Adrian Almanac II: Fauna

[RatFromTheTrash 531]

[ Tʜᴇ Fᴀᴜɴᴀ ᴏꜰ Aᴅʀɪᴀ ]

 

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

 

ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ ᴇᴅɪᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴅʀɪᴀɴ ᴀʟᴍᴀɴᴀᴄ ʜᴀꜱ ꜰɪɴᴀʟʟʏ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇᴅ ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ ᴍᴀɴʏ ʏᴇᴀʀꜱ ᴏꜰ ʀᴇꜱᴇᴀʀᴄʜ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇᴠɪꜱɪᴏɴ ʙʏ ᴍʏꜱᴇʟꜰ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍʏ ᴄᴏᴜꜱɪɴ ꜰʀᴇᴅᴇʀɪᴄᴋ.

 

ᴛʜᴇ ᴡɪʟᴅʟɪꜰᴇ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴜᴄʜʏ ᴏꜰ ᴀᴅʀɪᴀ ɪꜱ ᴠᴀꜱᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴠᴀʀɪᴇᴅ, ᴀꜱ ᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇʟɪᴇꜰꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴜᴄʜʏ ᴛɪᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇꜱᴇ ᴠᴀʀɪᴏᴜꜱ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛᴜʀᴇꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀꜱ ꜱᴜᴄʜ ɪ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ᴠᴀʀɪᴏᴜꜱ ʙᴇɪɴɢꜱ ᴡʀɪᴛᴛᴇɴ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ.

 

ᴏɴᴄᴇ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ, ɪ ᴄᴀɴ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪꜱᴇ ꜰᴜʀᴛʜᴇʀ ᴇᴅɪᴛɪᴏɴꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴡɪʟʟ ʜᴏᴘᴇꜰᴜʟʟʏ ʜᴏʟᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴀᴛᴛᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇꜱᴇ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴅɪᴅ.

 

 

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

「I」

Aᴠɪᴀɴ

« All manner of feathered friends »

 

Eᴀɢʟᴇ | Hᴇɪɴʀɪᴋ’ꜱ Eᴀɢʟᴇ

The eagle is a bird frequently emblazoned on various heraldic designs carried by the bannermen of noble houses, though those of Adria strongly associate the majestic bird of prey with the House of Sarkozic. The Historical Ducal Family of Adria, protectors of the people who live within the venerable Duchy are seen in high regard by the townsfolk, and as such so is Heinrik’s Eagle. It is illegal to hunt them, as they are considered a symbol of Adrian culture and a protected part of our identity.

 

Sᴘᴀʀʀᴏᴡ | Cʜᴀᴛᴛʏ Pʀɪɴᴄᴇ

A bird that is often seen lounging around laundry lines and windowsills throughout Belgrade is this wonderful little sparrow, which is much beloved for its sociable and friendly nature. It doesn’t seem to flee at people’s approach, perhaps having learned the people of Adria would rather feed it than shoo it. It seems to enjoy getting spoiled and chirps for attention if it is not sufficiently provided.

Cʜɪᴄᴋᴇɴ | Bᴇʟɢʀᴀᴅᴇ’ꜱ Bᴇʟᴏᴠᴇᴅ

As is to be expected in a town as rural and agricultural as Belgrade, most people are woken up in the early mornings by the rooster’s call. These chickens are the lifeblood of the peasants who keep them, as no part of them goes to waste. The feathers are brought to Adrian tailors, upholsterers and fletchers to be used for their respective crafts, while the meat is delivered to the butcher to be appropriately separated and then brought to the Basking Turtle’s chefs alongside its eggs.

 

Stork | Tʜᴇ Mᴀɪʟᴍᴀɴ

A superstition shared between many places in the world is the belief that babies are delivered unto their parent’s doorstep by a stork, as a gift from God. However, in Adria, the belief transcends merely delivering infants–the people of the Duchy claim that all their mail is brought to them by Storks. These tall and majestic birds rarely are seen actually delivering it, but if you find a letter on the ground and you look up into the sky–you’ll likely see a stork flying away.

