The Dalmascan Sands

001: Cactoid

Genus – Plant       Classification – Cactus

Observations: Being a mischievous, mean-spirited beastie, mercifully lacking the intelligence to do any real damage.

Sproutlings are called cactites. A rare strain is notable for its proclivity to sprout a scarlet blossom; that being seldom seen, of the highest value, and considered a sign of miraculous good fortune by sensitive young lovers with a tolerance for needles.

The Adventurer's Handbook: Ye adventurers only beginning on your travels: your first task should well be the collection of 1,000 needles from the fickle cactoid.

Upon plucking this collection, you will find yourself not only the proud owner of a bundle of needles, but possessed of great experience in interminable combat withal, and, should you sell it, a pittance of coin.

If making a bundle exceeds your capabilities, the adventurer is urged to reconsider his or her vocation and take up employ about town. Adventuring is not all fun and games, mark you.

002: Ichthon

Genus – Ichthon       Classification – Pirahna

Observations: Deceptively joyful colorations adorn this carnivorous ichthian of vicious temperament.

Of its armaments, the naturalist Merlose has called it "a beast most fierce, it having a lower mandible which jutteth out like a war-spear, this being used to rend and tear the flesh of its prey, and a voracious appetite quite exceeding its diminutive size."

When feeding in shoals, they are known to devour large creatures such as the wild saurian in the blink of an eye.

Sage Knowledge (34 of 78): Kingdom of Dalmasca: A small kingdom comprising the lands around the city of Rabanastre, governing a portion of the Galtean Peninsula.

While its territories are small, its situation at the crossroads of three continents has enabled it to prosper as a center for trade.

More than 700 years are marked in the charts of history since her founding, yet many are the armies that have sought to claim her for her cultural richness and strategic importance.

Upon her defeat to Archadia in the invasion of 704, her lands were placed under the direct control of the empire.

003: Wolf

Genus – Beast Classification – Wolf

Observations: Agile, swift, and keen of tooth, the wolf is the preeminent hunter. Widely known to roam in packs led by an alpha. Though once they lived in close harmony with mankind, fierce competition over prey brought Man to shun and eventually revile them.

Thereafter, the wolves took to the eating of monsters, from this arising diverse strains of wolf, varying greatly in form and adaptation, befitting their diet.

Sage Knowledge (46 of 78): Dalmasca Estersand: One of the large desert regions of Dalmasca, located to the east of Rabanastre. Rife with all manner of monstrous beasts, it regularly plays host to hunts organized within the city.

What settlements there are line the banks of the River Nebra, a vibrant blue vein running through the heart of the sands, wherein can be found ferries for the conveyance of travelers and goods across her flow. Many merchants make a point of stopping in the villages to trade on their way to and from Rabanastre.

004: Wild Saurian

Genus – Dragon Classification – Tyrant

Observations: Once lords of the land together with the other wyrmkin; a war with the gods dwindled their numbers to a mere fraction of their former glory.

This great creature possesses sharp teeth in its sizable maw by which it catches and rends the flesh of its prey, and a grand tail, the latter being used for balance as it strides upon two powerfully appointed hind legs.

Mysteries of the Ancients: One of the singular problems in clearing new land is, surprisingly enough, the removal of monstrous bones, they being far more resistant to wear, and far heavier, than those of men.

The worst of these by far are tyrant bones.

Though they too will erode over the ages, their weight and strength are most uncommon, and even the hottest flame will leave no mark upon them.

To expect anything less from such a bone would be to forget the awesome might of the tyrant from whence it came.

005: Cockatrice

Genus – Avion Classification – Cockatrice

Observations: Lo, the mighty cockatrice, proud-feathered sphere, known as much for its ill humor as its dire rotundity.

The great naturalist Merlose once remarked: "...live they in the sands and other arid climes, whereabouts they moveth in a rolling fashion most peculiar. Subsist they principally on small creatures and vermin &c., for the incapacitation of which they disgorge a sticky saliva, thence devouring captured morsels only when appetite moves them. Swollen sacs containing airs are found under the surface of the skin, and when inflated, these lifting the creature upon drafts unseen, whence to espy suitable prey.

Sage Knowledge (47 of 78): Dalmasca Westersand: One of the vast deserts of the Dalmascan region situated to the west of Rabanastre. Few roads pass through this waste, and as such it is little frequented by merchants.

In Dalmasca Westersand, the sandstorms are more greatly feared than the beasts; so much so, in fact, that whole societies of natural philosophers in Rabanastre devote themselves to their study.

006: Gnoma Entite

Genus – Gnoma Entite Classification – Elemental

Observations: In the chronicles, it is said that in time out of memory the gods fashioned here a paradise, yet Man was ill-satisfied and sought to cultivate the lands beyond. The soil was thus enriched, yet this gave rise to differences, differences to greed, and greed to war. The gods wept and raged and cleft the land, casting men into the gaping abyss.

Out of this tumult, the gnoma entite was born.

The Entite Pact: The strength of the earth carries us, does naught but be under all, languid, resistant, a mass against which the spirit is strained and, eventually, broken. Only the power of wind may tempt the indolent soil into action.

The earth, now called, cares for you. For you, heart-cleft, and for you alone will it open and reveal the rich electrum it holds.

007: Dive Talon

Genus – Avion Classification – Diver

Observations: Called the "Pirate King of the Skies" for its uncanny powers of flight, and ability to strike silently with fatal precision. Its startling plumage is no evolutionary accident, being intended to dissuade dragons and other natural predators. Ironically, the sturdiness of these vibrant beast deterrents makes them highly prized for crafting another kind of predator: the profit-hungry hunter.

Sage Knowledge (43 of 78): Nalbina Fortress: A fortress built on an oasis located between the old kingdoms of Dalmasca and Nabradia. Defended by high ridges and barren sands, long it stood firm against generations of aggressors. Nalbina Fortress and the merchant town that sprung up in its shadow made the area a focal point for local commerce. The treaty to end hostilities in the war with Archadia was signed at Nalbina, yet immediately after the signing, the Dalmascan king was slain, and as a result, the kingdom of Dalmasca came under complete Archadian Imperial rule.

In the two years since the war and occupation by Archadian forces, the fortress has become a key strategic stronghold against the distant, yet ever-threatening, Rozarrian Empire. Works continue to this day to repair the damage which the fortress suffered during the war.

Recently, markets where antiques and rarities can readily be had have sprung up in the outer wards of the fortress, taking advantage of the steady flow of traffic which passes through this midpoint between Rabanastre and Nabudis. It is this pivotal location that gives the fortress its unique character. Many are the travelers who visit Nalbina Fortress to witness this ever-booming oasis that refuses to silt over in neglect, or crumble before the blistering winds of war.