Bestiary

Baskolt - Half-horse, half-bird, flightless creatures, named after their likeness to the Bask's mythological depictions. They are the most commonly used beasts of burden or travel, adeptly evolved to navigate the difficult landscape of the Realm. Baskolts are flightless but often possess small wings which they may use to aid them in traversal, by either providing a boost or allowing light gliding

Lindworm - Great serpentine creatures that dwell deep in forests. Lindworms can grow many feet long, and may either be limbless, or have small arms and legs with hooked claws. They usually bare some form of ornament along their spines, such as spiked dorsal fins, or long, unruly manes. Lindworms are clever but deadly. Some are kind - or rather, not outright vicious - and can be reasoned with. Others only see man as another meal. A common trait among all lindworms is their latent magical ability to grow things upon which they lay. The lindworm who hoards treasure will see its wealth grow, slowly, but continually. 

Toskr - Sentient squirrel creatures, average about 1 to 3 feet tall. They tend to be clever and light-footed, with an excellent memory. Toskr tend to act as couriers for intelligent fleshless, even using their methods of travel between the material and hidden world. Though secretive and snarky, they are not hostile towards mankind. Some can even be persuaded to deliver messages on their behalf, too.

Ulebjorn - Large, carnivorous animals that take on a half-bear half-owl appearance.

Urdarkōttur - Large felines, sometimes called ghoul-cats. They come in a variety of colors like red, white, and black, and tend to have patchy fur. Their gaze is deadly, swiftly killing anyone who makes eye-contact. However, they can be combated by making them look into another urdarkōttur's eyes, or reflect their own gaze back.

Valravn - half-wolf, half-raven creatures who seek out the hearts of living beings to gain their knowledge through consumption. They are usually scavengers, though will often be drawn by fights, or attempt to sabotage those alone in the woods. The oldest Valravn are often the most intelligent, who have lived long enough to feed on the memories and knowledge of dozens of hearts. Some are even capable of speech.

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Draugr - When an afterglow takes possession of a corpse, they create a Draugr, and become trapped within the revenant. They are supernaturally strong, and do not fear "death," as it simply means freeing them from their husk.

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Trolls - one of the most common  Fleshless to happen upon in the Boreal, trolls are hulking, brutish humanoid creatures. They appear to be lacking in intelligence, and tend towards impatience and aggressiveness - though this is often an exaggeration born of fear and misunderstanding. They are in fact one of the most hospitable of the Fleshless, and have their own societies and cultures. Trolls live in hills, mountains, or underground cave systems. Trolls that live in hills or near forests tend to be lither, while their mountain counterparts are usually larger. It is not uncommon for trolls to possess traits such as: multiple heads, extra limbs, tails, tusks, or claws.

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Nisse - (pl. nisser) diminutive spirits of humanoid shape, usually sporting white beards and a pointy hat. They perform farm chores, usually under the cover of night and away from observation, living in the barn. Nisser are short-tempered, and do not take kindly to disrespect. They will cause problems for the individual who offended them, going so far as to kill farm animals. For a nisse that lives in a home, performing household chores, they are specifically known as husnisse (house nisse).

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Myling - (pl. mylingar)  when a newborn is killed, its Soullight may rise as a myling. This is a ghoul that will haunt the surrounding areas of its burial site, attempting to draw attention to its remains and the crimes of both mother and father. It may sing of its parents to spread the word. Mylingar are also known to lurk near streams and brooks, appearing as young children, luring other children to play, only to drown them so they could have a friend forever. There are two definitive ways to lay a myling to rest: you may either exhume its remains, and give it a proper burial in Rime, or give the phantasm a name - something which it was never given in life.

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Spertus - a small creature, usually partly or wholly insectoid in nature, that one keeps in a some variety of small vessel, such as a bottle or wooden box. It can be found in the wilderness, or summoned. A spertus will help you become wealthy and successful, seemingly turning luck to your side. However, once in possession of it, an individual cannot be freed of the spertus. It will always find its way back to its owner. Over time, a spertus in one's possession will Tar them, and should they die during this time, they are doomed to have their Soullight devoured by the spertus. The only way to be rid of a spertus is to sell it via currency. 

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Huldufólk - The "Hidden Folk" of the Boreal are elves that live in a world parallel to the Realm itself. They are invisible, though they may choose to be heard or seen at their will. The Hidden Folk are much like humans in appearance, though they tend to be less physically impressive with narrow bones, tall, with long hair. They are often considered beautiful to humans. Interestingly, their philtrum is convex rather than concave. They may be found anywhere, and to disturb their homes or mock them can be met with consequences that range from minor annoyances to deadly incidents. It is important to approach areas that may hold the Hidden Folk with polite caution.

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Nixie -shapeshifting water spirits, who often appear as beautiful humans who play enchanting songs on their violins. At times, these performances may be harmless. At others, the nixie may choose instead to drown its audience. There are even tales of nixie's falling in love with humans, and choosing to live with their partners. However, nixies separated from water for extended periods of time will grow despondent. For the enterprising performers, some nixie are known to offer music lessons to those that provide appropriate offerings. 

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Mare - sometimes also known as night hags, mares are humanoid spirits, considered witches, that sit upon a person's chest during sleep, suffocating them and giving them terrible nightmares. Mares often take the form of smaller animals, especially cats, birds, and hares.