Animal Masteries

Good Beast
These agile furbeasts befriended Trees in ages past, and the friendship has been fruitful indeed. While quick enough on the ground, Treetails flow up and down treetrunks and dance on branches almost effortlessly. They also sport thick, luxurious tails which they use both in communication and to confuse pursuers. As one would expect, they are never far from their arboreal allies, favoring woods and forests where Trees are plentiful. Their flesh is slightly savory, though there is not much on their lithe bodies, especially before Fall...
 * TREETAIL

''We are the people of the thousand thousand vertical worlds. Our claws sink into Tree-skin; with love, we embrace them, Our homes, our protectors, our seed-giving benefactors. We are the children of those who are eloquent in their silence, Bridges between infinity below and infinity above. In their arms, across their light fingers, we dance. This is our Way, the Good Way of the Treetails.''

Darksweets are similar to Treetails, but with rounder heads and less impressive rudders. Also like Treetails, they are accomplished climbers, and difficult to hunt while in Trees. What truly differentiates the Darksweet from its more generously-tailed cousins, however, is its nectar-like Essence and delicious Body, which is renowned for being so sweet and fulfilling that predators can become addicted to the taste. Because of this, Darksweets are never seen beneath the Sun's light, and even the moon rarely reveals their elusive forms. It is also sung that they may have a secret defense against those who would Destroy them...
 * DARKSWEET

''I am a child of the Hidden Sun, shining secrets from behind my eyes. In Darkness, the false mask falls away, Truth emerges from Her Den, Small and secret, like one of us. Embrace Darkness and Emptiness; They are the true gateways. Savor Questions; All too quickly, they are slain by Answers. In Fire, there is Water, and in Darkness, Light: all things are joined at the center. This is our Way, the Good Way of the Darksweets.''

This Goodbeast is known as a Prickleback. The reason is simple: its back seems to be covered by small spikes. It appears to be fairly relaxed by nature, shuffling this way and that in search of Tiny Beings upon which to feast. It prefers the sunless times, comfortable in the embrace of night. Its Way seems based off of its confidence in its needle-like defenses. They do indeed look like something your snout would I not like to run into, particularly at high speed.
 * PRICKLEBACK

''Though we are the People of the Thousand Weapons, We are gentle teachers of strong, quiet truths. Have you felt our lessons in your flesh? To rush at your desires is to harm yourself. The truly strong need not flee nor fight. To do nothing is often the best thing to do. Patiently, we instruct those who would Destroy us. This is our Way, the Good Way of the Pricklebacks.''

Now this is a small yet formidable furbeast -- it is called a Stinkstrike, due to the overwhelming smell emanating from its rear glands and its lightning- quick, vicious strikes. Its long body is reminiscent of your own, with small yet powerful limbs and a flowing grace to its movements. Comfortable in all environments and brave almost to the point of idiocy, Stinkstrikes are renowned for almost never backing down from a fight, and many a larger predator has learned that they are simply not worth the trouble, at least not it they are healthy, or even alive. They eat almost anything smaller than themselves, and seem to burn with an inner fire so fierce you can taste it.
 * LESSER STINKSTRIKE

We are the People of the Inner Flame, Shining undimmed before our enemies. A warrior is not defined by size or strength, But by spirit. Most battles are decided Before they are begun. If you would be victorious and free, Know yourself as such, And none will dare question. This is our Way, the Good Way of the Stinkstrikes.

This being seems to have much in common with the great roaring Lumberers, though of a smaller size; you name it a Lumberkin. You might even mistake it for a hatchling lumberer but for the distinctive white-black stripe down its muzzle and the maturity of its down its muzzle and the maturity of its pungent scent. Bulky yet deceptively quick, the lumberkin has powerful claws and is one of the best diggers you have yet encountered; it is no wonder that they are greatly feared by Longears. In fact, few animals would that they are greatly feared by Longears. In fact, few animals would care to fight a Lumberkin, and even the mighty Singers rarely bother one, as they are pugnacious in the extreme and renowned for never giving up a fight.
 * LUMBERKIN

''Bold brethren of battle, Ferociously feeding fire within, Blazing Essence bound tightly to our burly bodies, Destruction dares not draw near. Life is precious; let none pry it from you but for a price, A price paid in pain and persistence. Free from fear, two tales alone can be told: Victory or the Void, lone ways of the worthy. This is our Way, the Good Way of the Lumberkin.''

