Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths as Told by Flavor Text

"You sure you want to see what emerges? You might not like it. It definitely won't like you." ~ Kinnan, bonder prodigy

"Take us home," she whispered, and the fox's eyes began to glow.

"A good forage if you can find it, but eat it before you get back to the sanctuary. The guards won't let you bring it through the gates." ~ Dennae, Savai hunter

The Wanderer walks many paths. Her blade travels only one.

After what he viewed as Lukka's shocking betrayal, General Kudro enacted stringent security measures at every entry point into Drannith.

"Out here we're nothing but our training." ~ Ethuk, Coopercoat mage

"The night emboldens many monsters, but the mightiest will attack in broad daylight."

Outside Drannith's walls, where collateral damage is of no concern, the Coppercoats are free to use more potent methods.

"The glowstones shine and dinosaurs roar to the south. Business will be brisk tonight."

"Our sanctuaries must be beacons of reason and calm or else they will fall."

"Day 1: These fox pups have really taken to me.n"Day 4: Big. So big. Need additional security." ~ Jonald, mission naturalist, research notes

After much arguing, the soldiers decided to keep it, on the grounds that it killed enough mice to count as an honorary monster slayer.

It could subsist on seeds but its preferred fare is your face.

Raugrin's coastline can be quite beautiful, as long as you avoid the volcanic dinosaurs, the sea dinosaurs, and the roaming beach dinosaurs.

Through the *eludha*, bonders share the powerful abilities of their chosen companions.

"Take one wrong step out of here and you're dead. I take only right steps."

It soars through currents of moonbeams to give hope to the forsaken.

"Don't search the ruins of Orn during the day. Nethroi's many eyes will spot you instantly. Don't go at night either. You'll be dinner for the servals. Maybe just don't go." ~ Rasai, Indatha hunter

"If only they'd all act this docile. I could do something relaxing for a living. I've always wanted to bake biscuits." ~ Ethuk, Coppercoat mage

Lukka looked out from the parapet and saw not a monster to be put down, but a fierce kind of beauty.

"Get in there, soldier! I want a pelt on my wall before lunch!"

"Drannith gives no quarter to traitors." ~ General Kudro

The giant tigers of Savai prefer to hunt at daybreak, when the crystal's warning glow is masked by the light of dawn.

"Our volleys don't aim to kill. Impair them and the ground will do the rest." ~ Alux, Skysail defender

"Amazing! I was only trying to teach her to sit!"

After a disastrous day of battle, Lavabrink's lightning mages were recalled.

"World's better with one fewer poacher in it." ~ Winota, heartbonder

The floating city of Skysail has two rules: don't leave your crewmates behind, and don't mess with the guardrails.

"It's Snapdax. You'd have a better chance of breaching a wall with a slice of bread." ~ Krek, daysquad captain

"The endurance of the ancient turtles in a land so harsh makes a strong case for patience, tranquility, and composure." ~ Gavi, nest warden

Bonder and bonded move in unison, intuiting each other's next move.

"There is no law of nature that I have not seen Illuna break. Makes you wonder what is truly possible, does it not?" ~ Rielle, the Everwise

"No, thank you."

It loves blending into its environment, ambushing prey, and long scuttles on the beach.

Sanctuaries harnessed the glowstones' natural reaction to monsters to create a warning system.

"I know the nightmares of Indatha seem scary, but when you break them down into their component parts, they're quite beautiful" ~ Naireh, Ketria elementalist

"Every flaw in the crystal represents a moment where our strategy might go wrong."

If you feel a strange chill within the temperate Quartzwood, look up.

Hunters' methods vary from simple and brutal to elaborate and brutal.

"Their paths aren't random, but they don't float with the wind. Could they be following surges in crystalline energy?" ~ Naireh, Ketria elementalist

Skysail's strength was also its vulnerability.

"I want it to look me in the eyes and know the face of the man who put it down." ~ Kelsien, the Plague

"Coppercoats think they understand duty and loyalty, but they can't begin to fathom the depths of my bond."

On Ikoria, reactive magic can make the difference between barely grazed and really dead.

"The *eludha* is total communication, total understanding. It makes regular human speech feel like garbled grunting." ~ Winota, heartbonder

"You've never had to trust your breath to an inhuman creature who could crush you at its whim, and I truly feel sorry for you." ~ Eagan, seabonder

It always knew it was destined to be more than a frog.

"The bonders work with creatures that fly, slink, and burrow. Assume they know everything." ~ Jirina Kudro

Remarkably, dinner continued with no further interruptions.

"You're telling me we spent a year securing the sanctuary against pterosaurs, rambeasts, and nightfangs . . . and we were robbed by what?" ~ Endris, Drannith magistrate

There is no boat big enough.

"Its weak spot is easily spotted, but only if it's swooping down on you." ~ Jonald, mission naturalist

Their bond grew over time, as did the height of their jumps.

Lives taken are lives not easily forgotten.

"Fools wear armor against it as if the worst it could take is your blood." ~ Gavi, nest warden

Fear pierces the strongest armor.