 

Dᴜᴄᴋ | Lᴜᴄᴋʏ Dᴜᴄᴋʏ

Quite a few families of ducks live in Adria’s big pond, and they are the source of much inspiration for the townsfolk there. In particular, however, fishermen believe they carry incredibly good fortune with them and have been known to adopt and name a duck which they bring with themselves every time they go fishing. These are called fishermen’s ‘lucky duckies’, a name which quickly became synonymous with all the ducks living in the Duchy.

 

 

Pɪɢᴇᴏɴ | Pᴇꜱᴛᴇʀɪɴɢ Pɪɢᴇᴏɴ

In stark contrast to the adorable and well liked sparrow is the widely disliked pigeon. Where the  sparrow’s cute chirping and small body make it ideal for feeding with ease, the chubby and insatiable pigeon seems to always pine for more food, and most people who have fed them found themselves regretting the decision once the next day came by and the bird refused to leave them alone until they fed it again.

 

Oᴡʟ | Nɪɢʜᴛ’ꜱ Wᴀᴛᴄʜ

Associated most with wisdom and scholars, the owl is well respected among Adrian townsfolk as a venerable and everpresent watcher in their woods. Some believe that the eyes of the owl see through any guise or facade and that evildoers whether they be undead or demonic avoid the nocturnal birds of prey out of fear of having their wicked nature laid bare.

 

Sᴡᴀɴ | Bʟᴀᴄᴋ Tʀᴜᴍᴘᴇᴛᴇʀ

Though they often migrate away during certain seasons, these swans have come to frequent Adria’s pond during mating season and as such are associated by the townsfolk with the late spring and early summer periods. Their mating calls have been said to sound like the loud and resonant trumpet, sounding the arrival of nobility. Yet here they herald the arrival of a bountiful summer harvest, their stray feathers considered a sign that you will find love this year.

 

Rᴀᴠᴇɴ | Tʜᴇ Tᴏᴜʀɪꜱᴛ

A frequent visitor to Adrian lands, though rarely staying for longer than a week or two, the migratory raven is generally regarded as a clever visitor. Townsfolk have been known to shower the visiting raven with food and affection so that next time it comes around it brings gifts–women in particular have known these travellers to bring them pendants and trinkets for years after their first meeting.

 

Mᴀɢᴘɪᴇ | Swooper

Most often heard before they’re seen, the terrifying magpie is a winged menace known to be extremely territorial and overly aggressive. People most often return to town scratched and pecked, claiming some horrible shrieking bird flew out of a tree and started attacking them. I speculate they do this to protect their freshly laid eggs, as these attacks seem most prominent during nesting season.

 

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

「II」

Aquatic

« Single-minded swimming savants »

 

Bʟᴜᴇɢɪʟʟ | Pᴀɴꜰɪꜱʜ

An exceptionally common catch among anglers in the Duchy of Adria is the bluegill, which has become a highly sought after culinary delight–it was nicknamed ‘Panfish’ in reference to how it is best prepared. There is actually quite the trepidation among scholars, who believe that the popularity of the dish might lead to overfishing and endanger the species.

 

Pɪᴋᴇ | Lᴏɴɢ Uɢʟʏ

The local apex predator in the waters around Belgrade is this jagged-toothed menace, one which most fishermen aren’t much too pleased about catching due to the extra effort required. They aren’t particularly sought after, most chefs deeming their preparation tedious and the end result definitively less delicious than the far more popular bluegill. There are some anglers who collect a tooth every time they catch one, as a show of the bad luck they’ve suffered, so keep an eye out for any fishermen with particularly toothy necklaces.

 

Archerfish | Sᴘɪᴛᴛᴇʀ

A fascinating set of fishies that live in the Adrian pond are these flat and stupid looking predators. Most Adrians know that if you spend some time observing the pond, you might see a small stream of water shoot up and knock down insects flying above the water’s surface. That is how these fishies have earned their name–quite literally spitting at their prey and knocking them into the water so they might eat them.

 

Tʀᴏᴜᴛ | Rᴀɪɴʙᴏᴡ Fɪꜱʜ

One of the larger fish in our rivers is the common trout, which has a distinct color gradient across its scales that makes it incredibly distinct. While it is sought after by local chefs as the perfect fish to eat smoked, most fishermen instead choose to simply release these colorful critters, believing it to bring prosperity and bounty into the river with its mere presence. Some even claim their colorful nature is gifted to them by God.

