Creatures of legends and fairytales

Dragon There are fairytales about fire breathing creatures with wings and three heads in Triman. However, no one can bring any proof of their existence and the church will call out any tale as false. On the other hand, they are quite popular tales at the tzars court.

Firebird The firebird is a mythical creature that is said to appear from time to time in Triman. It is seen as a symbol of Svarog, with Svarog being said to have the ability to shape-change into one. The appearance of the bird is seen as a good omen, and a highly religious event. Although not sacrificed to, the bird is revered. The firebird is a bird with long tail covered in brightly coloured, almost golden feathers and a long tail. Scholars disagree if the bird is actually on fire, or if the feathers make the bird appear to be on fire. It is illegal by Trimanian law to kill or harm a firebird. The firebird is said to have the following magical properties: - healing - speaking with a human tongue - resurrection: a firebird can elect to die to bring someone back to life. Anyone resurrected that way will serve Svarog for the rest of their life - the ashes of a firebird can be used in a dark ritual to attain undeath Omens: While the appearance of a firebird is always seen as a good omen of Svarog, there are variations: - a firebird appearing at the birth of someone: that person is destined for extraordinary greatness in the service of Svarog - a firebird appearing before a battle: victory in an otherwise hopeless situation - a firebird appearing in a church: major dispute for the priests to resolve A dead firebird is on the other hand a very bad omen: - A dead firebird was found in the palace before the death of tzar Vladmir - Someone nailed a firebird to the gates of Vostokograd before the city was sacked - There was found a dead firebird in Jarslav when Kniaz Mstislav disbanded the Bogatyr

Myrkallen

A hairy humanoid that lives in swampy waters. They fish like bears and make baskets out of reeds. You have little to fear from them as they are shy and easily scared. They revere Svarog and supposedly reward good deeds with gifts.

Giants The giants are said to live far north of Triman, beyond the Sviatogor monastery. They are said to have been the first people, that existed before humans were created. These giants worship the Black Serpent and demons, but are themselves not inherently evil. Their misfortune is that they were never reached by Svarog, and never heard Svarogs word. They have thus not learned craft and agriculture, but live primitively in caves, dress in animal pelts and hunt with clubs and stones. Since they are uneducated, a human can prevail against them by outwitting them. Stories about giants usually include human shapeshifters, hunting expeditions and magical artifacts hidden in the land of the giants. Hopskotsj A vile creature that steals chickens and suck the blood of goats, the hopskotsj has the body of a large hairless hare, the face of a pikefish and a long pointy nose. It is not deadly to large creatures, though it can savage you somewhat fiercely, the real danger of the hopskotsj is that crops fail around it and disease follow in its wake.

Starushka-KlevatThere are many good reasons for children to stay out of the woods. There are wolves, adders, bandits and werebears there, but nothing is as perilous to a wandering child as the Starushka Klevat. Old she is and haggard too, like a twisted dead tree, moss grows on her gnarled hands and awful things crawl in her manhide clothes. Her eyes are empty black pits and how you'd wish her mouth was too but nay, no wolf has as awful fangs as she does and no adder such vile poison. If you in the woods should spy the footprint of a giant duck then go the opposite way for her cabin stands and walks on a pair of duck feet, so dont think you are safe just because you live on the other side of the river. At night she will traverse the woods, looking for lost children to put in her cauldron for she is a most vile cannibal and when she puts on a feast she will invite Berstuks, vampires, Volkolaks and all manner of monsters that feed on humans. A witch she is, horrible spells and curses are concocted in her cauldron and put in the skulls on children for later use, be wary of human skulls in the forest they may very well be hers! But know this, one chance you have! For she is bound by these rules: She cannot speak lies, she cannot go back on her word and she will always accept an invitation to dinner.

Giit Is it poisonous, venomous or toxic? all three, of course!

Berstuk

A horrid monstrous humanoid of massive stature and unnaturally long limbs. The Berstuk is perpetually hungry and can eat an entire village empty of food, animals and even people during a single winter. They can take the shape of humans and are so unnaturally cold in their true shape that even touching them causes immediate frostbite. They are mostly found in the northern mountains and beyond Triman.

Kobold Kobolds are said to dwell in the mountains in the north. They are said to be small, primitive creatures that steal chickens, goats and sheep (not to be confused with the Hopskotsj), do harm to equipment and can sometimes attack lone travellers at nights. The most vile crime that they commit is the stealing of children, where they leave one of their own children in the crib in stead of the child they steal. Kobolds use simple equipment and arms, and can be found with stolen armour fitted to their small bodies, javelins they use as spears and daggers they use as swords. Kobolds are said to have a language and live in villages, however no one has ever seen their villages and no one knows their language. They are said to understand some words in Trimanian. While a creature of legend to most, during the reign of tzar Dobroslav the church of Triman demanded kobolds to be considered equal with humans under Trimanian law. It is thus illegal to kill a kobold except in self defence, and in case of thievery, the kobold should be caught and tried.

Maregnome The Maregnome (Martomta) is a creature that is sent by evil sorcerers to bring harm to a home. It hides at day in the house or in the barn, or sometimes near the house, and comes out at night. It steals food, makes noise, often howling outside in the night. Often it does a mockery of household chores, ruining food, sewing, knitting or carving that is left unfinished before nightfall. It's difficult to expose the maregnome, as it can become invisible at will. When it is visible, it seems like a small humanoid creature, with long unruly hair, claws and glowing eyes. A maregnome can be chased out of the house by a special ritual. If the ritual is done improperly, the maregnome will return, giving the inhabitants of the house nightmares and often causing fires in the house. There has been more stories of maregnomes since the civil war broke out, and many take the maregnomes to be a bad omen.