The following is a list of Monsters that have appeared in the series thus far. The list will be updated with every passing episode. Every profile includes hand-drawn art, stats, brief description, what each monster is inspired by, and more.
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Black Shuck
Height: 2.5-3 ft
Weight: 170 lbs
Class: Carnivore
Merit Rating: 45
Special Abilities:
-Bite inflicts a Frozen Curse
-Staring into its eyes renders victims unconscious
Description: Some scholars still argue over weather to keep Black Shucks in the Carnivore Class or move them into Specter class. These phantom dogs tend to be found around graveyards but are a favorite among Witches and Warlocks for their usefulness as attack dogs. Aside from having a stare that will put a person to sleep when eye contact is made, the bite from a Black Shuck will also put a victim under a Frozen Curse; a curse that paralyzes the afflicted and renders them cold to the touch. If the curse cannot be lifted the victim will die from either the suffering they endure under the low temperature or from lack of nourishment.
Inspiration: From the UK come tales of a ghostly black dog that wanders the countrysides. It is often described as having glowing or flaming eyes with the ability to float rather than walk across the ground. In some instances it is even said to have one eye like a Cyclops. But one thing is consistent with all the stories, and that is the dog is said to be malevolent. Anyone who encounters this spectral creature is said to be cursed or doomed to a tragic fate not long after witnessing it. The dog goes by the names of Black Shuck, Old Shuck, or simply Shuck; which is now believed to be derived from the word scucca, the old english word for demon.
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Blue Crow
Height: 3-3.5 ft
Weight: 90 lbs
Class: Sacred
Special Abilities: Telepathy, feathers have magical protective properties
Description: The Lone Mountain in Windshire forest is home to the sacred Blue Crows. Watchful overseers of the forest and will at times even watch over the city of Windshire. Due to their telepathic abilities, the Blue Crows can not only communicate with the Ranger Guild but will even co-ordinate with them when Rangers are in need of assistance. Due to the remote location of their nesting grounds, the Ranger Academy has its Recruits retrieve Miracle Fruit from the nests of the Livid Wings and deliver it to the Blue Crows as the final task of their survival course. If the Recruits pass the Blue Crows judgement and are given a feather in return for the fruit, then they pass the course. Though it's been a mystery for quite some time as to why the Blue Crows offer up on of their precious feathers for Miracle Fruit, it is believed that the fruit either prolongs their lifespan or aids in their reproduction.
Inspiration: In southern Brazil there is a legend of giant birds known as Gralha Azul, Blue Jays or Blue Crows. These mythical creatures are said to be the guardians of the forest and a good omen. It is said to repair or regrow areas where the forest was damaged or completely lost. Strangely enough this benevolent behavior is not purposeful but accidental, as they are supposedly hiding food (which consists of fruits and seeds) in the ground and tend to forget its location. Thus the fruit and seeds eventually grow into new trees.
______________________________________________________ Bodmin Cat
Height: 3-3.5 ft
Weight: 170-180 lbs
Class: Carnivore
Merit Rating: 30
Description: This predatory cats are greatly feared for those living near large patches of tall grass. They are generally black or dark brown with a short black mane that runs from the top of the head to the shoulders. Bodmins have great stealth and their claws can cut through the toughest leather with ease. Their excellent vision is at its best when night falls where their dark coloration makes them blend in with the shadows so well that people originally thought that they were being attacked by phantoms.
Inspiration: Alien big cats have been the subject of much debate in the UK. For years farmers in countryside have lost livestock of all sorts to predators that they claim are large predatory cats. No other cat however has gripped the countryside in fear more than the one they call the Beast Of Bodmin Moor. Described as being a large black panther-like beast, it has stalked the farms of Bodmin Moor for some years and is even believed to be breeding. As far as the origin of these cats, the best explanation may come from former pet owners who decided to release some of their critters before the government put a ban on large dangerous animals.
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Brownie
Height: 1.5-2 ft.
Weight: 25-35 lbs
Class: Helpful.
Special Abilities:
-Able to teleport itself and anything inanimate/dead
-skilled at repairing items
Description: These short beings once lived in seclusion away from the humans and elves. However after some time Brownies began to understand that humans & elves were not a threat. Before long they started appearing in villages to aid in everyday tasks, some of them even decided to become assistants in the ranger guild.
Inspiration: Brownies are small beings similar to imps and hobgoblins found in Scottish/English folklore. Unlike their brethren, Brownies were considered helpful creatures. Often residing, preferably unseen, in the basements and attics of houses, coming out at night to assist in household chores in exchange for food.
