The Demography <strong>of</strong> <strong>Karameikos</strong>scattered in <strong>Karameikos</strong>, most <strong>of</strong>ten in serviceto some villainous power as bodyguards ormercenaries.Dangerous beasts, like griffons, hippogriffs,and manticores, are quite rare and onlydwell in the Black Peaks and the eastern part<strong>of</strong> the Cruth range. A very large and fiercespecies <strong>of</strong> giant wolf, the ice wolf, lives in theAltan Tepes mountains, in the areas wheresnow and ice last longer. Some <strong>of</strong> thesecreatures are trained as pets or mounts bysome humanoid tribes or by the frost giantclans. Owlbears are found in all woodedareas, from the central forests to the woodedheights <strong>of</strong> the mountain ranges. Hellhoundsare found in the Black Peaks, but sometimesforay into southern areas.A solitary sphinx is known to dwell on arocky reef in the Gulf <strong>of</strong> Halag; she roarswarnings to sailors venturing too close to thehazardous coastlines. Among otherintelligent monsters are the friends <strong>of</strong> thewoodland races. Individual actaeons andchevalls, sent to <strong>Karameikos</strong> by the ImmortalZirchev himself, watch over the GrandDuchy’s fauna and nature; they <strong>of</strong>tencooperate with other woodland lovers, likethe elves, the centaurs, and the druids. Thesame is true for treants, which are mostlysubject <strong>of</strong> legends, even if a rumor holds thatone <strong>of</strong> them is asleep in Threshold’s city park.The Black Peaks are the home <strong>of</strong> a giant lizardspecies not found elsewhere: the unusualfoot-pad lizard, able to easily climb theregion’s rocky slopes and which is trained asmount and beast <strong>of</strong> burden by the degenerateTraldar <strong>of</strong> the Lost Valley <strong>of</strong> Hutaaka.Another very rare lizard, the lava lizard,dwells near underground magma flows. As <strong>of</strong>today it has been seen only in the eastern area<strong>of</strong> the Grand Duchy. A hydra has recentlybeen spotted in the Blight Swamp.Two species <strong>of</strong> dangerous blood-suckingfliers live in <strong>Karameikos</strong>: the numerousstirges, spread everywhere, and the rarerpiranha-birds, which favor northern forests.Amorphous monsters like the blackpudding and the gelatinous cube may befound in old abandoned dungeons (thelatter in particular in those <strong>of</strong> hutaakanorigin).Far more worrisome are persistent rumors<strong>of</strong> a hivebrood that has established its lair inthe southern Dymrak Forest, not too farfrom the village <strong>of</strong> Rugalov.While almost unknown, individualbeholders hide in certain undergroundtunnels which run in the north-eastern part<strong>of</strong> the Grand Duchy, linking with caveswhich extend under Rockhome.Lastly, two strange varieties <strong>of</strong> incorporealand seemingly (but not actually) undeadmonsters are found in <strong>Karameikos</strong>. The firstare shadows, which lurk in deep forests,ruins, and dungeons. The other is theghostly horde, which very rarely manifestsin places where great battlefield tragedieshave happened.Planar MonstersBeings <strong>of</strong> the Elemental Plane <strong>of</strong> Water, suchas water weirds, are sometimesencountered within ruins and dungeonswhich were the home <strong>of</strong> a wizard in the past.Native Medusae can be very rarelyencountered in the wilderness as well.Rumors also hold that a djinni and a waterelemental live somewhere in the town <strong>of</strong>Threshold.30THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #1
The Demography <strong>of</strong> <strong>Karameikos</strong>UndeadGiven <strong>Karameikos</strong>’ ancient history, it shouldbe no surprise that here the creatures <strong>of</strong>darkness thrive. Undead like skeletons andzombies can be found everywhere – neargraves, in particular - as the result <strong>of</strong> darkmagics, as well as ghouls. <strong>Karameikos</strong> alsohosts a variety <strong>of</strong> elder ghouls, who aredetectable by a green eerie glow around theirhead, able to sap their victims’ strength.Wights and spectres may be found inisolated areas, moors especially; wraithshaunt ancient ruins, where old hutaakanmummies are sometimes encountered aswell. The dread wyrd, elven undead spirits,are mainly found in central and eastern<strong>Karameikos</strong>. The numerous burial moundsand tombs built in the most varied ages andscattered throughout the Grand Duchy aresometimes infested by apparitions (a type <strong>of</strong>phantom) and haunts – banshees, who arefound mostly in barren hills and moors,ghosts, and poltergeists. A variety <strong>of</strong>nightshade, the nightwing, has beenspotted in the Blight Swamp, near theborder with the Five Shires. The trueprinces <strong>of</strong> the undead, the vampires and thenosferatu, represent one <strong>of</strong> the reasons thatmake <strong>Karameikos</strong> stand out in the KnownWorld; although they are not so numerous,they are spread all across the land, <strong>of</strong>tenholding unsuspecting and influentialpositions in human settlements (like LordZemiros Sulescu), or terrorizing isolatedcommunities (like the mad Count <strong>of</strong>Koriszegy). Lastly, even some very rareliches dwell in <strong>Karameikos</strong>, weaving theirdark plots from their hidden lairs (one <strong>of</strong>those is Oirtulev, whose lair is found in theAltan Tepes region bordering Thyatis).31THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #1