Shardworld - the Game (Guide thread)

[Amaterasu]

Bestiary

Placeholder for now.
This is/will be a list of animals, critters, beasts, monsters, demons and whatever odd beings might navigate the Shardworld. (Mini-)Bosses and beasts specific to a single Shard or two (such as followers of a certain god) are not listed here, instead they will come under that specific Shard.

Bandit[spoiler]Most Shards have them. Often times they are unfortunate people who had to step outside the law to support themselves and their families, others do it for riches and enjoyment.
Bandits can be cutthroats that are best skilled with a knife, or snipers that use the bow to great skill.[/spoiler]
Bear[spoiler]A bear is a beast like no other. They are big, deceptively fast for their size, they have thick hides and lots of meat, and with their mighty claws and muscular bodies they can swipe even seasoned hunters off their feet. Hunting down a bear is an impressive feat and a source of lots of meat and a warm hide.
Bears are relatively rare and usually encountered in mountaineous cool climates.[/spoiler]
Boar[spoiler]While they are a source of delicious meat, they should not be taken lightly. Especially protective parents can make quick and painful work of unprepared adventurers with their tusks. Boars can be encountered in most temperate, non-civilized shards, especially in forested areas.[/spoiler]
Crab[spoiler]Most beaches have them, but the really big crabs are what's dangerous: with claws able to match the strength of a human arm and a tough carapace they can be dangerous foes.[/spoiler]
Demon[spoiler]There's several types of demons, mostly the Imps which are petty demons and the Lesser/Greater Demons. Demons are often familiars to a skilled summoner and require some skill to maintain, though others serve certain gods as well.
Imps are the weakest demons and ill-suited for battle even with a weapon. They are the size of three stacked apples.
Lesser Demons are a whole new level, they are bigger than humans and even bare-handed pose a great threat. Some have wings or can use magic.
Greater Demons tend to be Bosses at lower levels and Mini-Bosses at high levels. They are brutal beasts proficient in melee and magic combat which are feared by wildlife and adventurers alike. It is said though that if someone were to discover a demon's true name somehow they would be able to subdue that demon simply by pronouncing it.[/spoiler]
Dire Wolf[spoiler]The staple monster of every D&D campaign, a dire wolf is what happens when you are confronted by a pack of wolves and ask: "Could this get any worse?" They are big as a horse, usually with dark fur and more dangerous than a dozen wolves by themselves. Often times they are the alphas of packs of normal wolves.[/spoiler]
Elemental Slime[spoiler]Slimes are known for their tenaciousness and their ability to adapt to any given environment.[/spoiler]
Pixie[spoiler]Pixies live almost exclusively in Pixie Forest, though some may stray from the Shard and explore others. They are small fairy-like beings with a tendency for mishief (they like to steal shiny things) and deceptively strong for such small sizes - a Pixie can lift as much as a shortsword or a rock. They're not aggressive though unless attacked.[/spoiler]
Skeleton[spoiler]They can be encountered in the same places as the skeletons, pretty much. Skeletons are relatively fast, make no noise, feel no pain and are relatively durable, especially if the bones are fresh. Depending on the skill of the necromancer that animated them they may wield weapons and even recompose themselves after being destroyed, making the only viable method of killing them to grind their bones - though killing the necromancer is also a good option.[/spoiler]
Slime[spoiler](Basic, Elemental, Biome-Specific (like "Forest Slime" or "Tundra Slime").
They're kind of everywhere, really. Slimes come in various sizes which dictates their strength, some also are elemental and for instance on fire or covered in electric energy. Generally, even big slimes don't pose a threat to most adventurers, especially if dealt with correctly.[/spoiler]
Tree Ent[spoiler]They look like big trees, and live among the big trees. In short, a not-so perceptive adventurer may walk through a copse of Tree Ents without ever realizing it.
Luckily Ents are slow and peaceful beings, protectors of the forest. If you deforestate an area systematically, then yes - do expect them to get angry at you. They are very capable fighters, dishing out enormously powerful melee strikes and throwing whatever item is nearby at their foes.[/spoiler]
Vampire[spoiler]Vampires are indistinguishable from humans, elves, dwarves or whatever race they are, except for their behavior. They are immortal and very powerful beings of the night who can survive for aeons without any food or drink, although if they get no blood for a while they lose strength and become less humanlike.
Vampire blood transmits their condition, thus drinking one's blood, even if it's mixed with water, can transform someone.

While vampires are predators of the night, they are a prime target to Paladins and Nighthunters, which purge the world of their presence. These groups have figured out many ways to slay a vampire:

-Holy magic, holy water, blessed crucifixes or other blessed religious icons. Vampires are especially vulnerable to holy magic, but chucking a bottle of holy water in their faces or coating one's weapons with it is also an effective way to deal with them. Religious icons must have been blessed by a priest or similar in order to ward them off, and are not as effective as offensive weaponry.

-Sunlight burns vampires, causing them to emit a thin white smoke from their skin surface. While it doesn't kill them it blinds them much more than regular humans and reveals them easily.

-Garlic has a limited effect on them. Its smell causes severe headaches, but can be avoided simply by covering up their nose.

-Werewolf blood will kill a vampire if it is ingested as it's poisonous (including if a vampire bites a werewolf to feed from them). The other way around, vampire blood will kill a werewolf as well.

-Wooden stakes are a perfect way to instantly slay a dormant vampire, or one that's held down by other means. By driving a wooden stake through their heart with a hammer they die immediately. However it takes great sneaking skill to get up to a dormant vampire and apply this method.[/spoiler]
Werepyre[spoiler]These are extremely rare and extremely powerful. A werepyre is an individual that was bitten by a vampire AFTER being bitten by a werewolf before they could turn into one themselves. The only way to do this is if a vampire bites the individual within ca. one hour of the werewolf doing so. A werepyre enjoys the advantages of a vampire without needing to feed on blood (however, they can) and of a werewolf to a greater extent: they can transform at any point during the night, not just during full moon.

Werepyres obsessed with power can further grow by selectively drinking the blood of a single species only. Around 700 litres of blood are required before the werepyre will acquire that species' features to their Werepyre transformation, becoming a [Species name here] Werepyre - for instance, an Ursine Werepyre or a Draconic Werepyre. They are arguably the most feared creatures of the night.

Werepyres share the weaknesses of vampires and werewolves: they are vulnerable to holy magic, sunlight, holy water, stakes, religious symbols, silver and cannot endure the smell of garlic. They are not vulnerable to vampire or werewolf blood, however.[/spoiler]
Werewolf[spoiler]Werewolves are the archenemies of vampires and predators of the night: they are individuals cursed with "Lycantrophy", who transform at full moon during the night. They are bipedal wolves with brutal physical strength and speed as well as great defense. When transforming they heal any damages they may have sustained, including even severed limbs or missing eyes. If they bite a human or wolf while transformed, they transmit their condition, turning them into werewolves too.
Were-animals also exist, however they are merely more ferocious and dangerous during a full moon and do not transmit Lycantrophy. They are the result of a werewolf biting them.

Werewolves are especially vulnerable to silver weapons, even the touch of silver burns them and causes a lot of pain. Vampire blood kills them within seconds of ingesting it. Werewolves are also "only" as strong as their non-werewolf selves until a full moon comes up, but remain vulnerable to the above items at all times even when not transformed.[/spoiler]
Wolf[spoiler]Encountered in most non-civilized Shards, especially cool or cold-climate ones. Wolves are particularly dangerous when encountered in packs - and they travel in packs. Though not very aggressive, if they feel threatened they can quickly turn.
Dire wolves are much bigger and much more dangerous. Sometimes they can be pack leaders or even have their own pack.[/spoiler]
Wyvern[spoiler]They're kind of like big bats. Coming with a tail, wing-arms and sharp talons they are known for swooping down and taking off with some livestock in their clutches to bring back to their roost. Fighting one is generally risky.[/spoiler]
Zombie[spoiler]The Unliving. Zombies are encountered in evil areas where necromantic powers are at work, usually in the ruins of old cities and towns - especially around graveyards. They are rather slow, half-rotten and groan audibly so they are not too challenging by themselves - which rapidly changes if confronting several of them at once. Zombies rarely go by alone and their groans attract other zombies. Because they are undead they feel no pain, the only way of really disposing of them is destroying their brain.
Zombies also are rotting and thus carry all sorts of diseases in their bodies. Their preferred method of attacking is biting, so it's important to avoid letting them grab you.
In some cases zombies can have elemental effects to them or wield weapons that they used before dying.[/spoiler]

Unfinished
Elemental Slime - Water, Earth
Guard
Imp
Lesser Demon
Oversized Critter - Rat, Spider, Snail
Pixy
Rogue Elf - Warrior, Archer, Arcanist
Shark
Skeleton
Slime
Tree Ent
Wizard
Wolf
Wyvern