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Bubak
Height: 6-10 ft
Weight: 140-200 lbs
Class: Spectral
Merit Rating: 60
Special Abilities:
-Can sound like a child crying as a way to lure in victims
-Rapidly regrows severed limbs
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| Art done by April Gardner |
Inspiration: Bubaks come from Eastern European folklore where they are essentially boogie men. Though some descriptions vary, most depict them as resembling a scarecrows. All descriptions agree that one of its favorite ways to lure in victims is by mimicking the sound of a child or infant crying. In an unfortunate twist of fate for good people looking to rescue a child or infant in distress, they instead are taken by the Bubak and never seen again.________________________________________
Crocotta
Height: 3-3.5 ft
Weight: 180-200 lbs
Class: Carnivore
Merit Rating: 35
Special Abilities: Able to mimic a human voice saying "Help me," and "Over here."
Description: These composite creatures are as territorial as they are skilled predators. Unlike most predatory monsters, Crocottas prey more specifically on humans. More shocking is that they are able to mimic a dying voice that they use to lure people to their deaths. In some of Shogun's parts, saying the words "Help me," and "Over here," back to back in a joking manner can land someone in prison do to the number of victims who fall prey to the monster's lure. Crocottas are also fiercely territorial beasts that will attack members of its own kind that stray into it's area. It is because of this fact that the Ranger Guild advises capturing and keeping the creatures alive to prevent others from coming along.
Inspiration: Crocottas are creature that dwell in the folklore of India and some parts of Ethiopia. Accounts of this creature go way back and all of them describe the creature as a man-eater and has had such a profound impact that the scientific name for the Spotted Hyena (which some believe was the origin of the creature) is taken from the monster (Crocuta Crocuta). It is often described as being like a dog or a wolf with a spotted coat and some instances describe having hooves and tusks like a boar. Like it's fictional counterpart Crocottas were also said to have the ability to lure in with a human voice but more alarmingly with a full vocabulary and even calling the victims by name.
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Dodo
Height: 2.5-4 ft
Weight: 50-85 lbs
Class: Herbivore.
Merit Rating: 6
Description: Valued for their feathers, beaks, and their meat, Dodo's were highly sought-after by farmers following the discovery that they could be domesticated. They are flightless and many people find them goofy looking with the way they waddle, but their powerful beaks can inflict a lot of damage if they are provoked.
Inspiration: Dodos once thrived on a small island known as Mauritius, west of Madagascar. However upon the island's discovery, they were hunted to extinction. However a few sightings have some second guessing the possibility that they were all hunted. Additionally a number of scientists are hoping to find a way (i.e. cloning) to bring these birds back from the dead.
______________________________________________________ Fire Imp
Height: 2ft-3ft
Weight: 30-40 lbs
Class: Mischievous
Special Abilities: Able to spark flames from their hands. Immune to intense heat.
Merit Rating: 50
Description: Fire Imps are one of the strongest mischievous class of monsters. They are typically found near the volcanic regions of Shogun but occasionally will venture out or be conjured up in other areas by Witches and Warlocks. Their calling card are random wildfires.
Inspiration: Imps orginated in Germanic Folklore as being small mischievous beings, similar to Goblins but with more magical properties. Oddly enough they were regularly not considered harmful or malevolent as opposed to other beings of this sort.
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Gold Clip Crayfish
Height: 1-2 ft
Weight: 50-100 lbs
Class: Scavenger
Merit Rating: 10
Description: So named for gold colored brass that forms in the upper part of their enlarged claws, these crustaceans can grow the same size as a man. Despite their large and powerful appearance, they are scavengers and will only attack if their nests are disturbed. Furthermore, their pincers can deliver a very painful but not serious punch to anyone unlucky enough to get pinched by them. They also go by the name Skull Lobsters due to the fact that they lay their eggs in the skulls of dead organisms.
Inspiration: In old Spanish mythology, Galacian mythology to be exact, there is a legend surrounding a well that if one were to venture down it would find a bizarre but valuable treasure; a human skeleton made out of gold, diamonds and other precious gems. However this treasure has a guardian, a monstrous crayfish that will attack anyone trying to steal its riches.
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Golem
Height: 10ft-12ft
Weight: 600-800 lbs
Class: Spectral
Merit Rating: 70
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| Artwork done by Rebecca Kai |
Description: With bodies composed out of rock, Golems are among the hardest beings to kill. Often found in mountainous areas they normally go unnoticed as they hide among the rocks and stones but if one is somehow disturbed, Rangers had best bring their A-game. Though the granite and/or hardened clay that make up their bodies can be easily broken with a hammer or mace, their spirit adds an additional hardness factor that requires a lot more effort to break through. The best way to break a Golem's spirit is by piercing their two glowing eyes. Once accomplished, they can be finished off with a crushing blow to the head.
