29802Y 3Q 45D

It was at the conclusion of our most recent battle that Zuelis-Tyt introduced itself to me.

Perhaps Great Beasts are drawn to me; As of this evening, I have met with three of them. This meeting, however, was considerably less fraught than the previous two. That isn't to say that there was not, in those first few moments, concern. After the battle, I wandered away as I sometimes do, hoping to clear my head and form plans for tomorrow's actions; that is where the Beast presented itself, moving through the nearby mountains in a surprising silence. Perhaps I would not have noticed him, had I not seen the burning.

Grass, hedges, the trees... all aflame. And when I looked up, I saw it shape there, black and red like cooling lava, staring at me with its fire eyes. In truth, I was unsure whether I could communicate with it... but it appears my gift applies not only to biological animals, but also conceptual ones. A surprise worth remembering.

— Samael Asther

 

Overview

In some cases, Great Beasts are fairly simple and straightforward: the unending ravenous hunger of the Nar-Narolis, for example, or the aggressively defended isolation of the Tempest Serpent. However, in some cases a Great Beast may have a more complicated personality - as is the case of Zuelis-Tyt ("Volcanic dog" in Zozun).

A Record of Encounters

19806Y A band of adventurous Fire Djinn encounter Zuelis-Tyt while hopelessly lost in a Lava tube system - the first known sighting of the Guardian Dog.

20654Y Celestials spies encounter Zuelis-Tyt while attempting to sneak into Ivorthim via the volcanic mountains. Zuelis-Tyt chases them through the mountains and back toward the Gaean border.

25656Y A group of demons attempt summon a great power are introduced to Zuelis-Tyt... not because he was summoned, but because he smells the Magic in the air and approaches. He slays several demons... but does not pursue the survivors when they flee.

27513Y The Ash-Wraiths, a group of high-stakes hunters, attempt to hunt Zuelis-Tyt for sport. Their bodies are found half-melted and mangled over the course of the next few weeks.

28213Y In Ryul,Drereccas hunters chase a rare deer into as mountain forest and are chased by Zuelis-Tyt instead!

29802Y Samael Asther encounters Zuelis-Tyt after a battle. Due to his ability with animals and animal-like things, he is able to communicate with the Beast peacefully.

31526Y A group of ambitious demons try to kill Zuelis-Tyt, intending to take its molten heart to the Crimson Court and present it to Samael in hopes of gaining favor.

32016Y Demon Raiders search a maze of lava tubes for treasure and encounter Zuelis-Tyt. They never return.

Territorial though it may be - and at times violently so - Zuelis-Tyt is also well known for its thoughtfulness and curiosity... and it's sometimes puppy-like personality. A lover of novelty, it can be found wandering in the wild more often that most of its fellow Great Beasts - following its instincts and hunger for new experiences around as readily as it follows trespassers to kill them.

A Brief History

Zuelis Tyt made its first appearance - or first known appearance in any case - in 19806Y, when it was encountered by a group of adventurous fire djinn deep in a labyrinthine series of lava tubes. The band had become lost, hopelessly so, and was nearly resigned to being trapped for the foreseeable future when they came across the figure of a massive dog-like entity, seemingly made of hardened igneous rock and burning spots of lava, or some lava-like material.

The dog's initial response to their presence was hostility, but after attacking them for a few moments, it pinned one of them to the ground and sniffed him. After that, it appeared to come to some sort of decision and promptly ceased its attack; instead, it led the befuddled group back to the surface.

After that confusing encounter, it took some time for the people of Incaendium to puzzle out Zuelis-Tyt's nature: at times, it was as destructive as any volcanic eruption, laying waste to everything in its path. Other times, it appeared curious, friendly, even playful. Because Zuelis-Tyt, like its fellow Great Beasts, is rarely seen, its contradictory actions took longer to unpack - to analyze and pattern-find - than Incaendians might have preferred...

But in the end a general consensus was reached: it seems that Zuelis-Tyt is some kind of guardian of the volcanic systems inside Empirica Sin, and it will act without hesitation - often violently - to defend its territory. That aside, it is also an independent minded creature, the pursues its own enjoyment and companionship as time and duty permits.

Because of this - and perhaps because of its dog-like personality, a good number of people have had overall very positive encounters with Zuelis-Tyt. That said, it would be a grievous error to forget that, as charming as the volcanic dog can be, it is still a monstrously powerful beast capable of destruction at a massive scale... sometimes, even without intending it.

Habitat

The great lava-dog resides inside the volcanic ranges that are scattered over Empirica Sin - though it is most commonly seen in Incaendium where the lava-flows and unusually high number of active volcanoes are prominent features of the landscape.

It is most commonly encountered inside the lava tubes, however it has also been known to emerge from the tunnels and wander the area around any area prone to volcanic activity.

Appearance

Zuelis-Tyt resembles a massive dog made of volcanic rock - largely cooled and black, but still burning in other places on its body. Smoke and ash follow wherever it goes. Overall, it resembles well-crafted statue of a dog carved from igneous rock.