Handsome and perceptive, these furbeasts are hunted by many large predators for their tender flesh and hearty Essence. Despite this, they continue to thrive, due primarily to their exceptional senses (especially of hearing) and their powerful hind legs, which propel them across the ground with great alacrity. Masters of escape, they run in confusing patterns, have no long tail to seize, and quickly disappear into their underground lairs when threatened.
 * LONGEAR

I enter the womb of the Great Mother, Feeling the soft fur, the love, of my many brothers and sisters. I leave Her womb, and am reborn, The wind in my ears, the lush and verdant feast before me. May we all return to Earth and sleep within Her perfect Body, May we all be reborn with each departure. This is our Way, the Good Way of the Longears.

Tailbeasts were, it is sung, Kin to the Draak long, long ago, but they made a bargain with the Sun in which they bartered away their limbs in order to survive the Great Death which overthrew the dominion of the Kin. They still move with the supple grace of one who was once a True Child of Above and Below, flowing with the poetry of Water across the Mother's skin. They can quickly disappear underground when threatened, and are said to possess ancient secrets, but otherwise have few defenses against one of your size and power.
 * TAILBEAST

You have Mastered the Way of the Tailbeasts, and your bond with the elements has grown. In eons past, we sacrificed our size, And a world of tiny spaces opened to us. We sacrificed our limbs, And found the water-flow way. We sacrifice our coverings, And are reborn in new and shining armor. If you would be as we are, Self-renewing, unbounded and sinuous, Circle about yourself, and leave behind your old skin. Learn to Sacrifice. This is our Way, the Good Way of the Tailbeasts.

This is a Tailbeast, one of a people who traded their limbs in exchange for survival long, long ago. This particular one, however, is of a warrior tribe and houses a dread power in its maw; after a bite, it may inject a fluid into its enemies which is hostile to life itself. Only hatchlings of the Kin need fear death from this, but sickness and agony will surely be yours at any age if the Deathbite Tailbeast pierces your armor.
 * DEATHBITE TAILBEAST

''Hidden, hidden among the dying heather I wait. Hidden, hidden within my fangs It sleeps. Mightiest am I, For while others may carry Destruction In their large bodies, their heavy limbs, I carry it all in my small, small mouth. With every breath, I taste your End. This is our Way, the Good Way of the Deathbite Clan. ''

Least of the distinguished Slideclaw people, Lesser Slideclaws are the absolute bane of every small creature of the Great Green, though too small on their own to hunt even a hatchling Draak. They will fight viciously if threatened, using hidden claws which slide forth from their hands and feet when they will it, giving them their name. They are quite capable of scaling trees, though they are famously inept at climbing back down again. They Te known for their hedonism, seeking pleasure and amusement above all else, and it is rumored that they have discovered a powerful secret of the No-Tails, allowing them to enter and leave I the Tailless Ones' dread Hives with their skins intact and bellies full.
 * LESSER SLIDECLAW

To survive is not enough; To be entertained is to truly live. We find Amusement in the struggle of helpless prey, Dancing madly in the shadow of death For our pleasure. We find amusement in sleep, Deep dreams of never-shall-be and pleasures untold. We find amusement in the Tailless, Who stroke our Bodies and bring us food-gifts, Who are our slaves, though they do not know it. We are the Perfect People, savoring ourselves and others always. This is our Way, the Good Way of the Slideclaws.

This is a slave furbeast, its Way and even its Body twisted by the No-Tails over countless Turnings to make it docile and obedient. The Tailless keep these stone-footed grazers in large groups, allowing them to feed on small I plants and then Destroying them selectively for food or, more commonly, chewing their fur off with false claws for their own inscrutable purposes. This one is steeped in the scent of the No- Tails, and although its dependence on them has made it softer and weaker than its wilder cousins, it will still defend its Body, as may its masters...
 * SUREFOOT SLAVE

We are the People of the Valley, Followers of new gods. Our flesh reshaped by the Tailless, Our Way unsung and unremembered, Still we endure, lifting our soft voices into the grass-sweetened air. Though we cannot understand the Music of the Flat-faced Ones, Still they comfort us; their sticks, their hooks Keep danger far away, and we offer our trust to them. Though they chew off our fur with their false claws, Though they take away our Giver-children, never to be seen again, Still we trust. In trust, there is great power, a future beyond the Destruction of the untrusting. This is our Way, the Good Way of the Servant Surefoots.

