Arasconian Fauna

Here are the descriptions of some of the more interesting  fauna found in Arascon.

Arshe

An Arshe medium sized, long haired animal with six legs. The beast has long, shaggy grey fur and a long oblong head. Their four ears are loong and hang down the side of their head. Their small brown eyes are forward facing. Each of its six feet are padded, but clawless. It is a herbivorous and gentle creature making it a common herding animal in Arascon. It is used for milk, meat and fur. The soft grey fur is long and sheered in the season of Monsoon. Arshen (plural) is used for spinning and produces fine, soft yarn. The light grey color is easy to dye and it is used to produce fine garments. The red meat of the arshen is tender and salty often quite pungent. It is the second most common meat after goat. The milk of an arshe is churned into butter or processed into yogurts and cheeses. Arshen milk is a common drink for children and adults alike.

Burkee Birds

The burkee bird is a skull sized bird with four wings similar to those of a dragonfly. While their wings are diaphanous, their bodies are covered in blue and indigo feathers. They have a long, fluted beak that helps them to feed off of the whistler tree nectar. They keep to the coasts where whistler trees are plentiful.

Cabbot

The cabbot are small, underground creatures. They are long and furry and have only two legs, which they use to pull themselves forward through their narrow tunnels. Most cabbot grow to be about 1 1/2 to 2 feet in length, but only grow to be about a half foot in diameter. They have long pointed snouts that they use to dig their tunnels. Generally, they eat roots of trees and bushes. They often cause trees to suddenly pull up out of the ground by eating through the entirety of it's root system. Cabbots are day blind, able to see only in the dark. They have course light tan or white fur. In general, they are harmless vermin. They give birth to between 4 and 8 babies at once much in the same way rats do. Some people eat cabbot and their furs are highly prized for being water proof and often made into hats, especially int he northern region of Arascon.

F'luft

The f'luft are a reptilian creature that is often called the land squid. Why? Because it looks like a greenish yellow squid crawling about on the land. They have purple blood and guts and two large green or purple eyes. Their scales are hard on most of their bodies, the only exception is the top of their head around the eyes which is soft and squishy. The f'luft vary in size from the size of a small cat to the size of a Great Dragon. They have several tentacles, two of which are used to propel itself forward along the ground. The f'luft burrow into the ground to rest and often hibernate for several years at a time. While it is generally not dangerous, the large f'luft can eat humans. Luckily, they are slow moving. They usually only pose a threat when they are burrowed and reach up out of the ground to snag their prey. However, because they have many long tentacles, the great f'luft can do some serious damage if it is cornered and flailing about. The f'luft are considered a delicacy and often roasted and eaten.

Jackaline

The jackaline are similar to a cross breed between a dog and a cat. They have the body of a cat, but the head and tail of a dog. Generally, they are about a foot or two long. They fur is usually tan with black or brown spots, but occassionally they are a dark brown color with black stripes. Their retractable claws are short and sharp. They are fast creatures, but not very dangerous. They eat small rodents and are usually loners. People often keep jackaline as pets, using them to aid in hunting or simply to keep them company. They have been bred to be docile and calm or to suit as avid hunters.

Lithit

The lithit are small, bipedal mammals with coarse red and brown fur. They are usually about 1 to 2 feet tall. About half of their height is attributed to their legs. They have short, stubby arms that can barely reach their large mouths. Their round heads have a flat face and long ovular ears that lay flush against the side. They eat bugs, nuts and grasses. They are considered pests because they often feast on crops, digging them out of the ground with their legs.

Namarrgon

The namarrgon is a creature with eight legs, four on each side of its furry body. It has a dog like head that has eight eyes. Generally, the namarrgon weighs about 50-100 pounds and can vary in color from black to dark brown. The creatures produces a small electrrical discharge from the rubbing of its legs together when it walks, giving it the nickname the lighting spider. During breeding season, the female hunts out a mate. After choosing one, she mates, then kills him and uses his body to lay her eggs in. Baby namarrgons eat their way out of the father and also feed on each other. Usually, out of a clutch of 20 eggs, only 3 of the namarrgons emerge from the nest. The Namarrgon has a poisonous bite that can cause swelling, itching and burning, but it is rarely fatal to humans.

Orkin

The orkin are fat, flightless birds. They have soft, down-like feathers on their body. Their skinny legs are about a foot long and each has two knees, allowing them to bend their legs in very strange ways. These legs are attached to a fat, round body. Their head, like their body is fat and round and attached to a long skinny neck that can turn nearly 360° around. Their beak is short and broad, allowing them to eat grasses and seed. They also seem to like wilkwood nuts. Gaggles of these birds are often domesticated by farmers for their large eggs and tender meat. Female orkin have soft white downy feathers and male orkin have brown and red downy feathers.

Swinshah

The swinshah are a small mammal that is common in the forests of Arascon. They have fine white fur covering their backs and blue and green scales covering their head and belly. They have no ears and are deaf, however, they sense movement through vibrations in the ground. Their paws are incredibly sensitive to any vibrations in the ground, objects and even the air. They are quick, herbivorous creatures that feed on pine cones, nuts, bark and leaves. It is relatively common to eat the swinshah, if you can catch them.

Tobash

The tobash are moderately intelligent beasts that live in herds. They are fearsome because they are bright enough to formulate strategy on their hunts. The tobash are hairy creatures, generally with golden brown hair. The hair covers their bodies save for their stomachs and hands and feet. Normally, the tobash walk on two legs, but when they move for speed, they run on all four. This is odd because the claws on their hands are massive. When they run on all fours, they prop themselves up on their claws to do so. Their claws are about 7 inches long and razor sharp. They also have a irritating bite that causes the surrounding area to go numb when the saliva in their mouthed touches broken skin. They hunt in packs and while their main prey is usually the Firsk, they do hone in on other groups that appear to be easy prey.

T'rk

The t'rk are fist sized creatures with a hard leathery grey hide. They are often called Rock Rats. The round little creatures feed on dirt and mosses. The t'rk are found in the Sienna mountains. In general, they are seen as a pest because they have a tendency to eat the rich nutrients out of soil.

Za

The za are also called death dogs. They are the size of a large dog and built with heavy musculature for speed and strength. They are very smart monsters that travel in packs usually roaming the plains near Lilurline, though they have been seen near the Kach ridge as well. The za have short tan fur on most of their bodies. Down the center of their back, they have hard, red scales that start at the base of the head and travel all the way to the tip of their tail. Their long front claws are black with red tips. While these claws are incredibly dangerous, often causing infection where they scratch, they are nothing compared to the gaze of the za's third eye. The open third eye of the za can literally cook anything it gazes upon. It is most effective up close, but even at a distance, it can singe the za's prey. Aside from the awful smell of a za, you can detect them by the high pitched, undulating scream that can be heard from a great distance.