◈ Quick Stats ◈
- ◈ Danger Level: 6/10
―●Aggressive when approached, especially during mating season.
―●Known to ambush smaller prey and startled travellers.
◈ Activity Window: Crepuscular
―●Most active during twilight hours—dawn and dusk—when visibility is low.
◈ Diet Class: Carnivore / Thaumavore
―●Primarily feeds on flesh, but is drawn to ethos-charged blood and enchanted creatures.
◈ Preferred Sustenance:
―●Bog lizards, spell-tainted frogs, and the Arcana-saturated marrow of drowned beasts.
◈ Habitat Tier: Swamps, Marshes, Sunken Forests
―●Frequents murky, unstable wetlands with high Arcana runoff.
◈ Intelligence Rating: Moderate
―●Displays basic pack coordination and territorial cunning.
―●Can recognise sigils if encountered frequently.
◈ Arcana Affinity: Elemental (Water) / Illusion
―●Can ripple its body to blend with boggy surroundings and displace water soundlessly.
Preferred Habitat
Field Notes
“Never trust still water in the Mire. If you hear a splash but see no ripples, you’re already too close.”
— Sern Valwick, Swamplighter and retired Beastwarden
Mirefang Leapers are notorious for their patience—lurking just beneath the surface of bog pools for hours until their prey wanders within striking distance. Despite their stocky build, their rear limbs are shockingly powerful, capable of launching them several body lengths in an instant. Witnesses describe a split-second blur of motion, followed by silence and blood-muddied water.
When agitated, their gill-like vents along the neck flush with luminous teal, a common warning sign among wetland predators. Most encounters turn hostile if the beast senses Arcana in a person’s blood—travelers carrying magical items should take extra caution.
Beastmasters recommend using bogslime salve to mask one's scent and avoid enchanted gear when crossing leaper territory.
Note's for the image
Size and Mass
- ◈ Length: 6 to 8 feet (1.8 to 2.4 meters) from snout to tail
◈ Height at shoulder: 3.5 to 4 feet (1 to 1.2 meters)
◈ Weight: Roughly 300 to 450 lbs (135 to 200 kg)
Tracking Signs
◈ Webbed Track Impressions: Look for deep, splayed footprints in mud near marshes—three broad toes with a rear dewclaw imprint. Often spaced erratically due to their bounding gait.
◈ Slashed Reeds: Mirefangs carve through dense foliage when moving at speed, leaving behind shredded, diagonal cuts in low vegetation.
◈ Residual Slime: A faintly iridescent secretion may cling to rocks or tree roots near their resting pools. It smells faintly of copper and marsh rot.
◈ Abandoned Kill Sites: Amphibian or small mammal remains, half-eaten and left in shallow water. Bite marks are ragged but precise around the spine and head.
◈ Sudden Silence: Local insect and bird activity goes unnaturally quiet when a Leaper is near—especially at dusk.
Repellent Methods
◈ Saltstone Dust: Crushed saltstone minerals mixed with bogmoss can be scattered around tents or paths. The compound irritates their skin and disrupts their slime production.
◈ Alkhar Root Smoke: Burning strands of dried Alkhar root produces a pungent smoke that overwhelms their scent receptors. Best used in small, frequent bursts.
◈ Echo Charms: Small arcane pendants that emit random high-pitched chirps when triggered by movement. These confuse the Leaper’s depth perception, discouraging approach.
◈ Lantern Wards: Hanging three lanterns in a triangle and painting warded glyphs (preferably in reflective oil) around the perimeter has proven effective—Mirefangs dislike unnatural light patterns and arcane disruption.
◈ Avoidance Timing: They are most active between dusk and the second nightwatch. Travelling during early morning or midday reduces the likelihood of an encounter.
