Snark – A vicious little creature, the snark is about the size of the common housecat.  It has needle-sharp teeth, hooked claws and a poisonous barb on its tail.  Snarks are very territorial and will not hesitate to attack a larger predator, and snark fighting has become a very popular, though illegal, sport in the wizarding world.  Although some have been domesticated, they are never truly “tame” and have a horrible temper.  A rather clever witch of my acquaintance has 'domesticated' a snark, however even though the poisonous barb has been removed (a.k.a. "bob-tailed" snark) the creature has retained every bit of its foul temper.  Although I have given my dear friend a wonderful recipe for pan-roasted Snark, she has yet to use it and I'm afraid she's grown rather attached to the wee beastie...

Minion of Evil – Created by one of the most powerful necromancers ever to walk the Earth, a minion of evil looks very much like a seven foot tall scarecrow.   The being is formed by first stealing the soul of a witch or wizard and then binding it to the essence of the Shadow – a feat accomplished by only one wizard in history.  It has rotting, blackened timbers lashed to its shoulders and spine for support and walks with a shuffling gate.  The branch-like arms terminate in wicked claw shaped hands, the fingers of which are tipped with razor sharp talons.  Clothed in rags as black as pitch, the most shocking part of a minion is its head, which is almost always a large pumpkin.  A cruel, eyeless face is lit from within by a flickering reddish glow that never dies.

Monger – Another dangerous creature of Ebonwood is the monger.  Mongers are long, snakelike creatures with a head similar to a catfish.  They hover a foot or two off of the ground and are lightning fast when attacking their prey.  They are the ‘bottom feeders’ of the forest, devouring anything living or dead they happen across.  Mongers usually travel in packs or schools of a dozen or more.

Haggle – Haggles are large, ungainly birds that circle high overhead watching for prey.  Opportunistic, they historically have followed armies or caravans in order to pick off the stragglers.  Haggles will normally hunt alone, but often shadow one another to try and steal a kill – intended victims have been known to escape while two birds are bickering over ownership of the target.  Highly intelligent, haggles are fluent in every dialect of the human, elvish and dwarvish languages and have been known to barter with an intended victim – accepting gold, shiny trinkets or fresh meat in exchange for setting their prey free.  

Reaper –  A solitary hunter, the reaper is a round-bodied animal the size of a large dog.  They are covered in a coarse brown fur and lope along on their oversized hind legs.  Instead of eyes, they have two thin, twitching antennae which sprout from their forehead.  A leathery, black nose with three air slits allows them to pick up the faintest scent.  Highly magical, they confuse their prey by causing hallucinations, confusion and eventually, unconsciousness.  After the victim is stunned, the reaper will move in, using its short, hook-shaped forearms to tear out the heart.  The beast then drains the victim’s aura, leaving behind a withered husk.

Seeker - Seekers are a lesser minion, created by black magic to serve their creator for relatively short periods of time.  They are typically used to hunt down those who do not wish to be found, as seekers are tireless and will hunt their prey twenty-four hours a day without rest.  Resembling a small cloud of black mist, the seeker will emit a shrill call when it locates its prey.  It will then attach itself, stunning the victim until its creator arrives.

Irk - Related to imps and pixies, irks are small, irritating creatures.  Armed with needle-sharp teeth and claws, they will nip and scratch anyone they happen across.  Though their small size prevents them from inflicting any serious damage, a mild toxin coating their claws causes an irritating rash to form on the skin of most victims.  Wizards and witches have been known to capture and train irks to do their bidding, sending them into the chambers off their rivals at night to scratch and claw them while they slept.  Though never fatal, the victim was left covered head-to-toe in an itchy, red rash.  this practice eventually became known as "irking" someone...
 
Weedle - Weedles are small, bloodsucking insects that resemble a tiny cockroach.  When they find a host, they will burrow under the skin to feed and eventually lay their eggs.  Despite their small size they cause a considerable amount of pain to their victims, whom they will eventually kill as successive generations of young are hatched.  Weedles were used hundreds of years ago to torture criminals into confessing.  In tribunals it was not unusual for the presiding wizard to ask the prosecutor if they had 'weedled a confession' out of the offending party yet.

Tippet - A small, furry creature distantly related to the weasel.  Tippet's are prized for their pelts which are magically charmed to repel not only water, but dirt and grime.  Many witches and wizards have attempted to replicate this ability by casting charms on other types of animal hide, but none are as effective as the tippet's natural ability.

Stormcrow - Stormcrows or Corvus Tempestus at first glance appear to be large ravens.  They are almost always found riding the violent air currents in the upper reaches of thunderstorms, where they draw energy from the lightning.  The appearance of a stormcrow is almost always considered to be a harbinger of doom.  A flock of stormcrows can be deadly, for they will swarm around a victim and generate a massive electrical discharge from their combined energy. 

Pahret T’pur – Nestled high in the mountains on the shore of a lake, Pahret T’pur was built by the first druids when the ancients still walked the Earth.  It is home to the first portal, the gateway used by the ancients and later the Shadow to come to this world.  It is protected by layers of wards thousands of years old, which is why it is also home to the Blackstar amulet.
 
Talith Nor – The dark citadel, Talith Nor was constructed by the Order of Black, who did not trust the Guardian to remain neutral.   A new portal was constructed in this fortress, guaranteeing that those who practiced the dark arts would retain access in case Pahret T’pur became inaccessible.  Passage to Talith Nor is only possible through use of a special portal key, which is kept safe at all times by the head of the Order of Black.

Deadwood & Blight's - World renowned purveyors of potion ingredients, founded 500 B.V. (before Veil) by Cragston Deadwood and Malignus Blight.  An odd pair, Master Deadwood was from the Order of Grey while Master Blight was a dark wizard belonging to the Order of Black.  Together they shared a love of obscure potions and rare ingredients as well as the mounds of gold they earned from satisfied clients. 

Blackstar amulet – Formed a thousand years ago when the Shadow was driven from our world, the Blackstar amulet generates and focuses the energy necessary to form the Veil, keeping the two worlds safely apart.  

Oracle stone – Said to be the opposite half of the Blackstar amulet, the Oracle stone appeared at the time the Blackstar was formed.  For generations it has hovered over the Council chambers, as if it were watching and waiting for something.  It is said that if the Blackstar and Oracle stone are ever united, it would give the wielder of the two unlimited power.  Phineas believes it would shatter the Veil and hurl the magical world far into the unknown.

Bloodstone - A ruby about the size of a large mango, the bloodstone is so named because of its dark red hue.  It was "found" (i.e. stolen) by the necromancer, Master Gu-Dai Ying, when the forbidden Red Order was at the height of its power.  Layered with hundreds of enchantments, the bloodstone became Master Gu-Dai's ultimate weapon which could be used to draw the lifeforce from a witch or wizard and bind it to the essence of Shadow, creating a powerful minion.  The bloodstone's energy is replenished by drawing souls from across the Veil.  Lost for hundreds of years after the disappearance of Gu-Dai Ying, its exact whereabouts are unknown.

Stone of Sava - A large emerald about the size of a hen egg, the stone was created by Gu-Dai Ying's apprentice, Sava.  Jealous of her master's powers, she practiced in secret to perfect the art of stealing souls to strengthen her own magic.  When placed upon the victim's forehead, the stone will draw out their essence upon uttering the incantation 'Animus, Impono, Nex'.  Although at first glance the jewel appears to be filled with tiny cobweb-like flaws, each imperfection is the fragment of a stolen soul. 

Dante's Stinger - An attack spell that manifests in the form of a swarm of poisonous darts, each about the size of a large hummingbird.  They are exceedingly painful, and if used at full power can kill instantly.  Acamar uses a very low power version of this spell to train Keegan on how to shield himself from attack.

Spiraktus - A very, very dangerous transportation charm that if used incorrectly can incinerate the spellcaster.  It is a very old and very powerful charm, able to transport a person thousands of miles in the blink of an eye.