Grounen
Grounen are a race of short lizard-like mammals native to Reçath. They are treated a bit like second-rate citizens in some circumstances. Due to their size and lack of stronger magic, they are left vulnerable to the whims of their surroundings. However they have spread and endured long across the planet, and often can be found helping drathnar or settlers in some way or another.
Basic Information
Anatomy
They are somewhat short lizard-like creatures. However reptilian traits are more or less coincidental or convergent evolution. Their skin is a tough hide, and they have ears in addition to slight horns. Males tend to be a little stronger and wide in the shoulders, while females have true mammaries and wide hips. Males are more often larger, sometimes with more depth to their horns. Yet unlike drathnar both sexes have the same roughly triangular based snout.
Genetics and Reproduction
Grounen reproduce quickly. They can have as much as triplets, but often only have one child. However the spawn rate is roughly in about 2-3 weeks. They are blind for about the first three days, and behave a lot like tiny lizards for their infancy. They begin imitating social skills they see, and adapt from there, often speaking by year 3 or 4. They are considered mature and ready for mating around 8 years of age.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Complete omnivores. They love eating certain types of bugs and grub, but have been known to adjust to dairy, roasted meats, veggies, fruit, and have a strong love of sweet alcohols like wine and cider. While they scavenge and save some food on their own, if left unattended in a large abundance, they can devour twice their weight in food. In some malicious cases drathnar have used this with poorer bulk-loads of feed to quickly have one put on weight for a roast.
Additional Information
Uses, Products & Exploitation
They may be loyal, employed, enslaved, or consumed commonly by drathnar. Drathnar have used them for small labor, for news and information in tunnels, and as small work and nest prep people across colonies. Often these grounen get rewarded, such as Cyrthbur being known to armor her long-term workers in fine cauldron steel, and encourages them to keep some of the work they help produce. However on the grim side, some are bullied, or eaten, with live devouring even said to be a delicacy in taste and satisfaction. Its common even to some kinder societies for 'wild' grounen to be roasted and cooked for a feast, and occasionally inner grounen are even taught its okay to cannibalize in these meats. Settlers have at times allowed them to also integrate, and become small workers, marketeers, or almost even move them in personally like half-pet critters.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
They are best at their sense of smell. However hearing and touch are very good. Vision is something they more easily lose, especially when burrowing a lot. However most can see decently, especially if they've been 'more civilized'.
Lifespan
50-65 Years
Average Height
1.22m-1.48m
Average Physique
Slim or stout.
Geographic Distribution
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