Map of Lendria

Welcome to Lendria

Noc and his band of assassins live in Cruor, a small manor to the west tucked away in the deadly Kitska Forest. To the northwest lies Leena’s homeland, Hireath, the hidden beast city where beast charmers reside. Meanwhile, the reigning king sits on his throne in Wilheim and rules from afar. The country is full of magical beasts, ancient ruins, and thriving towns that make up the kingdom of Lendria.

Meet the Beasts

myad

The Myad is the largest of the ten legendary feline beasts, with a panther-like build, black fur, and a mane comprised of peacock feathers. The same vibrant teal and emerald feathers travel the length of its spine and tail, as well as onto its wings. Gold casings protect the weak points of its ankles and appear around the crown of its head. When the Myad is about to take flight, blue magic streams from its feet and eyes. The Myad has the unique ability to place its prey in a stupor while prying into their deepest memories. The person in question is then forced to face the horrors of their past, which often results in insanity. If the Myad finds them unworthy, the person’s mind is burned to ash, leaving them in a comatose state for the rest of their lives. Because Myads are carnivorous, they are likely to consume their helpless and unfeeling prey.

gyss

Gyss are the size of coffee mugs, with human torsos and misty, wisp-like tails for the lower half of their bodies. They can only be found in sacred sites and often adorn their hair with flowers or leaves. Their sharp, pointed teeth are used to crack nuts, one of their preferred food sources. Exceptionally cunning and mischievous, they like to talk in riddles and are the only known beast with an active relationship with the gods. Male Gyss have been spotted but not tamed. Gyss have the ability to grant one wish every six months. There are no limitations, so long as payment is met. However, the breadth of their ability is dependent on the master’s power and intelligence. While Gyss can use their relationship with the gods to argue for less severe payments, they often don’t, as they take joy in using their power to the fullest extent of their abilities. As such, they are rarely, if ever, called upon. Many Charmers feel Gyss should be ranked higher, but their restricted conditions for wish-granting caused the Council to rank them as C-Class beasts.

effreft

Effrefts are roughly the size of small dogs, with falcon heads, long, feathered tails, and wings. Their mint-green coloring and pink eyes make them easy to spot during the day, so they typically hunt at night. They can shower the space beneath their wingspan with magic, encouraging plants to reach maturity in seconds, and the soil left behind is regarded as the most fertile in the world.

laharock

Larger than an elephant and built like a wingless dragon, the Laharock is one of the largest beasts in Lendria. It uses its thick claws to traverse the rough volcanic terrain of its preferred habitat and is surprisingly nimble. The bone mane around its crown acts as an extra layer of protection for the head, and large, pupil-less white eyes glow with the intensity of fire. Red scales rimmed in gold cover the Laharock’s spine, neck, and legs, making the underbelly the only unprotected portion of its hide. These scales are easily corroded by salt water, which can cause damage to the Laharock. If the Laharock grows up in the wild without threat or human interference, it will develop magic that allows it to summon scalding fires and intense heat. Offspring, on the other hand, are empathic metamorphs, susceptible to an outside trigger that could alter their power. Once the trigger event occurs, the power solidifies.

nezbit

Nezbits are small, have rabbit-like builds with brown fur, and are coated with teal feathers. Exceptionally rare, they’re near impossible to find because of their low numbers and their preference for living underground. They form small colonies and create large networks beneath the soil, only poking their wing-like ears up once every few days to absorb nutrients from the sun. Their ears can hear sounds from miles away, and they track reverberations in the earth to avoid danger. When tamed, they’re used to listen to people’s hearts and determine lies from truth. Their opal eyes flash green for truth and red for lies.

Want to learn more about the beasts in the Beast Charmer world?

Be sure to pick up Kingdom of Exiles and check out the full bestiary in the back of the book. From pronunciation guides, to difficulty rankings and taming requirements, there’s a ton of additional information to glean! There are so many creatures to discover, and each time Leena encounters a new beast throughout the series, her bestiary (and the books!) will update, too.