Woodstriders are the prey-nobility of the Great Green. Their meat is renowned for health-giving properties, but they defend their precious Bodies with both strength and agility. Dining on leaves and grasses, they are constantly on the lookout for danger, and the Givers grow mighty battle- Crowns which make them an even greater threat in a conflict. This could be an opponent to make even a Great Lumberer or Slideclaw pause, though they are by nature a peace-loving People and avoid violence when.
 * WOODSTRIDER

The soft overcomes the hard, Water dissolves even great Mountains, in time. The path to true mastery lies not In strength nor domination, But through knowing: Knowing the caress of leaf upon soft flank, Knowing the cool, clear stream flowing without and within, Knowing the bright and quiet places hidden from the eye. We have become one with the Great Green, And a crown is given unto us, for the head, for the soul. We are the Lovers. This is our Way, the Good Way of the Woodstriders.

This is a Clansinger, sometimes simply called a Singer for its beautiful voice, which fills the Air at times of victory, at times of joy, and on Moon-stained hunting-nights. Their Music echoes throughout the Great Green, carrying the voice of their people. They live together in Clans, which are to them a sacred institution, and they hunt and fight together. Beloved Children of Great Mother Earth, they possess a noble bearing and are both intelligent and honorable. Even a Great Lumberer would not dare to challenge an entire Clan of Singers; only when alone are they vulnerable to attack by any normal animal, and even then they are not gentle foes.
 * CLANSINGER

We are the People of the Far-telling Song Who sing our Great Secret to those who would hear. To be alone is to be weak, To be together is strength. Our love for each other is our true Fur, our true Fang. Only with others can one hunt great prey, And the greatest of prey is the knowledge of Self. We are all pups of the Great Den-Mother, Drinking Her milk, we grow strong, Her milk, streaming bright across the night sky. This is our Way, the Good Way of the Clansingers.

The Tusksnort people are a race renowned for their keen noses and bold, honorable demeanor. Tusksnorts can find food hidden deep beneath Earth's flesh and have a complex, scent-based language with which they communicate. Beware: though their flesh is both sweet and hearty, the charge of a Tusksnort Is rightly feared by all goodbeasts of the Great Green.
 * TUSKSNORT

We are the People of the Opened Senses Tasting scents in the Air beyond the dreams of others. We smell what is hidden below Earth's rich skin And become one with it, tasting the joy of Life. Life and death we face With a warrior's soul, unyielding to despair. When seasoned with courage in the heart And love for family, All of the world is a feast. This is our Way, the Good Way of the Tusksnorts.

The Surefoot Tribe is comprised OF iam large, stonefooted furbeasts who are well-suited to scavenging anything edible from the high and rocky places in the land. They possess short horns for self-protection, but their best defense is their legendary stubbornness; they will dare to fight larger animals and will not easily give in.
 * SUREFOOT

You have Mastered the Way of the Greathorn Surefoots, and your bond with the elements has grown. We are the People of the High Places Where the sky scrapes against the stone Where others dare not tread We stand only in our own shadows. The peaks are hard and grey, And yet there is no treasure in the Great Green Like the clean taste of the Breath of the Mountains The naked stars burning above us, close enough to touch, To reach out with our tongues and taste. Learn to make the High Places your home, In thought and in reality, And every battle shall be downhill, Every conflict to your advantage. This is our Way, the Good Way of the Greathorns.

This is a member of a warrior Surefoot Tribe, a group of large, stonefooted furbeasts well-suited to life in the rocky lofts of the world. They have very large, proud headweapons, but they are more feared for their unusual courage; a Greathorn Surefoot willingly engages in combat with larger animals and often wins with sheer tenacity, driving away those who would feast on its Body.
 * GREATHORN SUREFOOT

We are the People of the High Places Where the sky scrapes against the stone Where others dare not tread We stand only in our own shadows. The peaks are hard and grey, And yet there is no treasure in the Great Green Like the clean taste of the Breath of the Mountains The naked stars burning above us, close enough to touch, To reach out with our tongues and taste. Learn to make the High Places your home, In thought and in reality, And every battle shall be downhill, Every conflict to your advantage. This is our Way, the Good Way of the Greathorns.

