Leucrotta, Hellcat

From under her cot, she had heard the cries of her mother and father outside, a sound of terror, horror, of bone and gristle. A time had passed, and upon the quietness, and a tacking of hooves, it had seemed p, from her view seeing only the floor and what lay immediately on it, her goat had entered the room. She hesitated, reaching out at first, but her hand wouldn't move. She would later discover, her being paralyzed by fear had saved her.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Despite not being cats at all it seems, more dog than feline, hellcats are an unnatural mixture of many beasts. Having the hooves a deer or to some variety, goats. They have a skull similar to that of a large wolf like badger, or bear to some accounts. The rest of it bears similiarities to a large wolf, with a wolf's body, neck and tail. Along with this they have molars and canine teeth, suggesting omnivorous capabilities up front. They are large in comparison to many other beasts and the same size and sometimes bigger than a pony. Overall, they are a strange and unwelcome sight.

Genetics and Reproduction

Hellcats are usually female from the appearance of it. During a mating season of sorts, which are during the early months the Materium year, they undergo a period of rutting, as short blunt horns begin to develop from the female's skull, breaking the skin. The female's use these to aggressively fight each other with, which sometimes results in the death of one. Whenever one is victorious, it will howl, a low bellow, for a time before a male finds her and he picks her as his mate. From there, gestation lasts roughly 12 weeks before a litter of leucrotta are produced. From here, only the mother remains. She attends to her offspring for usually a little less than 4 months before she scatters them each to the wild.

Growth Rate & Stages

Hellcats grow from being a pup to an adolescent within 5 months. From there, it is able to hunt small game along with eating mosses and certain plants. After that, it takes a year for a leucrotta to develop into a mature adult. Supposedly they only live for a maximum of 35 years, although this has never been proven.

Ecology and Habitats

The Shadow Coast

Thriving well along the Shadow Coast, they take place as a large portion of the Realms omnivores. Although not apart of the primary herbivores, they do feed on many Coastal ferns and mosses, capable of acting as domesticated herd animals in some places. Consuming both plant and animal, many species across the Realm are capable and willing of hunting larger game when the time calls for it. Because of this, they are not afraid to confront lesser devils. Larger monsters of the Coast as well as many devils feed on the Hellcats, almost as the equivalent of Materium wild goats and deer.

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Materium

Hellcats in the Materium cannot eat the plants of this Realm, save for a few specific mosses scattered across the world. As this is, they can have a serious impact on local ecosystems if left unchecked and in large numbers. Not only this, but being non native to the Materium and rather gaudy, outlying farms and such are at risk of Hellcat attacks, either from a rut or as they seek new sources of food.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Leucrotta are omnivorous, feeding off a variety of Coastal mosses and ferns, however, they are not above attacking and eating other beasts of any kind. They seem to favor lesser devils when starving, and accordingly, even other intelligent non Coastal species as well.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

As some devils in the Coast at least attempt to domesticate local hellcats, even fewer are successful. Used for their meat and hide in large amounts when successfully broken. In the wilds of the Coast, hellcats are hunted for their bones, hides and meat all the same. Hellcats do not seem to be used beyond mystical and scientific practices in the Materium or other Realms.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

For the Shadow Coast, Hellcats can be found across the larger isles. In the Materium, Hellcats can be found nearly anywhere it seems.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Eyesight

Hellcats can see rather well in the dark it would appear. Their eyes are exceptionally adapted to the general darkness of the Shadow Coast, carrying over well into the Materium. This said, their two eyes are red and actually quite beedy, which seems to have no effect on their capabilities.

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Sense of Smell

Hellcats are well endowed with powerful noses. Akin to that of an average dog's nose, while not as powerful as say a bear or hunting hound's nose, it is well to do with it nonetheless. Accordingly, their noses help them track down both potential living prey and certain mosses, as they do in their native Realm.

Hunters Note - Despite being monsterous and from the Coast, hellcats are not entirely supernatural. Although their body parts are used in a number of pagan rituals, they themselves seem to have no magical abilities. To add to this, silver or other anti unnatural substances are not required in the killing of these beasts, and as such, specialized equipment is not necessary in hunting them down for farmers, mercenaries, hunters, slayer's or naturalists.

Scientific Name

Lesht Masdaskerus

Origin/Ancestry

Unknown. Perhaps fiendish in nature.

Lifespan

Theoretically 45 years

Average Height

Between 3 feet and 5 feet tall at the shoulder, depending on the breed.

Average Weight

Between 180 and 300 lbs depending on the breed.

Average Length

Between 5 feet and 8 feet in length, depending on the breed.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Many breeds of hellcat range from dark brown to grey to amber in fur color, however they are all spotted with black dots along the back and ribs. Many breeds have darkened areas around their eyes, lips and hooves. Others have long silvery lines running down their spine.

Hellcat Teeth : Used in mystic practices, teeth can often go upwards to 15 goldens a tooth.

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Hellcat Pelt : Unworked, pelts can often mark that of an experienced slayer or adventurous aristocrat. Unworked, they can go between 30 and 50 goldens. Worked, upwards to 70 goldens.

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Hellcat Hoof : While not directly magical, many who dabble in the dark arts often require hellcat hooves so they can grind them into a fine powder, serving well in a variety of poisons and rituals. A raw hoof can go up to 20 goldens a piece. Once successfully turned into powder, up to 45 goldens per hoof's worth.