It should be noted that Zuelis-Tyt does change in size from time to time - though it most commonly stands at around 12 feet tall. This is because it is - like the tempest serpent - formed from energy-infused material - in this case igneous rock and ash - and thus its shape and size depends on how much volcanic rock it pulls up to form its body.

Typically, the still-hot portions of Zuelis-Tyt include its eyes, markings on its face and chest, the inside of its mouth and the bottoms of its feet/spaces between its "toes."

The Playful Side of Zuelis-Tyt

ZuelisTytCuteCute

Zuelis-Tyt's personality is rather dog-like, but it cannot suppress its nature well enough to avoid causing destruction when attempting to play in populated areas.

Behavior

As the (self-appointed? Unclear) guardian of the Volcanic systems of Empirica Sin, Zuelis-Tyt tends to linger near areas with active volcanic activity. It can sometimes be found patrolling the lava tunnels and mountain regions. While "sometimes" is a very generous word in this context, it is true that Zuelis-Tyt is one of the more active and consistent of the Great Beasts - enough so that minor sightings of the dog wandering in the distance are not always recorded.

Like all of the Great Beasts, Zuelis-Tyt is exceptionally intelligent; though it is incapable of direct speech it can be reached by those capable of communicating with animals, or through telepathy. Reports of these rare contact events have suggested that Zuelis-Tyt is prone to daydreaming during its quiet wanderings. It has a contemplative and curious mind, forever seeking to discover and understand the world around it, and... yet, beneath this exterior lies a heart and mind that is almost puppy-like when unleashed.

That is to say, when Zuelis-Tyt is not patrolling or engaged in battle - when it is simply lounging or relaxing - it is easily distracted by novelties - new scents, new sounds, shiny visuals. This is a consequence of its curiosity and drive to understand, and on rare occasions it even wanders out of the mountains and into the surrounding forests... and a few times, it has wandered into a population center... with predictably catastrophic effects. Because the problem with Zuelis-Tyt's desire to romp and play is, of course, that it cannot help but leave everything in its path melted, scorched, charred, destroyed.

While Zuelis-Tyt is, under the right circumstances, excellent company... its accidentally destructive effects are important to keep in mind not just to mitigate the potential for accidental damage but to remind oneself of the beast's true nature: that of an immensely powerful beast capable of mass destruction when enraged, or when protecting its territory.

 

Abilities

The Form of the Beast

Armored Magma Body: Due to Zuelis-Tyt's physical Status as a creature made of molten and hardened magma, its body is exceptionally difficult to injure - the living rock that forms it can be considered armor of a sort. Furthermore, while it can be chipped or broken, this is not always the best idea in practice, as it "bleeds" molten rock.

Shape-shifting: Due to its nature as "inhabited" matter, it can change its shape and size by adjusting the material creating its physical body. This allows it to move under doors, between bars, etc. It can even collapse into magma if necessary.

Strength, Speed and Endurance: Zuelis-Tyt is as strong, fast and hearty as one might expect an extremely healthy 12 foot dog made of lava to be. Which is to say it almost never tires, it is incredibly strong, and it runs like the wind.

 

Elemental Affinities

Magma Breath: Not dissimilar to Dragon breath, but in this case Zuelis-Tyt exhales molten rock. Ouch.

Molten Paws: The heat and molten rock beneath its paws burn and melt everything they come into contact with.

Elemental Affinity: Zuelis-Tyt shows elemental affinity with fire, earth and, as a result of mixing the two, magma. It also has some limited ability over air, permitting it to produce hot air and manipulate glass and ash - in the case of glass, this is always igneous glass.

Its skill in manipulating and producing these elements, even air within its limited range of use, is truly at the level of a Grandmaster.

 

Transportation

Volcanic Transportation: Zuelis-Tyt's primary method of travel seems to be suddenly collecting its body out of the magma or volcanic rock in a given region. So essentially if there is any volcanic activity in a region, it can "teleport" there by simply forming its body from the material in that location.

 

Status Quo

Zuelis-Tyt is, as mentioned elsewhere, one of the most consistent and frequently sighted, of the Great Beasts of Empirica Sin. While there have been periods where it disappeared for centuries at a time, there have also been periods of unusually high activity where it is seen running through the mountains... often chasing birds. Sometimes chasing the Obsidian Phoenix.

At the moment it has gone unseen for some time, but one never knows when the fiery canine may appear again.

Threat Assessment:

It is easy to underestimate the danger of Zuelis-Tyt because of its often friendly disposition. However, it must always be remembered that it is, in the end, a Great Beast and will always cause destruction - purposefully or otherwise - wherever it goes. With that in mind...

Taking into consideration its raw destructive power, its nigh-unparalleled mastery of two elemental spheres (fire and earth) and the associated demisphere (magma), and its similar (though more limited) mastery of an additional sphere (air) as well as its ability to combine these spheres into two additional demispheres (ash and glass), its high intelligence, unlimited mobility and formidable physical powers... like all Great Beasts...

Zuelis-Tyt is a Vis level threat.