Well done hunter, you've made the best purchase of your life. And if you're browsing through only the first few pages in a book shop wondering whether it's worth it trust that if you are given a choice between buying your first set of weapons and this book, take the book. It's got a durable cover, nice soft paper and is flammable to, as well as containing everything you could possibly need to know about the terrible dangers of the Alila Plains!
Now some fools will tell you that the Alila plain are the safest, most patrolled parts in all of Talioche. And they are right I suppose but safest and most patrolled on this beautiful island isn't difficult. Patrols and guards effectively end once out of sight of the three quatrefoil keeps, and you'll be contesting with the wilds, unsupported except for the half dozen villages or so and a few isolated charcoal burners and trappers.
The Plains themselves vary from rolling grasslands to low moors, though terrain is rarely unpleasantly muddy. Central is a large woodland, known locally (And with Talioche's tragic history, it must be added, presently) as Dancer's Forest, and in the north west the rocky reaches of the border cliffs intrude onto the pleasant green hills. The plains themselves are steeped in magic, fey in nature. Some sages theorise that the low lying nature brings them closer to the intense magic that runs throughout Talioche, or perhaps it's that these are almost invariably the first lands that travellers come too that attracts the magic. To us, oh hunter, it doesn't matter. What does is that plenty of animals are either fey in origin, or touched in a not altogether pleasant way. The main thing to remember is that a beast may not just be a beast or it may be plenty smarter than you first expect. Patience, caution and careful identification using my wonderful book will be your friend.
Prey Beasts
I divert a little to examining a few of the more common or normal animals for the unimaginative (or pragmatically cautious hunter), who is simply looking for the best animals to hunt and eat in the area, and to go over the dangers unique to this land.
Two particularly prevalent options are wild pigs and deer, and you may come across a few wild goats to the north west. I will not waste your time or mine with the hares, fowl and rabbits. You may see lights amongst the bushes in the evenings, but these are merely lantern bugs, found out of their normal dark forests and deep caverns during spring and summer all of over Talioche. Make use of their glowing organs or ignore them completely.
I assume you, dear reader, understand the simple principles of hunting deer, and do not need me to re-iterate them here. Instead, I add a caution. If you come across deer grazing in a clearing, in the middle of a grove of trees, check for symmetry in the grove and for standing stones or ruins within it. If these are present, you run the risk of provoking certain fey, that can prove quite troublesome to overcome and difficult to outrun.
Boar, as you well know, are never and easy hunt. It is quite the shot to bring down one with a single bowshot, and their aggressive nature makes them dangerous for inexperienced hunters. As is standard, one should bring a spear or pike to stop them in their tracks should they charge you, and hunting them is best done in pairs at the very least. Now, in areas of high magic, Gigantism in animals is quite common and these plains are no exception. Giant boars are often mixed in with their smaller brethren, and will defend these fully grown animals in the same way a Sow would defend her piglets.
But the wild pigs of Talioche have another trick up their sleeve, unpleasant creatures locally referred to as fellboars. These are a prime example of frankly ugly magic. Nearly as large as a horse, horned and with another set of tusks these creatures are more aggressive than their relatives. Their most striking feature is their forelegs, which are twisted into a mixture of bears claw and hoof, and they recover from injuries almost as quickly as they are made. They have a taste for flesh, and often kill deer nearby. As their flesh is foul I suggest no hunting them, unless you are after their impressive horns and tusks, which retain their impressive durability, and, if harvested live, their regeneration. Note that like trolls, their regenerative abilities are impeded by fire or by chemical burns.
Illustration. Fellboar and tracks
Under Fig 1.(Don't forget, their forelegs enable them to navigate terrain difficult for hooved animals)
The wild goats are simple beasts living in the rocky foothills around the border cliffs. A few of them are prone to Gigantism, but they are usually content to flee rather than fight. Notably, they have particularly tough ankles and hooves, allowing them to navigate the sharp rocks that make up their homes with an unexpected ease. They have strong herd bond, and the larger beasts may fight off would be predators attacking their smaller kin.