Inspiration: From Jewish folklore comes the legendary Golem. These anthropomorphic beings are formed through a combination of magic and inanimate substances such as clay or mud. Stories of golems can be found throughout the history of Judaism where they are depicted as both good and destructive beings depending on their use and how their creator made them. The Golem's impact can be seen in many forms of popular culture from film to video games and more. Like their folkloric sources they tend to depicted as good or bad entities.______________________________________________________
Jackalope (Short-horned)
Height: 2ft-3ft
Weight: 50-60 lbs
Class: Herbivore
Merit Rating: 5
Description: Jackalopes come in 2 varieties, Short-horned & Large-horned. Short-horned Jackalopes are commonly found in grasslands and rolling hills. Valued for their meat, fur, and their antlers, the short-horned variety are also one of the few creatures of the land who have been domesticated to some degree for farming. Though more docile than their Large-horned brethren, their antlers coupled with their ability to jump makes them quite lethal for anyone who angers one.
Inspiration: The Jackalope is predominantly an American folkloric creature that got its big rise to fame in the 1930s when a group of hunters began mounting deer antlers on stuffed rabbits as novelty items. It is believed that the source of such a bizarre hybrid actually might have come from sightings of rabbits & hares with a rare disease that causes antler like tumors to grow out of the skull.
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Kappa
Height: 2.5-5 ft
Weight: 60-200 lbs
Class: Mischevious
Merit Rating: 35
Abilities:
-Able to disappear from sight in water and fog
Inspiration: Japanese folklore is where the Kappa reside in our world. Like their Realm Of Monsters counterparts these michievious beings are water based, are very responsive to good manners, accepting challenges, and have a very strong weakness for beautiful women. Stories of Kappa range from helpful spirits, to devious pranksters, to malevolent beings that kidnap and enslave women. It is widely believed however that the best defense against this beings is by exploiting their love for being challenged and their good mannered nature; one such belief is that by bowing to a Kappa will make it do the same but because of the bizarre nature of their water filled heads they will be unable to straighten itself out again._____________________________________________________
Leviathan (NEW)
Length: 135 ft
Weight: 5000 TONS
Class: TITAN
Merit Rating: 2000
Abilities:
-Tail able to generate a tsunami
-Nasal Horn can release a burst of electricity
-Vision incorporates infrared
Description: The first of the seven titans to have been revived by the warlock Hades, Leviathan is the King of Sea Serpents and is one of the more vicious of the seven. Leviathan's powerful body and sturdy tail fin allow it to travel incredibly fast in the water and is also surprisingly nimble on land. The most devastating aspect of this titan is its ability to release an eruption of elctricity from its nasal horn; like a explosion of lightening bolts. The appearance of Leviathan has called in to question the legitimacy of the Titan myths and sparked a race to learn more about these monsters in an effort to defeat them.
Inspiration: In the Judiasm and Christianity, Leviathan is described in both's scripture as a monstrosity from the sea that threatens to devour all of God's creatures. Though descriptions and views on the actual identity of Leviathan very (From being a large fish to a crocodile to possibly even being a dinosaur or dragon) one consistancy is that the creature is a representation of evil that stands as an advisary to God. Christian Mythology even goes so far as to use the monster as another representation of the Devil himself._____________________________________________________
Livid Wing
Height: 4-5ft
Weight: 110-190 lbs
Class: Carnivore
Merit Rating: 20
Description: As their name suggests, these are some of the most aggressive creatures found in Shogun. Livid Wings tend to nest in colonies which they guard 24/7 with extreme prejudice. Being fish-eaters they tend to cause problems for Shogun's fishermen and those living along it's beaches. The females are brown while the males sport a blue-purple coloration and have a thick, bone crest on their heads. When Livid Wings attack they rely on headbutts from their thick skulls, strikes with the talons on their feet and the claws on their wings; only biting if absolutely necessary. Their thin teeth, which are superb for catching small fish, can break easily.
Inspiration: Lone Pine, California is said to be home to creatures that inhabit its mountains known as the Lone Pine Mountain Devil. Sightings and incidents involving this creature date back to the 1800s and reports generally describe strange composite creatures with fur or feathered covered bodies and are bat or pterosaur-like in appearance. One thing that remains consistent with stories of this creature is that is said to be highly aggressive; often ferociously attacking any who step within its territory. Some stories even claim that the creature will kill intruders by furiously tearing at their faces and leaving the bodies to rot or be eaten by scavengers.
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Manticore (NEW)
Height: 4ft - 5t
Weight: 190-250 lbs
Class: Carnivores
Merit Rating: 80
Abilities:
-human speech
-poisonous barb on the tail
Description: Manticores are very formidible predators and are not normally recommended for young Rangers to pursue. They possess both the intelligence and ability to speak like that of a human. It's been said that at times these two qualities have led to some being reasonable creatures but most of the time they use these attributes to assist in their ability to ward of any who dare oppose them. Aside from a double row of teeth and razor sharp claws, a barb on their tails acts as a stinger and the venom it delivers is fatal in certain quantities.