This is a Great Stinkstrike, one of a people who are quick, ferocious and resilient in equal measure, far more than one would expect for their size. Their long bodies flow almost as gracefully as a Tailbeast's (which happens to be a favorite meal of theirs) across land and water, and they are as gracefully as a Tailbeast's (which happens to be a favorite meal of theirs) across land and water, and they are as comfortable in trees as on the ground or under it. Like their smaller relatives, they have an extremely pungent scent which is easily detectable from far away wonder if hunting something this bellicose could possibly be worth the effort...
 * GREAT STINKSTRIKE

I dance up Tree, across Water, Under Earth, through Air, A dance of sharp tooth and bladed claw, A dance of soft fur and quiet pawpad. We carry the Inner Fire of our cousins, Pairing it with Air, Water and Earth We are the tireless warriors, the hidden dancers. This is our Way, the Good Way of the Great Stinkstrikes.

Cousins of the mighty Hillbacks, Great Grazers are members of a prisoner race : which is kept by the No-tails, who harvest their flesh, their skin, and even the fluid they feed to their hatchlings. Still, despite their slavery, Great Grazers are very strong, and their sheer enormity keeps away even moderately- sized predators. No hatchling could threaten this ponderous meadow- wanderer, and even a fully-fledged Kin should fear their dreadful charge once their slow anger is fully awakened.
 * GREAT GRAZER

Once, we were without protectors, Our bodies food for the Clansinger and the Great Slideclaw. Now, these are far from us, And the No-tails chew on us with shine-stone fangs. But still Sun rises each morning, and Earth spreads Herself before Him, And the Turnings roll on. Like Earth, we offer ourselves up, and like Her, we are used by many, And like Her, we do not change. We are the Mountains, our horns cradling the Moon as we lie in the fields. This is our Way, the Good Way of the Great Grazers.

This is a Hillback, a vast grasseating furbeast of the Open Lands. Finding it was not so much of a challenge, but if you intend to feast on its famously nutritious meat, you may be in for a deadly fight. Named for its lumpy back, which rises nearly great as the hills themselves, this is a member of a proud and mighty tribe which values family and tradition above all else. While they can be ambushed, their powerful limbs and double head-weapons can pierce the skin and crush the bones of even the greatest predator. Though few would admit it, more than one Draak has been defeated by these gigantic guardians of the field.
 * HILLBACK

This ground is Good Ground, For here our Ancestors stood with their noble feet of stone. Walking in their footsteps, we feel the Rhythm of our People. These plants are Good Plants, For our ancestors partook of them for Turnings beyond memory. As we taste them, we remember the ancient Ways. This land is a Good Land, For our People's spirits are woven into it, Our sighs and bellows, our dances, all we have Destroyed and Created. Even if every one of us is slain, Our souls will still be here, in the Good Land of our People, Calling upon all to remember: what is Good never truly passes away. This is our Way, the Good Way of the Hillbacks.

The mighty Plainsrunner, also known as a Great Strider, is a powerful grasseater furbeast which wanders the land in tribes. Though its meat is good, few indeed would risk the wrath of this powerful goodbeast; besides the Draak, only the Great Slideclaw and Great i Lumberer would have any chance of victory against the power of its large, toned Body. Its short coat shines in the light, and its proud mane and streaming tail announce the beauty and honor of its people. Destruction of a Plainsrunner could never be done by a mere hatchling: a single kick from a Plainsrunner can crush a young Kins skull. Age and experience are necessary to hunt even a small one successfully. It is sung by a few that the No-tails have somehow enslaved some of this proud and ancient tribe, but this seems so unlikely as to beggar belief.
 * PLAINSRUNNER

You have Mastered the Way of the Plainsrunner, and your bond with the elements has grown. The Great Mother spreads her mane before us, The grasses and grains, fruits of the Land. We flow unhindered through the endless amber ocean. The beat of our stonefeet as we run through the meadows, The streaming of our long hair in the Sun-blessed wind, We offer these to Sun and Earth As we run from what we were to what we will become, From Being, to beyond Being: We shall be the wind. We are the Free People of the Plains. This is our Way, the Good Way of the Plainsrunners.