Predator Beasts:
These are creatures normal enough to be easily navigable for an experienced hunter. Do not underestimate them of course, simply because they are more common and less fantastical than some other creatures within these lands does not mean they are not dangerous. Being eaten by a bear would be a miserable way for an experienced hunter to go.
Bear
I am often asked the difference between tracking owlbears and the more normal variety, and in truth it is very difficult. Owlbears, in spite of their bulkier frame actually weigh slightly less than bears about the same size. There are two reliable distinguishing features: Owlbears have a slight wispy pattern around their prints from their feather-fur, and they have a rear claw that occasionally drags.
Now just because you're pretty sure it is just a regular bear you're tracking, that doesn't mean you're out of the woods quite yet. It is common for experienced hunters to underestimate simple beasts, then be jumped by a pair of cave bears and torn limb from limb. Bears are uncommon on the plains, there isn't enough terrain to allow them to den easily, but you may come across a few in the Dancer's Forest, or in the occasional dense groves. Most of these are of a fairly small species locally called woodbear, but you if explore the ruins and old tombs, or you come across a particularly large cave you may find a cave bear, which I personally find only a little less challenging than an owlbear. Woodbears are omnivorous, not overly aggressive and don't range more than 5 miles from their dens. They are opportunists however, and have a wonderful sense of smell, so take care, as they aren't above muscling you out of a meal or a kill. They have a small curve to their claws when walking, and their feet are on a slight angle facing in. Size in print is not a good way to distinguish between them and the hillbears you'll find further to the north.
Cave bears are much more aggressive and considerably larger. They keep no particular sleep cycle, but rarely come to the surface in daylight. They see better in the dark than cousins and are much more dangerous than either hillbears or woodbears. They are a good bit larger and carry less fat on them, leaving them pure muscle. Their tracks are easy to distinguish, they often show their heel pad in their tread.
Wolves
Wolves are challenging creatures to hunt, with excellent hearing and smell and a cunning that makes them hard to ambush. The packs in South-West Talioche are usually quite small, no more than six and usually closer to four, and with the abundance of game all year round, they rarely prey upon travellers unless those travellers are already weakened but will become aggressive if threatened. They rarely den outside the dead of winter, and rove long distances. Like many animals in the area, they are prone to being a tad overlarge, but these giant sized wolves usually form their own groups, usually just a mated pair. It is possible that these are actually a separate species, but with Talioche's abundance of magical gigantism I think it unlikely. Most locals call them dire wolves, as such large wolves around the world seem to be known, but those are mostly separate species as opposed to overgrown specimens of the common wolf. Like their smaller brethren on Talioche, these rarely hunt folk travelling in groups, but they will gladly take an isolated traveller or small band as a snack. They have a taste for pork, and are more than happy to step over pig pens to get a meal that puts up less of a fight. The smaller species are found throughout, but the larger varieties avoid the Dancer's forest and other wooded areas. Size is a very appropriate distinguisher between the two, if the print is larger than your hand (yes even you little Halfling, though keep those fingers spread wide), it's probably a Dire wolf, or if you're appallingly unlucky, a Great Wolf or Gaunt Hound on a visit from the north of the isle.