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Ranyi
Length: 3ft - 5t
Weight: 70-120 lbs
Class: Herbivores
Merit Rating: 10
Inspiration: Ranyi is a fish from Chinese folklore that had a bizarre appearance; possessing the head of a snake, ears like a horse and the body of a carp. The fish were said to have lived in the Yuan River of the Yangdi Mountain area. Much like it's fictional counterpart, eating a Ranyi will protect the consumer from evil spirits.______________________________________________________
Ring Neck Sea Serpent
Length: 15ft-20ft
Weight: 200-300 lbs
Class: Carnivore
Merit Rating: 70
Inspiration: One of the most incredible sea monsters ever reported was the Great New England Sea Serpents. For over 300 years the coasts of New England saw a rash of sightings serpentine creatures residing in its waters. The most famous of which was one creature that was said to dwell in Cape Ann near Gloucester, Massachusetts. The sea serpent there was reported many times from people along its shores and was even said to have attacked several vessels. To this day reports still come in from Maine and Massachusetts of these creatures and given that there are still new species of animals being discovered all the time in the worlds vasts oceans, marine biologists and cryptozoologists alike believe that there many of these accounts could very well be true.______________________________________________________
Rows
Height: 6ft-7ft
Weight: 280-400 lbs
Class: Herbivores
Merit Rating: 7
Description: Another creature of Shogun that has been domesticated for farming purposes, Rows are a highly valued food source. Their large bodies carry more meat and their hides are tougher than regular cows. Rangers in particular are a fan of Row leather for use in crafting armor.
Inspiration: Though not necessarily fantasy or folkloric beasts, Red Heifers are found to be of great importance in various religions such as Christianity and Greek Mythology. More often than not these cows are considered good omens and at times even seen as signs from God.
______________________________________________________ Voar
Height: 6ft-8ft
Weight: 350-500 lbs
Class: Herbivores
Merit Rating: 9
Description: The male or bull Rows are known as Voars. Though they too can be domesticated, one must be weary during their mating season for Voars can become fiercely territorial and aggressive. Their Ram-like horns are especially lethal when they are on the charge; strong enough to smash a human skull.
Inspiration: In Cambodia, there is said to be a cryptid that resembles a steer or bull known as Kting Voars. Their horns are supposedly very long and even have a peculiar twisting shape to them. Hunters dating all the way back to dawn of the 20th century often reported hunting and observing these animals in the thick Cambodian wilderness. Unlike a number of cryptids, there is enough evidence to suggest that these animals at least did exist at some point.
______________________________________________________ Warlock
Height: 5ft-6ft
Weight: 180-200 lbs
Class: Humanoid
Merit Rating: 100
Special Abilities:
-Spell casting
-Conjuring
-Materialization
-Curses
-Elemental Manipulation
Description: When a man murders and drinks the blood of an elf; he becomes a warlock. Through the blood of the elf, the man gains magical abilities and prolonged life. However, because of the murder, they become cursed to transform into a grotesque form after the sun goes down. Warlocks also are known for increasing their magical ability by kidnapping virgin girls and keeping them alive to harvest their life force. However, the increase is normally too dramatic so Warlocks are only able to harvest the life force of one girl... or so it is believed...
Inspiration: In history, Warlocks were more or less Male Witches. They were not as widespread as Female witches, quite possibly due to the long-held domination that men held in the social and political climate of the world until the 20th century, but nonetheless there were still many examples of warlocks who were put on trial in the 15th century to the 19th century such as George Burroughs who was the only minister accused during the Salem Witch trials and Gilles Garnier; who was also accused of being a werewolf and was a serial child murder in the 1500s.
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Wendigo
Height: 8ft-15ft
Weight: 100-200 lbs
Class: Demon
Merit Rating:160
Special Abilities:
-Able to exhale a poisonous fume that causes its recipient to become murderous & psychotic
-Can dissolve into a gaseous form
Description: Wendigos are forest dwelling demons that have humanoid bodies with long arms and the head of elks/deer. More often than not it's body appears decrepit or decayed with the skin around its claws and mouth chewed away. The most terrible aspect of these beasts are their ability to exhale a toxic gas which causes madness to any who inhale it. Due to the violent nature of these victims, it is seldom that anyone can be saved who succumb to its effects.
Inspiration: Native American legend speaks of Wendigos as terrible spirits. Though these spirits can take on a monstrous form, they are more fond of possessing humans. Anyone possessed by a Wendigo is driven insane and becomes excessively violent; even murderous and cannibalistic. Though many dismiss it at myth or legend, there have been numerous Wendigo related incidents. Most noteworthy happened in 2008 when a man on board a bus in Canada went mad and brutally murdered a fellow passenger. Investigation revealed that the man believes he had become possessed by a Wendigo and that many circumstances surrounding the incident are very similar to the Wendigo legend.
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