Hexgator

Hexgators are large supernatural reptiles that live in the Sarabar Swamp of Greenerth. They are sometimes picked as mages' familiars, as their hypnotic abilities are very powerful.

Anatomy

Hexgators have a tortoise like body, with a thick shell casing its back and sides. They have 4 legs sticking out the sides of their bodies. Scutes differ in colour depending on the individual, anywhere from dark and light green dark and light blue, to light and dark purple and rarely a shade of red. The carapace ends in 3 down curved spikes that jut out evenly in 3 directions. On top of the shell is an unusual crest shape, hiding the lights that hang from vine like appendages. They have a long, wrinkly neck with short spines on the back of it, and their head is very short ending in a beak like mouth.

Geographic Distribution
Greenerth
Sarabar Swamp
Lifespan
150 years
Average Height
2.2 - 2.5 metres
Average Length
2 metres

Reproduction

Hexgators lay 60 - 80 small eggs in large holes in the ground dug out by males in Uribar, the start of nesting season. The nests are covered in soil and leaves, allowing for the babies to easily crawl out of the nest but also to conceal it from predators. As soon as the eggs are hatched, the parents will abandon it and never return.

Diet

A strictly herbivorous species, hexgators will use their tough beaks to rip out roots of trees, flowers, grasses, anything they can bite.
This also applies in captivity, where they are usually fed greens, fruits and vegetables. Their diets are usually more varied in captivity too.

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Abilities

Intelligence & Telepathy

Hexgators are one of the few sentient creatures to have no developed language. Despite this, they are able to mimic other language and with telepathy can communicate with other sentient creatures. It is not too difficult to teach a hexgator a language, and the record number of languages known is 3. This hexgator was taught Teranian, Hīkōian and Eteshi.

Magic Use

With the lights hanging from their vine-appendages, hexgators are able to hypnotise people and control their actions. While doing this, people are conscious and have control over their own thoughts, yet their actions are entirely controlled by the hexgators. The stronger control the hexgator has on its puppet, the brighter the lights glow.

Earth Witch

The earth witch, who lived in the Southwell Towers, owned a hexgator as her familiar. While not confirmed, it is believed so since there is a small statue of the hexgator, drawings of it and a large bed the perfect size for one. From the drawings we know that the hexgator was a dark red, a rare colour, probably the reason why the witch picked it. The hexgator also was one of the most powerful seen, it had 16 lights on its vine appendages, more than almost ever other one recorded (the most is 18).