So, I think the picture above is from a game called ‘Monster Hunter’. Not sure which in the franchise it is, but seeing videos of this and working on Darwin & the Beast Collector got me thinking about monsters. Specifically, I was wondering about how monsters are part of the environment and out in the open. Yet, people don’t always think about this.
Most of the fantasy worlds that I’ve seen have regular animals running around with the occasional monster. I think authors want these creatures to be unique and special, so they become rare and show up only for plot. You might get a few domesticated ones, but the non-Earth fauna really isn’t common. To be fair, the higher the magic of the world, the more common such creatures are in the wild. That must be something to consider, but I still find the whole thing strange.
I look at a fantasy world as a non-Earth environment with different factors, so the evolution of animals shouldn’t be the same. There could still be what we are used to seeing, but also beasts that aren’t from our world. They can easily be magical versions of what we have. I’m not talking about dragons and the other big monsters, but just small things. For example, I have a creature that showed up a bit in Legends of Windemere called a bog hare. It was a bouncy, chubby rabbit that lived in swamps and was a protein source for adventurers. Nothing immense or crazy, but an altered animal that makes sense for Windemere.
Now, this does happen with monsters being secluded and in hard to reach areas, but this doesn’t always make sense. Many times, it’s explained that civilized races pushed them to these places through hunting either for food or protection. Yet, the regular predators like lions and wolves are still around. If these people are so quick to destroy things like griffins and hydras then why wouldn’t they do it for other violent animals? It isn’t like they know which ones are found on Earth and which ones aren’t. If there’s no theory of evolution then they could assume all of them are magical too. That might be a stretch, but I still find it strange that non-Earth creatures are almost always shoved into the shadows. Could I be overthinking it?
Maybe this is why I try hard to add weird flora and fauna when I’m describing the wilds of Windemere. Though, I’m not always successful because I focus more on the actual terrain when writing these scenes. I do think part of the issue is that it’s hard to design a creature when you’re not going to use it for more than window dressing. Many authors would argue against that even though it does drive home the fact that the setting is not Earth, which some readers don’t always remember. Monsters in the open is a way to maintain immersion and . . . I forgot the world for drawing people into a story. Anyway, I have tried to add more critters in my descriptions as I get older. Don’t have a reason for why that is, but it feels right.
What do other people think about stories having non-Earth fauna in the open instead of only in the shadows?
Legends of Windemere 
Good point about having creatures roaming around in a you’re-not-in-Kansas kind of way. I can’t help thinking of old Pokémon games where the legendary was usually found in a special cave or land and you had to go there and battle it. With so many games now having an open world, it makes sense to have these creatures wandering around in the open in a “here there be dragons” kind of way—with people knowing you will encounter these creatures if you go there.
I also think of the Sinbad stories in which you know you are going to encounter rocs in an area, so beware. This sort of thing could go on a map as part of the lore.
I’m reading a book now where a guy fell into a portal that took him to another world. Pterodactyls swoop in from out of nowhere.
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I wonder what our world’s equivalent of a legendary pokemon would be. Can’t think of any big animals that live in isolation. Maybe legendary is their version of endangered.
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The Loch Ness monster?
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True. Cryptids would count.
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This makes sense. I have a story on an ice age planet and seeing and hearing creatures was something I included. Non-magical, but I think it counts.
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It does. Good point on using more than one sense.
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I like that whimsy and imagination out in the open! I’m still ignorant of Pokemon, but my grandson is getting into it so I assume I will soon be knowledgeable.
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The basics are fairly simple to get. Memorizing the 1,000+ Pokemon isn’t, but not necessary for most people.
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Helpful to know!
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You make a good point here, Charles. I think that people use many Earth animals because a) it’s easier to write and b) the reader is familiar with them.
My characters ride horses and have a dog. But there are also dragons, that prey on people’s domestic animals, and a small relative of dragons who have psi skills.
One thing that does get me mad, though, is naming. I know this isn’t what your post is about, but it is something that many authors do that tie things to Earth, and thus people forget they’re on a completely different world.
I can’t get my head around characters called, say, Susan or Kevin. It’s not hard to make up names, but they must be pronounceable.
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Naming is where I’m lenient. I always feel like authors who come up with bizarre, hard to pronounce names are just trying to be flashy. It also brings up the question on why anything has Earth names. Swords, hair, tables, and anything mentioned in dialogue would come under scrutiny because it’s another world. I figure if Earth names and fantasy ones help people stay in the world then throwing an occasional Kevin or Jennifer isn’t a bad thing.
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I don’t know about your issue of spending time on a creature if it’s only set dressing. I think you have to develop those creatures in order for them to add the interesting flavor.
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I think it’s fine to simply design a creature and only have it be part of the background. It doesn’t need a reveal of breeding habits, food, etc. It’s presence adds to the overall scene in my mind. It would be like any Earth story where a park is described and it mentions squirrels. They’re around, but not essential. Yet, they still evoke certain thoughts in a reader. Same should be for fantasy creatures where they’d be more common.
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