 

Gᴏʟᴅꜰɪꜱʜ | Bɪɢ Bᴜᴅᴅʏ

A fish that it is completely prohibited to hunt in the Duchy are these fat-faced goldfish, who would definitely not make for a good meal. Instead, they are kept safe in the ponds of the Duchy as it is believed their ability to survive independently is downright nonexistent. Many–myself included, find them adorable and lovable, a certain degree of pathetic admiration given to the incompetent and dumb goldfish

 

 

Sʜʀɪᴍᴘ | Sᴜɴɴʏ Sʜʀɪᴍᴘ

A popular delicacy among Adrian townsfolk is this shrimp, caught by the netful and eaten either boiled or fried at the local tavern to much fanfare. The shrimp themselves are colored a shiny, somewhat translucent orange and are most often eaten in celebration of the new year by the people of the Duchy.

 

Cʀᴀʙ | Vɪʟᴇ Mᴜᴅᴄʀᴀʙ

Utterly unsuitable to any decent palate is the nefarious and treacherous mudcrab, famed for being incredibly aggressive and ill-tempered. Many townsfolk have been victimized by their ankle-clamping claws and odd tendency to hold grudges. Famously, one mudcrab sat outside of a farmer’s house for a week straight, unaware the fellow had gone on a business trip to the Capital. But they say when he did return, the crab pincered his ankle so bad he had to walk around on crutches for half a year!

 

Fʀᴏɢ | Wɪʟʏ Wɪᴢᴀʀᴅ

The common pond frog is well known to live near the Duchy, a simple and happy existence afforded to the friendly creature. Interestingly, there is a small bit of folklore about these frogs–peasants claim that there once was a wizard who was quite wrathful and turned many peasants into frogs. As is often the case with such tales, his comeuppance came at the hand of a peasant girl who dove into the pond, his evil spell reflecting off the water’s surface and transforming him into a frog. Some say there is a frog in this pond that is this very wizard, biding his time.

 

Tᴏᴀᴅ | Gʀᴀɴɴʏ

The stony-skinned toads that reside in the area are also known as ‘grannies’, on account of their bumpy and elderly look. They’re famously lethargic, for the most part just sitting around doing nothing and waiting for flies to come nearer them. Many find this lifestyle incredibly admirable, especially when compared to the sinful lives of the ever-warring descendants.

 

Eᴇʟ | Tʜᴜɴᴅᴇʀꜰɪꜱʜ

An exceptionally rare and fascinating specimen that sometimes finds its way swimming in our river is this serpent-like fish, which is most notable for having an incredibly odd method of hunting–it incapacitates would-be victims with a small burst of energy. Terrifyingly, there are reports of anglers who have been struck by these bursts of energy and fallen into the river and drowned, and as such I advise you to avoid these nasty things.

 

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

「III」

Invertebrates

« Our diminutive dumacrats »

Tᴏʀᴄʜʙᴜɢ | Lɪᴛᴛʟᴇ Lᴀɴᴛᴇʀɴ

An odd insect which can be seen hovering around the Duchy during twilight, they are associated by the townsfolk with St. Waldo the Wayfarer and believed to light the path for wayward travelers. Stories circulate of men hopelessly lost in the dead of night with survival seeming utterly improbable, only for a dim light floating lowly in the distance to guide them back to the town.

 

Sᴘɪᴅᴇʀ | Jᴜᴍᴘɪɴɢ Jᴀᴄᴋ

Though not the only arachnid to live within the Duchy, the Jumping Jack is one that is uniquely perceived among the populace for his strange tendency to run at the slightest sight of a descendant. One would have to put in a great deal of effort to be bit by one, and even if they did their bite is fairly harmless. They are known for weaving webs around Belgrade, not to catch prey but rather to sleep in. They are quite cute, I think.

 

Mᴏᴛʜ | Cʟᴇʀɪᴄ Mᴏᴛʜ

Almost exclusively mentioned in old wives’ tales and folklore, the ‘Cleric Moth’ is a massive moth said to appear when a person is near death but it is not yet their time. With its white wings fully spread it is the size of almost two hands, it supposedly lands on the dying as they are being treated and by God’s light aids in healing them. While I am uncertain as to the veracity of this healing ability, I was fortunate enough to see one myself.