This is a lesser member of the eben Tribe, huge furbeasts which wander at will throughout the Great Green. They feast on anything and everything, from Plants to beasts of every kind and even stranger things. Though massive and very strong, most Lumberers are not couragous warriors and would rather not risk their health on dangerous fights with other predators when food is plentiful. However, if starving, diseased, or forced to fight, Lumberers can unleash Destruction with undeniable skill. When they rear up on their hind legs like No-Tails, beware: their attacks become more vicious than usual.
 * LESSER LUMBERER

You have Mastered the Way of the Lesser Lumberers, and your bond with the elements has grown. We are the Tasters, seekers of delicacies: Hidden skycolor berries, shiftscale flesh the color of dawn. Mightiest of all Earth's cubs, we reach out with our hands To gather in her fruits of leaf and flesh. Like Water, we roll downhill, our feet seeking easy paths, Like Water, we flow to where Earth calls us, Like Water, we resist Destruction, bending and turning to avoid the hard places. If you can let go of Bravery, Honor and all Laws, If you can be complete simply in yourself, to be where you are, Then, at last, you shall know Freedom. This is our Way, the Good Way of the Lesser Lumberers.

Of all the goodbeasts of the Great Green, this is the one whom most youn; Kin would least like to fight. Great Lumberers are generally solitary, but are far more than a match for nearly anything alive, if made to fight. Fortunately, they are neither cruel nor especially courageous, and most would rather lumber slowly about, seeking easy meals, than attack beings which can defend themselves. Still, when desperate for food, threatened or angered, they may attack, and you will need all of your skill to survive such an encounter. They are especially dangerous when they stand on two legs I like the No-Tails, giving them a height advantage against any young Kin.
 * GREAT LUMBERER

You have Mastered the Way of the Great Lumberers, and your bond with the elements has grown. I stand on two legs, raising my head to the clouds, And the scent of slow-dripping gold comes to me, Singing of sweetness unknown. I lay down my head beneath the earth as her pelt turns white, I walk in the Dream, outside myself, and emerge again in the Warming like a cub newly birthed from its Mother. Though our arms are strong, rending Trees like grass, What need have we to fight? The truly strong have no need to seek conflict, For they know already who the victor shall be. This is our Way, the Good Way of the Great Lumberers.

This is a Shorttail Slideclaw. While not™ nearly as powerful as the dreaded Great Slideclaw, which even some Draak fear, the Shorttail Slideclaw is still a dangerous hunter in its own right. Like others of its kind, its claws can slide in and out at will (a feature envied even by the Kin) and it is a skilled ambush predator and ground fighter which can also chase its prey straight up mighty Trees. Its tail is short, but its proud, tufted ears help to give ita distinguished appearance. Shorttail Slideclaws tend to live alone, and have a reputation for secrecy and a knack for finding out hidden places and truths.
 * SHORTTAIL SLIDECLAW

You have Mastered the Way of the Shorttails, and your bond with the elements has grown. In the clean, cold sound of the evanescent snow, In the warm and fleeting touch of a mother and her kittens, In the silent, hidden spaces where we watch and wait We see the artistry of All That Is, painted In myriad precious colors and scents. Where the Great find it within violent superiority And the Lesser find it in self-adulation, We find Amusement in knowing Earth As the greatest of artists, composer of all colors And sounds and scents and flavors, Secrets told only to the patient and quiet. This is our Way, the Good Way of the Shorttails.

This is a Great Slideclaw. These are the last of a tribe of powerful warriors who strike from the shadows, rending their prey's flesh from their bones with sharp claws which they can slide in and out of their hands and feet at will, giving them their name. Once a Great Slideclaw's presence is known, it is often already too late for its prey; it is a near-perfect I master of the ambush. In a direct fight, it is the most lethal of all the goodbeasts of the Great Green. Once, Great Slideclaws lived in Clans all across Earth's hide, but the rise of the No-Tails has brought about terrible ruin for their people. They remain convinced that they are the greatest of all the animals, and their claim is difficult to dispute... only a mighty Kin or a cunning No-Tai would dare to hunt one, and even then would not do so lightly.
 * GREAT SLIDECLAW

You have Mastered the Way of the Great Slideclaws, and your bond with the elements has grown. WE ARE AMUSED WHEN OTHER BEINGS TREMBLE AT THE WHISPER OF OUR SCENT, WE ARE AMUSED TO TASTE THE ESSENCE OF OTHERS SLIDING BRIGHT INTO OURSELVES, WE ARE AMUSED TO WALLOW IN SLEEP, SAVORING DREAMS BEYOND TELLING. TO BE PERFECTLY SHAMELESS IN ALL DANCES, IN DESTRUCTION AND CREATION, TO BE SET OVER ALL OTHER BEINGS, TO BE THE SOUL OF DESTRUCTION UPON EARTH: THIS IS OUR WAY, THE GOOD WAY OF THE GREAT SLIDECLAWS. IS IT NOT AMUSING?

