AMANOJAKU

Amanojaku present themselves as small oni that are typically little more than one to three feet tall, if even that. They are often pudgy and squat in appearance with dark, bruise-colored skin that seems to be a sickening hue of red-brown or bruise-blue. Traditionally, they are fond of performing all manner of wicked deeds and have been known to kidnap, devour, and-or flay a human and wear his or her skin in a bid to impersonate them; however, within Kannagara, they serve a more sinister purpose.

As Amanojaku are capable of seeing into a person's heart, they are also capable of provoking a person's darkest desires, thereby instigating their victims into perpetuating wicked deeds and birthing the conflict the Oni so love. Because of this and despite their short stature and distinct pudginess, they are the most basic foot-soldiers employed by the malevolent forces of this world. They are exceptionally skilled at concealing their presence, which also makes them ideal for this purpose. For some reason or another, though, they have not been able to utilize the latter ability as readily as they are accustomed and have thus become more visible and readily detectable by their favorite prey: those brought by the Gods to Kannagara.

Wherever there is a heart, so, too, is there an Amanojaku. There is but one place an Amanojaku cannot tread within Kannagara and that is upon shrine and temple grounds, for they, being the lowest and most vile creatures, are not permitted to walk upon any sacred ground.

Difficulty Level: 1/10-4.5/10

BASAN

Basan are literal, giant devil-chickens. They may or may not be unusually colored (think peacock, when they are) and possesses a distinct, unnatural beauty such that the sheen of their feathers makes them appear to glow softly even in the darkest of places.

As a combatant, Basan are nothing to be laughed at. Their primary method of attack involves the breathing of ghost-fire from their beaks. This they may do in concentrated blasts or in waves. To do the latter, they unhinge their beaks and release equally intense ghost-fire in waves. This ghost-fire, which may be any color save that of regular fire, is damaging to other supernatural beings and those to those brought into Kannagara by the Gods, but has no effect upon nature or even the seemingly man-made structures that exist within this realm they calm home. Second to this, Basan attacks using its sharp beak, which is far from delicate in that it is more solid than rock.

Being fowl of a sort despite their clearly supernatural origins, Basan respond to human disruption of their routines and habitat using the fight-or-flight equation commonly utilized by creatures found in the wild; however, as they are supernatural beings and devils at that, they are more dangerous than your standard chickens. They are also known to be more than capable of flight, but are less likely to flee than other fowl as they are territorial. This especially applies should their nest be nearby or the target of the disruption.

Basan make their home in a variety of different climates and terrains. At this time, they may be found semi-commonly in all countries except Wind Country.

Difficulty Level: 3/10, but if you can't take a chicken seriously, 6/10 hands-down!

CHOCOBO

Chocobos are an avian race anything but native to Kannagara. Like most avian races, they lay and hatch from eggs, sport feathers that cover the majority of their fit bodies, molt, and possess both beaks and wings. Those unfamiliar with these birds may find their appearance most unusual, for the common chocobo is yellow in color and possesses large, blue eyes. The standard adult chocobo's size makes it a capable, comfortable mount for, at the very least, a single adult male whilst some are capable of carrying two or more passengers. Their wings are small and weak and render them flightless; however, as individuals who are familiar with these majestic birds may well know, they are far from useless should they be domesticated.

In their native worlds, they are the "birds of burden" who replace the horse, which is arguably the most versatile, traditional "beast of burden". They make up for their inability to fly with their their long legs, the muscles of which are powerful and enable them to cross great distances in short periods of time; they are capable, too, of transporting cargo and pulling things like wagons. They also possess a distinct odor by which one will know a chocobo has been in a place, is present, or is nearby. When not seen, but heard, they may be identified by their common cries of "Wark!" and "Kweh!".

The chocobo is not the most impressive combatant. Its standard and most common attack is pecking. That's right. Pecking. Although a pecking or nipping chocobo beak is nothing to joke about if you've ever been victim to one, it does not make the most effective weapon against most monsters or prominent, humanoid races and, while not necessarily the most intelligent animals, chocobos seem to know it as they are bigger on flight than they are on fight, which is probably a good thing given they are birds and do not possess as much health as other creatures. Due to their powerful legs, well... if you aren't mounted, good luck catching a fleeing chocobo! Additionally, chocobos appearing in Kannagara will be able to cast a version of what those familiar with magic would call "Cure" upon itself that will extend to anyone riding it and standing immediately north, south, east, and west of it, be they friend or foe.

