Qirin (KI-rin)

Scaled, quadruped creature with high resistance to nuon-poisoning, often domesticated to be used for riding and dragging loads through areas with a high risk of lightstorms. They are very, very averse to letting people study them. Qirins are not rare but are not commonly seen.
Qirins appear in cave art from prehistoric periods and have since been a significant influence in human mythology, religion and literature, as well as heraldry, most prominently seen in the banners of several houses of the Eastern Continent. They have also played part in the migration between continents due to their resistance to nuon-poisoning, and ability to detect lightstorms.
According to the people of the █████ tribe, qirins can travel between the world of the living and the Other.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The appearance of qirins changes greatly over their lifetime. Adult qirins have a scaled body with small spines down their back. Their feet are well-suited for climbing steep, rocky slopes, with padded feet and small claws. They have powerful shoulders and neck muscles that help propel them up steep slopes. All adult qirins possess a pair of horns on their head which is surrounded by multiple, smaller ones. The primary horns are 15–25 cm long. The long tail, also covered by scales, is tipped by multiple spikes. In addition, qirins have large, often brightly coloured manes that drift in the air about them. They can change colour according to health, emotional state and camouflage.

Biological Traits

Earlier estimates suggested that certain species of qirin could reach 200 years old, but a recent study found a 2-metre-tall specimen was approximately 300 years old, judging by the wear in teeth. Before this could be confirmed, the researchers were attacked by the said specimen, losing many documents bearing collected data and some fingers in the process.

Genetics and Reproduction

Little is known about how qirins reproduce–domesticated qirins do not reproduce and copulations have never been witnessed in the wild. Female qirin do not gestate; instead, they lay eggs in mountainous terrains such as the mountains of the Eastern Continent, or at least highlands, taking many pains to conceal them. The teardrop-shaped eggs are grey or black and sometimes speckled by a dark red. They are 15–25 cm in length. The mother will remain within the vicinity until the egg hatches.
Qirins may be able to change their sex, though this has yet to be confirmed.

Growth Rate & Stages

After emerging from its egg, the young qirin resembles more a lizard–its claws are relatively long. From the nose to the tip of the tail, it is approximately 20 cm long, with short, stubby legs. Their claws and teeth are used to catch and consume small prey. After several years, they would have grown to 150–200 cm in length and are known to attack unwary humans. Their size sees little increase until they reach the age of 10 when their growth will speed up immensely. At this point, their legs will lengthen and they will grow their primary horns. Its full-height ranges from 147 cm to 160 cm. They can weigh from 220 to 460 kilograms.

Ecology and Habitats

Qirins live in several different biomes, from the tundras of the North to the savanna of the ████, though they are most often associated with the steppes of the Eastern Continent, which has the highest concentration of kirins. They tend towards transitional areas between mountains, where they lay their eggs and grow to adulthood, and grassland, where they spend the rest of their lives and (presumably) mate. Qirin habitats are usually situated in the edges of the Ebb Zone bordering the Inhospitable Zone and are rarely seen near the equator, though the droppings, trails etc. left behind indicate their presence.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Qirins are omnivorous. Young qirins have a mostly carnivorous diet of lizards, birds and insects that can be found in the mountains of their birthplace. With their excellent ability to sense heat and see in the dark, they often hunt during the night. As they grow older, qirins consume more grasses, weeds, and herbs until that becomes their primary diet–their shrunken claws are mainly used for digging for roots and plants. However, they are more than capable of consuming flesh. In fact, some mature qirin still hunt; diet seems to be a matter of personal preference and availability of prey.

Biological Cycle

Young qirins moult multiple times as they grow. They rub against rough surfaces and use their long, spike-tipped tails to help remove their shed skin, which generally falls off in pieces. After each moult, the qirin's scales will change in colour, which allows its age to be determined.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Qirins are cathemeral though adult qirins tend to be more active during the day. They are generally solitary but the mother and offspring share a strong bond and reunite after the latter have fully grown. Although they rarely gather in groups, massive herds have been witnessed for unknown purposes, possibly mating.

Domestication

Qirins have never been domesticated. They can be ridden or used to carry loads, but only to help befriended humans. Attempts to constrain qirins do not end well–they can remember the faces of friends and foes even after many years. Long-term containment results in trauma and illness, slowly turning them white until they die. Attempts to breed qirins in captivity have been unsuccessful, though this has led to many accounts of male qirins turning female overnight and vice versa. Similarly, trying to breed them with horses failed, largely because they belong to completely different families.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Qirin manes can be woven into a fine, lightweight cloth that keeps the wearer warm in the cold, and cool in warm temperatures. Their vibrant colours are very coveted. Their shed scales are often used as components for grounding blades, though they do not have particularly strong reorientating properties. Qirin meat is not consumed. For some, it is prohibited, but for the general populace, it tastes very unpleasant.

Average Intelligence

The intelligence of qirins has never been properly determined, but they are as cunning as they are curious.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Qirins have excellent night vision and hearing. They can see in the ultraviolet and infrared parts of the EM spectrum. In fact, they are believed to have the widest visual ranges of all animals. This is used for communication between individuals. Although difficult to test, they may also have a sharp sense of hearing and may hear approaching prey or predator several kilometres away. Additionally, they can likely see nuon paths or at least detect areas with high ambience, making them an important detector of approaching lightstorms.

Lifespan

Over 100 years

Conservation Status

Qirins are not endangered species; no efforts have been or will need to be made to protect their species. However, it is taboo for the eastern civilisations to harm them as the guardians to the Other World are said to be kirins and to harm their kin is to ensure your soul is trapped in the world of the living. The west holds no such belief but avoids them regardless, if only because it isn't worth the trouble.

Average Height

147 to 160 cm

Average Weight

220 to 460 kg

Average Length

220 cm (from nose to tail)

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

When qirins first hatch, they are covered with a fine coat of brown 'feathers' which they shed in a few months. 1–2 years old qirin has cream or brown scales. At 2–5 years old, their scales become smoky grey or deep blue. Adult qirins can have black or dark grey hides, though sometimes a very dark blue. Their manes are more colourful, ranging from deep purples to golden-brown to rosy pink. They are usually darker at the roots and brighter, more vivid at the ends.