Eagles, Hawks and Falcons
Birds of prey are usually of no threat to anyone larger than a rabbit or with more defensive capability than a new born lamb, though as always there are a few exceptions. The plains and the woodlands are host to a large variety of kites, goshawks and a few eagles. Among the most common are the Red-backed Kite, along the coast, the brown goshawk and collared sparrowhawk amongst the forests and groves and the black-shouldered kite, the whistling kite and nightsong eagle in the stretches of open plains. In the night you will likely hear a variety of Tyto owls, and a scattering of others. In the Dancer's Forest you may be fortunate enough to spot Iltaras Owls, a giant species that seems identical to the ones ridden by a few reclusive Halfling tribe in isolated forests of Lareena. They do seem slightly out of place amongst the other giant owls that can be found in the area. Whether this suggests that these Halfling tribes once came to Talioche is difficult for even the most learned scholar to determine, I myself having spent some time with members of these tribes, and staying amongst a them know that there are rarely worked with stone so break down quickly as soon as they're not in use, and they have no written history. But I digress, and you, would be hunter are no doubt eager to read of the Intitular Eagle, the winged ruler of Talioche's Animals. Rare, beautiful, swift as an arrow and as deadly as five. You should be able to recognise one if you are fortunate enough to see it, a large eagle with a 10 foot wing span, its wings edged in black and its secondaries in a shining gold. Those gold feathers are worth more than an estate to a king and the black contain such magic they are worth just as much to alchemists or wizards. It is for these entirely none superstitious reasons that it named title giver. Yes, I am one of the few to hunt such a beast, and possibly the only human to ever do so. I traded the black feathers to the Council of Elven in Marnain in exchange for free passage throughout their domain, and the gold to the good King Winnrad, purchasing from him my steading to the north. And no doubt, hunter, you have dreams of the same: A quick, efficient method to fame, fortune and a lovely retirement! But prepare for disappointment. The Intitular eagle is shy, flies swifter than any other creature I have seen before or since, and if you can see it, it has certainly already seen you. The eagles themselves have never been observed landing or nesting, and seem to have resistance to magic similar to those foul great cats that inhabit the lower slopes of the Half Mountains. So how best to hunt them? Consider doing so a test, as I couldn't retain my title as worlds grandest hunter by giving away my secrets. I will tell you that you must be able to hunt at great range without difficulty, and move swift enough to keep the beast in range. Best of luck to you!
But of course, to the glorious there is the foul and unpleasant. Blood hawks. A common pest throughout the more temperate world, a large colony of the nasty creatures inhabits the cliffs to the west, preying on fish and unfortunate fisherman. A few flocks moved away from their nesting grounds, and they prey upon anything that looks large and tasty enough, and chase away less unfriendly wildlife and predatory competition. Unlike many birds of prey, they rely on their long, needle like beaks, that put one more in the mind of generalist birds like ravens and magpies more than any raptor, and they use these to strike and bleed their prey much more than talons, which are atrophied as a result. It's folklore that Blood Hawks actually drink blood. The birds themselves are easily distinguished by their beak shape from the red backed kite whom they most readily resemble, and that their breast is a red as well as their back. In identifying them in flight, their silhouette is typical of that of birds of prey, but they rarely fly as high and almost always occur in groups of 4 or more. Don't concern yourself with them if you can only spot one or two, they are unlikely to attack you in such small numbers unless you are alone, and cripplingly injured, in which case blood hawks are the least creature of your concern.
Aside from their beaks, flocking tendency and atrophied talons, blood hawks have a final distinguishing feature that gives a hunter the ideal method for avoiding them: they have strangely poor vision. This isn't to say they cannot easily see a rabbit move from nearly a mile, I mean they have difficulty seeing the very same rabbit, but the rabbit hold still. A foreigner to these lands will call me a liar, but unique to Talioche, where bloodhawks hunt largely on the coast line, slaying fishermen in swaying boats and swift swimming fish, they seem to have lost some of their ability to see in the distance. Note, far flung traveller, that your local trick to escape their flocks won't work, these ones are very comfortable diving, and will turn the water red with blood.
Monsters
I don't like the term monster particularly, but it is so frequently used by folk that I will indulge the imprecise terminology. My issue stems from the slapdash way it is applied to creatures. Simply being made up of other creatures hardly seems to qualify. No, to me monsters have an air of menace, cruelty and intelligence that sets them apart from regular beasts. There are very few on the plains that fit that category, with a few unfortunate exceptions, which I will describe in detail further below. Simple, but fantastical beasts, I prefer to refer to as "Greater Prey," but for the sake of clarity, monsters they shall be. You will note an absence of giants and goblinoids, and the fey creatures I hold in such disdain. If you are a regular reader, and a wise collector of my writing (And as you should be, well done you), you will know that I do not encourage the hunting of any creature that can be negotiated with.
