Fauna

Dune Dogs make their home in hot, dry environments, and are most common throughout Aeslend’s Ethereal Badlands. Dune Dogs live in permanent packs of 8 to 10 adults, though temporary aggregations of dozens of individuals gathering in response to the seasonal migration of popular prey have been observed.

On average, a healthy adult Dune Dog stands 70 cm at the shoulder, and weighs about 30 kg. They are distinguished by their fine, silky coat, which is a rich bronze beige and cream in colour, convex profile, slender legs and powerfully built torso. Premium Dune Dog pelt is highly prized across Moren Ezen, which is primarily exported from Kestrana. Their meat is generally less than desirable for human consumption, but may be utilized as bait and companion food. Subsequently, hunting Dune Dogs is not common practice, and the prices for pelts is such that only the very wealthy might afford it.

Dune Dogs are fairly territorial in nature, but not prone to displaying aggression unless provoked. They have a notoriously infectious bite. Tamed individuals make for great guard dogs, but are not personable pets, and should always be handled with extreme caution.

At 18 feet from their blunt, puggish snout to the tip of their seemingly lax caudal fin, the lumpish, dowdy ens gulf shark is among the largest ocean predators, though they are hardly amongst the fiercest. Slow moving, and with small eyes and an aged, sagging appearance, ens gulf sharks have an unfortunate, dim witted demeanor. They are primarily scavengers, and an attack on humans has never been recorded. That being said, they are also among the most ancient creatures, capable of living more than 400 years. Some specimen’s lives may even have begun pre-Cataclysm. Praised for being in the Guardian’s Favor, catching one of these elusive sharks is revered as being a sign of good fortune, and atonement to the wisdom and skill of the fisherman who caught it.

While an all together rare find, ens gulf sharks are most often caught in cold waters, most notably ens gulf off Aeslend's north, for which the shark is named.

One of the largest and, arguably, the most formidable predator to prowl the lands of Moren Ezen, Greater Forest Raptors can mature at upwards of 7 meters from snout to tail, stand a meter and a half tall at the hip, weigh as much as 700 kg, and brandish 9 inch retractable hook-like claws on the inner toe of each foot. The male has a bony crest atop its head and comparatively more brightly coloured plumage over it’s crown, forearms and tail than the female, though the female is generally larger and more aggressive.

As their name implies, Greater Forest Raptors dwell primarily in the depths of the forests, and are a most prevalent threat to the people of Yeshi and Lat Salok in the southern tropics of Aeslend, and Phiradit and Gyatso of Ehiasall's mid-east. They mate for life, and live and hunt in family groups of 3 to 5 adult pairs. They are highly intelligent and fiercely territorial, capable of strategic ambush tactics and sophisticated communication. They are active hunters, preying on all but the largest of land animals, and have even been known to specifically target unwary travelers on main roads.

In some cultures it is considered a bad omen for a hunter to kill only a single Greater Forest Raptor, for it is speculated that the living mate will seek vengeance on the hunter’s families, though this is widely regarded as superstitious nonsense. Raptor claws are highly prized as trophies, which many seasoned hunters wear proudly as testament to their skill and bravery, though they can also be bought and sold on the black market for a small fortune.

The Haspar is a robust, hardy breed of horse endemic to Ehiasall - wild herds roaming the majority of the continent from Swanfall to the White Steppes - although their namesake derives from the Aeslend settlement of Haspar; where the first Haspars were introduced to the main continent for utilization primarily in the farming and fishing industries prevalent of the region, and thereafter Aeslend's first commercial breeding program was established. Feral populations of Haspars have since established themselves on the steppes around Haspar, although interbreeding with the local Jibita ponies has greatly diminished many of their distinguishing features. 

More powerfully built than the Jibita, Haspars have a great capacity for weight pulling and heavy lifting, making them ideal work horses for farmers, fishermen and merchant traders hauling heavy loads, although it is not uncommon to see them utilized as saddle horses for herding and hunting. Less commonly are they seen as scouting mounts, for their bulk renders them less swift and agile than the smaller, more nimble Jibita. Haspars are generally not well suited to racing (although the occasional success story has been observed wowing onlookers and ruffling the feathers of disgruntled competitors).

Original species by Tauriiga

Jackalopes are small, omnivorous, desert-dwelling marsupials best described as having the body of a macrotis, the head and ears of a rabbit, the tail of a lion, front paws of a housecat and the cloven hind hooves of a goat. Mature specimens weigh in at around 5 to 7 kg, and are primarily fawn in colour. They are primarily crepuscular - although they are not uncommon a sight during the day or late evening - and rely on high-speed endurance running and nimble maneuverability to escape from their enemies.

Jackalopes are common across the continents of Moren Ezen and have adapted to all but the most extreme environments. Their rich meat and soft pelts make them popular game for hunters of all ranks, though they are notoriously difficult to catch without the use of a trap or coursing hounds. Their general ease of upkeep and handling has also made them a commonplace child’s pet, particularly in large metropolitan settlements. 

A hardy breed of pony endemic to Aeslend that developed after the cataclysm, Jibitas are the most common mount throughout the continents of Moren Ezen. Herds of wild Jibita are prevalent across the Open Flatlands from the limits of coniferous forests north of Eclein to the fringes of the Wastes, and as far south is Isolon; and the steppes between Haspar, Belakei and the southern Kihsh coast. More sporadically, herds may also be found roaming the Etherial Badlands.

Jibitas serve primarily as saddle ponies; their lighter build and agile maneuverability making them excellent scouting and hunting mounts. They are also a common choice for the herder; particularly for that of small, nimble stock such as sheep and goats. While not so robust as the Haspar, Jibita ponies are still widely utilized in fishing and farming, hauling often in teams of two or three. Jibitas are purpose-bred for the popular and highly competitive sport of steppe racing which is a booming industry practiced across the continents.

