Wildlife
Kudao is not only run by gods and humans but also wildlife. Wildlife that has either provided, hunted, or terrorize the human folk of Kudao. Since the planet has a large variety of habitats, it also has a large variety of animal species such as pandas, rhinos, prime apes, crocodiles, and many more. Some animals are traditionally worshiped as symbolic entities, in fact, the Guardians of Shilon began their roots from 12 different Shilonese animals; The Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Wolf, and Boar. As well as religious symbols, a lot of animals are tamed and ridden into the battlefield, such as War Rams, or for mounted travel, such as Roamer Pangolins, or they can be raised into one's loyal companion, such as the Tekkanese White-eye.
​
Human to animal interaction is the difference between a band of soldiers and an army. Nations like Monkhu have mastered the ability to communicated with wildlife, which is why they are one of the most menacing forces in Kudao.
​
Shilon
Climate: Moderate
Tekkan
Climate: Moderate
Midora
Climate: Tropical
Shilonese Rhinos
Shilonese Rhinos are worshiped and religiously respected. They have walked the earth for tens of thousands of years and willingly protected farmers from intruding bandits. With their sheer power and strength, they could make great weapons of war, but it is forbidden to interrupt their nature.
An elder panda resting.
​
Mio's red wolverine (left) and a Pale Peafowl (right)
​
Red Wolverines
Red Wolverines are vicious carnivorous species of mammals closely resembling a small bear. Their mischievous and aggressive nature allows them to steal inventory from local markets, becoming apex scavengers. Taming these creatures is very popular in thieving culture.
Blossom-Feathered Doves
Blossom-feathered doves are species of sparrow that evolved its feathers to match the blossom trees that Jing Lee has planted over the years. Camouflaged to stay hidden from the red wolverines, their most common predators.
Pale Peafowl
Pale Peafowl are a very common species of flightless birds that reside near local ponds, their feathers are pure white hence the name. Despite their beauty, they are among the most aggressive and annoying creatures in Shilon, they often attack locals and are completely immune to fear. People often label these birds as ‘false demons’.
Ancient Pangolins
Ancient Pangolins, along with the Shilonese Rhinoceros, is one of the oldest creatures in Shilon, but even older. They are walking defensive omnivores that can roll up into a defensive ball and roll away. Their success at staying alive for so long relies on their armor, which is proven to be impenetrable. Because of this, they have no predators, tamers, or poachers of any kind.
​
Elder Pandas
Elder pandas are large, docile, and lazy species of mammals. They are an important symbol to Shilon culture for representing both the yin and yang with it’s black and white fur and personality. They also make great travel partners and can effortlessly carry up to 2,000 pounds.
Koicodiles
Koicodiles are a reptilian species in Tekkan. They're known for their beautiful colorful scales, and a symbol of wisdom and good luck, even though their intelligence isn't the brightest when it comes to hunting and survival in general since all they do is sit around and mate. They live up to 200-300 years, their bites are capable of shredding through Tatsu Samurai armor, and they just sleep all day. Being 'deadly' carnivores, they are surprisingly friendly and harmless to humans. This is because of their behavior is very similar to dogs, viewing humans as bigger, lovable koicodiles that throws meat at them every once in a while.
Koicodiles are actually very common pets for the wealthy. They keep them in a pond within a tea garden, suiting a pleasant environment for a bunch of Koicodiles to sit around doing nothing so you can feed them later. Lazy bastards, but hey at least they look pretty
​
.jpeg)
A molten koicodile, one of the most common morphs
A Goliath Crane
Red Capped Swan
Red Capped Swan are a large species of bird that reaches a maximum of 12 feet in height. They are very popular and respected among Tekkanese art and culture. With their massive wingspan, they are able to be used as mounts to reach high peaks for foraging.
