Gqen (ǃen)

''The mountain savages, this being true of all groups, are very fond of the woolly does who pasture on their barren soils. The means by which they reproduce without the need for stags, are beyond my understanding''.

-Ikaharinese explorer talking about his experiences

The gqen is a species of high mountain camelid commonly found all across the Aranpalin Mountains, home to some of the world's most inhospitable regions. Furthermore, it constitutes a major component of the local people's diet, being the predilect prey of many tribes.

General characteristics

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Build

''Come, kid! It's time for you to learn how to butcher the gqen, I think you're old enough to not faint...''

-parent teaching their child how to be a decent adult

These creatures have a long neck, a short, fluffy tail and hooved limbs. Besides that, they don't have any humps and most of their body is covered in a thick coat of wool, ideal to keep them warm in the cold alpine winters.

Coloration

''To the mountains once came a great hunter, Khue was his name. Thus he decided to hunt all the gqen he could see, with his bow killing thousands each day, excelling in the art as if he had invented it.
One day, though, the four last gqen decided that, in order to survive, they would have to hide. The first hid in the black slopes of the mountain, the second in the pale shrubs, the third in the white snows of the summit and the fourth in the leather cloak of a girl who went bathing in a pond.
Their ploys worked, and Khue soon became convinced there were no more gqen to be hunted. However, the animals soon realized there was something... odd. They were now the colour of the things they hid in!''.

-Gkäl myth

Lifespan

20 - 25 years

Average Height

1,2 - 1,5 meters

Average Weight

120 - 160 kg

Average Length

1,3 - 1,6 meters