The following list includes a number of the most common or notable monsters that a Knight of St George may expect to encounter. A short description is also included, along with some advice which may be useful when facing these creatures in combat. This list is by no means complete - there are many mysterious things that lurk in the dark corners of the world and a Knight will regularly come face to face with previously unknown adversaries.

OOC: This is provided as a reference guide. We do not expect you, as players, to memorise any of this information. However, you may freely choose for your character to know as much or little of the information here as you like, and as a Knight of St George you would have ready access to this information even if your character did not know it personally.

As with the faction brief, this page is only available to a select group of players. It represents a significant investment of IC time and effort. Please do not copy and paste the contents to other players. With that proviso you may feel free to communicate the information IC using your own words subject to any additional constraints the GM team have chosen to impose.

These are the creatures that are, in general, of primary concern to the Knights of St George. Not of this world, or twisted by magic, they are unnatural and often a danger to society. Like the Seelie, Cold Iron is very effective against them. However, as part of the agreement to ensure cooperation with the Seelie on the most important task of the protection of England and the wider world, the use of Cold Iron by a Knight of St George has been forbidden unless specific permission is granted by a meeting of the Duke's Council. Being some of the most accomplished fighters in the land, the Knights of St George should not find themselves required to resort to such measures with any regularity.

Hostile, Dangerous
A gigantic three headed bird, capable of breathing fire from each beak. It nests in burial mounds, emerging every few years to ravage a swathe of land about its resting place. Known Aillen burial mounds are checked regularly for signs of emergence. They are easier to fight if one can get their heads to disagree.

Irrational, Harmful
Covens of these apparitions are said to cluster at the homes of the dying or those in peril. It is still debated whether they cause death or are simply attracted by it. Regardless, it is best to avoid hearing their screams. Since they never gather in one place for long, and it cannot be predicted where they will appear, eradication is not usually practical. If they are to be fought, flaming arrows are particularly effective.

Various. Often Hostile, Dangerous
Many variations on the form of a black hound have been sighted and killed over the years. Their appearance can vary, but they are always a large, dark-coated dog-like creature. Most are solitary, stealthy, and aggressive. Be wary of ambushes.

Friendly, Harmless
Brownies are human-like in figure, but very much smaller. While their temperament may vary, they are often willing to exchange some small amount of domestic labour for a gift of food. They are particularly partial to milk, which may be left out at night. Be on the watch for Imps disguising themselves as Brownies.

Irrational, Dangerous
The giant cats of Wales are very good at both climbing and swimming. Have been known to take livestock and even children if they are not kept in check. Can be baited and dispatched with ease when trapped.

Very Hostile, Very Dangerous
Giant flying lizards that breath fire. Their scales are as thick as armour and their claws and teeth like swords. Their ability to fly makes them even more difficult to fight. If a dragon is spotted, the Duke is to be notified immediately.

Neutral, Mischievious
The Dunnie is a creature whose sole purpose appears to be making a fool of those who come across it. It takes the form of a horse and will wait to be taken to ride by a needy traveller. At the earliest opportunity, it will vanish, leaving its victim stranded in the muddiest part of the road. Unlike a normal horse, a Dunnie has no teeth. Together with the threat of Kelpies, it is advised not to attempt to mount any horse you find in the wilderness without checking its mouth.

Hostile, Dangerous
None has ever seen more of a Grindylow save for its long and sinuous arms – at least, none who have lived to tell the tale. They live in marshes and snatch at the legs of anyone who passes too near. They can be dealt with by luring an animal past their hole and severing the Grindylow's arms when they grab it. While return of the arms is proof enough to complete any bounty, there is an additional standing reward for anyone who brings back the body of a Grindylow.

See Brownie.

See Brownie.

Hostile, Harmful
Small fae which take extreme interest in human corpses. They have very sharp teeth, and their bites are prone to infection. Be on the look out for Imps pretending to be Brownies. It is recommended to capture them in a net, tie them up and burn them.

Malevolent, dangerous
At first sight, the Kelpie appears to be no more or less than a mundane horse. They are usually met near the edge a body of water. If one should touch or attempt to mount a kelpie, their true nature will be revealed - one’s limbs will become stuck to the coat of the kelpie and it will drag its victim into the water to be drowned. The only way to escape is to take a knife or sword and remove the ensnared limb. Similar to a Dunnie, a Kelpie may be distinguished from a normal horse by checking its mouth for unusually sharp teeth, although care should be taken not to become trapped while investigating this.

Hostile, dangerous
A giant mollusc that uses tentacles to drag its prey into caves and shadowed pools. Easily avoided since it does not usually move from its chosen pool, although the tentacle have a fair reach. Best fought with spears or other long-shafted weapons. The flesh is not edible, but it is often accompanied by many mussels and other shellfish which can be harvested once the monster is dispatched.

Irrational, dangerous
The Water Leaper resembles a giant frog with bat-like wings instead of forelegs, and a long tail. It bounds across the surface of lakes and rivers with each beat of its wings. Most often little more than a nuisance to local crofters, it feeds on livestock and is responsible for snapping fishing lines, but is rumoured to pursue human targets when food is scarce.

