Manzaširi (animal)
Manzaširi are giants made of volcanic rock, commonly obsidian, that are said to roam the canyons and passes that divide Aironoi from the Redlands, though in recent times they have spread further into the steppe. Outsiders to the region that have survived encounters with the giants often confused them with golems due to their appearance, though little else aligns. They are far from compassionate nor caring beings, often seeming apathetic and outright cruel to the world around them. Folk tales speak of the giant that tried to the eat the sun, but was cast down, and never grew past its contempt for the gods that denied it its pleasure.
The Manzaširi is said to be a giant made of volcanic rock that trudges through the rocky canyons that border the Redlands to Aironoi's south. The scant few locals of the region either refused to speak to us, or couldn't quite understand what we were hunting, until a hermit insisted we follow him to his home. We did so, crossing over a hill where the dirt and sand have mixed into a burnt orange. Before us, a small shack made of mudbrick sits beneath a domineering plataeu split through its middle. The hut resembles an ant crawling underfoot against the sheer rock face. The man speaks of the Manzaširi taking roost in the ravine that separates the plateau before us, and offers his land for camping through the night. We accept, and prepare throughout the night, oiling our weapons and checking our armor for weaknesses. The plan is to take the Manzaširi from the rear, knocking it down to the ground and shattering its hard exterior with blunt weaponry until its heart leaks into the sand. These giants are said to be ferocious and bloodthirsty, so if we wish to claim victory tomorrow, we must be the same. Otherwise, the giant will crush us beneath its foot.