Feather Beast
This is a Waterwing. Like all featherbeasts, they were Kin to the Draak long, long ago, but gradually los their power with the darkening of the world and the destruction wrought by the Time of Falling Ash. While most featherbeasts have a close relationship with the Air, Waterwing embrace Water also, having learned many of its secrets, and feast upon smaller beings both above and below the mirrored surfaces.
 * WATERWING

Hear my Song of Two Oceans,

The Great Blue Above, and the Great Blue Below.

In the high Air, clean as the morning,

Washed in Sun's light,

I swim, I swim.

In the cool Waters, dancing in thick currents,

Unbounded, all directions open,

I fly, I fly.

What is swimming but flying, translated?

What is flying but swimming, reflected?

This is our Way, the Good Way of the Waterwings.

Members of this insufferably arrogant tribe of featherbeasts boast that their feathers are as pure as the crystal skyfall of the Dark Season, and for this they are called Snowfeathers. Like Waterwings, they have the blessings of both Air and Water, and use both to full effect. Those who have done battle with Snowfeathers claim that they are hardier foes than they appear, able to break bones with their powerful wings and hissing, hard mouths. If overcome, though, they could be a fine meal indeed.
 * SNOWFEATHER

The white snow

Clings to the far mountain peak.

The white cloud

Presses against the upper sky.

The white smoke

Rises from the cleansing fire.

The white foam

Crowns the cresting wave.

We are the highest, the purest;

Do you not see

How the Great Four all sing of us?

This is our Way, the Good Way of the Snowfeathers.

This is a Suncaller, one of a tribe of featherbeasts which has been enslaved by the Tailless. They are known for their worship of the Great Giver, and their own Givers praise him with loud songs at the passing of the darkness, while their Birthers are unusually productive, creating Sun-pure chambers for their hatchlings, most of which are gathered and eaten by the No-tails before the being inside even has a Rhythm. Their captivity is not entirely without benefit to them... the Tailless but they continue to raise their voices to Sun, in hopes that He will lift them up to freedom in the Great Above, opening the sky to their small wings.
 * SUNCALLER

Hear my voice: I raise it up to You,

Giver of Givers, Truemate of Earth,

Set us free!

Though we endure,

Our spirits are burdened,

Our green heart-home far away;

Set us free!

Though a thousand Turnings pass,

We will ever cry out to you

Until our spirits are unbound

And we inherit the sky:

Set us free!

For such shall be our Way, the Way of the Suncallers-in-Exile.

The stately Spearbill tribe is divided into two clans: the Lesser and the ; Greater. This is one of the former, who strides the shallow Water-lands on long, elegant legs. The Lesser Spearbills are known for their love of philosophy, and will remain still for long periods of time, contemplating various truths. They are deeply patient, silencing their I Music to become part of the environment, until a waterbound beast draws too close, whereupon they spear it in one swift stroke and swallow it before returning to their contemplation.
 * LESSER SPEARBILL

The Mind is a hunter, A seeker of nourishment;

To feel a new Truth sliding down

Opening new pathways

Is sweeter than flesh on the tongue.

The Mind is a lover, A seeker of new mates;

It allows new Truths inside

Or goes inside of them

And new Ideas come to be.

Do you see now

How it is possible to live

Two ways at once?

To be fulfilled yet empty,

Empty yet fulfilled?

To be Giver and Birther,

To be Hunter and Hunted,

When the Mind is open

All these can be.

This is our Way, the Good Way of the Spearbills.

These featherbeasts, distant relations of the Kin in times past, have received the blessing of Air and can sail upon the high winds far above Earth. Swift hunters, they literally fall from dizzying heights to snatch their prey in their strong, sharp talons, rising again with their prize in hand. They mimic the circular motion of the Great Spheres in their heavenward dances, and their scream-songs are most pleasing to the ear.
 * DAY SKYCLAW

To feel the Body soar

Above the highest icy peaks is great;

To feel the Mind soar

Looking down from the Highest Truth

Is even greater.

