====== Creatures ======

This is the master bestiary for the world of Miranda. In here you will find many familiar creatures from various fantasy worlds, legends, and oral histories. In addition there are many that are new creations by us and others that are a completely different take on a long used creature.


===== Biomes =====

==== Terrestrial ====

  * **[[creatures:Equatorial Biome]]**; always Moist, little temperature seasonality
    * Evergreen [[wp>Tropical Rainforest]]
  * **[[creatures:Tropical Biome]]**; summer Rainy season and cooler "winter" dry season
    * [[wp>Tropical seasonal forest]], seasonal [[wp>Tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests|dry forest]], scrub, or savanna
  * **[[creatures:Subtropical Biome]]**; highly seasonal, [[wp>Arid]] climate
    * Desert vegetation with considerable exposed surface (drought-adapted), frost-sensitive shrublands and woodlands
  * **[[creatures:Temperate Biome]]**; moderate climate with winter freezing/frost
    * Temperate evergreen forest, somewhat frost-sensitive, Frost-resistant, [[wp>deciduous]], temperate forest
  * **[[creatures:Polar Biome]]**; cool summers and long, cold winters
    * Low, evergreen vegetation, without trees, growing over permanently frozen soils, [[wp>Taiga]]
  * **[[creatures:Underground Biome]]**; Beneath the earth
    * fungus, hard soil and rock, and almost no sunlight.


==== Aquatic ====

  * **[[creatures:Freshwater Biome]]**; water with less than 1% dissolved salt
  * **[[creatures:Wetlands Biome]]**; standing water covers the soil or the soil is very wet
  * **[[creatures:Marine Biome]]**; water with more than 1% dissolved salt


==== Outsider ====

  * **[[creatures:Shadow Realms Biome]]**
  * **[[creatures:Infernal Realms Biome]]**
  * **[[creatures:Divine Realms Biome]]**



===== Genus vs. Species vs. Race =====

Many of the entries will have listings for species and/or race. In the context of these listings a species will either list or link to different [[wp>species]] within the same [[wp>genus]]. The tell-tale sign of creatures within the same genus, but different species is that they are incapable of interbreeding and producing viable off-spring.

**Genus** is the highest [[wp>taxonomic]] rank that will be discussed for all creatures. It will only be used to discuss various creatures that share a common ancestor, but cannot successfully interbreed (i.e. able to produce fertile offspring).

**Species** is the most common breakdown used for all creatures. A species is the largest collection of individuals able to interbreed and produce viable offspring. Unless otherwise stated in an individual entry, all individual pages will be discussing a single species.

**Sub-Species** is the term I will use to designate creatures that due to [[wp>geographic isolation]] or [[wp>selective breeding]] differ [[wp>Morphologically (Biology)|morphologically]] from other sub-species of the same species. Sub-species will be used for non-sapient sub-species.

**Race** is the term used in place of Sub-Species when speaking for a sapient race. Morphologically different wolf spiders will use sub-species, while hashan would use the term race.


<WRAP center round 80% info>
All elves on Miranda came from the same common ancestor. As of the [[lore:Age of Heroes]] there are three distinct races of elves, True Elves, Common Elves (typically just called elves), and Lost Elves. All elves were once True Elves, but after the Firstborn War a new race (Common Elves) was born among the True Elves. There are distinct races among Common Elves - the Great Elves, Dark Elves, Half-Elves, Forsaken Elves, and Tainted Elf. A third race of elf appeared during the Dark Ages called the Lost Elves.
</WRAP>


==== Ethnicity ====

Ethnicity is not used in this section of the wiki. Ethnicity deals more heavily with cultures and shared identities and while this may heavily cross into race and species. Ethnicity will be discussed in the [[orgs:ethnic groups]].


===== Intelligence =====

==== Sentience ====

Animal intelligence is designated for creatures that act instinct with no understandable sense of self - they have cognition, but only the most basic ability to question the whys. Their specific intelligence is highly variable by species, but although capable of memory, training, and learning - they will often revert to instinctive responses.

Any creature with some semblance of intelligence can be considered sentient - it is self-aware.


==== Sapience ====

The highest order of sentience is a creature that is [[creatures:sapient]] as well. This is defined as a creature that is able to act upon its own judgement with the wisdom of their own intelligence. To contain a spark, however small, of the [[lore:Shadow Realms]].

The [[lore:gods]], [[lore:devils]], [[lore:titans]], and even [[lore:Krynan]] itself are not sapient. This is because they are only capable of acting according to their nature - they are bound by what they are for all time. Sapience did not exist in the [[lore:cosmos]] until the creation of the Shadow Realms.


===== See Also =====

  * [[lore:Origins of Life]]
  * [[creatures:index|Creatures (index)]]
{{topic>creatures?list &simplelist}}