Bestiary Overview

This bestiary contains all 55 known creatures of Talestria, organized by region. Each entry includes a full stat block, special abilities, weaknesses, loot drops, and a Corrupted Form — what happens when The Unwritten's dark infection takes hold.

How to Read a Stat Block

Each creature entry follows this structure:

## Creature Name
*Type — Region*

> *"Flavor text that sets the scene."*

HP | Dodge | Mettle | Corrupted DP | Attack Bonus

Attack — name, dice, damage type, and description
Special Ability — unique power with DC and frequency
Weakness — damage type that deals extra effect
Loot — item dropped when encounter ends
Corrupted Form — what happens under The Unwritten's influence

HP (Hit Points): How much damage the creature can take before it collapses. When HP reaches 0 in a normal encounter, the creature retreats or is defeated.

Dodge: The number players must meet or beat on an attack roll to land a hit. Based on the creature's speed, agility, and natural evasion.

Mettle: Damage reduction applied after a hit lands. Subtract Mettle from the damage roll — the result is HP actually lost. A hit always deals at least 1 HP regardless of Mettle. Tougher creatures (thick hides, heavy shells, corrupted scales) have higher Mettle.

Attack Bonus: Added to the creature's d20 attack roll when it targets a player.

Special Ability: A unique power the creature uses in battle, often with a DC (Difficulty Calling) the players must beat with a saving throw to resist its effect.

Weakness: A damage type that has a special effect against this creature — deals extra damage, removes advantage, or causes a specific condition.

Loot: The item a creature carries (or leaves behind) when the encounter ends.

HP vs. DP — Know the Difference

HP (Hit Points) measures a creature's physical health. Normal attacks deal HP damage. When a wild creature's HP reaches 0, it retreats or is defeated. When a hero's HP reaches 0, they gain a Shadow Speck instead of falling — see shadow-specks.md.

DP (Darkness Points) are the dark scales and shadowy armor that The Unwritten grafts onto a corrupted creature. DP is not HP. A corrupted Honey Hopper might have 2 DP — those are the dark marks players must knock off using Calling abilities specifically designed to break corruption. Dealing HP damage to a corrupted creature does not remove DP.

How a corrupted fight works:

1. The creature has its normal HP plus a layer of DP (typically 2–8 depending on severity).
2. Players use Calling abilities (like a Glowcaster's Radiant Strike or a Luminarch's Purify) to deal DP damage.
3. When all DP is removed, the corruption shatters — the creature returns to its normal, friendly self.
4. Any remaining HP damage is ignored; the creature is freed, not defeated.

A Note on Corrupted Forms

Every creature in this bestiary includes a Corrupted Form section. This describes what players will see and face if The Unwritten has infected that creature.

The progression always follows the same pattern:

1. Small black marks appear on the creature's fur, scales, or petals.
2. The marks spread. Dark scales — like tiny dragon scales — begin to grow from the marks.
3. The creature's behavior changes. Friendly creatures become hostile. Playful ones become erratic. Protective ones become frenzied.
4. The creature's attacks change to reflect its corrupted nature.

Important for Game Masters: Corrupted Forms do not replace the creature — they are a temporary state. The real creature is still inside, trying to break free. Reinforce this to players. The goal is never to harm the creature — it's to shatter the darkness trapping it.

When all DP is removed, the corruption breaks like a shell, and the creature emerges confused but grateful. They often become allies or give the party a gift.

Shadow Specks from Corrupted Hits: When a corrupted creature successfully hits a hero, it may leave a Shadow Speck in addition to dealing HP damage. This represents the touch of The Unwritten's darkness — even a glancing blow from a corrupted creature carries an echo of fear. The hero immediately rolls Hold Fast (Warm) to shake it off. Wild (non-corrupted) creatures never cause Shadow Specks — only The Unwritten's influence does.

Creature Types

Regions at a Glance

Total: 55 creatures across 8 regions.

Tags

bestiary overview reference rules