Chocobos are, by and large, birds with attitude. They are not purely instinctual and do have personalities that affect their interactions; however, as the chocobos appearing in Kannagara are undomesticated, common adults, they are distrusting of humans and most any humanoid races and given to flight over curiosity about their humanoid neighbors more than ninety percent of the time. They may only be tamed through the use of Greens, which are not present in Kannagara at this time, and only when they are the last member of an enemy party standing; they may also be temporarily tamed through the use of illusory abilities, but only temporarily.

At this time, Kannagara's chocobo population is moderate and the majority of chocobos present favor forests and plains. As such, they are more likely to be encountered, and with greater frequency, within Himorogi, Grass Country, Rain Country, and Fire Country. Although they are less likely to be encountered and with much less frequency save in Water Country, chocobos may be found in all of the remaining countries except for Wind Country. Characters may begin to notice the presence of fairly large tri-digit bird tracks left in areas frequented by their new neighbors.

Difficulty Level: 2/10 - 4/10

DRAGON

These reptilian creatures all have two things in common: they can breathe fire and they can fly. They all have personalities that differ in species, and are as intelligent as dolphins and have a dry sense of humor. While wild, they can be tamed and be used to your character’s company if he or she takes the time to gain its trust. To befriend one, one must start by offering it fish, poultry, and/or livestock while not looking at it in the eye at first, as it makes the tamer look predatory. Then, by constant and daily interaction, you can introduce them to head scratches, reflected light (similar to having a cat chasing a laser beam) and garlic grass, which is the dragon-equivalent to catnip. By constant positive reinforcement, any dragon can be your most loyal companion, and then eventually a mount. A tamed dragon is not a domesticated dragon, however, and they have fierce personalities and do not take abuse well. If it believes it is being mistreated, the dragon will eventually leave, and the trust is lost forever. But treated well, and a dragon will fight to the death for the protection of its rider.

To combat a dragon one must make loud noises to confuse it, throw water to its face so it won’t breathe fire, and clamp its mouth shut. They also fear and hate eels for some reason. Any wound that is fatal enough can kill it, and a dragon that looses its tail (or even parts of it) and/or its wings is also a ill-fated dragon . Wild dragons can be found anywhere except in villages (with the exception of Terrible Terrors, who are often found sneaking into storehouses) and shrines, but tamed ones can roost on the rooftops of their riders’ homes or nearby trees.

Dragons are also found in Yomisato, where they are cruelly treated and are used for fighting as sport and gamble, similar to dog and cock fighting.  With their wings clipped so they cannot fly away from their horrible conditions, these dragons are abused and resigned to their conditions; and are mean and will not hesitate to attack or even kill any living thing. While possible they can gain loyalty from another person who is earnest in their attempts to befriend them, it will be a long and difficult process to earn the trust of an abused and neglected dragon, even more so with wild dragons due to terrible past experiences.

If you want to have a dragon, you have to encounter one from the wild or an abused one and interact positively with it. Dragons are impossible to buy due to their loyalty  to their tamer and won’t accept anyone else unless mistreated by said owner.

NIGHT FURY

The rarest of all dragons, the Night Fury is intelligent and analytical and  the hardest to tame. With its two pairs of wings, the Night Fury can stay in the air the longest than any other dragon, as well as it is the fastest and the most difficult to see at night due to its pitch-dark coloring. It’s body is long and stocky, and very cat-like in its movements. This dragon is the only one capable of a complete vertical liftoff. An incoming Night Fury from above gives a ballistic sound before it release its fire attack: an indigo-colored ball of extreme heat that explodes on impact, giving devastating damage. The Night Fury is a picky eater and if it eats something it doesn’t like, it can regurgitate its meal, and sometimes it comes out completely cooked thanks for its fire breath. If it feels like you are being left out on its feast, a Night Fury will be perfectly regurgitate its own meal just for you. Night Furies are the most intelligent of the dragons, as they can mimic its riders’ behaviors such as shrugging its shoulders, rolling its eyes, can learn artistry (albeit in a very crude, primitive way) and mimic smiles by flexing its own lips. They also have the unique trait of “hiding” their teeth within recesses of their mouth, giving them a toothless appearance until they shove the gums back, showing their sharp teeth.