Trillium Apes
Trillium Apes are a sly species of mammals, they used to be normal dumpling monkeys before the discovery of the trillium mineral. The chimp would steal these crystals and eat them, developing an unhealthy habit which led to them evolving into the blue-haired hyper monkeys they are now. The interaction between monkey and trillium actually inspired a lot of research when weaponizing trillium.
Kaiju Beetles
Kaiju Beetles are an insect species that continually grow as they age, which is a maximum of 600 years on average. Kaiju Beetle larva starts off as small as a microphonic spec, at 5 years they grow to 3 inches, then 30 inches, and so forth. The Kaiju beetles used in battle are over a century old weighing 450 lbs (204 kg), but it doesn’t stop there. The insect can also grow new ligaments, abdomens, legs, horns, etc, their exoskeleton also grows thicker over time. Most kaiju beetles don’t live up to this state but Bakuma’s Kaiju Beetle; Omukade, is nearly 900 years old, 300 years older than the expected life-span of a kaiju beetle, hence the absolute nightmare Bakuma unleashes in Tatsu.
A great carp whale 'greeting' some fishermen.
​
A Tatsu samurai mounting a Kaiju Beetle.
​
Great Carp Whales
Great Carp Whales are one of the most unintentionally deadly creatures in the ocean. They have a tendency to get excited around other whales and humans, which triggers ‘play-time’, which consists of breaching out of the water to a large height and crash down back in the ocean. These creatures weigh up to 55,000 lbs (25,000 kg), and they do it around humans, which results in hundreds of deaths per year for fishermen
Lurkoi Sharks
Lurkoi Sharks are another aquatic species that circle the island of Tekkan. They come from a similar family to the Koicodile, thus they as well have varieties of beautiful patterns and colorful texture. But don’t let the glamour fool you, unlike lurkoi sharks, koicodiles actually have a very friendly behavior, but lurkoi sharks are still sharks. They primarily prey on humans after feasting on so many human corpses left by Great Carp Whale accidents. They are smaller than Great Carp Whales, but they travel in packs and can swim up to 42 mph (62 kph). Another reason to never attempt to escape the island of steel and dread.
​
A Monkhu warrior mounting a War Ram
​
War Rams
War rams are sacred and used to their full potential in Monkhu history. They've been the main mount reliance in battle for hundreds of years. These goats, despite being herbivores, are ruthless. They are able to climb any peak, survive frigid temperatures, and charge at 40 mph (64 kph) in deep snow with their unbreakable horns that weigh nearly 70 lbs each (31 kg). Their impact on Monkhu culture is more interesting, just like the Monkhu warriors, being immortalized is everything. Upon death, their skulls would be harvested and placed down to their offspring for them to wear to battle ridden by the same jockey.
Alpine Bears
Alpine Bears are the one beast you don’t want to stumble upon in Kudao. These bears in Monkhu culture were known for being tests of strength, those who challenged an alpine bear and survived were instantly showered with worthiness. These monsters weighed at maximum of 5,500 lbs (2,500 kg) with claws as sharp as the common sword, and unbreakable teeth nearly a foot long.
​
Ghost Hounds
Ghost hounds are a fierce breed of wolves that hunt in large packs, with their fur white as snow, it's almost impossible to detect one 10 feet away from you, hence the name Ghost hounds. Some hounds transcend above the rest however, Phantu hounds are a rare species of ghost hounds that are stronger, faster, larger, and ever more frightening. The only one ever caught was Muunokhoi, the beast Arku Khan tamed and used to conquer the entire mountain. Some say the wolves are actually demons who climbed up from Kindao.
Boreal Apes
Boreal apes are an omnivore mammal species similar to the gorilla, and are one of the most aggressively defensive animals on the mountain. In order to protect their young, they can smash boulders with their fearless rage. Similar to the Alpine bear, it's a Monkhu tradition to fight these beasts to gain worthiness.
A Boreal Ape father and his infants.
