chicken"

Biomes:
Mountainous Regions

Creature Notes:
If you hear an alpha male Cockatrice announcing the morning sun with its booming call, then it's best that you run for cover! An elusive yet revered creature, the Greater Cockatrice is a ferocious beast having the body of a wyvern and the head of a rooster. While they are not the largest wyverns - standing at 5 meters tall at the shoulder, with a length of 15 meters, and an overall wingspan of 12 meters - they have been reported to be notoriously aggressive. They are infamous for chasing or eying their aggressor for miles, making sure that they won't be coming back anytime soon. Some have reported that a Cockatrice's gaze as being so intimidating that it often leads to its victims being frozen in fear.

Male Cockatrice roosters sport a large red wattle used for display and to attract mates. Each individual also has tiny needle-like teeth within their mouthes, with yellowish-tan neck feathers, and dark cyan feathers upon the rest of their bodies and bat-like wings. Their tails are long yet featherless, with a ball of needle-like spines at the tip. And like all raptors, Cockatrices also have a sickle-shaped claw on their feet that allowed them to slash and tear at their prey's flesh.

A Cockatrice's territory is enormous, with estimations capping in of ranges in between 3 - 5 miles per individual. Thus it's not often you would see one of these magnificent beasts, let alone two of them outside of breeding pairs. Many natives had reported seeing grand fights between two individuals (mostly males), possibly over territory or food. At least 1 Cockatrice has been seen dwelling in the northern mountains just a few miles from Hillhaven.

As their name implies, Greater Cockatrice are only one of a few species of Cockatrice, although they are considered to be the largest. The Lesser Cockatrice (Basilisk cocatris minoris) have been reported in the southern regions of Astraia, being far smaller then their Greater cousins, as well as more commonly distributed, and are often found residing in swamps and wetland environments.

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Full Name:
Equus ūnicornis (Unicorn)

Nicknames:
"True Unicorn," "Wild Unicorn," "Natural Unicorn"

Biomes:
Light Woodlands, Forests, Deep Forests

Creature Notes:
An elusive animal prized for their pristine coats, elegant nature and inherent magic. The hunt and capture of wild unicorns has been banned in Astraia for years now, their numbers having dwindled from poachers harvesting their horn and blood - which have been said to make for particularly potent magic ingredients. Most people go their entire lives never seeing one lest they travel to the Capital Zoo, as unicorns in the wild shy away from people and other animals, and prefer a solitary lifestyle as opposed to herds. It's also said they can sense good and evil in individuals, but this has never been proven. They are quick and powerful creatures, though with less stamina than their distant cousin the horse.

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Full Name:
Equus ūnicornis × Equus caballus (Unicorn)

Nicknames:
"Common Unicorn," "Domestic Unicorn," "Ule"

Biomes:
Domestic Animal, Light Woodlands, Plains

Creature Notes:
Bred to be the best of both species, the common unicorn is quickly becoming what most people think of when they hear the word "unicorn." The common unicorn has the strength, speed, and stamina of a horse, with the beautiful mane, coat, and mystic horn of the true unicorn. They tend to be slightly smaller than horses, with typical blood - lacking the rumored "magic blood" of the wild unicorns. Their temperaments tend to skew more toward the "true unicorn" side, being notoriously picky with their riders and handlers. Although eles have proven capable mounts and particularly skilled in use against fighting off aggressive predators, being hybrid animals they are extremely difficult to breed - in fact they were once thought to be completely infertile, but modern husbandry techniques have been successful in some cases. Despite their rarity, they are still a much more common sight than the "true unicorn."

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Full Name:
Ursicanidus gigas (Giant Bear-Dog)

Nicknames:
"Bear-Dog"; "Brutes"; "Ravagers"; "Tailed-Bears"

Biomes:
Temperate Woodlands, Grasslands, and Alpine Regions

Creature Notes:
Currently recognized as the largest member of the family Ursicanidae - standing at 2 meters high at the shoulder, with a 2.5 meter length, and can weigh as much as 600 kg (1,300 lbs) - the Giant Bear-Dog is a majestic creature rarely seen by the average man. As their genus name implies, bear-dogs have been classified as having attributes of both bears and dogs. However, smaller species looked and acted more like wolves, while larger ones acted more like bears despite usually having a large heavy tail, thick neck, robust limbs and canid-looking teeth. This means that based on their morphology they can replace the local niches of any one of those particular animals.

Despite most species of bear-dog being primarily hypercarnivores (animals who's diets are comprised of 70% or more from meat), the Giant Bear-Dog's diet is more omnivorous, being more comparable to that of true bears. Still, its diet is comprised roughly 60% of meat, meaning it often hunts medium to large sized animals to supply its huge mass. They're well known for being capable of taking down a fully-grown Droger alone if they are hungry enough, as well as occasionally driving off large true bears off their kills.

Most of the Giant Bear-Dogs live in the northern hemisphere, with only a handful of encounters in the mid or western regions. At least several individuals had been tamed by several Dwarven kingdoms to be utilized as mounts for battle. It's currently unknown as how they were able to tame them, although the most probable explanation is that they've raised their cubs from a young age.

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Full Name:
Sus scrofa unicornis (Unicorn Boar)

Nicknames:
"One-Horned Boar"; "Unicorn Boar"; "Uniporcus"; "Unicorn Hog/Pig"; "False Unicorn"

Biomes:
Woodlands and Deep Forest

Creature Notes:
A species of large boar native to the western regions of Astaria, the Unicorn Boar is famous for the unicorn-like horn jutting out of its forehead. It's been seen used by male boars for jousting each other and for attracting mates. Females have a smaller, more blunt shaped, horn.

Some native tribes consider this boar to be sacred and only hunted for special occasions. It's hunted for both its meat and for its horn by eastern kingdoms as they claim it has magical properties.