Hippomontis

The Hippomontis is a large bodied quadruped naturally found in high elevations. Their typical habitats are rocky environments as mountain bases and valleys. Their diet consists of any and all vegetation they come across and a small heard can easily desolate several acres in a day. Often they can be seen chewing the ground, rocks and all, in an attempt to get at the thick root plants that can be found between stones in healthy watersheds. The stones help digest the raw, and poorly chewed, vegetation in their stomachs, which they then pass with no illness or discomfort. Their low and sturdy body allows them to carry incredible weight and they are often used as pack animals, due in part to their easy domestication so long as they are kept fed. Thanks in part to their uncaring nature of what they eat nearly every mountain settlement has managed to make use of them. Thick hides with carapace-like patches protect them from common falling debris in the mountains, and this has also led to them being bred for war with a natural armor.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The beast is a four-legged with a long and broad head. Its relatively short tail is used to maintain balance in as it turns. Its skin is a thick hide with hardened plates on the back to protect it from falling rocks and debris.

Genetics and Reproduction

The animal reproduces as any mammal with a male partner chosen during a spring mating period, at which point they carry the baby for 8 to 10 months before a live birth. A female can birth anywhere from 1 to 3 babies and will then raise the babies for a period of one year until they are of sufficient size and capability to graze on their own.

Growth Rate & Stages

The animal can grow quickly in a year, doubling its size around every three months provided enough food is provided. They are born without hardened plates on their back and they will not develop until the creature has reached its peak mass. The babies are born able to eat chewed vegetation provided by the mother for the first several weeks, afterwards they will begin to graze on surface vegetation. After several months their large teeth are grown in and able to root in rocks and the dirt for more nutrient rich roots and tubers.

Ecology and Habitats

The species thrives in areas with thick vegetation and rocky terrain that they can chewed to assist in their digestion. They do not require large amounts of water and will therefore travel far from surface water deposits, digging down to find water if necessary. In lower elevations they find it harder to breathe and become more lethargic, due in part to thinner air and not having the strongest lungs they would normally require for breathing.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

While the Hippomontis does not have the best eye sight, its incredible sense of smell can root out any vegetation in a wide area. It can also detect running water up to five meters below the surface, it is suspected by hearing or feeling the vibrations given off by the flow.

Scientific Name

Hippomontis