Esgot

The preferred meal of most big mountain predators, the esgot is an incredibly acrobatic creature of the mountains, famed for the gruesome ways they were supposedly used in an ancient ritual.

Biology

Anatomy

The esgot is a hooved creature that reaches about 60cm tall at the shoulders. They have two back-facing horns in the back of the head, short pointy ears, and a curious angular head with a structure resembling that of a hierde.
They tend to stay very lean, though this can be hidden in winter by the woolly coats they grow in some areas, while others will stay with short hair all year round.
Their fur is generally cream, white or pale brown, though many variations exist with black patterns, darker tones, etc.

Behaviour

Esgots are gregarious simple creatures that can be found generally in groups of 6 to 15 individuals.
They are herbivorous and eat mainly grasses, bush leaves, nuts and roots.
These creatures are known to be very skittish, and would dart away from sight in an instant they detect a potential predator, making them very difficult to study.

Communication

Esgot groups can stay surprisingly silent for hours on end. They seem to resort to a form of communication based on jumps, where they will approach other members of their herd and start jumping in place in front of them. The positioning of the head, tail and legs as well as the body's movements seems to change the message being communicated.
It is common to see two esgots jumping in turns in front of each other, only to reach some sort of "conclusion" to their "chat" and set off jumping around through the rocky mountainsides.

Geographic Distribution

Esgots can be found in mountain and rocky areas across all of the Haan Archipelago.
They prefer to live at high altitudes, which put a big strain on their population during The High Rust. Thankfully, their numbers seem to have recovered well over the last few years.

Ecological and Cultural Impact

Esgots are preyed upon by tetsus, doisus and hopists in their natural habitat, and happen to be the favourite prey of the bicarnivaler, even though their ranges rarely cross.
They play an essential role in the ecosystems of the mountains as the main prey of these creatures.

Use by Societarians

The peoples of the fallen city-state of Bregos in the Thaur Island were well known to hunt esgots as an important part of their diets. They would also use their horns, hooves, leather and fur for manufacturing items such as clothes, musical instruments and furniture.
There is also documentation of other cultures hunting esgots, especially those from settlements close to mountain ranges such as the people of Blest. However, due to the extreme animosity between societarians and tetsus, the first are rarely able to interact with esgots more than esporadically, with the Breguine and the short lived City of Goldwaste being the only known settlements to perdure in the middle of a mountain range.

The Blood Carnivals

Bicarnivaler by Naelin

A historical documentation of the use of esgots by societarians is preserved in the story of Blood Carnivals. However, it is still unclear whether these were actual events carried out in ancient times or legends.
The preserved documents talk about a tribe that had a pact with the bicarnivaler that resembled more a sort of adoration than a simple exchange.
The beasts would lend the societarians their ferocity in battle and their protection, and in exchange the tribe would make big feasts for the creatures where they would provide them with basins and fountains full of livestock's blood, would brush and clean the bicarnivaleras, and for the culmination of the event, they would release previously captured esgots, the beast's favourite (but rarely accessible) meal, for them to hunt.

Classification

Simple species

Collective Noun

A Herd of Esgots

Lifespan

12 years

Average Height

60cm

Geographic Distribution

• Haan Archipelago