Inkfoxes
"Their fur glows like snow in firelight, but touch it wrong, and you’ll be riding teeth before saddle." -Ancient Elfese proverb.
The Inkfox is a towering, majestic predator native to The Grandgleam Forest and Boulderrain Woods, believed by many to be the fox’s most ancient and exalted form. Towering as tall as a warhorse and able to carry nearly as-much despite the Inkfoxes' nimble frame. It bears an out-of-place coloration to the common forest fox, pale white fur laced with smokey black accents, often with striking swirled patterns of fur at their sides, setting it even farther apart from its kin. Both a regal symbol of nobility, and an unmatched Vulpine terror in the underbrush. Once revered and bred by the Elfese Empire as war mounts, couriers, and companions, Inkfoxes continue to serve in elite roles among displaced Elfese clans, even as Everwealth claims dominion over their natural lands. Inkfoxes are remarkably intelligent and loyal when bonded young, but exceedingly difficult to approach in the wild. Despite their enormous size, they maintain the agility, speed, and predatory cunning of a true fox, making them among the most dangerous animals in the kingdom when provoked, or hunted.
Basic Information
Anatomy
The Inkfox stands roughly 15 hands tall at the shoulder, its frame lean and sinuous, more lupine than vulpine, built for both forest sprints and silent, patient travel over great distances. Its limbs are long and muscled, ending in ink-dark claws that seem to smudge the very earth they touch. The creature’s fur is a dazzling gradient of whites and pale grays, like snowfall caught in twilight, but from the thick tufts around its legs swirl curling patterns of pure black, like ink trailing through water. Its long, expressive face carries an otherworldly grace, crowned with sharply pointed ears that twitch at the faintest tremble of leaves. Its eyes shine like silvered mirrors, reflecting light and movement with uncanny precision, always watching, always waiting.
Genetics and Reproduction
Inkfoxes reproduce in secluded dens once every three years, birthing litters of one to three kits. These young are nearly impossible to tame unless imprinted from the moment of hatching. Elfese lore tells of families who raised the same bloodline of Inkfoxes for generations, considering them part of the household.
Growth Rate & Stages
- Kit (0-6 months): Small, playful, fast-learning. Imprinting period.
- Adolescent (6 months-2 years): Begins training, shows growing aggression to outsiders.
- Adult (2-25 years): Fully grown and capable of outmatching most wild predators in the region.
Ecology and Habitats
Inkfoxes are found deep within the Grandgleam Forest and Boulderrain Woods, both of which provide dense canopy and ample prey. Though the Elfese once bred them, wild populations remain strong due to their unmatched survival instincts. They prefer cool, misty glades, rarely venturing to open plains unless starving or migrating.
Dietary Needs and Habits
The inkfoxes are renown carnivorous, feeding on deer, elk, boars, wolves, and in lean seasons, even bandits and travelers. Their hunting style mirrors their smaller cousins, ambush, precision, and pursuit, but at a scale capable of toppling even mounted knights. Their keen senses allow them to track prey for miles, and they often cache food high in trees or rocky ledges, keeping scavengers at bay. Though capable of incredible violence, they hunt only when needed, living several days on a single kill.
Biological Cycle
Inkfoxes do not hibernate, though their activity diminishes in winter. Their coats thicken, turning nearly silver in the frost, and during these colder months, they grow more territorial and more likely to attack trespassers, particularly if kits are present.
Behaviour
Highly intelligent, Inkfoxes display problem-solving behavior, emotional bonds, and even mockery, known to feint retreat or lure threats into bogs and cliffs. A wild inkfox will stalk a hunter for hours before deciding whether they are a threat, or a meal. However, when bonded to a rider or kin-group, they become ferociously loyal, risking their lives without hesitation. Elfese riders believed them to understand language, and old training rituals still involve whispered chants and offerings of blood or song.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Possess acute hearing, night vision, and a sixth sense for intent, many believe they can smell fear or guilt. Their eyes can reflect light even in absolute darkness, often mistaken for will-o’-the-wisps by fearful travelers.
Scientific Name
Vulpes gravis exaltaris
Origin/Ancestry
Descended from pre-Fall highland foxes, later selectively bred by the Elfese and adapted naturally to their native wooded terrain. Considered a living relic of Elfese power, but biologically independent and not a result of arcane tampering.
Conservation Status
While not endangered, wild Inkfoxes are rarely seen. Their intelligence and strength make them too dangerous for widespread use, and their pelt, prized for its durability and heat-resistance, has caused overhunting in the past. It is now illegal to hunt them in Everwealth without a license, though black market pelts fetch a fortune. Still, it is not uncommon to see them in Elfese warbands or patrols, particularly among mountain or forest strongholds.
Geographic Distribution
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