Worgs
But we will start with somewhat of an exception too the rule, and creatures closely tied with the so called monstrous races, to satisfy those readers that are less conscious of a creatures redemption, or after the greater glory that comes from wiping wild folk of the face of the earth. Wherever you find goblinoids, in any number, you shall find worgs somewhere nearby. Known as "The Vagr" to the barbarians of north Salken were they supposedly originate, worgs look like a horse sized wolf with a squarer, hairless snout and a much crueller disposition. The top of the snout and head are have a heavy bony plate just beneath the skin, affording the beast some additional protection and greater force into their bite, that can comfortably crush skulls. Their preferred fighting method is for each pack member to knock a single target onto its back and go for the kill. Though they do hunt in packs, and their methods of killing prey are similar to that of dire wolves, they lack the close quarters coordination of similar creatures, selfish as they are. Worgs have their own language, and a hunter who expects to fight them regularly would be wise to familiarise themselves with (see my new bestselling book: The Language of The Beasts, for a quick guide to hunting cries of all such animals, available at all good book stores), and they use this coordinate their attacks well. Ambush, upon groups that have a similar number to their own is their favourite method of hunting. If they cannot wipe out a group, they will snatch up the weakest. One will steal a child, alive and ensure it cries out. Then as the warriors move away from the rest to pursue, the rest of the pack moves in to kill the rest. Typically, the first worg kills then drops the child, and melts into the night snarling in triumph. Many caravan owners know this tactic, and often make the tragic decision to allow a child's death to save the rest of the caravan. Worgs are cowards at heart, changing lairs and hunting grounds often to avoid any attempted retribution. They are smart, and lair anywhere from dense thicket to ruined castles. The only time they lair for any stretch of time in more civilised lands is when they ally with goblinoids. They rarely do so along the Alila plains, partly because all goblinoid hosts that could support them have been destroyed, and partly because worgs have nearly been hunted to extinction all along the plains, in a spirited and nearly successful attempt to help the ever so profitable caravans of the region reach their destination intact. Therefore, it will be an unusual find for you to come across a group of hunting worgs. If you do, attack as soon as they you see them, do not give them time to surround you and your travelling party and choose the weak point to begin their assault. They will have spotted you, and every second you delay is more time for them to get a feel for your defences. If you have been hired to kill a particular pack, you will find their pawprints wolf like with a defined rear claw, and somewhat overlarge, considering their already great size. Move swiftly. Worgs are common hunt for up and coming members of the trade, and if you wish to sharpen your skills against them, in Talioche it would be wisest to head to the Vool plains to the east, where the majority of packs retreated after their culling.