Difficulty Level: 6/10

MONSTROUS NIGHTMARE

The most aggressive and powerful of the dragons, the Monstrous Nightmare is a bat-like dragon that can “walk” on the tips of its wings. Their massive wings is used for intimidation while on the ground, but it slows the dragon down in terms of speed - but beware, they are still quick, as they are quicker in the air. The tips of their wings are very tactile, and can have the dragon walk on any surface to make up the lack of speed. It has a snake-like body with red, purple, or bright green scales, and its mouth is similar to a crocodile’s and can swallow full grown men whole. Its fire has a sticky substance, clinging to walls and dripping, like lava. Fast, foul-tempered and strong, the Nightmare is the first to enter a fight and the last to leave it. The Nightmares also have the nasty habit of setting themselves on fire without damaging themselves, so they are one nasty dragon to fight against . . . or one nasty dragon to have by your side.

Difficulty Level: 6.5/10, but if you are caught in a Monstrous Nightmare’s rampages, a definite 7/10!

TERRIBLE TERROR

The smallest of the dragons and the most common, the Terrors are about the size of an house cat with various skin colors such as green, yellow, red, and blue-green and  is the most lizard-like of all dragons, with the gecko-like tendency to lick its overlarge, yellow eyes and being toothless as well. Terrible Terrors usually sneak into houses and storehouses to steal food, though sometimes they hunt prey as large as a goat in packs. While pack-hunters, they spend most of its energy to territorial in-fighting. However, their strength in numbers is nothing to laugh at: at a rare two hundred strong, Terrors can carry away a full grown sheep. Extremely curious, Terrors can be anywhere at the least appropriate moment. The Terrible Terrors have small fire blasts that are so pin-point accurate that it is easy to compare them to the snipers of the dragons. The only way you can know they are about to breathe fire is when they start to make a hissing noise, in addition of their preferred method of attacking by jumping at the face. When tamed, these little dragons are like terriers, but far more destructive, so one must be ready to do some extensive housebreaking. They are also the easiest to tame: just by offering them a fish, they will become comfortable enough to take a nap by your character’s side. They are the only dragon that can be found in villages as wild.

Difficulty Level: 4/10

GRONKLE

The toughest of all dragons as well as the second most common, the Gronkle is grumpy, lazy, and slow, and is more than likely to fall asleep to mid-flight than to bother listening to you. Brown in color and very round, heavy, short and with its tiny wings it looks like a flightless dragon. However its wings beats in a similar matter of a hummingbird, so while sacrificing speed it makes up for the kind of maneuverability no other dragon is capable of, such as flying backwards or hovering. Gronkles have a heavily armored tail that they can use as a kind of battering ram, as well as tough skin that has pebble-like scales. Their jaws is like a bulldogs’s and is suited for holding on to its prey and not letting go. For their fire, Gronkles first gobble up rocks and melting them inside their bellies, and then spits them out like fiery meteoroids covered in lava. However they have a limit of six shots, so they do take care of aiming carefully. Once befriended, however, they are stubbornly loyal to their riders.

Difficulty Level: 5/10

DEADLY NADDER

A bird-like dragon that is more vain than the average peacock, the Deadly Nadder is noted by the variety of colors from being usually to blue and yellow to green and yellow, blue and purple, and many others. It also has a big horn on its nose, giving it a blind spot, so sometimes the Nadder relies on its sense of smell than its binocular vision. Nadders are seen constantly preening themselves to a constant sheen. Nadders also have the upper hand from other dragons by having two weapons: one is their magnesium-fueled fire breath, which is the hottest out of all of the dragons and can melt metal and reduce a man to ashes and have several hundred yards’ worth of range; in addition there is their tail spikes, which are usually flattened. When threatened, the Nadder may use its tail to make a rattling noise before releasing the spikes as projectiles to injure or stun its opponents. Quick and agile in the air, they can fly over very long distances, but they always land when attacking. Deadly Nadders requires constant attention and praise as a pet and their diet consist of poultry as livestock meat makes it ill. Nadders have a bird-like personality, but they are very curious and have an explosive temper. Like the Terrible Terrors, Deadly Nadders hunt in packs, making them to be deadly opponents to fight against.