 

Bᴜᴛᴛᴇʀꜰʟʏ | Mɪᴅɴɪɢʜᴛ Sᴛʀᴇᴀᴋ

A butterfly most often associated with the dead of night, these dwell within the oak trees of the Duchy and are recognized by the purple streaks on their wings. On particularly bright, moonlit nights people like to go out and watch them flutter around. I’ve heard from one particularly dubious fellow that they bear a certain significance to the Hajduks, as well as other outlaws and rogues living within the Duchy, though I’m hesitant to acknowledge it as much more than drunken ramblings.

 

Aɴᴛ | Hᴜᴍʙʟᴇ Hᴀʀʀʏ

Humble Harry is part of the team. He does his job to the best of his ability, and contributes to the hive with little complaint. Even if he’s not given any exceptional rewards or titles, he’s still happy because he knows the hive is built off of the contributions of him and those like him. He knows that it’s not about him, or any other ant–it’s about the hive. I wish more people were like Humble Harry.

 

 

Lᴀᴅʏʙᴜɢ | Lᴏᴠᴇ’ꜱ Cᴏᴜʀɪᴇʀ

One of the various symbols of romance among the townsfolk of Belgrade is the lovely little ladybug, nicknamed ‘love’s courier’, in reference to how peasants believe that youths which have a ladybug land on them in early spring are destined to find love by the end of fall. To no one’s surprise, these same youths spend that period of time either tremendously nervous or actively pushing away any potential romance out of spite.

 

Hᴏɴᴇʏ Bᴇᴇ | Sᴡᴇᴇᴛ Sᴜꜱɪᴇ

There are a couple of apiaries around Belgrade which are home to these protective honey bees. Their honey is actually quite valuable, given the popularity of the famed Euler line of mead called ‘Jan Gold’. Named in reference to Jan Euler, the first Baron of Eulersburg and leader of the Yellow Berets, it’s said that during the times of Velec his propensity for partying made him exceptionally popular among the soldiery. Someone’s also compiled a wonderful little book about the lifetime of a bee…

 

Sɴᴀɪʟ | Oʀᴄʜᴀʀᴅ Sɴᴀɪʟ

The orchard snail is a humble thing, oft seen crawling around the apple and lemon trees of Belgrade. I’ve heard mixed opinions on them, some people finding them harmless and friendly while others are grossed out by their slimy nature and tend to react violently to their presence. Perhaps this latter group should simply avoid the orchards, for it is unbecoming in my eyes to be cruel to them. Do you know how much effort  it is for them to cross the same distance we do in one step? That’s dedication.

 

Sᴛɪᴄᴋʙᴜɢ | Tʀᴇᴀᴄʜᴇʀᴏᴜꜱ Tᴡɪɢ

Usually, the children of Belgrade like to explore the nearby forests and play in them. Most of the actually dangerous predators avoid the hustle and bustle of the town, preferring to remain deep within the woods. This means that the scariest encounter most youths have is with this stealthy survivalist. Many a child has been heard screaming in abject horror when what they presumed to be a twig or branch turned out to be a bug, hiding in plain sight.

 

Mᴀɴᴛɪꜱ | Mᴀʀᴀᴜᴅᴇʀ

One of the most common sights to see in clearings, glades and fields is the leaping Mantis, hunting for prey. Possessing incredible agility, they’ve become associated with brigand and highwaymen, the nickname of ‘marauder’ granted to them. Oddly, this roguish association has led to them being quite popular among free-spirited youths, many proclaiming themselves as ‘mantises’--quite lame, I’d say!

 

 

Dʀᴀɢᴏɴꜰʟʏ | Jᴏᴜʀɴᴇʏᴍᴇɴ

The townsfolk of Adria are blessed with the opportunity to seek purpose freely, the Duchy famously being a palace where opportunities are rife for those with ambition. But it is only with patience and duty that one can await their time in the sun. The dragonfly reflects this well, as most of their life is spent patiently waiting underwater as nymphs, until their time arrives and they may freely explore the world above for the rest of their short, but fruitful lives.