Significantly smaller than their enormous forest-dwelling cousins, mature adults measure only 6.8 ft from snout to tail, stand 1.6 ft tall at the hip, and weigh up to 19 kg. Lesser Plains Raptors nevertheless share many of the same anatomical features. The males plumage is considerably more brilliant than the female’s, and the males have a distinct crest of long feathers atop their heads. The females, meanwhile, are larger.

Unlike the Greater Forest Raptors, Lesser Plains Raptors do not mate for life, but rather choose a new mate each year. They live in large flocks of 10 to 30 individuals, most commonly on the open, grassy flatlands of Aeslend and Ehiasall, and are cathemeral by nature, most active around dawn and dusk. They feed primarily on small lizards, rodents and bird eggs.

There have been accounts of Lesser Plains Raptors, having been hand raised from hatchlings, making good pets. However these occurrences are few and far between, and most attempts at taming these feisty reptiles have proven unsuccessful. They have a moderately venomous bite that induces severe vomiting and diarrhea in most adult humans, and possible death in young children and the elderly, effectively detering many who might attempt handling them, and a strike from the 6 cm retractable claws adorning each of their hind feet can leave the victim with severe lacerations.

Classification: XXXX
Dangerous. Requires specialist knowledge/skill to handle.

Mammoths are the biggest of Moren Ezen’s land animals, the largest bulls standing at up to 11 ft at the shoulder and weighing over 6 tons. Like elephants, females live in tight-knit matrilineal family groups, and are led by the matriarch, which is often the eldest female. For the most part, these family groups will coexist peacefully alongside other family groups, and some will even form familiar bonds. Males, on the other hard, are predominantly solitary, although immature bulls will form bands of 2 to 4 individuals, and occasionally will remain together even after reaching maturity.

Ehiasallian Mammoths come together en mass twice a year - during their annual migration from the white steppes to the grassy flatlands between Tseten Thaye and High Harbor, occurring late Autumn to early Winter, and again when they return to the steppes for the warmer Summer months. 

In many cultures, Mammoths are worshiped as a Sixth Guardian, or as vessels of the Guardian’s Spirit. It is widely frowned upon to kill a female Mammoth, and in some cultures the killing of a pregnant female is punishable by death. Only the biggest Bull Mammoths will do for any hunter worth their salt, and only during the migration to Tseten Thaye at the beginning of Winter, for this also marks the first days of musk, when Bull Mammoths are at their fiercest.

Aeslend Mammoths are fewer in population, and due to the warmer climate only move south of Blindhelm when food is too scarce to sustain them. They return as soon as the worst of winter has passed. Aeslend Mammoths are considered a protected species, and it is illegal nationally to hunt them.

Classification: XXXXX
Extremely dangerous. Impossible to train or domesticate.

The Moonskink is a shy and elusive lizard with smooth, typically pale grey scales reaching up to 20 inches in length. They are nocturnal, and are most often spotted hunting snails and grubs on a full moon, under which their scales appear to emit an iridescent, pearly glow. Their valuable skins are highly prized as valyut pouches and other aesthetics, particularly among metropolitan citizens, and are often displayed as testament to one’s wealth and status. Another prominent characteristic of the Moonskink is a large white tongue, which they roll into a ball inside their mouths as a bluff-warning to potential enemies.

Few other creatures of Moren Ezen are so feared as the Shadowcat, otherwise known as the ‘Night Stalker’ or ‘Shadow of Death’. They are endemic and wide spread throughout the the mountainous regions of both Ehiasall and Aeslend, particularly in the north, but can be found as far south as the range dividing the open flatlands and wriysh lake. 

They are immediately recognizable by their striped pelts, robust, muscular bodies with particularly well-developed forelimbs, and perpetually exposed 11 inch upper canines. Large males can stand at a shoulder height of 4 ft, have a body length of 5.5 ft, and weigh as much as 400 kg.

Shadowcats are shrouded in superstition, stemming from their expert skill and infallible patience as nocturnal ambush hunters. It is believed in some cultures that they and the darkness are one and the same, and will follow unwary travelers home in the shadows of their torch light to take their families in their sleep. Such legends are not without their truths, and constant vigilance is advised when travelling through shadowcat territory, especially at night.

Shadowcat canine teeth and pelts are highly prized as trophies, which many seasoned hunters wear proudly as testament to their skill and bravery, though they can also be bought and sold on the black market for a small fortune.

The Tatakh are sturdy, stocky ponies once thought to be extinct. Accounts written during the beginning of the cataclysm describe Tatakh as having “rounded noses, small ears, and thick necks” along with both a short summer coat and a shaggy winter coat. Though only a few Tatakh fur garments have survived, the incredibly lightweight and warm fibers insulate the wearer against the bitterest cold. Tatakh were also prized for their meat. Mention of the breed waned at the start of the cataclysm, coincidentally around the same time as mass famine plunged the world into chaos. Scholars have theorized that both domestic and wild populations were hunted to near-extinction, and only a few herds deep in the White Steppes survived.

 A few specimens of the breed have recently been sighted in Ehiasall's frigid south. Though their rediscovery has made the breed an expensive novelty, new breeders are cropping up on other continents. More people are using the hardy miniatures in their daily lives. Masters of rough terrain, Tatakh excel at carrying supplies. They can be trained as pit ponies or to pull small seaweed or peat carts. Tatakh may also be used as a food source when times are lean. Due to their small size, Tatakh can only reproduce with other Tatakh, and may only be ridden by small children.