Irrational, dangerous
The size of an ass, it has the hindquarters of a stag, the chest and legs of a lion, cloven hooves, and a mouth that stretches from ear to ear. Instead of teeth, it has one continuous, shining white bone. It can imitate speech. Be wary of imitations of a human in distress, which the monster occasionally uses to lure in prey.

Hostile, dangerous
Head of a man, body of a lion, tail of a scorpion. Few monsters display such an impressive range of deadly features as the Manticore. Highly intelligent, with powerful claws and a venomous tail. It is recommended that a Knight does not attempt to engage a Manticore without the assistance of a Thane.

Variable, dangerous
By order of Lady Patience, the merfolk have been declared not Seelie and therefore valid targets for a Knight of St George. While possessing an upper body like that of a human and a similar ability to speak and reason, they are often hostile to humans and Seelie alike and should be dealt with accordingly. Some individuals show no interest in doing harm and may be bargained with.

Neutral, harmful
A small furry shape shifter, said to act as a familiar for some more powerful evil. On their own they pose no more threat than a small mammal, though many reports claim further unnatural harm to have befallen villages after the appearance of a Pyewacket.

Hostile, dangerous
A small and vicious humanoid, Redcaps typically inhabit abandoned and fallen forts along the border between England and Scotland. They stain their hats with the blood of their victims and will die if it ever dries out – hence their extremely bloodthirsty nature. They often hunt in groups and are capable of basic strategy and dirty tactics. Watch your back and proceed only if well armoured.

Friendly, harmless
Selkies are both human and seal; they spend some of their life in the sea in the form of a seal, but may also come on to the land where they may shed their seal’s skin to walk as a human. To return to the sea, they must retrieve their skin and once again wrap themselves in it. Since there are no recorded cases of a Selkie killing or doing physical harm to a human, these are a low priority and may be ignored.

Hostile, dangerous
The Sluagh takes physical form as a black mass of rats, crows or insects. It is said that the souls of those killed by the Sluagh are imprisoned within it, unable to find rest until the monster itself is destroyed. It can be trapped if the next victim - usually a spouse or someone significant to the previous victim - can be identified and an ambush set.

Irrational, harmful
Has the form of a horse with a single spiraled horn emerging from the centre of its forehead, and is pure white. It is said that Unicorns are drawn to those with a certain quality in the world, that such a connection can be boon or curse, and that it is somehow sacred. Unicorns can run faster than any normal horse, and have the ability to pierce any armour with their horns. They are exceedingly difficult to capture or kill, but their attacks may still be defended against by deflecting the horn. Unicorns are capable of causing severe injury, although will rarely fight to kill.

Neutral, dangerous
The inclusion here of Will-o’-the-wisp may be debated, as it remains unclear as to whether it is truly a creature or some other force of nature. The will-o’-the-wisp appears as a light resembling that of a lantern, hovering off the beaten path and typically over treacherous terrain. Many a traveller has been mislead by its seemingly inviting light and never been seen again. It is not easy to discover the true source of the light due to the treacherous terrain they favour, but the lights may be dispersed when found by shooting them with an arrow.

Hostile, dangerous
On the night of the full moon, men who transform into hideous monsters. Said to be twice the size of a normal wolf and with no fear of man or fire. The cause of these transformations is unknown, but the wolf form is so dangerous that there is typically no choice but to kill the afflicted. Clear proof must be obtained before killing them, however.

Neutral, dangerous
A giant worm said to lurk beneath the Scottish countryside. May be tracked by the tremors it causes as well as its acrid breath. While extremely dangerous, it does not seem to target humans or seelie unless provoked. No reports of the beast have been heard now for over a year.

These creatures are mundane in nature and are not priority targets for the Knights of St George. However, they can pose a danger to those less well prepared, so a true Knight should of course be ready to help out with the culling of these beasts if the task proves too much for the lords of the land.

Whilst hunted to extinction in many parts of the country, bears are still found in the most remote parts. Whilst bears are indeed formidable adversaries in and of themselves, the priesthood of Artio are perhaps the greater threat. Given the scarcity of bears, they do not take well to those who hurt or kill them.

An immense bird capable of crushing a human to death under its feet. Only found in and around the forests of Scotland. Easily startled and very strong, but not hostile.

A large feline with enormous furred feet and tufted ears, lynx are reclusive and prey on ground birds.

Whilst most fish obey the natural order of things, some small fishing communities have been terrorised by exceptionally large and vicious fish.

Wolves present a significant menace to crofters, picking off their livestock and even attacking men directly during harsh winters. Easily kept at bay by a large campfire.

It is certainly not unusual for Knight on his duty to encounter an hitherto unknown danger. In this situation, your orders are as follows:

• Stand your ground. It will not do for a Knight to show fear in the face of even an unknown danger.
• Assess the situation. A Knight should have sufficient training, or otherwise be accompanied by one who does, to be able to have a good guess at how much of a threat the creature may pose.
• Act appropriately. If you and your allies appear adequately prepared to take the beast on, do so. Otherwise, your priority is to minimise the damage done by focusing your efforts on protecting or evacuating those nearby who are not able to defend themselves.
• Report to your superior. Any knowledge you gain from the encounter could be vital to saving lives should a similar creature be met again.