 

Bᴇᴇᴛʟᴇ | Tᴜᴠᴍᴀꜱ Bᴇᴇᴛʟᴇ

The season of gift-giving is known to be the most wonderful time of the year, when joy and mirth spread throughout the world and snowfall covers warpaths and forces ceasefires. Around the same time, these shiny green beetles are known to appear around the Duchy, now associated with the holiday spirit and believed to be gift-givers of their own.

 

Eᴀʀᴛʜᴡᴏʀᴍ | Cʀᴏᴘᴋᴇᴇᴘᴇʀ

A great many factors play into farming, and while Belgrade is famously home to quite a few skilled peasants, they are also fortunate enough to be given arable loamy soil, plenty of running water and rain, suitable and stable temperatures. But some believe that there is a smaller, less noticeable element which leads to these supremely bountiful harvests. The humble earthworm, known among the peasantry as the ‘Cropkeeper Worm’ or just the Cropkeeper lives a simplistic existence, but his presence is said to improve the soil and harvest drastically through his seemingly endless reinforcing of the ground.

 

Fʀᴇꜱʜᴡᴀᴛᴇʀ Sᴘᴏɴɢᴇ | Pꜱᴇᴜᴅᴏᴍᴏꜱꜱ

In my time studying the surroundings of Belgrade and the wider Duchy of Adria, I’ve come across my fair share of strange and interesting plants and beasts, but a certain level of fascination has taken me when it comes to this particular specimen. From the surface, looking into the pond by Belgrade, one might spot a variety of things. One which is likely to go unnoticed is a thin sheet of green nearer the bottom, presumably a common, if odd-looking kind of moss or seagrass. But upon collection and further examination, it bears no similarity to moss or grass, instead being more akin to the sea-sponges found in the ocean. This categorization is one that I am confident in, and so I have taken the liberty of naming it myself.

 

Rɪᴠᴇʀ Cʟᴀᴍ | Rɪᴠᴇʀ’ꜱ Cᴏꜰꜰᴇʀ

A rare, albeit fruitful denizen of the river passing by Adria is this freshwater clam. It is known to almost always contain a pearl which has no doubt contributed to its growing scarcity, as would-be treasure hunters have pranced up and down the river in the hopes of catching one. The Duke of Adria, Zygmunt Euler, known for his efforts to preserve the local habitat has put out a restriction on how many pearls we are allowed to extract yearly in an attempt to ensure that their population does not decline further. 

 

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

「IV」

Mᴀᴍᴍᴀʟꜱ

« I painted my cat Claire! »

 

Cᴀᴛ | Bᴇʟɢʀᴀᴅᴇ Hᴏᴜꜱᴇ Cᴀᴛ

The stresses of warfare and poor harvests had at one point caused an all-time slump in the happiness of the citizenry, who had grown quite easily tired by small misfortunes. It was during a particularly bad winter that a rat was seen crossing the Duma Hall, and the Duke of Adria Zygmunt Euler came with a brilliant idea. Each home in Adria was granted a small, young feline to take care of. Originally presented as a solution to the seemingly increasing rodent population, in reality it was a stroke of genius that improved overall happiness greatly and led to a deep appreciation to the spoiled and beloved house cats among the populace.

 

Wᴏʟꜰ | Bɪʀᴄʜ Wᴏʟꜰ

The woods of Adria are quite dense and as such home to a diverse population of beasts. The wolves living in our Duchy have spotted, light-gray fur and live in small to medium sized packs of around four to seven. They tend to stay away from Belgrade, preferring the deeper portion of the forest where there is minimal interference from descendants. On occasion, they get greedy and try to pick off livestock, which has of course led to the widespread adoption of Adrian Shepherds among farmers.

 

Hᴏʀꜱᴇ | Aᴅʀɪᴀɴ Sᴛᴀʟʟɪᴏɴ

The kinds of horses that are bred can speak greatly as to the needs and preferences of the folks who live there. It is there that we can describe the Adrian Stallion in its totality: Grey steeds of incredible strength and stamina, capable of carrying tremendous amounts of baggage over long distances with little to no trouble. They make for fine warhorses too, mostly due to their bulky and muscular frames. In turn, however, they make for poor racehorses and have been known to kick the occasional farmer in the head causing permanent brain damage.