Difficulty Level: 6/10

HIDEOUS ZIPPLEBACK

A green, snakelike, two-headed dragon that doesn’t always follow the old adage “two heads are better than one.” With two heads, the Zippleback is prone to argue with itself, and resembles bickering siblings. However the Zippleback, when working in tandem, is a sly and devious creature, capable of out thinking its opponents. Unlike other dragons, the Zippleback is solitary. Due to their two heads, they have a unique breathe weapon: one head breathes out flammable green gas while the other emits a spark to set fire, making this dragon the only one other than the Night Fury that prefers to fight long distance. It has the shortest wingspan and the stubbiest legs out of all of the dragon species. When tamed, it prefers to have two riders so it can work in tandem with its own two heads. In general, Zipplebacks have a feline-like personality, with the mixture of both affection and aloofness in each head.

Difficulty Level: 7/10

FOX-SQUIRREL

Animals roughly the size of a squirrel or pre-adolescent fox, they have large, slender fox-like ears and tails at least half the length of their bodies. They fur is typically tannish in color with distinct, black, stripe-like, tuft markings that rise slightly above their tan fur when they are anything but calm. These stripe-like markings appear wholly symmetrically in twos upon each limb. The tops of their ears and their tail features them as well with the sole exception to this symmetry being the strip that extends from their nose up the head. Their eyes are typically a gem-like aqua-green color, if not forest green.

Fox-Squirrels do not pose much of a challenge in so far as combat goes. They are quick, but their fangs are small and their claws scarcely effective against anything besides rodents. These creatures are feral and unlikely to attack unless provoked; however, they are territorial; they are also untameable. It is impossible to domesticate a fox-squirrel at this time.

Fox-Squirrels may be found in larger numbers within forested areas in mild to moderate climates. As such, they are a common sighting in Fire Country and Grass Country. A smaller number may also be found with less frequency in Wind Country's desert region and in Earth Country.

Difficulty Level: 1/10

HITOTSUME-KOZO

Literally “one-eyed boys”, Hitotsume-kozō are a type of monster with which Japanese characters may be familiar. They appear as bald Buddhist priests roughly the size of ten-year old children with a single, giant eye located at the center of their face. They also possess an abnormally long tongue.

As Hitotsume-kozō's appearance suggests, they are relatively harmless creatures. They are more than content to run about surprising and frightening human beings and are given to telling loud people to be quiet as they enjoy silence. By and large, they behave much like ill-mannered children; they enjoy chiding, mocking, and sassing others. Their combat abilities appear to be that of a plain child their size; however, according to Japanese lore, an encounter with a one-eyed goblin is a bad omen and in Kannagara, the superstitious would do well to heed such tthoughts.

Fortunately for the Hitotsume-kozō's potential victims, they are easy enough to frighten away. Merely leave a basket out or remind him that he lacks two eyes and he shall flee in shame.

Hitotsume-kozō are most commonly found in Earth Country, Grass Country, Lightning Country, Rain Country, and Water Country, and move freely about and around villages that possess small populations. They are not permitted to enter Himorogi and are known to avoid Wind Country due to its hot climate and undesirable terrain. It is also extremely rare to sight a Hitotsume-kozō in Fire Country as most of them seem to balk or cower at the mention of that country and its village's name.

Difficulty Level: 1/10

HORK-BAJIR

Seven feet tall with green and leathery skin, Hork-Bajir have feet similar to a bird of prey’s, long legs that bend backwards, a long and muscular body with strong arms and a long, snake-like neck with a falcon-like head on top. Hork-Bajir are also heavily armored, with three blades on each elbow, knee, wrist, and head, along with claws in their four finger and a spiked tail. In all, Hork-Bajir have an alarming appearance that makes them look like they came straight out of Yomi.

