The Bestiary

Even during an age of strife, adventurers will frequently find time to step away from the battles at hand, if not out of necessity, then simply for a change of pace. Whether procuring pelts for sale at the market, gathering ingredients for alchemic endeavors, or finding a tasty morsel to quell the incessant grumblings of one’s belly, hunting is an indispensable part of an adventurer’s daily routine.

The War

However, taking up a blade against the realm’s wildlife can be no less dangerous than standing in a shield wall on the frontlines of battle, or defending a fortress against a bloody siege. The harsh environs of Eorzea have left their mark on the land’s fauna, culling the weak and sharpening the senses of those that survived; and while they may not be tainted with the same dark ambitions that poison the hearts of men, the beasts are equally ruthless when threatened. Thus, a truly skilled hunter will never step into the wild without first fully understanding the beast they pursue.

The following passages are taken from Eorzea’s highly seminal bestiary, the Raimdelle Codex. The compendium contains a priceless wealth of knowledge on the many plants and animals native to the Eorzean landmass, and although penned centuries ago, is still used across the realm by scholars and hunters alike.

As is the case in many contemporary transcriptions of the codex, each passage is followed by a modern interpretation of the original text.

Creature Families

Beasts		Plants		Reptiles		Demons
Opo-opo Antelopes Aldgoats Marmots		Morbol Cactuar Funguar		Raptors		Ahriman Doomed

Arcana		Beastmen		Dragons		Birds
Mammets		Kobolds Ogres		Puks		Dodos

Source

• FFXIV Official Website Final Fantasy XIV Online. Square Enix Co., Ltd., 2009. Web. 11 Dec. 2009.