Domesticated Beasts
The peoples of the World don't do all of their work by hand. There are a number of beasts that have been domesticated and are now bred for food, labor, transportation, or some combination thereof.
- Aardvark: These creatures have dexterous claws and sensitive snouts, making them perfect for farm work. Smaller species will tie them to plows or carts, letting them dig fields in search of insects and roots while tiling the soil so seeds can be planted. An aardvark's voracious appetite for bugs make them quite handy as pest control as well. Their broad backs also make them excellent transport animals, as they're capable of supporting saddles or yokes sturdily. It's not an uncommon sight to spot a Timus or Lagombi merchant riding their wagon full of wares into town, pulled by a pair of aardvarks.
- Ayoto: Large, armored, and round, these hefty animals have been used in the past as battle mounts. Approximately 10 feet long and 4 feet tall, they can support the weight of many large species comfortably. While they aren't very quick, their hardy shells can deflect arrows or blades with ease. They'll happily graze on nearly any plants.
- "Cattlepillar": Called by their nickname more than their real one (the wooly webworm), these giant, fuzzy bugs are harmless and don't pay much attention to anything. A little over two feet in length at maximum, they're easy to take care of and grow quickly, making them an excellent source of food for the insectivorous species across the World. In some places, they're farmed for their silk, which makes excellent clothing.
- Dodo: Rotund, flightless, and full of tasty meat, the dodo bird has become a staple food source for societies with predatory populations. Dodos are easy to care for - you can give them food scraps, seeds, insects, or worms, and they'll happily gulp it all down before waddling away to sit in the shade. When you hear squawking at sunrise on the outskirts of town, it's dodos on a ranch greeting the day.
- Genet: These little omnivores make quick work of pests, and are often kept in barns or on farms to keep food stores pest-free. With their wide variety of fur patterns and colorations, and cute little faces, it's no wonder they've also become popular house pets.
- Kifaru: These enormous, leathery, four-legged beasts can be found roving in herds across the open spaces of the World, eating leaves and bushes. Their immense size and strength make them fantastic pack animals, as the weight of five rhox can be loaded onto their backs without causing them any strain. Traveling companies will often attach a platform to a saddle, giving them a walking and storage space. Kifarus require a tremendous amount of food however - expect most of your coin to go to hay if you own more than two.
- Manatee: Big aquatic mammals native to the warm waters around Tunasis, manatees lazily float from seagrass to seagrass, feeding underwater for up to 20 minutes at a time. Their broad, flat backs are easy to ride or attach a harness to, making them perfect for towing goods or small species through aquatic environments. Though friendly and harmless, it can be difficult to train them not to dive too deep and drag cargo or passengers underwater.
- Moa: Tall, flightless birds that stand almost 10 feet in height, the moa is a common mount for those who need to travel quickly. Able to support up to 350 lbs., most species are able to ride them with the use of a saddle and reigns. They can run at speeds up to 30 mph and comfortably cover 40 miles in a day. Their warbling chirps sound friendly.
- Raptor: A catch-all name for a variety of bipedal, feathery predators with razor-sharp talons on their hands and feet, raptors are a family of species that range in size from only a few pounds to cresting a thousand. Wild raptors of all varieties are voracious eaters, and will happily feast on just about anything they can take down; the largest known to hunt sapient species in their territories. They're clever beasts with good memories, and so can be trained. Smaller species like suwa are used as hunting companions, sniffing out game and giving chase. Larger species like kotka can be used as mounts, and carry riders into battle or on scouting missions.
- Saqra: Flying birds that stand shoulder-to-shoulder with a Leonin, saqra are used as flying mounts in some parts of the world. They're deeply stubborn creatures, and trying to capture a wild saqra to train proves nearly impossible. Specialized hatcheries raise them from eggs, socialize them to sapient species, and teach them to tolerate and work with riders. They can carry riders up to nearly 450 lbs in weight and are effectively used for scouting from the air, or defense against other flying dangers. Saqra come in a wide variety of colors and plumage patterns, and experts can pick out the home region of a saqra based on the shape of its beak.
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