Aurochs (Aw-roks)
King of Cattle
Aurochs, or Aurochsen, are a large and powerful species of cattle indigenous to Laelosia. Their size and strength has long been used by the people of the region for a number of purposes. Although difficult and dangerous to tame, some tradesmen and farmers use Aurochs as tools to pull heavy carts and farmland machinery. Surprisingly, their meat is unpopular throughout the country due to it's lean and gamey disposition; consequently Aurochs are not farmed and bred for food.
Regardless of their hardier taste, there are those who favour the company and cultivation of Aurochs. The Muata clan, native to the lands of Laelosia, both hunt and shepherd Aurochs across the plains for their meat and thick furs. The Muatan people seem to have an almost spiritual connection to the land and as an extension of it, the Aurochs. There are also many Orc tribes who wander the grasslands and mountains of Laelosia that hunt Aurochs. It has even been reported that on occasion Orcs are able to wrangle and ride the great beasts, aiding in their pillage and raid of a settlement.
An Aurochs' head is covered in a number of bony protrusions and two sets of sharpened horns; one set smaller and just above the ears, the other set much larger and corkscrew in shape. A massive hump sits atop their shoulders comprised of many muscles supported by an elongated vertebrae; this allows an Aurochs to use its head and horns as a snowplough in winter, swinging side to side to sweep aside the snow.
Some confident and fearless individuals occasionally wrangle and ship Aurochs elsewhere for breeding and labour. They are usually shaved in hotter climates to avoid heat exhaustion. A phenomenon occurs when Aurochs are taken from their natural habitat for extended periods of time. As they grow accustomed to their new surroundings they shrink in size, leaving them a few feet smaller than their wild counterparts living in the north-eastern plains of Laelosia. Scholars believe it has something to do with their diet, since Laelosian Aurochs feed on a regionally exclusive type of flora called Roosh Grass. All attempts at replication and cultivation of Roosh Grass outside of Laelosia have failed.
Regardless of their hardier taste, there are those who favour the company and cultivation of Aurochs. The Muata clan, native to the lands of Laelosia, both hunt and shepherd Aurochs across the plains for their meat and thick furs. The Muatan people seem to have an almost spiritual connection to the land and as an extension of it, the Aurochs. There are also many Orc tribes who wander the grasslands and mountains of Laelosia that hunt Aurochs. It has even been reported that on occasion Orcs are able to wrangle and ride the great beasts, aiding in their pillage and raid of a settlement.
Description
Aurochs are by far the largest bovine species on the continent of Kasar and argued by some to be the largest in the world. Standing at around 10ft tall, their immense bodies of muscle and fat are entirely covered in long shaggy brown fur capable of trapping their body heat as a form of natural insulation against the cold. They have bi-pronged hoofed feet that provide a surprising amount of grip when traversing mountainous terrain and icy surfaces. The sheer power in an Aurochs' legs allows it to run at speeds approaching 35mph, rivalling that of a horse.An Aurochs' head is covered in a number of bony protrusions and two sets of sharpened horns; one set smaller and just above the ears, the other set much larger and corkscrew in shape. A massive hump sits atop their shoulders comprised of many muscles supported by an elongated vertebrae; this allows an Aurochs to use its head and horns as a snowplough in winter, swinging side to side to sweep aside the snow.
Location
As shown on the map to your right, wild Aurochs are native to the province now known as Laelosia and have a fairly small habitat, making them a somewhat endangered species. They were first discovered and documented in the southern most parts of The Sheering Tundra, but over the centuries many have migrated south into the Laelosian grasslands as the northern climate continues to grow harsher. Annual migration takes the Aurochs south with winter and then further north again with spring and summer. You will rarely find any wild Aurochs south of The Royal Road as the temperatures become too warm for their furred bodies to handle.Some confident and fearless individuals occasionally wrangle and ship Aurochs elsewhere for breeding and labour. They are usually shaved in hotter climates to avoid heat exhaustion. A phenomenon occurs when Aurochs are taken from their natural habitat for extended periods of time. As they grow accustomed to their new surroundings they shrink in size, leaving them a few feet smaller than their wild counterparts living in the north-eastern plains of Laelosia. Scholars believe it has something to do with their diet, since Laelosian Aurochs feed on a regionally exclusive type of flora called Roosh Grass. All attempts at replication and cultivation of Roosh Grass outside of Laelosia have failed.
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