Illustration: Beast in profile, tracks
Fellcrows
I have spoken of the less than wholesome influence that the lands of Fey have on more normal creatures. None encompass this so well as fellcrows. I have discussed fellboars earlier, and fellcrows are much the same. They resemble crows, with particularly glossy black feather, but none of the colour nor ruffles that make a raven. Up close one can see small pair of forelegs that resemble dextrous paws emerging from the torso, often gripping the branch as well as the more normal rear claws. A small tale covered in long dark feathers is often coiled tightly around the beast to keep its silhouette as perfect crow-like as possible. They have a multitude of eyes, though usually they keep only a single pair open at once. The total number varies, but all have at least a pair of large bulging eyes located at the base of the neck (usually hidden with feathers) and up to 5 secondary pairs of eyes located around it. Their beaks and tongue are lined with spines, much like a goose, and they have an owl's unpleasantly flexible neck. The ugly creatures appear here, as monsters because unlike fellboars they are intelligent and malicious. They have a liking for mischief that exceeds simple annoyance and becomes simply cruel. They can speak the common tongue, though they rarely do so, preferring to communicate in imitations like Kenku. They seem to collect menacing or unsettling voices, favouring death rattles or quite young children. They have excellent, but limited night vision. They seem to be able to see much clearer that most creatures of the night, but only up very close, and only with all their eyes open. This clarity seems to extend to illusion, though they find attempts to deceive them as such quite amusing. They are scavengers, their diets closer to the carrion of ravens than the opportunism of crows, and they delight in creating corpses. Not on their own of course, they are only a little more durable than a regular crow, but by luring prey into the path of more dangerous creatures, good or bad. I've seen a variety of deceptions, the most common being the false cry of a child or young animal, luring those that would save and those that would hunt such a creature together, or cries of help coming from unstable cliff faces or swift running rivers. More complicated deceptions involving multiple fellcrows or a more nuanced imitations are a matter of folklore, and I have never witnessed it, but do not discount the possibility. They are not hunting mechanisms themselves however, and are capable of stunning unwary creatures with an agonizing pulse of energy, killing weaker prey. They usually do this from silence, and usually at a lesser level designed to torment. If you see a flock of say 15 or more, they may try attempt an attack on one of you, though their cowardice will likely prevail. Local folklore, even amongst uncivilised races, associates these creatures with both seelie and unseelie fey. It is difficult to measure the truth of this, considering the secrecy and irksome riddle-talk of such beings, but I doubt the relationship goes any further than fellcrows seeing them as creatures both powerful enough to kill prey and likely uninterested in the flesh. Fellcrows fewmets are distinctly not avian, and resemble that of terrestrial predators, a trait they share in common with foxhawks. I found the creatures bodies difficult to sell as much more than a novelty, though alchemists will pay for the feathers, boiling them to release some oil or other. Do not eat the eyes, tongue or liver, they are rather vomit inducing.
Illustration: Fellcrow, Miron being sick
False-Cats
We will stick with the theme of faerie beasts for a while. First, false-cats, or displacer beasts, or as they are known in more ancient tongues, dirlagraun. Large, six legged felines with two curling tendrils that possess the curious ability to appear slightly away from where they are. It means that the creature you see is never quite the creature you are fighting, but the illusory form can only be a few feet from where it really is, and simply striking the creature is enough to stop the projection, as is tangling it up or tripping it over. The beasts themselves are vicious and cruel, smart as a Worg though they lack the talent for language. They are solitary creatures, and hunt both for the sheer pleasure of the kill and for food. In this regard they are rather like a common housecat, or perhaps us in our more brutal states. False-cats rely primarily on their tendrils to hunt, rarely closing the distance to prey unless they are going for the kill. The last blow is dealt with the teeth, though they lack the crunch found in similar predators and mostly do so to make dragging their catch easier. The beasts are difficult to bribe, unless you provide live prey. They are solitary creatures for the most part, though occasionally they will hunt in mated pairs. The creatures seem only to become fertile late in life and the cubs will remain with the mother until she passes on or has a new set of cubs. You can expect a false-cat with company to fight to with great ferocity. Their hides are greatly prized by arcanists looking to reinforce a mirror image spell, though their lack of spare fat and the hides delicacy make it rather difficult to get. Their tendrils need to be removed along with the hide to keep it intact, but if the hide is ruined one can be the starting point of a rather lovely whip. I personally prize their mounted heads, a testament to both hunting and crafting talents. One final note: the beasts have a considerable hatred for blink dogs, and will either fight or flee from their strange echoing howls.
