Giant Boar

Giant boars are mostly viewed as violent beasts, yet these enormous swines are also found more peculiar use as steeds by orcs as well as beasts of burden in places like Silver Shore Island.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Like a normal wild boar, Giant boars are bulky, with legs rather thin compared to rest of its size. Its torso is massive with hump behind its shoulders, marking the tallest part of the animal. They have strong necks and their snout is well suited for digging or rolling around large objects. Their cloven hooves are something one doesn't want to get trampled by, as the massive size of the beast makes them deadly.
Both male and female giant boars have tusk, yet tusks of females are much smaller in size. Occasionally, some individuals have two pairs of tusks out of genetic mutations. These individuals are particularly desired by the orc tamers. Besides the tusks, the difference between male and female are clear. Females are smaller in size and males have manes running down their backs.
In cold climates, giant boars grow thick winter coats against the cold weather, otherwise, their fur is short. Fur is coarse and it's coloring fits the area boar is from, being usually brown, black or grey. Some cases of giant boars are seen on the edge of deserts when they might be golden and hairless.

Genetics and Reproduction

Giant boars breed at wintertime when usually solitary males approach the small herds of 2 to 3 females and fight over the right to mate with the herd. Battles can turn bloody and male giant boar in the heat is best to stay away from, if one doesn't want to get pierced by its tusks.
In captivity, this can cause all kinds of problems. Heat period is usually about a month, and while well-trained boar can be more resistant to violent urges, it is not unusual for handlers to drug the beast during this time with herbs to make them comply. Orcs use this to their advantage of riding to battle in the mating season, but that is known to have... varying results.
A successfully impregnated female gives birth to 1-2 piglets that are born in spring and they are taken care of the females until they are about a year old. after this young males go on their own, and females form small herds on 2-3 individuals. Lone females are not unheard of, but giant boars tend to prefer company.

Ecology and Habitats

Giant boars are most commonly found in large forests but are frequently appearing in grasslands in smaller numbers. Were in forests massive size works to boar's advantage, on grasslands, it makes it an easy target for predators: like humanoids, giants, dragons, and wyvern. Normal beasts like bears or even lion packs rarely have any urges to cross the giant boar.
There is also herds of wild giant boars in Scorched Mountains. These boars are believed to be descendant of boars in Lands of the Autumn Vales, that were captured by orcs, took to the volcanic mountains and escaped captivity, but have now learned to live in the harsh area.
Most giant boars have a territory they defend from creatures bigger or similar size to them. Small creatures can move relatively freely in giant boar's domain.

Dietary Needs and Habits

As one might expect, giant boars are omnivores and their diet mostly consists of plants, roots, fungi, worms, and insects. There are reports of giant boars eating small mammals like mice, moles weasels and rabbits, though these are most-likely accidental occurrences or actions of a desperately hungry animal.
Giant boars have particularly steely stomachs and can eat things uneatable for most creatures without any physical harm. This is most likely caused by their size, and the amount of food they must eat to keep that. Wood bark, full pine cones, viscous roots, even relatively poisonous plants can be digested with an only small tummy ache. This doesn't make the creature immune for poison or disease, they simply need them in larger quantities to have any effect.

Additional Information

Domestication

The first record of domestication of giant boars talked about giants using giant boars as both food source and companionship. However, it is orcs that are believed to really push this domestication and breeding practices further, as they started to use these massive beasts as steeds. Orcs would, and still do pick strong, aggressive individuals to breed into war steeds, using more mild-mannered ones as beasts of burden. Original methods of domestication weren't particularly refined, but these days, orc breeders are very specific when combining their strongest and priced boars for more stronger steeds. Besides aggression, boars are picked up by their loyalty, making them not only fearsome foes but protectors of their riders. They often name their boars with names like Goretusk, Nightmare or Killerhoof to add to intimidation value of the creatures.
To be frank though, because, on the anatomy of the giant boar, these beasts are comfortable to ride. That said, orcs are not only humanoids known to domesticate giant boars. Dwarfs, wood elves and even some humans have picked up the practice, and on some particularly thick forest areas giant boars have become the preferred beast of burden. On these areas, domestication focuses on the beast's temperament, making them more compliant and less aggressive.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

The primary use of giant boars is as steeds or beast of burden, but they are also kept and hunted for their meat, tusks, and leather. I certain areas, they completely replace the use of oxen in both moving heavy loads or working on fields, though later in smaller extent as they have a bad habit of digging holes in the middle of fields. Mane clippings of a boar are also particularly good for making paintbrushes.

Average Intelligence

While strong and fierce, giant boars aren't particularly smart creatures. Instead, they are fearless, stubborn and territorial. This makes them fearsome beasts, but also surprisingly loyal steeds. While males in the wild often live by themselves, giant boars are social creatures and enjoy the company of creatures they form bonds with. That said, they are not necessarily most obedient creatures, making domestication possible, but tricky.

Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms

In the wild, several smaller creatures, especially smaller sized wild boars, tend to form united territories with a giant boar. It is not unusual for giant boar form bonds with it's tinier cousins or even dear for a company and shared protection. Giant boars do not consider small herbivores and omnivores as a danger to it or its offspring.

Origin/Ancestry

Wild boars

Lifespan

15-25 years

Average Height

From 1.5 m to 1.8 m
(5 ft to 6 ft)

Average Weight

From 500 kg to 545 kg
(1100 lbs to 1200 lbs)

Average Length

From 3.3 m to 3.6 m
(11 ft to 12 ft)

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Black, grey, brown, golden.