1. Characters

Irwin Fauna

"The magical beast hunter"

Irwin Fauna is a beloved half-elf naturalist and magical beast expert, best known for his fearless yet compassionate approach to studying the world’s most dangerous and misunderstood creatures. From owlbears to will-o-wisps, manticores to manticrab hybrids, Irwin has seen—and hugged—them all.

Currently stationed in the wild and untamed Bifrost Isles, Irwin continues his lifelong mission: to understand, preserve, and protect the fantastical fauna of the world. He is a familiar name in druid circles, arcane academies, and rural taverns alike, where tales of his creature encounters are shared with admiration and disbelief.


Description


Irwin is lean, rugged, and eternally windswept, with bright eyes that gleam with enthusiasm and mischief. His long, ash-blond hair is perpetually mussed by wind or wing-beats, and his sturdy leathers are often scuffed and clawed from close contact with beasts large and small. A satchel of sketchbooks, rune-etched journals, and half-eaten jerky is always slung over one shoulder.

He speaks with an excited lilt, punctuated by exclamations like “Crikey, would you look at that Flarefang!” or “She’s not angry—she’s just misunderstood!” Known for charging headfirst into monster dens to pet, feed, or calm their inhabitants, Irwin somehow avoids death through sheer charisma, deep empathy, and years of finely tuned instinct.


History


Irwin was born to an elven herbalist mother and a human ranger father in a druidic commune nestled deep in a fey-touched forest. His earliest companions were a nest of owlbear cubs and a particularly chatty dryad named Bristlefern. Raised among creatures and caretakers alike, he learned from both beast and fae how to listen, observe, and respect the wild.

As a youth, Irwin apprenticed under faerie naturalists who taught him how to read the language of chittering teeth, rustling wings, and magical spoor. By adulthood, he was traveling the world, often barefoot, notebook in hand, offering magical beast CPR to wounded chimeras and building cuddle-traps for displaced dire badgers.

He became famous after rescuing a rampaging hydra with nothing but calming words and enchanted bandages—then writing about the experience in a bestselling memoir.


Books & Writings


Irwin Fauna has authored dozens of popular and scholarly books on magical wildlife. Some of his most well-known titles include:


“The Cuddle and the Claw: How to Hug a Manticore”

A field guide for handling aggressive creatures with compassion.

“Owlbears in the Nursery: Raising Magical Beasts from Birth”

A practical handbook on fostering young monsters.

“Crikey, That’s Venomous!”

An anecdotal collection of Irwin’s near-death experiences with poisonous fauna—equal parts thrilling and comedic.

“Horns, Howls & Habitat Loss”

A sobering look at the ecological impact of spellburn, over-harvesting mana plants, and draconic overgrazing.

“Frostfangs & Fluffballs: A Bestiary of the Bifröst Isles” (currently in progress)

His latest endeavor, documenting the mysterious and magical creatures found across the northern tundra, including Widowcrabs, Pufflins, Iceblind Owls, and Wartusks.

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