Tskanna
From Mizahar Lore
| Beast | |
| Frequency | Uncommon |
|---|---|
| Threat level | Medium |
| Major features | Six massive tusks, prehensile trunks. |
| Abilities | Mounts used for labour, riding. |
| Most common in | Taloba, Falyndar |
The Tskannas are massive beasts of burden bred by the Myrians. Strong, biddable, and extremely powerful, they are bred for hard labour. Good at digging, hauling, lifting, and so on, the Tskannas are found only in Taloba.
Contents |
History
After the years of bloodshed came to a close, Myri, ever sensible, knew that her Myrians would need help in completing the massive city of Taloba. With assistance from Navre, Myri obtained an audience with Caiyha, and asked the ancient one for her wisdom in the matter. Caiyha heard Myri out, and thought for a long time as she studied the young queen. "Here is my offer," the goddess said quietly, stroking a soft feather of a little bird on her finger. "I have watched you with your Tigers, a gift of Navre. You have always looked after them, and treated them well. Because of this, I will help you. I will gift you with creatures that will suit your task. In return, you must swear to me that they will be looked after, cared for, and never neglected or abused. That they will always have a home with your people, who will treat them with the respect that they deserve."
Myri promised the great goddess that it would be so, and leaving offerings of thanks, took her leave of Caiyha. She returned to the core of the jungle, where construction had already begun. The next day, a long line of creatures, bluish-green in colour, varying in size, each holding the tail of the one before it, approached the camp. At the front of the line, walking beside the foremost creature, was Caiyha. "As I promised," the goddess spoke to the Myrians, "these are Tskannas. Look after them and treat them well, and they will help you in your endeavours."
Myri and her people took the goddess' words to heart, and with the help of the massive creatures, set to work on building Taloba. Even after the construction finished, the creatures seemed quite content to mill about and around the jungle city, pets and assistants, helping to build, to dig, to pull.
Appearance
Tskannas are the pachyderm-like creatures that the Myrians use for long-haul and heavy transport. Equipped with six tusks that can grow to be six feet long or more. Their skin is blue-grey, and it is quite sensitive. However, some of them actually look green due to a light moss that tends to grow over them and protects their sensitive skin. They can grow to be up to 18 feet (females) to 20 feet (males) high at their shoulders, which is the tallest part of their body. They have no hair, and like to cake their skin with mud and the moss. They have long, prehensile, trunks, which they use like a sentient creature would use a hand. These trunks are used for gathering, lifting, pulling, and spraying water.
The bulls (males) weigh up to eight tons, and the cows (females) up to five tons.
Abilities
Tskannas are extremely strong and tractable, and are used mainly for hauling, digging, and transport. Their six tusks are enormous, and more than one patient tskanna has been used as a climber by children.
Personalities
Tskannas are known for their pacifistic nature. They do not like to fight, although there may be the occasional duels during the mating season, and they do not last long. They are quite gentle, and only tend to lash out if a youngster is threatened or if they're in pain. As teenagers and young adults, the tskannas can sometimes be unruly, and quite playful, and it falls to the trainers to find appropriate outlets for that behaviour.
Lifespan
Tskannas have are relatively long-lived, reaching approximately 65 years in age on average, although there have been reports of one living to the ripe old age of 80. The age breakdown is as follows:
- 0-5 years: Calf. It sticks with its mother and the herd, for the most part. They grow rather quickly at this stage, packing on weight.
- 5-10 years: Adolescent. The Tskannas continue to grow, and undergo basic training. They develop their first set of tusks at age 10.
- 10-20 years: Teenager. Growth slows, and the tskanna is usually its full-size by 20. They undergo heavier training now and work now that most physical development is done.
- 20-25 years: Young adult. The tskanna reaches sexual maturity, and hormones hit head-on. It is very tricky dealing with the hormonal females, who are more of a problem than the males.
- 25-50 years: Adult. The tskanna has steady work. The second set of tusks begin to grow at age 30, and the third pair at age 50. Actively bred from 20-45.
- 50-65 years: Senior. Work lessens. Most retire early and are kept as pets and for light work and patrols with tiger-mounted warriors.
Diet
Tskannas are vegetarians, eating fruit and scrub from the jungle, as well as the extremely fast-growing kuzu creeper vines that grows throughout Taloba.
Mating
Tskannas are sexually mature at 20 years old. The cows go into season twice a year, in spring and fall. Pregnancy lasts 18 months, usually resulting in a single calf. Twins are extremely rare, and are considered a good omen. A cow may have a calf once every four to five years.