"I have a number of hyper-specific phobias and this somehow hits all of them." ~ Aaru, Zagoth lumberjack

"If you've never feasted on Zagoth terror-pig, I got the best price you'll find."

The living fear Nethroi's whispers. The dead heed them.

"How did we find each other? So there I was, exploring a mount of monster corpses..."

"The poacher's trade isn't monster parts. It's myth. People pay to be part of the fantasy." ~ Kelsien, the Plague

"You're not my quarry, little one. I'm after whatever comes to investigate your cries." ~ Kelsien, the Plague

"I've seen them survive lava, trampling, and a moloch's digestive system. They just roll out and get on with their lives!" ~ Gannet, Skysail zoologist

"What she sees, I see. What she tastes, I taste."

The definition of "bite-sized treat" depends on who you ask.

"Nature is more merciless than any hunter I've ever known." ~ Zai, nightsquad captain

"They say it survives on a purely bioluminescent diet. It's only active during the darkest of Indatha nights, making verification highly challenging." —Gannet, Skysail zoologist

Most monsters are more frightening when they skitter unseen in the dark. Most.

"It's them or us." ~ General Kudro

"The cruelest monsters inspire the greatest tales. The greatest tales inspire the cruelest hunters." ~ Rielle, the Everwise

"There's no roar so mighty that it can't be silenced."

"By halves does youth depart. I remember halves of names, halves of years, halves of myself." ~ Ogaro, wandering sage

Hunter and hunted both died thinking they had outwitted the other.

"And then the shadow took living form, and the shadow devoured the man whole—body, mind, and soul." ~ *Tales of the Ozolith*

"The big fella sounds hungry. Let's send him to bed without his supper."

Each scorpion's venom is unique, thwarting sanctuary healers' attempts to develop an antidote.

"Yesterday it was flying tigers and crumbling bridges. Who knows what today will bring?" ~ Dol, Lavabrink quartermaster

From now until the crystals stop glowing ~ Ketria oath meaning "forever"

"With the frequent mutations, predator-prey relationships seem to change every moment. I already like it here." ~ Vivien Reid

"I appreciate you not letting me fall to my death in the acid bogs. Now, can you let me down?"

Ears can't hear them. Eyes see too many of them.

"It's just a snake. A many-eyed snake with venom that turns your blood to smoke, but still, just a snake." ~ Kinnan, bonder prodigy

"Don't ask me what to do if you miss. They're stingdrakes. Don't miss." ~ Orthion, Lavabrink captain

"Ah, we have a critic." ~ Orthion, Lavabrink captain

The sound of Vadrok's gigantic wings is ominous. But the true terror is when they fall silent.

The soldier had given up his wealth, his title, even his home, but he had no room for regret. At last, he had saved his friend.

"Let the brutes fight. If they kill each other, we lose no more soldiers today." ~ Orthion, Lavabrink captain

The first line of defense, and the last person you want to anger.

From a certain perspective, it's an inspiring story of overcoming obstacles.

"Water and bone tell many tales, but fire is fickle. It would rather consume than reveal." ~ Rielle, the Everwise

Fragile, floating Skysail suddenly seemed like an appealingly safe place to live.

The two looked at each other, and neither fled. "I see," the soldier murmured. "We're both just fighting for survival out here, aren't we?"

"Though the road through Raugrin is lined with alarm crystals, some monsters seem to be adapting. We've had raptors feigning attacks on provision caravans, while others try to sneak through the lava curtain." ~ Dol, Lavabrink quartermaster

Fortune favors the ferocious.

Lukka's bond provided not only friendship, but also the most powerful weapon in his arsenal.

Some crystals glow in the presence of monsters, forming a convenient warning system. Some monsters have learned to outrun the light.

Lavabrink's boiling moat is a deterrent for most, and a relaxing bath for one.

"It's either terrified or extremely mad at us, definitely one of the two." ~ Jonald, mission naturalist

"I always thought wizards were supposed to have owls or one-eyed cats for familiars, but flaming dinosaurs work, too."

"How many claws does a monster have? Exactly one more than you've accounted for." ~ Alux, Skysail defender

Danger often lurks in the allure of crystal shards.

Their feeding habits leave them with gizzards full of tumbled gems.

"When monsters walk, the earth knows its place and yields." ~ Rielle, the Everwise

"The monster that scares me the most isn't the biggest." ~ Taelya, Lavabrink pyromage

Luuka was ordered to kill a threat. He chose to make a friend.

Revenge is a path inevitably walked alone.

An adventure without a companion is hardly an adventure at all.

Laughed at the brushwagg ~ Hunters' expression meaning "died unexpectedly"

"They cast wards, thinking it will protect them, but the biggest monsters find a way through." ~ Kinnan, bonder prodigy

"I can bring down anything in Zagoth, but for some quarry the ratio of fight to meat is too high." ~ Master Hunter Chevill

The Zagoth wetlands are fertilized by centuries of Brokkos's former challenges.

"Turns out the case of the flattened outpost and the cast of the missing kitten *were* related." ~ Endris, Drannith magistrate

The Ozolith's appearance spawned a new era of wild mutation on Ikoria. Some creatures hunted different prey, lived in new habitats, and thrived on mutation itself.