First, learn to soar in Essence.

Then, learn to soar in the Mind.

Finally, learn to soar in Body,

To live in a higher place.

The higher one rises,

The farther one sees.

Learn to rise,

That you may learn to find.

This is our Way, the Good Way of the Skyclaws.

This is one of the Night Clan of the. Skyclaw Tribe. The true Lair of these swift and far-seeing featherbeasts is the Night itself, which is to them filled with comfort and plenty. While they represent Destruction to smaller beings, the Kin see them as beautiful kindred spirits; their ability to pierce the darkness of the night with their eyes is often taken as a symbol of Wisdom. Patient and thoughtful, their songs often carry tiny scraps of long-forgotten secrets through the air.
 * NIGHT SKYCLAW

Stars, let us dance among you;

Our Bodies are Dust

But our Essence is yours.

Moon, show us our path;

Uncover our prey

And make us whole.

Night, hold us within you;

You are our Teacher, and we know

That the True Light needs no eye to see, No Sun to reveal.

Hidden, we find, and finding, we are hidden.

This is our way, the Good Way of the Night Skyclaws.

Blackburns are members of an ancient ~ tribe of featherbeasts. It is sung that they once seized Sun Himself in their I talons, and in doing so brought light back into the world during the Great Darkness. Their heroism came with a price, however; they were burned, even to their very Essence, by the Beyond-Flame of which Sun's Body is made. Their feathers turned black, their once- beautiful voices turned to croaks, and truths were revealed for which they were not prepared. This made them wise beyond wisdom, wise to the point of foolishness. Still, they are respected by all for their sacrifice, and some say that one who is patient and who understands their nature can still draw cold, clear truths from the fire of their songs.
 * BLACKBURN

Variegated visitors!

Intimation of the interior

Tempts one to treacherous terrain

Rife with raw rituals and right angles

Invading impossibly impassible imprints

Outward from obtuse and oblong obtenebrations

Leaping longward, layer on layer.

Do you see it, hidden in the Beginnings?

Was there ever a Way, a Before, or an After?

This is a Whiteblack, known for being both clever and annoying in equal measure. Like their close relations, the Blackburns, their intelligence is beyond question; few, if any, beings so small can boast such dense and inventive Minds. However, their cleverness is sometimes so extreme that it becomes stupidity. They are quite mercenary, sometimes ripping pieces off of much larger beasts to eat and leaving them bleeding, but also very proud, quite convinced of their own superiority.
 * WHITEBLACK

One for Sorrow,

Two for Joy,

Three for a girl,

Four for a boy,

Five for silver,

Six for gold,

And seven for a secret

Never to be told.

Never, never,

Never to be told.

Do not questions taste best

In the absence of answers?

Such is our Way,

The Way of Seven, the Way of the Whiteblack.

This is a Layerwing, a featherbeast of one of the most prestigious tribes in all of beastkind. Their name is not a reference to their thick-feathered wings, but rather to the often-told tale that Sun and Earth hatched from an egg laid by the first of their kind. How there was a FN wis bebcan Metco ema elctnom ecw ee mes arlt Giver or Great Birther to create goodbeasts is not explained, but so the song goes, and is repeated by many. They continue to lay massive, spherical eggs so impressive that it is not very hard to imagine that they have birthed Great Beings.
 * LAYERWING

You have Mastered the Way of the Layerwings, and your bond with the elements has grown.

The foolish see the great Destroyers of the world as mighty;

The wise see the great Creators of the world as mighty.

The foolish are proud of their hunts, their won battles

And are ashamed of their Dances of Creation;

They boast of their conquests

But cloak their matings in guilt and shadow.

The wise boast of no wars,

Do not sing of the strength of limbs, sharpness of claws

But proudly Dance the Dance of Creation,

Summoning Life from the Dark Edge of the Void,

''Birthing it, nourishing it, expanding the Circle.

We are the Greatest of the Creators,

And take joy and pride in the mingling

Of Giver and Birther, by which even Sun and Earth were made.

Such is our Way, the Good Way of the Layerwings.

Spearbills are admired by the Kin for their angular beauty and regal bearing, and this is one of the greatest of their kind. Greater Spearbills, also known as High Spearbills, share their lesser cousins' love of contemplation, but - instead of engaging in debate, they express their ideas to each other in captivating dances. Their elegance makes them the envy of many, and their advice is sometimes sought out by lesser beasts. Understanding said advice is often a greater challenge than the original problem.
 * GREAT SPEARBILL

You have Mastered the Way of the Layerwings, and your bond with the elements has grown.