 

Dᴏɢ | Aᴅʀɪᴀɴ Sʜᴇᴘʜᴇʀᴅ

An aggressive and gruff dog of sizable proportions, the Adrian Shepherd’s origins are somewhat hard to trace. What is known is that they are distrusting and fond of their own space, and fiercely protective of their owners and homes. There is a ducal decree which prohibits the walking of untrained Adrian Shepherds throughout town given their nature and past maulings of overly curious children. Their aggressive posturing causes them to often scare off would-be thieves or wolves.

 

Bᴇᴀʀ | Cᴏᴘꜱᴇ Bʟᴀᴄᴋ Bᴇᴀʀ

The ursine are famously proud, mighty beasts which command the respect of their surroundings by virtue of strength alone. Inversely, the woods of Adria are home to the smallest, laziest bears in all the world, who are often spotted laying in the sun and doing anything but hunting. Of course, bears are still bears and any inspired admirers would do well to stay away as when angered, they are plenty capable of outrunning a descendant and brutalizing them.

 

 

Bᴇᴀᴠᴇʀ | Aꜱᴘɪʀɪɴɢ Aʀᴄʜɪᴛᴇᴄᴛ

On occasion, members of the Ivory Guard have been dispatched to inspect water blockages in the rivers in case of sabotage. Not once have they encountered a rogue agent, disrupting town’s water supply in preparation for an invasion, instead always finding crude dams and blockages built out of roughly bitten and trimmed wood and piles of twigs. These were always constructed by beavers, who aside from their interest in building are reportedly incredibly ambivalent to human interaction, sometimes simply passing through town. I think I saw my cousin pick one up and spin around in joy with it.

 

Dᴇᴇʀ | Wʜɪᴛᴇꜰᴜʀ

The wintry woods of Adria are home to all sorts of prize game, but the white-furred deer are especially of note as they attract hunters and poachers from all over. Their white coats are perfect for fashionable clothing and highly sought after due to their scarcity. Poaching is, of course, highly illegal and as such the people of Adria find themselves more often protecting these majestic beasts, rather than hunting them themselves.

 

Gᴏᴀᴛ | Sᴀʀᴋᴏᴢɪᴄ Sᴄʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ

I remember getting quite the fright the first time I heard the blood-curdling screaming of our beloved goats, as I’m sure most visitors to the Sarkozic Manor have as well. They are kept for their consistent milk production, goat cheese being a fairly common part of any Adrian peasant’s sustenance. Their horns have also become a source of income, carved into warhorns and sold for a tidy profit.

 

Dᴏɴᴋᴇʏ | Fᴀʀᴍᴇʀ’ꜱ Fʀɪᴇɴᴅ

While the Adrian Stallions are perfect for travelling, they are a little too restless for simple farm work. Instead, farmers often rely on our tall and gentle donkeys for help in such matters. Their milk is used to make soap, and they are often ridden by youths pretending to be knights. Fortunately for said youths, these are among the most peaceful and friendly animals in the entire Duchy.

 

Mᴏʟᴇ | Tʀᴏᴜʙʟᴇꜱᴏᴍᴇ Tᴜɴɴᴇʟᴇʀ

There are few creatures on Adrian soil as disliked by the farmers as the common mole, known not only for disturbing soil and making molehills all over but also for being a predator to the much beloved Cropkeeper worm. As such, they are considered by ducal proclamation a pest and killing them is permitted. Some farmers have even taken to making coats and hats for their wives out of their silky furs.

 

 

Mᴏᴜꜱᴇ | Tʜᴇᴏᴅᴏʀᴇ

Often found either on the outskirts of the woods or crossing fields, the common field mouse is an incredibly tiny and adorable critter. Upon successfully persuading one closer to me by offering seeds to eat, I inspected them and determined that their big ears, wide eyes and lightly tan fur color make them look like their name would be Theodore.

 

Sqᴜɪʀʀᴇʟ| Lɪᴛᴛʟᴇ Wᴏᴏᴅꜱᴍᴀɴ

There is something of an infestation in the woods of Adria. People have reported endless squeaking and chittering when taking walks in the forest, attributed to the dastardly squirrels. While the little woodsmen are cute and oddly sociable, they are also overabundant and have taken to breaking into people’s homes and chewing on support beams. They are known to prefer living in the oaks around Adria and have even bitten their fair share of peasants.