​
Maku Tigers
Maku Tigers is a rare species of large cat with white fur and black stripes, they are known to be the largest species of feline predators on Kudao. They used to actively hunt humans before they became huyve, in fact these tigers are a large factor of the development of the human to huyve species on Monkhu.
​
Black Eagles
Falconry is important to Monkhu culture and hunting. Black eagles are exceptional at maintaining a relationship with the huyve (and the huyve only). They can see every detail within a 30 mile radius and can fly at nearly 80 mph (128 kph), all during a raging blizzard as well.
​
Bamboo Crane
Bamboo crane have legs that can stretch up to 5 feet, all while imitating the bamboo shoot. No one really knows the purpose of these, but if Behemoth Pandas were faster, these birds would go extinct by now.
Field Toads
Field Toads are friendly, arm-less, amphibian creatures that have created a special relationship with humans. They stand around rice farms and feed off of invasive insects like locusts. They are not very resistant to sunlight however, which is why they require a straw hat while staying on farm watch.
.jpg)
A happy field toad.
Two bamboo cranes.
Ming, Demigodess of the Rabbit challenging a corrupted rooster.
​
Corrupted Roosters
Corrupted Roosters are invasive creatures who were unfortunately poisoned by the shadowheart infection and have mutated into overgrown beasts. They only live for a few weeks, but they are enormous, and aggressive. If you cook the meat right however, you can kill the shadowheart off the corpse making it safe to eat. And with their size they can feed an entire village for a week.
Field Pythons
Field Pythons are a large reptilian species related to the anaconda, similar to the field toad, they can bond with humans and work together. But instead of protecting the crops from insects, they scare off and feast on rodents that try to sneak into the farm.
​
Boreal Tortoises
Boreal tortoises are a travel mount that is the closest relative to the dying species of the Black Tortoise, the same species as Genbu. They may be slow but they are completely resistant of exhaustion and can walk the earth as long as it wants carrying up to twice its size, which is over 10,000 lbs (4500 kg). They feed off fish and can be properly mounted by dangling one in front of the tortoise, which will cause it to chase it at 7 mph for eons on end.
A nomad mounting a boreal tortoise
Dumpling Monkeys
Dumpling monkeys are mischievous and slippery. They didn’t get their name from stealing a lot of dumplings, but their pale hair and the shape of their head is that to an actual dumpling.
Dumpling Bats
Dumpling bats are small nocturnal mammals that, unlike the dumpling monkey, actually did get its name by stealing a lot of dumplings.
A Dumpling Monkey on a roof
A Jadefire Mantis in a bottle
Jadefire Mantises
Jadefire Mantises are a magical kind of insect, they started out when one regular mantis got mutated by magical energy from a Jade mage. Breeding into the literal mystical bug that summons jade magic as a defense mechanism. The mantis is marveled for its beauty and was labeled a symbol to the Midora woodlands because of it. Legend says that the third eye in between the other two can see through cold hard stone.
​
Two scavengers riding roamer pangolins
Roamer Pangolins
Roamer pangolins are related to the ancient pangolin from Shilon, but instead it sacrifices its thick armour for travel capability. This pangolin is famously used by Surochi scavengers to roam the wasteland, because wandering the desert on foot is merely a death sentence.
Corrupted Scorpions
Small scorpions were the only living organisms that survived the Yamamura impact, but what it didn’t resist was the shadowheart infection, but unlike the corrupted rooster, these scorpions can actually live for much longer under the condition it’s in. And just like every-other animal on the globe, these scorpions are immense compared to its regular small and frail arachnid body. They feed off scavengers, pangolins, and taru dogs.
Taru Dogs
Taru dogs are scavenger hunters that feast off the residue of Yamamura in the Surochi Desert. They’re why all the remains of the Kindao demons are rust and bone, and strangely enough, they are completely immune to the negative effects of the shadowheart infection when devouring their meat. They are vicious and with a belly that is never full.
A pack of Taru Dogs feasting off a fallen yokai.
​