"Good morning," the Thing in the Well calls, "And how are we doing this morning Mrs. Westmen?" -- "Just wonderfully. How have you been keeping, Thing?" -- "Fine, fine. A little peckish, a bit in the mood for, you know, a nibble, a bite to eat. But don't worry yourself, perfectly fine." -- "It's quite alright Thing, I was just thinking I should bring by some lunch. How does a ham sound?" -- "You are too kind Mrs. Westmen, just too kind..." -- The Thing in the Well has lived in the village for longer than anyone can remember. It is traditional to fix regular meals for the Thing, and to present it with a sheep or pig on special occasions. Years ago a boy went down the well on a dare. He never returned. The subject has not been broached in the presence of the Thing. Instinct: To devour

• Politely collect tribute
• Leverage townspeople through secrets
• Purify water
• Hide in darkened waters

Each individual shadow is actually a swarm of tiny, dust-sized demons. No one is quite sure where they come from, or how to kill them, but it is known that children of every species on every plane of existence know to fear the darkness . . . Instinct: To spread

• Devour flesh
• Impersonate voices
• Absorb knowledge from those it kills

"The Old Ones, they knew much. Not the alchemy of man nor the sorcery of warlocks and the like. No, this is the magic of gears and pulleys, the sorcery of science. Watch your every step in the tower: be wary or you may call to life the ancient defense systems. You'll know the Defenders have awoken long before you face them, that's for sure; they're louder than a stomping giant and their hulls scrape the stone walls. You'll hear them coming, I'm sure you can avoid them, go on in the tower. Me? I... I'll stay out here. Got to have a lookout post, right?"

Instinct: Destroy all Intruders! *click* Defend the domain!

• Display immense and uncaring strength
• Soldier on, ignoring all damage until the last
• Reveal a hidden function from the depths of its gearworks

Some are wont to lump these little, rat-like dragon-men in with goblins and orcs, bugbears and hobgoblins. They are smarter and wiser than their kin, however. The kobolds are beholden slaves to dragons and were, in ancient times, their lorekeepers and sorcerer-servants. Their clans, with names like Ironscale and Whitewing, form around a dragon master and live to serve and do its bidding. Spotting a kobold means more are near—and if more are near then a mighty dragon cannot be far, either. Instinct: To serve dragons

• Lay a trap
• Call on dragons or draconic allies
• Retreat and regroup

The Hoarding Dragon, also referred to as the Trash Dragon takes it's kin's attraction to great piles of wealth to unhealthy, obsessive extremes. Where other Dragons will collect hoards of precious metals and jewels, the Hoarder Dragon is not so discerning. It will collect any rubbish, trash, or miscellany it finds. A Trash Dragon's hoard is often made up of worthless items and objects that It has picked up and simply cannot part with. It clings to these things, overstuffing it's lair to the point where it can barely move without causing avalanches of rubbish. Trash Dragons are seen as pitiable, pathetic creatures, but despite the trouble they cause, very few will seek out and kill them. While most of their hoard is worthless junk, there can sometimes be rare magical or valuable items in amongst the dross. Instinct: To hoard trash and mundane items to excess

• When you feel threatened or uneasy, recede into your hoard.
• When your hoard is threatened, make weak arguments as to why you need every single item.
• When they steal something, chase them, and beg for it back
• When they kill you, pass your compulsion to them.

Fire giants have bonded with elemental spirits of fire, infusing them with heat. Their society is very ordered and militaristic, with a peculiar blend of pragmatism and gung-ho bravado. Instinct: To protect its tribe

• Heat things with a touch

Lizardgiant haruspices combine their inborn sense of hunting with religious devotion, tearing apart prey to study the words of their gods in the flow of entrails and blood. Instinct: To protect its pack

• Hold its breath for a long time
• Attack from ambush

Lizardgiants are a mutant offshot of the lizardfolk race. Their features have many more crocodilian or dinosaurian traits, including a body proportioned more for walking on all fours that upright. Born hunters, they have an innate sense for moving stealthily and many have very predatory personalities. Instinct: To protect its pack

• Hold its breath for a long time
• Attack from ambush

Dedicated to both tracking dangers and ensuring food for their tribe, lizardfolk hunters eschew close combat for mastery of the bow. Allied animals gain +1 damage and +1 amour. Instinct: To protect its tribe

• Hold its breath for a long time

Pyrotrices are fire elemental cousins of the cockatrice. Instead of having a petrifying bite, their bite causes the target to be engulfed in flames. Instinct: To protect its nest

• Set things ablaze with a bite
• Can launch a blinding flame