DESCRIPTION: The funnel worm is a burrowing creature 5 to 7 meters long, with a segmented body and two large compound eyes which are also pressure-sensing organs. It has a pair of large mandibles and its mouth is filled with a ring of sharp teeth.They lurk 5 to 10 meters beneath the surface waiting for preyto pass overhead. When it senses the vibrations of a creature passing, it quickly expands its body, swallowing the sand and forming a 1 0-meter-wide funnel of sand. The prey slides down the funnel into the worm's mouth. A funnel worm's mouth is wide enough to hold and bite up to three medium-sized creatures at once, indicating the potential for larger life forms in the desert.

 Lost 2 team members, Rolgar Molokai and Lyrium to such creature. 

 DESCRIPTION: The sand shark is a burrowing creature. It is 3 meters long, has a wedge-shaped head, thick, abrasive, leathery hide and twelve pairs of short legs. A sand shark has no eyes; it detects things by vibration, and smells through two rows of sensory organs and two sensory pits in the head. A sand shark burrows just beneath the surface of the sand, leaving a telltale ripple in its wake. It reveals itself when it erupts at the feet of its target to attack. It attacks by biting. Its large mouth is filled with three rows of jagged teeth.

 DESCRIPTION: The burrower snake resembles a 1.5 meter long cross between a snake and a salamander. It has powerful rear legs suited for burrowing into loose sand and rock, but its forelimbs have long since atrophied because of disuse. The burrower snake uses its rear legs to push itself along as it slithers across the desert sands.

 After digging a lair in the loose desert sand, the burrower snake waits patiently until an unsuspecting creature wanders within striking range (5 meters). As soon as it senses the presence of its prey, the burrower snake springs forth, hoping to kill any creature it hits with its venomous bite.

DESCRIPTION: Lopers are two-legged reptiles the size of horses, inhabiting the deserts of Volturnus. They are usually found in
the presence of the Ul-Mor, who use them as cavalry mounts, though it is not uncommon to find them in the wild. They are named for the rapid gait they use to cross the desert sands.

Though normally timid and shy, lopers will attack with their small fore claws and powerful jaws if provoked. Normally, mounted beasts may not attack in melee, but when mounted by Ul-Mor, lopers are capable of attacking at the rider's direction.

DESCRIPTION: The quickdeath is the ultimate land carnivore. This creature can propel itself at 100 kilometers per hour with its great legs, which resemble those of a jaguar. Quickdeaths keep the claws on these legs razor sharp, using them to attack prey as well as for climbing. Three sets of smaller, tentacle-like limbs ending in suction cups are attached to the quickdeath's sides. It uses these limbs to catch unwary prey and stuff the unfortunate creatures into its digestive maw. 

The quickdeath has a long, flexible neck that ends in a snout and large mouth. Its four eyes are mounted on retractable stalks atop the head, while its brain is located at the base of its neck. (The quickdeath is nearly blind when it strikes it prey because it retracts these eyes.) The creature has a long, whip-like tail that can fling a poisonous dart once every four hours. The outer hide of the creature is covered by a moist, reflective armor which provides such good camouflage that the creature is nearly invisible until it approaches within 120 meters. Quickdeaths are constantly on the move, seeking to appease their hearty appetites. 

DESCRIPTION: The dropper resembles a giant amoeba. It is a flat, irregular blob up to 1 meter in diameter. The dropper inhabits cavern ceilings all over Volturnus, always ready to drop on any unsuspecting prey walking beneath it. When the dropper senses another creature approaching, it crops a tentacle-like pseudo-pod covered with a sticky digestive acid. If this pseudo-pod strikes the prey, the dropper falls onto the creature in the same turn and attempts to envelop it. The dropper then begins to digest the creature, releasing digestive acids. The smell of this digestive acid will attract more droppers to the area in a matter of minutes.

The Ul-Mor are very aware of these Droppers and quickly respond if attacked by one. They wretch the amoebas away before causing much damage to their prey.
 