In this case, appearances are extremely deceiving. These Hork-Bajir are actually created by the Celestial gods to prove that even the most savage-looking of creatures are capable of peace and harmony with nature. Indeed the Hork-Bajir are herbivores, using their blades to strip off tree bark. They plant and harvest trees, and live on the branches of the largest and oldest of the trees. When they are not harvesting and farming the trees, the Hork-Bajir take care of their young and tell stories and legends of Mother Sky and Father Deep, their deities in Kannagara. They have only a dim apprehension of the celestial and the fallen gods: for all of the celestial beings and that of the Celestial Realm they call “Mother Sky”, who they pray and give respects to for rain and good harvesting. They respect and fear “Father Deep”, which is what they call Yomi and the fallen gods as a whole, including Yomisato as well. Their blades are highly prized in Yomisato due to their incredible sharpness and is also one of highly prized tools used by Yomites when committing a bloody sacrifice to the fallen gods, so there has been the occasional hunting parties that go out and poachl Hork-Bajir for their blades only, as their silver-colored flesh and green blood are indigestible. So if the Hork-Bajir see any monsters or Yomites of “Father Deep”, they immediately flee. In fact, Hork-Bajir know nothing of violence, as they have never killed before. It has never occurred to them to use their blades to deliberately hurt another. If they see anyone or anything else that is not Yomi-related, they can at best stare, but their trepidation and shyness holds them back to really talk. There might be a few braver ones who might talk to your character, but don’t expect them to be great conversationalists. Their intelligence is that of a toddler and their language is extremely limited, with four hundred words at the maximum, though occasionally they might add a new word or two to their small vocabulary.

Hork-Bajir do not live as long as humans and will reach adulthood within a few short years after birth. An infant Hork-Bajir is the size of an human child, with little bumps instead of blades. To tell the sex of a Hork-Bajir, a male Hork-Bajir has three horns on its head while a female has two.

A Hork-Bajir will not fight, not even to protect itself. Instead, they use their long legs to leap away to safety. Hork-Bajir are fast on land, but in the trees they are faster, as their legs are meant to jump from tree limb to tree limb. They are also very tough and have lasting endurance, as well as having an healing ability that can heal serious wounds in a matter of minutes.

They live where there are an abundance of trees and usually they prefer valleys, so they are more commonly found in Rain and Fire Country. However, any forest can do for them and can be found sometimes on the giant tree on Himorogi while praying to Mother Sky.

Difficulty Level: 6/10 (for the difficulty to kill a Hork-Bajir, not due offensive attacks)

ISORA

A perversion of the Shinto kami of the seashore and so-named to insult him for that matter, Isora is a demonic manta ray of sorts with glowing red eyes, a mouth full of sharp, formidable fangs, and a stinger-tail which it utilizes as a weapon in addition to serving as an assistant in propelling it forward through the water and air. Unlike normal manta rays, it may venture outside its watery domain; however, it never strays far from the water, for water is its element and is a necessity for it to survive.

While Isora are moderate, close-range physical combatants, they excel in their manipulation of water, making them reasonable, reasonably ranged opponents as well. They are understandably weak against lightning-based attacks and inherently strong against and resistant to the element of fire whilst simultaneously being only just so against earth-based techniques. Although their movements are as slow and graceful as water itself, drawing within striking range of Isora is ill-advised, for they are highly agile and dexterous when an opponent takes the liberty of coming within range. Being carnivorous and also highly territorial, they are swift to utilize their rock-solid stingers to impale would-be opponents and prey and greedy devourers.

Isora are found in greatest number in Water Country and Rain Country and appear in swarms around the Gate of Yomi. They may also be found along rivers and in any body of water that is connected to the sea; likewise, they are less commonly found in bodies of water that do not connect to the sea. Additionally, spotting an Isora upon any shoreline is a less than frequent, but more than rare occurrence. They may be found in all countries except Wind Country and along all shorelines.

