Woolly Rhino

The people of Svellbjargheim always have need for hardy companions. For this purpose no animals seems to have been more well designed than the native woolly rhino. Woolly rhinos are powerful two horned herbivorous which can be used as either beasts of burden or beasts of war. Their heavy low frames give them enough grip to comfortably walk on the snowy mountainsides of Svellbjargheim. Farmers equip their woolly rhinos with large ploughs with which they can turn a bit of the harsh frozen rock into arable land. Others equip their rhinos with large platforms which can either serve to transport goods, people, or in some cases even siege equipment. The most powerful of warbands have a core of armoured rhino riders. These riders have turned their woolly rhinos into ironclad juggernauts and have attached sharpened blades to the side of their horns to make it easier to slice and gore the foe.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The woolly rhino is a large rhinoceros creature covered in a thick layer of brown matted fur. They have two horns on their face, with the front-most horn being larger than the second one.

Ecology and Habitats

Wild woolly rhinos are commonly found living in the valleys of Svellbjargheim where they gather in great herds of up to thirty individuals. They prefer to live in areas with low vegatation as this allows them to see more of their environment and to avoid accidentally charging into a tree.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Woolly rhinos primarily eat low growing woody plants, although they are also known to enjoy grasses and hay. The muscles of a woolly rhino require a lot of iron which it primarily gains by licking raw ore veins found in the mountains. Domesticated rhinos often have a chunk of raw metal in their stables to stay healthy.

Additional Information

Average Intelligence

When asked whatever brain or brawn was better the ancestors of the woolly rhino decided that the right answer was to charge the noisy intruder asking dumb questions instead. Woolly rhinos have brains similar in size to a peach seed, acting almost completely based on stimuli. However they have a strong emotional intelligence. They are keenly aware of the emotional state of their caregivers and are known to care for their master's wellbeing as if they were a herdmember. If their masters are calm the rhinos will be calm as well but when their master becomes angry the woolly rhino will go on a rampage until its masters rage is subdied.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Woolly rhinos have notoriously bad eyesight. They often only perceive rough silhouette of the world around them. When they see silhouette suddenly move the rhino will blindly charge at it. Woolly rhinos used for war are equipped with special helmets which block as much sight as possible to prevent the rhino from suddenly rampaging out of control.

Lifespan

35 to 40 years

Average Height

2,5 metres at the shoulder

Average Weight

2,000 kilograms

Average Length

3 to 3,8 metres

Geographic Distribution

• Svellbjargheim

Related Materials

• Woolly Rhino Horns