Copperpetz

Giant Copperpetz Sighted Near Timerfluss!

by Carina Watertal

The citizens of the small settlement Timerfluss a few kilometres west of Selversheynare are slightly worried about the multiple sightings of a reportedly giant Copperpetz in the direct vicinity. According to reports, the Copperpetz has moved from the hilly region into the forests right across the river.

"I personally see no issue with this majestic creature" tells me Florian Zuckerwold, the founder of the local branch of "Zuckerwold Gears and Axels". He continues "I believe without a doubt, this enterprise is blessed by Maned himself. If anything, having the Copperpetz protect our assets is a clear sign." Only a few people are inclined to disagree with the magnate's opinion due to the presence of his private factory guard.

"Wish that petz would not be sneaking around here", one overly cautious worker tells me, "We know how it is, that beast will pick us off one by one. Easy meals, that's what we are for it. And the boss is doing nothing for that, unbelievable."

If the worries of these few workers are justified are to be seen. So far no credible report of the Copperpetz being in the village's bounds was had. A few missing person cases are most possibly not related.

The Cepperpetz (pl. Copperpetze) or Copper Bear is a large canine animal found in the forested hills near rich ore deposits. It is without any doubt one of the most dangerous non-demonic animals in Caramiza. It is both named after its fur, brown in young animals, dark blue-green in the older specimens, and its affinity to live nearby and dig up copper deposits specifically. The Copperpetz is the symbolic animal of Maned, the god of trade and crafts making it a well-liked symbol on banners and coinage in most of the world. However, Copperpetz are a constant danger to the many factories developing in the country, as they are drawn to the plentifully used copper in the production machines.

Appearance

A Copperpetz is a four-legged canine with large paws. Its head has a slightly elongated snout and small eyes as well as round, protruding ears. It usually walks on all fours but is able to stand up on its hind legs easily for both reaching things high up and as a threatening gesture.
When standing up, a Copperpetz can reach up to 2,7m in height. Standing on all fours, the shoulders of a Copperpetz are usually at around 1,8m in height. It is considerably larger and stronger than any animals encountered in the Camarizian region.
A trademark feature, the Copperpetz' fur is the color of actual copper. Young cubs usually have a red-orange tinted fur, while older specimen gain a green color, similar to copper being exposed to air too long. Very old Copperpetze have distinct white streaks in their fur as well.
The oldest known Copperpetz reached an age of at least 45 years. The average Copperpetz lives around 20 years.
A COpperpetz is, with absolute certainty, untameable. There may be instances when a Copperpets decides to tolerate or maybe even befriend a human, but they cannot be caught, broken or even bred in captivity. Often enough, some insane noble tried and died in the process.

Curious habits

It is well known that a Copperpetz has a high affinity for ore. They will actively seek out regions with high ore deposits and in some cases even settlements using lots of metals. Most Copperpetz have an affinity to copper, lending it his name. However, there are other groups with additional affinities to other materials or a mixture of them. This can be as mundane as iron, tin, or lead but also include gold, silver, naturally occurring alloys and sometimes coal. This does in fact influence the coloring of the Copperpetz' fur, although most retain the Copper-related base color.
It is not known what a Copperpetz actually does with the ore, however. Some claim they simply hoard it, others see the coloring of the fur as a clear sign they ingest the ores in some way.

Geographic Distribution

• Flyrockcut
• Serrenten Mountains
• Serrenten Rest
• Ukanten Mountains
• Ukanten Valley
• Wunnewalden