The Bestiary of Khorinis V

Volume V: Deadly Creatures

Among the island's beasts, the shadowbeast occupies a special place. It is not only the strongest but also the most unsettling creature a hunter may face. Its massive body, crowned with the characteristic horn, conceals a force that goes beyond physicality. Time and again, reports describe the beast as shrouded in a cloud of darkness, as if shadows flowed from its form. This strongly suggests that that the shadowbeast possesses a form of natural magic - ancient, primal, and untamed.

Its habitat is as mysterious as the beast itself. It is most often found in dense forests or secluded caves, far from other beasts. (Although sightings in the mountains have also been recorded.) There it merges with the darkness, waiting silently and patiently until the right moment to strike its prey.

Of particular note are reports from hunters who claim to have seen an extraordinary variant in the vicinity of snow-covered peaks: a single specimen which adapted to its surroundings such that its coat is of a similar color, namely white. No encounters have been recorded thus far; only sightings. One hunter summarized his account as follows: "I figured I could either return and tell the tale - or neither of the two".