Difficulty Level: 5/10

A hostile, ghostly phenomenon possessed of a disturbing sense of humor, Ittan-momen flies through the air at night in search of prey and attacks by wrapping itself around its prey's face and smothering him or her with its bizarrely shaped, rubbery body. This is their primary method of attack; though, they are not above acting like some crazed apparition and seizing the winds to throw objects and break valuable items. They are known to absorb wind and lightning-based attacks and increase in size and formidability upon absorbing the former. They flee most swiftly in the presence of fire and are most dangerous in groups of two or more.

Ittan-momen may be encountered in all countries, but only at night, and like the Amanojaku, are barred from intruding upon the grounds of the various shrines and temples scattered throughout Kannagara.

Difficulty Level: 1.5/10

JUROUGUMO

A type of youkai, Jorougumo are female spiders that have achieved their four hundredth birthday and acquired magical powers. More often than not, a Jorougumo assumes the appearance of a beautiful young woman and may ask a handsome man of some status to marry her or carry her baby. In the case of the latter, her baby may, in actuality, be an egg-sack full of her unborn spider children; however, Jorougumo are not limited to such seemingly harmless activities. The more malevolent of these youkai are known to employ silken spider threads to capture their prey, which they then devour at their leisure.

The Jorougumo's power lay in her threads and her illusions. One way to dispel her illusions is by reversing one's energy flow, thereby allowing oneself to observe the true form of the Jorougumo, which does vary. Some appear as a spider the size of an noodle stand whilst still others may appear as human-spider hybrids. Regardless of the Jorougumo's true form, she command her spider sisters and brothers and her threads, which are an extremely potent tool she utilizes for a variety of purposes.

All Jorougumo's threads are incredibly sticky and nigh unbreakable save by holy-imbued elements and, for those fortunate enough to figure it out, fire—the hotter, the better. Not only are the threads of a Jorougumo infinitely stronger than any rope, they possess illusory abilities regardless of who is utilizing them and are capable of absorbing the life energy of any living being they ensnare whilst simultaneously 'addicting' the victim to the Jorougumo to whom the thread belongs. When not utilized by a Jorougumo, the strength and malignancy of the resulting illusions depends upon the Jorougumo who wove it, if she is alive. If she is not alive, it is dependent upon her will and intent at the time of its weaving. Furthermore, the silken spider threads of a Jorougumo differ from that of a regular spider in that they are capable of absorbing the life energy of any living being they ensnare whilst simultaneously 'addicting' the victim to the Jorougumo to whom the thread belongs.

These youkai are extremely sensitive to fire, which they fear. Fire is both the quickest way to get a Jorougumo to reveal herself and to escape her threads, but it's also the quickest way to piss her off. They can be killed most surely through decapitation and immolation.

Jorougumo may be found anywhere within Kannagara save within Wind Country and upon the sacred grounds of shrines and temples. From moderate forests and plains to cool mountains and rainy wetlands to tropical islands rife with the clean water they so enjoy, the Jorougumo are a versatile bunch and favor a variety of different climates and geographical terrain. Though few of these lady youkai would seem to reside within Kannagara at this time, they are indeed present. Unlike other less than wholesomely aligned beings, they usually prefer to be discreet about their presence and activities and, as they are considerably territorial, largely prefer to leave each another to their own devices.

Difficulty Level: 5/10-8/10

NEKOMATA (Megaten)

The Megaten nekomata, Nekomata, manifests as an attractive, curvaceous, and very much naked woman covered in hair with two tails to the credit of her name. It is not difficult to see how it is that she operates on a succubi level despite being thoroughly based in fire. She is known for being flirty, loud, and a liar and is also known to for being manipulative and often inconsiderate of other demons; her fondness for attractive men is legendary fact among these circles. She is also known to thrive on money and rumors, using both to great effect to create for herself an imaginary universe and, as could easily be guessed, she is anything but shy, be it of humans or other demons.

Nekomata is a capable combatant. Besides being prettier, more desirable, stronger, faster, and considerably more durable than humans, she is very much skilled in her use of inherent element and is not restricted to assaulting a single target when she utilizes it. Her charm also functions as a means of attack and is deadly, similar to a siren's song. It is these things that make up for her most definitely not being the smartest crayon in the box, not to mention her classic weakness against the element of water.

