Leucrotta (loo-uh-crot-tuh)

Threat Level: Medium

Description

A Leucrotta is a hideous mix of a lean and powerful deer with a lion's tail and a vicious looking badger head atop their thin deer necks. Their teeth are not separated teeth but jagged sharp plates of bone that rip and tear through flesh and even bone with ease. They are around five feet tall at the shoulder and usually weigh up to eight-hundred pounds. Their bodies are covered in stripes or mottled designs, which give them a small amount of camouflage. their heads are typically striped between black and white just as a badger's giving them a disjointed appearance.

One's more likely to smell a Leucrotta before seeing one as they have a powerfully rancid stench. This is a mixture of preparation and an oily secretion on their skin. The smell is very offensive to most humanoids. Those who care to pay attention long enough could deduce that this smell is a unique smell to each individual Leucrotta and the way in which they are identified. They can be identified from many miles away. This scent is so distinct between members, although distinct all are woefully horrid, that often times Leucrotta refer to each other by scent rather than name. Although their names in some way are a reference to their smell.

While fairly large and strong, Leucrotta is primarily fast. Likely due to their mostly deer-like body structure, they can reach maximum speed in just a few short strides and maintain that speed for a long time. This makes them excellent at running down prey, while also being able to turn fairly quickly. They do, however, have issues slowing down. Because of this, keeping close to areas of danger is more beneficial to slower more controlled paced creatures in a confrontation. They also possess a great sense of balance and control, making tripping a difficult task, even when caught by surprise. Just like many mountain-dwelling goats, they can balance on small areas and highly slanted surfaces.

Their bony ridges which take the function of teeth are their most dangerous weapon. With hooved feet built for speed, they can be used as a deadly support. The teeth have a sheer-like ability to simply cut off chunks of meat and if small enough to fit in their mouths, a whole limb. Their bite is incredibly powerful. Often they will run down prey and attempt to remove flesh from legs or feet tripping or bringing down a target then going in for a kill. In order to keep their teeth in a killing condition, they chew on bones and rocks in their downtime to hone the edges. Thier teeth constantly grow and the jaggedness comes from the many times the bone grows back and over itself. The compulsory chewing not only benefits them through sharpness but also keeping them from losing the ability to eat.

Behavior

Believed to be related to the Barghest, the Leucrotta possess almost supernatural abilities. Namely, their ability to perfectly mimic the voice of any creature or sound they hear. While this may seem mundane on the surface, the oddity lay in the fact that they are not limited to the "words" they hear, and are able to speak as they please with the voice of others. While this may pale in comparison to the Barghest and its ability to shapeshift, in truth the Laucrotta is much deadlier then its counterpart. This is due to how startlingly intelligent they are, able to formulate complex schemes and lies to lure and trap their prey. There is even anecdotal evidence of them using magics to a limited degree.

Living on the outskirts of small towns and villages, or at the edge of deeply forested woods, the Leucrotta will use its ability to mimic voices to lure lone individuals to them, guiding them further and further away from home. AAlthough, younger and more inexperienced individuals will prefer wide open planes, where they can chase their prey down, and using their plated jaws to rip them to shreds. One guarntee, however, is a Leucrotta never travels alone. If one finds themselves in the presence of a Leucrotta, it is a gurantee 3 more have already blocked your escape.

Though usually more then capable of hunting, a Leucrotta may begin working with others due to injury, inexpeirience or even pregnancy, thus negating any reprocusions from being unable to hunt properly. This can range from hunters, Gnolls and even some Ettins, using its mastery over mimicry to lure out potential prey for the others to kill. Of course, the longevity of such a partnership is entirely dependent on the the relationship of the agreement and the allied creatures success rate when hunting. If the Leucrotta is able to recover from whatever ailed it, or if the creature is unable to provide its side of the bargain, then a Leucrotta may turn on, or outright abandon them.

Intrestingly, Leucrotta seem to prefer allying with Gnolls, and will even seek them out, even if healthy. Though not always, on occasion the Gnolls will accept the beast amongst them, even appointing them as a leader. In these situations, the Leucrotta will become emboldened, and will inspire the Gnolls to raid and kill nearby settlements far more often. Usually in the name of the Gnolls demonic god. Once the Gnolls have depleted all resources, the Leucrotta will then abondone the group to starve.

But if food and resources are abundant enough, then an odd phenomenon will occur. Other Gnolls will begin joining the highly succesful group, swelling their numbers to an alarming degree. In these dire situations, the raids will extend to larger and larger settlements, even attacking Trolls, Ogre Encampments and on occasion Hill Giant hovels. In these situations, the Giant Slayers will quickly mobolize to dispatch the Leucrotta, as the Gnoll's will become incapable of leading such a large group, and will result to in fighting until they've reduced their numbers to a more managble number.

It is believed that Leucrotta are not naturally occuring creatures, and one would be hard pressed to find a druid that would try to protect a member of this species. This is due to their almost vindictive hatred of all life, and their love of death. It is theorized that they are leftovers from the Giant wars, made to sow chaos amongst the Thrudheim.