Shug
Common pests in many northern cities, shugs are close relatives of baboons and nuo. They are small, barrel-chested monkeys with elongated snouts and large, floppy ears that give them a dog-like appearance. The largest shugs stand just under three feet tall when upright, and wild specimens dwell in small troops of a dozen or so individuals, building nests in forest trees or along rocky cliffs. Shugs are especially well-suited to life alongside humans, however, and in large cities such as Celdon a troop of shugs can number as many as fifty. City shugs dwell among the eaves of the tallest building they can find, especially favoring castles, cathedrals, and manor-houses, their droppings and constant chatter proving a constant irritant to the building's human inhabitants. The clever little primates are daring pickpockets and brazen thieves, snatching fruit from stalls, grain from passing carts, or pastries left to cool by a window.
Trying to kill or drive off a troop of shugs is usually a futile endeavor, leading most to simply tolerate their presence as a necessary evil. Others train owls, falcons, and hawks to hunt the little beasts, which can help keep their numbers down and teach them to avoid wherever the bird goes to roost. Nevertheless, they remain a common sight in almost any sizable settlement north of the High Steppes.
Other Names
- Anklebiter
- Dog-Monkey
- Rat-Monkey
- Boggle (Aluvia)
- Gobble (Aluvia)
- Pooka (Aluvia, Milantos)
- Toyol (Souia-Vey)
- Trolkindr (Silvera)
Geographic Distribution
