Tuskadon
The undeniable king of the rolling plains, the tuskadons are revered and respected the land over. These tanks of the earth are not the tallest creatures you'll find on Malakath, but account for sheer density and strength, they top the charts so far as mammals go. Tuskadons are obligate herbivores and, in general, are relatively peaceful despite their appearance. They spend their days grazing the landscape with their trunks, moving from water reserve to water reserve across a vast and sprawling migrational circuit that follows the seasons.
Tuskadons are built for defense: their heads are crowned with multiple horns, their mouths sport long, curving tusks, and their heads are encased in a highly durable fanned plating that covers their otherwise vulnerable necks. Three rows of spikes lines their spine all the way down to their clubbed tail and several sectioned, hardened plates cap their backs. Females tend to have smaller spikes and fewer tusks but are still terribly formidable and well-shielded. All in all, these creatures are exceptionally hard to kill, with their only vulnerable areas being their undersides and their eyes.
As migratory creatures, tuskadons move in familial herds lead by the eldest matriarchs. These may often join up with other herds to form what the locals call "quakes" or oversized herds that, when on the move together, make the ground shake so much they have been known to cause landslides and demolish dwellings from the shaking. Females will give birth to a calf tusker once every 2 years. Female calves will stay with their mother's herd for the duration of their lives. Male calves will leave typically around the age of 15-25 and form or join bachelor herds. It takes a tuskadon 5 years to reach full, viable maturity.
Male tuskadons will often live alone, with the younger males forming bachelor groups where they can practice their fighting, bluffing, and intimidation skills - which are later put to the test during mating season. Shows of strength are what gains a herd of females and when the males combat for supremacy it's very serious business. If bluffing and intimidation doesn't work, males will charge one another and battle with their tusks. These fights can sometimes go to the death, often with one male getting mortally gored by the other.
Though they claim no true "home" territory, females will fiercely protect their herd and calves.
It is rare that a tuskadon calf gets separated from its herd, but orphans do happen and are easily claimed as meals or, from time to time, found by those who raise and care for it. Taming and training tuskadon calves isn't something that happens often, but it is known that once you have a tuskadon's trust they never really forget. Of course the same can be said for any affront - these beasts have displayed critical levels of intelligence and memories that last through their long lifespans of 80+ years.
Tuskadons have incredible hearing and are capable of sensing movement and deep resonances through the ground with their feet. While their eyesight can be considered poor, it is almost impossible to sneak up on a tusker due to their sensitivity to ground vibrations. They communicate with one another through trumpeting, grunts, rumbling, and touch. They can even communicate over vast distances using sub-sonic rumbles.
Compared to most other creatures of Malakath, tuskadons are perhaps the most respected and revered. They are tolerant to most other animals around them and not outwardly aggressive outside of threats to their herd. Tuskadons have even shown compassion and curiosity in the way that they care for one another and investigate new places and things.
The largest of all Tuskadons is a male known colloquially as King Baldur. The oldest known tuskadon is the matriarch called Alma who is 127 years old. Those that have "met" these two swear they are fully sapient.
Attributes:
- Prehensile trunks
- Multiple tusks
- Horns crowning head
- Frilled and horned neck plates
- 3 rows of horns along spine and down tail
- Back plates
- Excellent hearing and sensitivity to vibrations
- Absurdly strong
- Long-lived
Weaknesses:
- Slow reproducers and growers
- Poor eyesight
- Not agile
- Though they can reach alarming speeds when charging or chasing, they have low stamina to continue at speed and cannot corner easily
- Underside is vulnerable to puncture wounds - tuskadons are slow to right themselves and regain their feet if knocked over
Useful Information:
- Tuskadons are smarter than they look and can be befriended with offerings of their favorite fruits and flowers
- Tuskadons easily recognize faces/individuals and never forget a friend or foe
- Tuskadon horn and ivory is a rare but exceptionally strong and valuable material for crafting
- Tuskadon plates/shells have been used as shields and roofs for housing