Creatures

Various creatures can be found in the Twelve Kingdoms, some which can only be only in the Twelve Kingdoms.

Twelve Kingdoms Exclusive
These creatures can only be found in The Twelve Kingdoms world.
 * Genbu (玄武): A holy creature, that resembles a turtle and is as big as a small island. It carries a new ruler from Mt. Hou to the kingdom and leaves a trail of clouds called a zuiun. Genbu also resembles the Chinese God from the legend of the Four Gods and carries the name of the serpent-tortise god.


 * Hakuchi (白雉): A bird that is kept in each kingdom's palace. It cries twice in its lifetime: once when the ruler is crowned, and once when the ruler dies. Its leg is used as the official seal when the kingdom has no ruler. A hakuchi is also called a nisei ("two cries").


 * Hanjyuu (半獣): A half-beast that has both a human and an animal form. Hanjyuu are considered less than human in some kingdoms.


 * Hou-Ou (鳳凰): A pair of birds in each kingdom. The hou is male and the ou is female. The ou of one country can communicate with the ou of another. The hou cries when the ou receives important news.


 * Kirin (麒麟) is noble and holy creature that is bound to and chooses the ruler of each kingdom according to the will of Tentei, the Emperor of Heaven.
 * Kokki (黒麒) is a black kirin and are extremely rare. They are born only once every couple hundred of years and are thought to be a sign that a great event will occur.


 * Seicho (青鳥): A type of bird which is used to deliver a letter between the officials in court and to other kingdoms. Seicho literally means "blue bird" in Chinese. Not a Youma.


 * Shingyo: A type of fish that lives in Kyokai, and is a very rare breed. Not a Youma.


 * Youjyuu (妖獸) Another type of creature with supernatural powers. It does not submit to Kirin in the same way Youma do, and cannot be bound into Shirei like Youma, but can be trained by mortals and ridden on.
 * Kijyuu  (騎獣) are Youjyuu that have been trained to carry people. Kijyuu are capable of flight.


 * Youma (妖魔) Creatures with supernatural powers, generally evil unless in the service of a kirin. A term generally used for "monsters."

Animals
Animals can be found both in Hourai and Twelve Kingdoms. Unlike in Hourai, animals in the Twelve Kingdoms are born from ranka rather than the womb of a female creature.


 * Horses
 * Chickens
 * Fish
 * Insects