Monsters
In the dark corners of the world, in the lands surrounding the old empire, in the deepest parts of the forest, unnatural creatures prowl.
Werewolf
Long has myth told of demons who could change their shape into that of an animal to deceive humanity, the werewolf is not one of these demons. It is instead a person, cursed by some malicious instance of demonic magic. Tales of werewolves have existed since before the Sovereign, and even today there are sightings and rumors. Whole villages reduced to ash in a night, disappearance's on the edge of deep forests, merchants travelling to close to the northern mountains and never returning.
The man cursed with the wolf may not initially know that he is cursed, and truly we have no knowledge of how long the curse may remain dormant. When it first begins to show itself, the cursed man will fall ill with fever this usually occurs a few days before a full moon. The day before the moon is fullest, he will be bedridden and unable to eat or drink, for his body will reject it. As the moon rises that night, the transformation occur. It is stars as a glow under the skin and behind the eyes, but within moments any flammable material around the man will ignite and be consumed as he immolates. The heat of this immolation is enough to set a house ablaze, should he still be inside.
From the fire emerges the wolf. Enormous, flames licking its fur, jaws filled with wicked teeth. Ravenous from the transformation the wolf will devour anything that it finds, unable to discern friends or family from its life. While it stands like a man, it can also run like a dog and no human alive can outrun it.
Despite the explosive transformation, werewolves often vanish shortly after, retreating to secluded and extreme locations. Generally werewolves are known to avoid each other and very rarely return to any location near dense populations (thank the sovereign) but there have been at least two past reports of a singular werewolf gathering others into a pack.
There is no known cure for the curse, and once someone has been transformed there remains very little of their former selves. Though reports on their intelligence vary it is widely believed they are still capable of complex thought and even speech occasionally. They are remarkably resilient creatures, shrugging off deadly blows and ignoring pain that would incapacitate even the strongest human; one report even detailing a werewolf killing twenty armed soldiers after having its head removed. The only surefire way of putting down one of these monsters is by piercing its heart with a blade of pure silver. This daunting task has caused some to attempt the same with a bullet of pure silver fired from a safe two hundred meters distance but the autopsy of these gunman confirmed this technique had little effectiveness.
While the curse remains rare, the superstition is alive and well in the general population and more than one person has lost their life the night before a full moon to the overactive imagination of a mob.
Great Wyrms
Also known as True Dragons, great wyrms are believed to be extinct. Many fossils have been discovered of the beasts, and reconstructions place them near twice the size of a house. They are believed to have been apex predators in their time and, like all modern dragons, are believed to have been capable of breathing fire.
Of course, reports do occasionally come in from fringe towns of attacks by great wyrms, but these are understood to be simply misunderstandings and panic. It is unrealistic to consider these as credible.
Dragons
All dragons fall under the Genus Draconis and as such are widely referred to as "dragons" the same way both humans and horses are referred to as "mammals". All dragons have a reptilian appearance, breathe fire, and have some form of mimicry and near-magic camouflage. Past this however, dragons can differ significantly and here we will discuss several of the more common varieties. It is significant to note that there are a large variety of dragons, the majority have been considered extinct due to lack of sightings for several decades before the second great war.
Wyvern - Common
A large and dangerous creature around the size of a wolf, these arial predators often hunt in packs of up to fifteen. Their habitat mostly consists of mountainous terrain though they are sometimes seen in the desert as well. Wyverns are extremely territorial and known to harass travelers passing through their perceived range which, taking into consideration their ability to fly, can be a significant area.
Wyverns are easy to identify from their front, batlike wings and short back legs. Their long neck and tail are incredibly dexterous and snake like, and both tail and teeth have the ability to deliver a venomous blow. A single strike from a wyvern is usually not lethal, but multiple strikes can cause paralysis and eventually death so it is advised to avoid confrontation with wyverns as much as possible.
Mock Wyvern - Common
Like their larger cousins, mock wyverns have four limbs: two wings and two legs. However, mock wyverns rarely get larger than two feet in length from tail to snout. In addition, mock wyverns carry no venom and are omnivorous, enjoying a diet of fruits and nuts, as well as insects and small animals.
While cute, mock wyverns can still deliver a powerful bite and are not recommended as pets to inexperienced pet owners.
Rock Drake - Uncommon
Rock drakes are wingless dragons around the same size as a bear that generally reside in forests that border mountains. They can be identified by their heavier than usual armoured scales along their back and shoulders, as well as impressive horns that can form "crowns" on their heads and are highly sought after as a trophy. Reclusive and timid, rock drakes tend to avoid contact with humans at all costs but will viciously defend their dens and young if approached.
There were attempts in the past to domesticate rock drakes, but the cost of maintaining such an animal, along with its general timid behaviour and "short fuse" anger made it too much effort to do widespread, though some individual animals have been trained on occasion.
Wyrm - Rare
Wyrms are the closest living relatives to the Great Wyrms of the past. These animals have six limbs, four legs and two powerful wings, and can grow as tall as thirteen feet at the shoulder, reaching an average length of twenty feet (thirty to forty including their tail).
Sightings of wyrms are mostly unheard of, as a predator of their size requires an extreme territory for hunting. Considered to be asexual creatures, able to reproduce on their own, the meeting of two wyrms is a terrifying sight and if one does not back down from the confrontation it nearly always ends with the death of one of the animals. Since the end of the second great war, only three wyrms have been sighted and their territory roughly mapped out.
Sovereign's Ghosts
In recent years (around fifty years before the incursion to anyone's best guess) a peculiar occurrence began being reported throughout the world. People in dire circumstances, usually moments from death through violence or accident, would suddenly be surrounded by one to three warriors. These warriors would then follow the individual for some time, protecting them from various horrors and terrible circumstances, before leaving just before the person met their demise. The most famous and well documented occurrence travelled with their individual (a fisherman by the name of Marcus Finn) for nearly seven years, vanishing a mere three hours before Marcus was dragged to the bottom of the sea and ripped to pieces by a shark.
It is unclear if the warriors have specific reasons for choosing their individual, and an answer to this question has yet to present itself.
The warriors have always been described the same. Ambiguous in their gender, standing roughly six feet in height. Clad in a shining silver breastplate, gauntlets, and greaves. They wear no helmet, only a raised hood with their face always obscured no matter what angle it is viewed from. Their hood and robes are bright blue and, paired with the silver armour, many began relating them to the Sovereign. Sovereign's Ghosts, His Angels, Guardians of the Sovereign. They have been called many names.
Any attempt to speak to them has gone without answer, and any who raise weapons against them are quickly struck down by their silver spears.
As of yet, only four confirmed accounts have been recorded, with others being outright lies or given by unreliable narrators due to significant head trauma or inebriation.