OKOMO
Creatures of light.
Frequency: Rare outside of Lhavit.
Threat Level: Low to Medium
Major Features: Crystalline horns and skeleton.
Abilities: Incredible agility, heartiness and wit.
Most Common in: Lhavit, Kalea
- Overview
- Appearance
- History
- Diet
- Reproduction & Behavior
- Okomo in Society
Overview
Okomo are majestic hoofed animals resemblant to goats found exclusively in the city of Lhavit. They act as mounts and companions and are considered by the people of Lhavit to be sacred.
Appearance
Okomo are medium-sized as compared to the other load-bearing fauna. They are approximately the size of a standard donkey, being roughly around 14 hands, or 56 inches, 142 cm. Thanks to their crystalline skeleton, they are twice as heavy, putting most Okomo at around 800 to 1000lbs.
As a rule, Okomo are sexually dimorphic. While males are purely white, the female Okomo is usually a pastel gradient and may feature a slightly shorter rack than her male counterpart. Both sexes sport a pair of rapier shaped horns that average 86 cm or 34" in length and are the same crystalline material as their skeletons.
Because of their habitat, they are more at home on sheer mountain cliffs and treacherous pathways, and can often be seen traversing the faces of mountains seemingly effortlessly. These animals have excellent balance and strong, agile legs that allow them to jump great distances and run for an considerable length of time.
History
The Okomo were born from the generous love of Caiyha, who sent the fallen Zintila her aid after the Valterrian in the form of these wonderful creatures, who became key to the survival of the newly founded city of Lhavit. Enhanced as they were in ability, Caiyha also endowed them with crystalline bones, the likes of which resemble quartz. With these two considerations, they make splendid mounts and were it not for these peaceful creatures' help in navigating the mountains, the once-coastal tribe would have never grown into the wonder that is Lhavit today. Thanks to the sanctity of their relationship with Lhavit and her people, the Okomo have become regarded as sacred.
They are allowed their freedom throughout the city and most Okomo are cared for daily by the workers in the Okomo Villa. Some of them have managed to thrive in the wilderness around Lhavit, but the lack of suitable females keep their populations reduced and for that reason, most bloodlines are relegated to the city proper.
Diet
Okomo are strictly herbivores and survive primarily on a diet of grass, flowers, moss, twigs and leaves though which they favor depends on the season. They are primarily nocturnal eaters, having retained the instinct to eat during the late afternoon and evening hours to better protect themselves from predators who prey in the daytime.
Due to the abundance of vegetation on the Sharai, Okomo usually have no trouble finding food. While the weather is warm they graze but in the Winter they switch to browsing, eating the aforementioned plants, shrubs and roots as well as whatever grass they may find.
Reproduction & Behavior
Okomo are ordinarily quite docile. They hesitate to respond to aggression, but can be provoked when attacked at measure. They possess a quick wit and respond well to training, though it is said that the smarter the creature, the more difficult they are to train.
Reproduction is often left to be done naturally. They are not bred. Given the scarcity of females, any female Okomo may mate with several males over the course of her lifespan but on average, the female does tend to frequent a chosen few. There is a mating ritual where the male and female lock horns and engage in a dance of sorts before the main affair. Mating Okomo tend to be loud and are frequently the subject matter of many a lewd joke.
Female and male Okomo are sexually mature at around their second year, and gestation periods typically last around 6 months and occur primarily in the Spring. At the end of the pregnancy a single kid will be born and will be nursed by its mother for anywhere between two to three seasons. Okomo may live up to 18 years in the wild and 25 years for in the city proper, due to the fact that they have a lesser chance of being preyed upon than their wilder counterparts.
Okomo in Society
Okomo live interdependently with the people of Lhavit. The people use them as mounts to traverse the mountain's dangerous terrain and in turn, they care for the creatures and revere them. Okomo are allowed to wander freely within the town and are considered sacred by the citizens of Lhavit. To see one outside the Sharai is taken as a symbol of good luck. They can be shy amongst strangers and it is said that those with a natural affinity for the creatures are truly pure of spirit. Likewise, there is a saying in the city that goes: "Sharp as an Okomo," referencing a person's rapier wit, though it may also mean a sometimes waspish disposition, depending on the context.
Okomo saddles are made exclusively in the city of Lhavit. They are simple in their design and can be sold for a reasonable price at the Okomo Villa. A handful of businesses in the city offer services such as armored saddles and commissions for the heavier wallets. It is a tradition among riders to adorn their saddles with colorful textiles. Riding on an Okomo bareback is feasible, but can be rather uncomfortable and limits the creature's ability to navigate dangerous paths as the rider may accidentally be thrown off.