Illustration (Tracks)
Blink Dogs
Blink dogs themselves are a much friendlier creatures if equally odd creatures. They are much smaller, the size of a basset hound with very short yellow fur and long pointed ears, that usually stick straight up. There is nothing spare about blink dogs. There is not pouches of body fat on them, no floppy jowls, their fur clings tight to their bodies. In fact they lack most things that make a normal dog pleasant to pat or lie on your feet. They also lack lips, giving them a constant snarl. Don't let their unsavoury appearance fool you though, they are quite smart and quite amicable beasts, rarely hunting humanoids and perfectly happy to share prey with anyone who assists them in their hunt. If they are hunting you, they've likely been set on you by an owner, powerful fey often keeping these as a nobleman keeps hounds. And if they are hunting you, they will make use of their namesake, their blinking, vanishing and appearing within biting range, and once the pack has caught you, striking an blinking away before you can retaliate. Their ability to teleport in such a way does tire them, so strike once they look exhausted. The dogs are usually found in large packs of six or more, and the wild ones hunt deer and share the spoils. Some sages will tell you that the blink spell is copied from these beasts, and some mages use their bones and oils to infuse such spells.
Fox Hawks
The fox hunt is an ideal pastime for the gentleman hunter. Cunning, speed, animal control, hard riding, tracking… the ideal sport for the faint of heart. And Talioche provides the perfect step up for the noble man looking for fun, the Fox Hawk. Smarter, faster and stronger than a fox, and, of course, flying. Landed, the beast does look like a fox, with feathered forearms and the large wings awkwardly stretched above the shoulders, white-less yellow eyes of a hawk. All of the paws are extended into talons, but the front are large and have the distinct four toed structure of a bird of prey. Foxhawks appear in a variety of colours, most commonly with russet plumage and fur, but greys, browns and blacks aren't uncommon. Hunting them is a challenge. Along with all the normal difficulties of the fox hunt, you must account for flight and that peculiar resilence found in many "monstrous" creatures, and for their not inconsiderable fighting ability. Though they may strike when pursued by an isolated hunter, they will flee when outnumbered. But if cornered, they will attempt a lethal swoop, talons first, upon the weakest predator, then follow with a bite before flying up again for another such run. Do not underestimate that swoop. Foxhawks way only slightly less than regular fox and a set of talons hitting you with the weight of a small dog behind will fell many a man. This does present to things to the cunning hunter: First, that it is perhaps better to hunt foxhawks within glens rather than use hounds to drive them out, and second, that the weight of a small dog is not easy to fly with. And this is true, foxhawks tire quickly when flying, and cannot fly away with their downed prey, though they may attempt to drag it off. Therefore, your best bet when one flies is to simply pursue, then be prepared for when it tires and dives for safety in a grove of trees or thicket. You will not need to drive one out of its burrow, the beast prefers to make use of its hawks eyes for swooping hunts rather than bushes foxesare better known for. Foxhawks mate freely with regular foxes, and about one in 7 of their offspring is proper winged fox. They are popular pets amongs the higher echelons, but many lords of Kadesmuth reserve the right of hunting such beasts in the lands they claim. Such city bound nobles are easily defied and avoided.
Illustration: Tracks
Owlbears
Owlbears are a strange creature. They are nowhere near as common as they seem, but they are such aggressive beasts that they rarely allow folk to pass unchallenged. It is said that even dragons hesitate to fight owlbears, not because they fear being felled by the creatures, but because an owlbear will not stop slashing into flesh until it or its prey is dead. The creatures combine either the worst or best traits of both animals. The excellent sense of smell, endurance, great crushing strength and determination of a bear is met in a loveless marriage with the night vision, excellent hearing, vindictiveness and that slight edge on the normal animal cunning of owls. In my travels I have seen a variety of owls heads upon the shoulders of bears, and a few of those have some nasty tricks up their sleeve. Fortunately for you, the owlbears of Talioche are of the common stock. Owlbears are usually solitary creatures, or occasionally hunting in mated pairs. If the territory is rich enough in easy game, a family of four or more may stay together, but this is quite uncommon. Due to their brutal nature, Owlbears rarely live to great age, but in the bestiary of the Neframal'va family in Lyal'amma I saw a specimen that was at supposedly over 500 years old, and it was just as strong, quick and vicious as any such creature in the prime of its life. Its fur and feathers were discoloured a grey, tinged with gold, plumage I am yet to come across in the wild, but a few greyed owlbears, which combine ferocity with cunning and a strange piercing scream that freezes one to the very bones. Fighting such a creature alone is surely certain death, and it is only due the swift actions of my valet Miron that I survived my first encounter with such a beast. To hunt an owlbear, numbers are your friend. In its rage, the beast will spread out its attacks amongst the foes that face it. Ensure as many as possible engage the beast directly, leaving just one fighter within reach will almost certainly result in that warriors death. You hunter, may take the mildly dishonourable but undeniably sensible path allowing others to fight in such close range for you. I will not deny having used it, it in my old age especially, but there is a much less thrill in merely peppering the beast with arrows than there is going blade to claw with a screeching, roaring beast. I have discussed tracking owlbears previously and written of the difficulty in distinguishing them from regular bears, so remain prepared. Owlbears of course, are simple beasts, and ferocity aside there is no cruelty or malice in their hunting method.