 

Bᴀᴛ | Nɪɢʜᴛɢʟɪᴅᴇʀ

Seen most often on moonlit nights, these bats have become somewhat synonymous with the lunar cycle in the sky and stargazing. They’ve given the intrepid astronomer quite the scare time and time again as they flutter in front of their telescope out of nowhere. Moreover, the bats around the Duchy have been observed to spend more of their time in flight gliding compared to other bats, giving them their nickname.

 

Pᴏʀᴄᴜᴘɪɴᴇ | Qᴜɪʟʟᴘɪɢ

Sighted climbing trees and chewing on bark, the intrepid Quillpig is one best observed at a distance due to the long and prickly quills protruding from their hide. Despite the thorny appearance, they are incredibly friendly and curious animals who pose no threat to people who respect their personal space. Though, an unfortunate child or two has been known to try hugging one of them from time to time.

 

Bᴏᴀʀ | Tᴜꜱᴋʏ

Another victim of the rampant and disrespectful poacher is the Boar, a beast that is meant to be only hunted with explicit permission given by the Duke of Adria. Their sparse population and valuable tusks and hides have led to their protected status being imposed on the citizens, who are only allowed to slay them in self-defense. From my observations, they are familial and protective of their territory, but rarely venture closer to the town. On one occasion, I sighted a particularly large specimen fighting off a lonesome wolf which hoped to feed on the sow's children. The wolf was completely outmatched by the infuriated beast, and had to flee soon after.

 

 

Rabbit | Tiny

The Adrian Pygmy Rabbit is an adorable little buddy that is seen lazily hopping around near town in the hopes of either getting fed by people or snagging a wayward crop to eat. They are incredibly small and precious, and overall fairly slow to react. They are in fact small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. I love them a lot, though farmers do not as they are labeled as thieves by them.

 

Fox | Old Grey

A wanderer that is rarely sighted but often revered is the venerable fox, known to typically only be sighted in passing momentarily by people on especially cold days. Their numbers are so low, some have speculated it might just be one fox that has been seen over and over again. Elusive and ephemeral, the presence of Old Grey is believed to indicate a particularly cold month is coming, and to be prepared for a difficult winter.

 

Otter | Fisherman

The river is home to not only fish and company, but these good and kindly creatures as well. They are known to be potentially the only predator of the vile mudcrab, perhaps even their mortal nemesis. As such, they are considered an ontological good within the Duchy and revered for this habit. They are often seen catching fish in the river when they are not hunting the vicious crustacean.

 

Stoat | Black-tail

Labeled such for the black strike running down their tail, these wonderful weasels are some of the smallest carnivores in the world. They have sometimes gotten a little big for their britches and tried to pick fights with the pygmy rabbits of Adria, where they were promptly shoved away by descendant hands in defense of the Tiny. Yet, they are also quite popular due to their tendency to hunt rats and other pesky rodents–including the squirrel.

 

Capybara | River Rat

An odd creature that is not native to this part of the continent is the massive River Rat, which at some point was either imported over or migrated from someplace else. From my observations they are very social with one another, and like to snack on grass and weeds in the river. A singular clan of them lives someplace up north in our lands, by my estimate somewhere a little over a dozen. Whether they are here to stay is hard to say.

 

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

「V」

Reptiles

« Cold-blooded citizens of the Duchy »

 

Cʀᴏᴄᴏᴅɪʟᴇ | Jᴇʀᴇᴍʏ Tʜᴇ Cʀᴏᴄᴏᴅɪʟᴇ

A solitary resident dwells in our pond, one which is revered and feared by all. Jeremy, the Duke’s pet crocodile, has been known to be mistaken for a small rock or island in the centre of the pond but make no mistake–he is old, and he is hungry. In his old age, he has grown far too lazy to move for anything other than food’s sake, and as such is known to essentially be friends with all the other animals of the Duchy. Birds perch on his head, and on one occasion a baby turtle swam up and sat on his brow.

 

Gᴇᴄᴋᴏ | Mᴏᴏɴ Lɪᴢᴀʀᴅ

After dusk, people know to look out for the friendly moon lizard who likes to hang around their homes. Unintrusive and small, they chirp in the late hours of the night–potentially as an indication of their territory to other lizards. They live in between old bricks, cracked stones or small brushes, and have been known to be called house geckos in reference to their choice of habitat.