It makes molehills out of mountains.

Sometimes the *eludha* is a sacred harmony of souls. Sometimes a bonder grabs some fur and holds on tight.

Poachers use the harvested tongues to snare pests, plumb caves, and scale tall buildings.

"One day I woke up and knew I had nothing left to teach her. So now I ride on her shoulders and follow where she leads." ~ Gustin, wildbonder

On Ikoria, sandwurms never lie dormant for too long. In some regions, "no activity" is the greatest sign of danger.

"And I thought *I* had a big sweet tooth." —Gannet, Skysail zoologist

"We share the same nuanced opinion of hunters and military goons: smash them."

"The key to bonding with monsters, no matter their size, is knowing where they like to be scratched."

For safety reasons, the keeping of houseplants within Ikoria's sanctuaries is heavily discouraged.

Life is best taken one step at a time.

"Goriaks are as stubborn and hardy as I'd expect of a large herbivore in a wetland habitat. But I never expected them to have such beautiful voices!" ~ Vivien Reid

"The most unexpected weapon a monster can wield is kindness." ~ *Tales of the Ozolith*

Scavengers follow in Skysail's shadow, feasting on the carcasses of monsters that attacked the floating city.

"Need a medic! And some stonemasons!" -Wyllon, Drannith merchant

"What's natural on Ikoria continues to delight me." ~ VIvien Reid

"And what did we learn? Never taunt a porcuparrot!"

"Your prey is in my custody now. Withdraw." ~ Vivien Reid

Nothing returns from the nightmare nests of Indatha unscathed.

"How can you be sure you pierced its heart? Do you even know where its heart is?" ~ Trundan, Indatha poacher

Few monsters challenged Narset after they sensed her power.

"I will preserve human life at all costs. I will stand alone against behemoths before I let them touch my city. I will hold the wall." ~ Oath of the Coppercoats

"The ground under our feet is a record of every slight against the world, to be avenged at a time of its choosing." ~ Gavi, nest warden

"Fear not the behemoth heard from miles away. Fear the stalking felidar, which reveals itself only for the kill." ~ Rielle, the Everwise

More stubborn than Drannith's walls.

No human eyes have ever witnessed the birth of an apex monster.

"Inner peace is wonderful, and worth striving for. Outer peace is much less important." ~ Taelya, Lavabrink pyromage

All they found in the hunter's camp were tiny paw prints and a lot of blood.

"From this day forward, we confront this world together, lifting each other up."

"Being all-knowing is a matter of remembering which things it is crucial to forget."

"Strike those abominations down. Let their names rot with their remains." ~ General Kudro

A crackling roar is the last sound many hunters hear.

"I study bone because that's where truth dwells. One monster knucklebone is wiser than all that damp meat in your head."

The bounty on its head is as old as Skysail, but no one has ever tried to collect.

Fear is its habitat, sanity its prey.

She wept, not from perfect understanding, but from serene gratitude.

Size of a pixie, rage of a hellkite.

As Narset struggled to meditate, tiny dragonlings spiraled around her, conjuring thoughts of ancient clans.

"I defy this world to try out defenses now. Send pterons and skycats. Send Vadrok!" ~ Janae, Coppercoat architect

Considering the zealous armies, vile poachers, and titanic monsters, it's always wise to keep one eye on the horizon.

"We are each other's shadow, fleeing yet always present."

She was born unable to walk. Through the *eludha*, she was able to fly.

"You're little now, yes, but one day your footsteps will make mountains tremble." ~ Gustin, wildbonder

The call of the wild is rarely a solo.

Crystals nestle in the roots of Indatha's helica trees as if being nurtured by their embrace.

The dark of night never truly falls on Ketria, where abundant crystals bathe the land in their glow.

As it twists, so does all life around it.

The vegetation in Raugrin is dull, but that only makes the towering crystal structures gleam brighter.

The same crystals that root deep enough to pierce Savai's catacombs also soar high enough to change its weather.

"Sleep now, you big brute." ~ Kelsien, the Plague

"Stop trying to pierce the hide. Hit where it's softest: ankle, sole, hamstring." ~ Master Hunter Chevill

From the fertile muck of Zagoth, everything—animal, botanical, and crystalline—grows with rugged beauty.

There is a sanctuary that reveals itself only to those graced by the *eludha*—the mystical connection between bonder and monster.

"It's not hard to grasp that this land does not belong to us." ~ Gavi, nest waren

"These lowlands were formed thousands of years ago by behemoth Indath—its final footsteps before vanishing into the sea." ~ *Tales of the Ozolith*

Nowhere on Ikoria are monsters more integral to the landscape than Ketria, where the river itself will stand up and roar.

Raugrin meets the sea with jaws wide, its coast spiked with teeth of crystal and granite.

Broad prairies feed the human sanctuary of Drannith and conceal a network of caverns where giant casts make their dens.

Hunters in the primeval wetlands become fluent in reading the ripples to tell when to pursue and when to flee.