Ashshine
We come to the worst creature of the Alila plains. Ashshine bugs. Grey beetles smaller than a childs fingernail, that make shine and sparkle when they take flight. You will find them only in depths of the dancers forest, or slumbering within caves and ruins in the daytime, and at night in a shining swarms drawn to your campfire light. They are rare, I will stress, and some fey seem to actively kill exterminate them, so do not be jumping at damp leaves blowing in the wind. But should they come, you should prepare for one of your companions to die. Fighting the swarm is like fighting dust, dust that will strip the flesh from your bones. But that is not the worst. A swarm will attempt to engulf an unlucky victim, forcing itself down throats and up noses. If it succeeds, it is likely over. The swarm will slowly eat at the unfortunate from within, and after a brief pause, take control of the poor creatures movements, lashing out at companions, until either the host or all companions are dead. Then the swarm will feed. An infected creature can still feel, and often weep. Up close, you may be able to see the beetles moving under the skin. Ashshines are not simple creatures. They are smart enough to imitate an animal in order to eat its herd mates while they sleep, or attract a more predatory host by pretending to be weak and sick. Getting an swarm out of a host isn't easy, magic that cleanses the body is the simplest method. Otherwise, restrain your companion force them to swallow (or otherwise imbibe by less savoury means) a concoction of lavender oil and strong spirits, mixed in a 1:1. You will need at least a pint of the substance. Do not knock the victim unconscious, the swarm will simply eat their way out and continue. Fight the ejected swarm with flame or with other magic energies. The beetles find lavender intolerable, and a little lavender oil applied to the collar and to the temple can discourage their infestation and their feeding. This has bled into local folklore, and a lot of little houses grow lavender close to doorways and under windows, supposedly to keep away nasty spirits. There is no reason to hunt them these foul bugs other than to rid the world of them, at least to my knowledge.
In conclusion, a few final words
Hunting in the plains is relatively safe and rewarding. Stick to the paths and the simpler hunts until you know the land well and its inhabitants. Plan your take downs, and look for the grains of truth hidden in folklore. Make careful note of the intelligent inhabitants of the land, civil or not, and enlist them to assist you in hunts, they may know the land better than you, and the beasts perhaps better than me. Stay away from the lords and ladies of the fey I must thank Mrs Bindtree for contributing her knowledge towards this book. And look out for my other books, available at any self-respecting book salesman. Because no doubt, if you've found yourself on Talioche, you'll hardly be spending all your time hunting in the plains! No, you'll be looking to hunt the iconic beasts, manticores, destroyers of the elven colonies; chimeras, the ever changing devourers of living flesh; Crag cats, the elusive magic-proofed predators and many more wonderful, dangerous and valuable beasts. Or turn your thoughts to the civilised lands, and purchase my guides to them. Hunt Well!
Maddock Vulchim
Marquis of Lareena, Huntsman by royal appointment
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