The Nekomata present within Kannagara are given to wandering. They may be found at any location across the Gods' realm, the sole exception being Himorogi and the sacred grounds of shrines and temples. They cannot tread upon the latter, nor do they possess any desire to do so. They tend to favor areas in which attractive men reside and will visit their unwilling beaus often, much to the latter's likely chagrin.

Difficulty Level: 6/10

TAXXON

Taxxons are giant 10-foot-long centipedes. They have one-third of their upper body upright, supported by hundreds of needle-like legs; and in the upright portion of their body is instead of crab-like claws. Instead of an centipede’s mandibles (or even a face for that matter), Taxxons of have an lamprey’s like mouth, rimmed with many sharp teeth, similar to a shark’s. Around their mouth is four red eyes on stalks, but these eyes are compounded, like a fly’s.

Taxxons have an insatiable hunger and whatever bare scrapes of sentience they have is driven to insanity by their extreme hunger. They are willing to eat anything and anyone, even other Taxxons. In fact, if another Taxxon is injured, another Taxxons would immediately pounce on the injured Taxxon, eating it alive. If a Taxxon is alone and is also injured, the Taxxon will immediately start to eat itself. Taxxons are extremely thin-skinned and with the willingness to cannibalize or self-cannibalize, they are easy to kill. It takes only one swipe of a blade, or even a blow of a heavy object, for the Taxxon will face the prospect of spilled blood and guts. With only one injury, it is enough make a mob of Taxxons to turn against each other.

In terms of fighting, Taxxons’ preferred method is to body-slam its victim, stunning it so it can have a chance to completely consume its victim alive. Another preferred method is mobbing the victim with numbers, as if one Taxxon finds a potential meal, it will let out a “Screee-ya!” noise to alert others. Another method they occasionally use is ambush attacks. Taxxons are very quick and agile in the water, so if an unsuspecting prey comes near the water, they can lunge, body-slam the victim and consume them right then and there. Taxxons are also very good at digging, which is a side-affect of their hunger: they simply eat the dirt, excreting remains though their skin as an ooze. They can make tunnels underground, and if they realize that they are right underneath potential prey, they can make ambush attacks from below. However such attacks are rare, as they hardly ever make elaborate plans to get fresh meat.

Taxxons are highly adaptive so they can be found anywhere, such as in oceans, underground lairs and tunnels, forests, grasslands and deserts. The only places they can’t enter are villages, shrines, and Himorogi. The only exception is Yomisato, where Taxxons are usually in the slums, eating any homeless and garbage they can find.

Difficulty Level: 3/10

Tsuchinoko, also known as “bachi-hebi”, are typically between thirty and eighty centimeters in length and similar in appearance to a snake, but with a central girth that is much wider than its head or tail; they are also possessed of fangs and venom similar to that of a viper. Despite their small size, it is generally considered best not to anger a tsuchinoko and to keep one's word to him as the older the tsuchinoko, the more deadly his venom and the greater the likelihood that he is, in fact, a highly intelligent and potentially wise creature.

Such tsuchinoko, namely the older, more mature ones, possess the ability to speak, a propensity for lying, and a strong taste for alcohol. Young tsuchinoko are not generally equated with unintelligent creatures, per se, but their feral behavior may lead observers to think as much. The younger the tsuchinoko, the more feral, and the more likely he is to to act like a creature of the wild and hide in the presence of humans and powerful youkai. All tsuchinoko seem to have little to no tolerance for spiders of any kind.

A large number of tsuchinoko exist within Kannagara. Where there is alcohol, there is more often than not older, more mature tsuchinoko, too! They may be found in every location except Himorogi and seem to have developed a clear attraction to the uninhabited villages... or maybe it's the free alcohol and the lack of humanoids with which to compete against for the village sake stores. Regardless, the tsuchinoko drink and go about their daily routines. What those routines consist of, who knows? Save for the tsuchinoko themselves, of course!

Difficulty Level: 1/10