The foolish see the great Destroyers of the world as mighty;

The wise see the great Creators of the world as mighty.

The foolish are proud of their hunts, their won battles

And are ashamed of their Dances of Creation;

They boast of their conquests

But cloak their matings in guilt and shadow.

The wise boast of no wars,

Do not sing of the strength of limbs, sharpness of claws

But proudly Dance the Dance of Creation,

Summoning Life from the Dark Edge of the Void,

Birthing it, nourishing it, expanding the Circle.

We are the Greatest of the Creators,

And take joy and pride in the mingling

Of Giver and Birther, by which even Sun and Earth were made.

Such is our Way, the Good Way of the Layerwings.

Water Bound
The Shellbeast is a distant relation of the Kin whose body has developed into a cage of bony armor. While not particularly quick or ferocious, damaging these stone-skinned beings can be a challenge for a hatchling.
 * SHIMMERLINGS

This do we know:

To be beautiful is to be seen,

And to be seen is to be hunted.

To be sweet is to be delicious,

And to be delicious is to be hunted.

If you would be truly strong,

Be hunted: you will grow swift and clever.

But if you are not willing to pay the price of beauty

In pain and fear and endless escapes,

It is better to be dull and tasteless.

This is our Way, the Good Way of the Shimmerlings.

One of the sleek and streamlined Waterbound tribes, this scaly swimmer is so called because its armor is often the slate-gray of rainclouds, but when the Great Giver's light strikes it just so, it becomes a mosaic of all colors, like the arch which appears in the sky after rain.
 * RAINSCALE

Feel the flow

around within everywhere

See my skin

light breaking prismatic against me

Know the sea

blue endless echo unforgotten

Taste the rain

descending from above

becoming my world

This is our Way, the Good Way of the Rainscale

This waterbound scalebeast is known for making a dangerous pilgrimage from the fresh pools of its birth all the way to the Great Blue, a journey few could survive, only to journey back again. It also possesses a magic which makes it able to shift its color, and sometimes even its form, in preparation for its Dance of Creation. Such a power is rare; perhaps this latent energy is what makes its flesh so hale and delicious.
 * SHIFTSCALE

We are the Tasters, seekers of delicacies:

Hidden skycolor berries, shiftscale flesh the color of dawn.

Mightiest of all Earth's cubs, we reach out with our hands

To gather in her fruits of leaf and flesh.

Like Water, we roll downhill, our feet seeking easy paths,

Like Water, we flow to where Earth calls us,

Like Water, we resist Destruction, bending and turning to avoid the hard places.

If you can let go of Bravery, Honor and all Laws,

''If you can be complete simply in yourself, to be where you are,  Then, at last, you shall know Freedom.''

''This is our Way, the Good Way of the Lesser Lumberers. ''

In the eyes of most who make Water their home, the Longscale is a true terror. Highly aggressive and large for a waterbound, it makes a meal of many of those who share its domain, even its own kind. To you, however, it is merely a fine meal, assuming you have the power to Destroy it...
 * LONGSCALE

We are the warriors

Of the First Hunting-Grounds.

Since before the Kin, we have hunted

Prey which now lives on only as Stone.

Earth Herself has shed her skin,

Brought about new and wondrous children

Uncountable People Created and Destroyed

Still, we endure, shining fierce and bright

Holding tight our secret:

Survival is the only true virtue.

Life is an endless War.

When in doubt, Destroy.

Judge us as you will; we will outlive you

As we have all the rest.

This is our Way, the Good Way of the Longscales.

Note:
In the third chapter, find your old friend from the first chapter (You didn't eat it, did you?), give the Amber Circle, and ask him to tell you about the many Good Beasts of the Earth.

One more note Raaz puts things in order here...

How much text...

Parts  - 3 of 3 Code  - 3 of 3

...

Damn quotes!

Parts  - ≈3 of 3 Code - ≈2/0 of 3 (+1)

Plans for future pages: add spaces to quotes (damn code editor), edit some parts of the page ... If you want to change something check the mastery_data.xml file. (Or just erase the progress and go to your best (and only) friend in Part 3, asking him to talk about Good Beasts of the Earth.)