Kind eyes in a round, shaggy face meet yours, and you feel instantly at ease. The creature raises a human-like hand in greeting.

It has a familiar presence, almost as if you've seen it before. Such a big, hulking beast would be hard to miss, but you're certain that you've never laid eyes on it before. Perhaps the fact that it seems so welcoming has tricked your brain. It sits peacefully in a nest in the grass and offers you a grub wriggling between its fingers.

"Hello there! Would you like a grub? I just found some. Oh, but you probably don't like them...not many do. While you're here, would you like to help me with something?"

A mysterious, elusive shape surrounded by a thick, smoke-like substance walks slowly a short distance away. It looks like a dog, but with such a ghostly nature, it could be anything.

Because of this strange smoke, you expect a half-transparent, barely materialized being. However, the muscular body of the dark dog appears surprisingly solid. It rushes at you with a beastly growl but you decide to stand your ground.

"This is my territory now. Get out of my sight if you're not willing to follow my rules."

At first glance, the creature doesn't differ much from any other wild cat you've encountered so far. That is until you spot it has an additional pair of limbs, apparently fully functional.

While the extra pair of legs is shorter, the creature uses them naturally and you start to wonder if such a thing could make you better at hunting. The cat's glowing eyes meet yours when it catches you staring at its additional limbs. The sight of its sharp claws suggest that it's probably best to be careful not to anger it.

"Are you here to stare at me like that or will you do something useful for a change?"

The Mothwolf is sitting upright, its wolf legs sprawled in front and its wings folded back. It's using its segmented legs to groom its face, starting from behind its ears to the front of its muzzle. Such a sight would not normally be odd...but the way this creature is doing it makes you uneasy for some reason. It feels...unnatural. As if sensing you watching, the Mothwolf meets your gaze unflinchingly.

"Quit pestering me and make your paws useful, inferior as they may be. Those Kinfolk are dreadful, and must be killed off before I can enjoy myself. Defeat 3 x Kinfolk cryptids. Maybe they'll even do me a favor and kill you off, if you're weak enough..."

Agropelter

The gangly creature before you is shaggy and green and looks like a monkey. Multiple red eyes like a bug stare into your soul.

Gripped tightly in its fists are two rather large chunks of a tree branch. It slams them on the ground as if tenderising them, then takes a large chunk out of one with its sharp teeth. Was it eating wood?

"Need something? No? Well I do, so you're going to help me."

Mogollan Monster

You nearly trip over a large rock, before realising it's not a rock at all! It stirs, and two shining blue eyes blink up at you.

The monster sits upright, its long, shaggy fur covered in dusty sand. It doesn't seem to mind, and brushes grime away from its eyes. Had it been napping? It heaves itself up to stand and shakes all over quite like you would to dry yourself. Appearing satisfied, it sits back down against a rock formation and looks at you expectantly.

"Well isn't this convenient? I need a partner, and here you are! I'll reward you for helping me. What do you say?"

Shagamaw

This creature would resemble a bear if not for the antlers sprouting from its head and hooves on the hind legs. Its eyes shine with an unsettling yellow glow.

If the creature is aggressive, you'll be in trouble, but it seems rather calm. Moss-covered fur makes great camouflage in this deep forest. Now you realise that you've seen pawprints and hoofprints together a lot but you'd never guess that they could belong to one animal. Following this being would probably give you a headache. Its whole appearance seems designed to fool and mislead wolves.

"So...you found me. If it was your intention, it proves that you have some useful skills. Will you help me?"

Squonk

A sorry-looking lump of wrinkly skin with warts and moles meets your gaze. Its eyes are sad, and tears stream silently down its face.

The creature is staring at the ground, ears drooping and looking like its mere existence is weighing it down. It's making small mewling noises as tears run down its face. It's crying so much that the ground at its feet is damp, and everytime it moves it leaves an easy trail to follow. Maybe you can try to cheer it up somehow?

"Oh, hello...you seem nice. Will you...help me? I'm too sad to do much on my own."

The White Stag

The magnificent stag in front of you resembles an ancient forest god with its splendid, huge antlers and perfectly clean, almost shining white fur. It looks beautifully unreal.

You don't feel any kind of fear. It may be your gut feeling or the creature's vibe, but there is something royal and proud about it. The stag nods slowly, inviting you to come closer.

"Did you lose your path? Or maybe you came here to help?"

Unidentified Beings

You've seen many unexplained things in your life, but the sight in front of your eyes is beyond your comprehension. A bipedal creature, despite having a familiar body frame, makes your body stiff with anxiety and all your senses seem fogged...

The more you focus on the being, the more details you can spot. Their natural body armour reminds you of an insect but they're far from that. Even when you get used to how they look, their presence still makes you feel anxious and uneasy. This creature doesn't feel right and something about them is alien to the core. Your instinct tells you to run away but an oddly calming voice speaks to you by your name directly in your head. You don't even truly hear it...you feel it.

"Fear not! We need your cooperation in order to cease this madness. This world's natural balance is in danger. Will you assist us?"