Tyan (Tee-ahn)
Basic Information
Anatomy
Tyans are large, horned, even-toed ungulates. They have sloping foreheads, broad noses, stiff manes, and shaggy tails. They are easily identiifed by their horns, which protrude from the top of their forhead and gently curve up and outward. Their horns can be up to 2 feet long.
A tyan's forequarters are noticably bulkier than their hindquarters. Their spine is fairly straight, with only a moderate bow to it.
Its muscular shoulders and legs make the tyan a strong and sturdy animal, which has made it very valuable as a mount.
Sexual Dimorphism
Female and males have few visual differences. Females tend to be bigger, and have shorter horns. Males have thicker and darker manes.
Biological Traits
Domesticated tyans are larger and live longer than wild tyans. They are also more likely to have unique patterns and colors. Different breeds of domesticated tyan may be taller, bulkier, have short horns, long horns, or no horns at all. There are three unique breeds of domesticated tyan recognized.
Genetics and Reproduction
Growth Rate & Stages
Ecology and Habitats
Dietary Needs and Habits
A grazing species, tyans eat primarly savanna grasses and shrubs. They have four-chambered stomachs and thus "chew everything twice". This allows them to extract as much nutrients as possible from their food.
In captivity, tyans typically have access to much a more nutrient-rich diet of grains and sometimes even berries. Tyans are known for being eager to eat just about anything that isn't meat.
Additional Information
Domestication
Tyans are widely used as mounts across nearly the entire Auzeran continent. They are handy in their sturdiness, resiliance, and calm nature. Tyans are primarily used as light, fast mounts for carrying people and messages. They are sometimes used as pack animals but are typically not as well suited for the job as camels.
Three unique breeds of tyans are recognized, but Standard or Wild-type tyans are by far the most common. A few seedy sellers may take from the wild population instead of breeding their own, as inexperienced buyers might be unable to tell the difference between a wild tyan and a captive bred one.
Horn Maintanence
A tyan's horns grow continuously for its entire life. If the tyan is not regularly using its horns for foraging or battling with other tyans, then its horns may become cumbersome for both the tyan and its owners. To prevent this, owners will regularly file down their tyan's horns to shorter, duller points.
Tyan horns cannot be removed completely without harming the animal, as their core is made of live bone. Owners must take care not to file the horns too close to the base, or risk exposing the bone and leaving the animal susceptible to injury and infection.
Breeds
There are three common breeds of tyan, each specialized for a different task. Additional breeding efforts have produced a handful of more refined breeds, but none have caught on nearly as broadly as the primary three.
Standard
Standard
Standard tyans look very similar to wild tyans. They typically come in brown or grayish colorations with dark manes and tales, but may also come in colors not found in the wild population, such as pale yellow or black. They average at about 4.5 feet at the shoulder and 500 pounds. Standard tyans are good for travelling long distances at slow speeds or for travelling short distances at decently fast speeds.
Standards are the most commonly used breed. They are a well-rounded mount good for a variety of situations.
Bosrean
Bosrean
Bosreans, more casually known as the "working breed", are much larger and stockier than Standards. Their coloration is usually not very different from wild tyans. Bosreans stand at an average of 5.5 feet tall at the shoulder and weigh about 1200 pounds. They have thick, blunt horns. Bosreans are typically used to pull carts and plow fields, but they can also be employed as a slower and more powerful mount.
Xezit
Xezit
Xezits are racing tyans. These animals have been bred in favor of speed and stamina above all else. They have little to no horns and have a streamlined build, with short manes and smooth fur. Xezits are about the same weight as Standards but have much longer legs and stand at an average of 5 feet at the shoulder.
Xezits can run at short bursts of up to 60 miles per hour. They are rather fragile in comparison to Standard and wild tyans, and are not the best mount for long distance travel. They are usually owned by rich individuals to serve in tyan races, or simply as pets.
Xezits can have a wide range of colorations not present in Standards or Bosreans, including rusty red and white.
Standard
Standard tyans look very similar to wild tyans. They typically come in brown or grayish colorations with dark manes and tales, but may also come in colors not found in the wild population, such as pale yellow or black. They average at about 4.5 feet at the shoulder and 500 pounds. Standard tyans are good for travelling long distances at slow speeds or for travelling short distances at decently fast speeds.
Standards are the most commonly used breed. They are a well-rounded mount good for a variety of situations.
Bosrean
Bosreans, more casually known as the "working breed", are much larger and stockier than Standards. Their coloration is usually not very different from wild tyans. Bosreans stand at an average of 5.5 feet tall at the shoulder and weigh about 1200 pounds. They have thick, blunt horns. Bosreans are typically used to pull carts and plow fields, but they can also be employed as a slower and more powerful mount.
Xezit
Xezits are racing tyans. These animals have been bred in favor of speed and stamina above all else. They have little to no horns and have a streamlined build, with short manes and smooth fur. Xezits are about the same weight as Standards but have much longer legs and stand at an average of 5 feet at the shoulder.
Xezits can run at short bursts of up to 60 miles per hour. They are rather fragile in comparison to Standard and wild tyans, and are not the best mount for long distance travel. They are usually owned by rich individuals to serve in tyan races, or simply as pets.
Xezits can have a wide range of colorations not present in Standards or Bosreans, including rusty red and white.
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Besides their uses as mounts, tyans have a variety of resources to offer. Their horns are a valuable source of keratin, and can also be hollowed out and used as containers, usually for water. They are also sometimes turned into musical instruments. Tyan hooves can be ground up to make gelatin, and tyan bones are commonly ground into bone pastes and powders to be used as fetilizer. Their bones can also be used to craft tools or sometimes even weapons.
Tyan pelts have moderate fire resistant properties and are a valuable ingredient when making fire resistant armor or clothing. Their pelts are also quite light and breathable.
Tyans aren't usually used as food, but can be a decent source of meat when needed. Their meat is a bit tough and chewy.
Celestial Powers
Unlike most Glowbeasts in Auzera, tyans absorb Cold Aura. They do not posses a Celestial Core and passively absorb Aura throughout the night from Nox. Throughout the day, they gradually release their Aura internally throughout their bodies to help keep them cool. This is especially useful when on the move.
This ability allows tyans to get exhausted at a drastically reduced rate. It also grants them a moderate resistance to dragon fire, making them more likely to survive attacks from Plains Racers.
However, if a tyan is not able to recharge its Aura stores during the night, it may be at risk of overheating. Stables for domesticated tyans are built with partially open roofs to accommodate this.
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