Asteriox

The Asteriox are an ancestry everyone knows to be cautious of; they're deceptively peaceful and non-violent by and large - though exceptions exist, of course - but should they be pushed to anger or challenged physically, all but the most physically capable of ancestries - such as the draconic ancestries - will lose to them without external advantages such as cultivation or a level imbalance. They're dangerous if provoked, but make very reliable heavy exertion workers.

— Madame Herta

The asteriox are one of the most well known bestial ancestries on Pearalos; native to eastern Thrain, they are known for their bulk just as much as how peaceful they prefer to be, as well as their generally nomadic, shamanistic roots. While nothing to write home about magically, their physical power more than makes up for it, being very much first rate across the planet.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Asteriox resemble bipedal bovines - typically cows, but cow-adjacent beasts such as minotaurs are common too, and indeed, minotaur is a common nickname for the ancestry; they possess furred bodies with a bovine tail, ears, and a pair of horns - usually short and stubby in nature, alongside a short snout. Indeed, they very much resemble bovines that have simply adapted to walking on two feet, but they possess very dense and durable bones, as well as generally very defined muscular structures, making them physically durable and powerful to an extreme.

Biological Traits

Asteriox are naturally blessed with extreme strength, and are every bit the match for some of the most prominent physical bipedal ancestries that exist - such as the Dravir and Shimmerhorns - which naturally places them generally in that elusive tier of being far more capable physically than just about any other ancestry when it comes to raw power - before any magic is factored in.

They do however, possess a biological rejection of magic; it's not a total rejection of magic, and with sufficient effort and a talented teacher they can qualify for magical System options, but naturally speaking, they have little in the way of magical talent, with the exception of more shamanistic magic, which the ancestry does actually excel in utilising.

Behaviour

Asteriox are generally a highly passive and peaceful ancestry, preferring diplomatic outcomes over violence, but they are also an ancestry that does not shy away from using their bulk and power to force a physical confrontation if nothing else seems viable; they often do this in service of protecting those they care for, as they are a very protective and communal ancestry.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Few discussions of the Asteriox would be complete without discussing the matter of the female's milk; as the asteriox are predominantly derived from domestic cattle, they possess the same ability to produce milk; this generally comes from them having easily-triggered lactation responses regardless of their personal state or situation.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

The asteriox can be found all across Thrain, where they originate; their origins lie in the grasslands of eastern Thrain, but they have spread across the continent, and sometimes they even travel to the other continents, though this is remarkably rare - as the other continents are not as ideal for them as the verdant grasslands that comprise eastern Thrain.

Average Intelligence

Asteriox have something of a... reputation for being a bit less intelligent than their peers, and this is rooted in some truth; they're not dumb, but compared to many ancestries they are not particularly intelligent, either, and compared to the truly intelligent ancestries like the Fique, they are very dumb.

Civilization and Culture

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Generally, the asteriox get along with other ancestries very well; they have a well earned reputation for honesty and good, clean work, and they pride themselves on a job well done. Together, this generally makes them very well received, and by and large they don't have very many ancestry-specific poor relations, though it obviously varies from person to person.

Lifespan

125 - 185 years

Average Height

Asteriox are generally on the taller end of the bestial spectrum, ranging from 7 feet to 8'5" on average - though the shortest asteriox has been known to be 6', while the tallest is closer to 9' tall.

Average Weight

Asteriox are far heavier than many expect, generally ranging from 185 to 270 pounds in weight.

Average Physique

Asteriox are well known for their physiques being extremely athletic and capable of feats of strength; even when their physique doesn't actually show their build well, they are first class combatants and physical exertion is part and parcel of their build.