DESCRIPTION: Flitters are small winged mammals that enjoy dark places. They live in the caverns below the Burning Lands,
eating insects, small mammals, and carrion. Flitters are generally passive, but loud noises, light, and smoke will cause them to attack.

DESCRIPTION: Rasties are vicious mammals of medium size that prey upon hapless shovelmouths and other gentle prey living in the caverns of Volturnus. They average 1 meter in length, and look like a cross between a rat and a small monkey. They have four legs, but can sit upright and use their forelimbs to grasp meat or small prey. Rasties are usually hungry, and will attack anything that looks edible to them.
Rasties are usually found in packs of 20 or more. We encountered these creatures in the Caverns, but the Ul-Mor expected them and easily chased them away. 

DESCRIPTION: The shovelmouth is a four-legged reptile with a long, flat snout resembling a shovel. It uses this snout to scrape moss and fungi off the walls and floors of the caverns it inhabits. Shovelmouths breed in great numbers, but their population is kept in check by rasties, which prefer them as food.

Shovelmouths are normally quite harmless, but if a herd panics, they will stampede. Despite their tendency to stampede at awkward times, shovelmouths are generally quite docile, and even affectionate. We encountered a herd of shovelmouths, and one of the reptiles followed us for several miles. When confronted, the creature gazed at us with its soulful, reptilian eyes and wagged its scaly tail. It eventually lost interest and continued on its way.

 DESCRIPTION: A roller is a large herbivore named for its unusual "steam roller" type organ. This organ is actually a huge, cylindrical, hide-covered mass of bone and cartilage attached to two frontal limbs by ball and socket joints. The organ is used to crush the shard grass on which the Roller feeds. The mouth of the roller is located on its underside. The crushed shards and shoots of shard grass are sucked up into this mouth. Internal organs of the creature separate the glass-like shards from the digestible shoots of grass. The undigestibale shards are then stored in a special organ and used as a missle weapon for the creature's rear defense. The roller has four normal limbs used for locomotion. The two eyes of the creature are located on the head near the large ears. The head does not have a mouth. A roller has a thick hide that protects it from being cut by shard grass.

Rollers are generally docile creatures, and will not attack unless frightened or attacked themselves. They are usually found grazing on the grassy plains of Volturnus in herds of 5 to 50. 

Spitters are reptilian herbivores found in herds on the shard grass plains of Volturnus. The creatures feed on the grass by shooting a stream of highly corrosive acid from their mouths. This acid breaks down the hard outer shells of the shard grass in a few seconds. The spitter can then eat the shard grass safely. The spitter's thick hyde protects it from being cut by the shard grass. 

Winged rippers are scavenger birds that gather in great numbers around any carrion. A ripper looks like a cross between a vulture and a hummingbird. Their brownish-gray feathers look tattered, and have a distinct odor of decay.

Winged rippers are impatient and may attack small animals or sick or injured creatures. A large number of winged rippers (more than 20) may attack healthy creatures of man-size or larger. When they attack, the entire flock swoops at the intended victim. As they pass, some slash with their razor-sharp beaks. Winged rippers are basically cowardly, however, and if more than one-tenth of the flock is killed, the rest will flee.

The Volturnian baboon is a shaggy, semi-intelligent primate found in various habitats of Volturnus. Its fur varies in color from dark reddish brown to sandy tan. These primates organize themselves into primitive societies seemingly based on battle prowess and display of ferocity. 

We have seen these insects throughout Volturnus, though not in as great a number as those at the Crystal City. Mordax (The Edestekai name for the insects) are large flying insects about 10cm long. Their sting is poisonous to Frontier races. They are particularly attracted to the flowers of tangler vines. 

Tangler vines are a carnivorous mutation/evolution of normal vines, normally found in the ruins of the crystal city, clinging to the ruined buildings like ivy. The vines can attack their victims withing 10 meters. Tangler vines are covered with hollow thorns. Watching the thorns attack an unsuspecting lizard, it was observed that the sap of the thorns seem to act as an anesthetic. The sleeping prey is wrapped in the vines and then devoured. The flowers and fruit (a reddish berry) of the vines attract Mordax (see above), a large insect whose sting is poisonous to Frontier races.