 

Aᴅᴅᴇʀ | Sʜʏ Vɪᴘᴇʀ

An especially dangerous, yet incredible passive resident of the Duchy of Adria is this venomous serpent, who prefers to be left alone. They do not ever approach descendants on their own, and when approached are known to attempt to slither away instead of attacking. Yet when provoked, their poisonous bite is known to incapacitate people and hurt greatly, though is not lethal to the healthy adult. They have a distinct dark zig-zag pattern going the length of their body.

 

Wᴀᴛᴇʀꜱɴᴀᴋᴇ | Sᴜʀꜰᴀᴄᴇ Sᴋɪᴅᴅᴇʀ

Inverse to the Shy Viper, the watersnake is exceedingly aggressive yet mostly harmless. Fishermen have advised most that if you see a watersnake sliding across the water’s surface towards you, a simple whack with a rod or stick will deter further aggression. This nonvenomous annoyance is typically a dusty yellow color with a black diamond pattern running the length of his body.

 

Sᴀʟᴀᴍᴀɴᴅᴇʀ | Sᴘᴏᴛᴛᴇᴅ Sᴀʟʟʏ

Black as the night with yellow spots all across their skin, sallies are extremely fond of the deciduous autumn forest around Aria as they like to hide beneath fallen leaves. They are rarely seen far from the riverside, known to inhabit mossy tree trunks. The colorful skin indicates that touching them is a bad idea, not only to people but to would-be predators as well.

 

 

Tᴜʀᴛʟᴇ | Eᴜʟᴇʀ Cᴏᴜʀɪᴇʀ

The beloved icon of one of Adria’s noble families. The Turtle is to many people, a symbol of all that is good about people. They are social, kindly, patient and prosperous. Everyone sees a turtle and thinks to themselves, ‘I could be a little bit more like that guy.’. The Euler family has adopted them as their representative, as the Turtle effectively portrays the family’s patient nature, seafaring history and loyalty to Adria.

 

Lɪᴢᴀʀᴅ | Wᴀᴛᴇʀᴡᴀᴛᴄʜᴇʀ

An oddly compelling creature is this large lizard who was one of the first animals encountered when we first began settling down here. Or perhaps it would be better said that he encountered us, as famously the Waterwatcher was seen standing on his hind legs gazing out at the surroundings. This strange habit is unique to them, and perhaps a little surprising when first seen as they are quite large.

 

Hᴇʟᴏᴅᴇʀᴍᴀ | Mᴏɴꜱᴛᴇʀ

A terrifying and massive beast of a lizard, this aptly named being is slow moving and hefty with studded scales and a black pattern across its skin. They are fortunately known to prefer dwelling in caves and burrows, almost never seen out in the open. Though, miners at Heinrik Heights were originally petrified when encountering them and ascribed a nigh-mythical degree of danger to them, claiming their mere breath was toxic and could kill a man. Obviously, this is false.

 

Bᴇᴀʀᴅᴇᴅ Dʀᴀɢᴏɴ | Bᴇᴀʀᴅɪᴇ

Titled as such in reference to the underside of their throat, these territorial and somewhat angry lizards can often be seen basking in the sun or napping on branches during daytime. Particularly interesting to me was just how communicative they were with one another, not only using their beards but also bobbing their heads, waving, and opening their jaws when they see another beardie. 

 

Sᴋɪɴᴋ | Eʟᴇɢᴀɴᴛ Bʟᴜᴇ-ᴛᴀɪʟ

Incredibly small yet striking is this small species of lizard, bearing a beautiful and vibrant blue tail for all to see. They are avid burrowers and rarely seen above ground, and when they are it is only for a brief moment as they quickly retreat back to their holes at the sight of a person. For some, all they see is a streak of blue disappearing into a hole.

 

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

 

[Laeonathan 5889]

An Adrian Almann enjoys reading the almanac, before handing it to another Adrian Almann.

 

@Random

[Random 1690]

1 hour ago, Laeonathan said:

An Adrian Almann enjoys reading the almanac, before handing it to another Adrian Almann.

 

@Random

„Joa, ist‘n gutes buch“ the second Adrian Almann comments as he flips through the pages

[Two2the 365]

We making it out of the druid grove with this one