Herald's Gnaw

Herald's Gnaw by Naelín

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El Gnaw Heráldico es una de las subespecies de Gnaw. Es el mas grande y notorio de los miembros de su especie Esta subespecie recibe su nombre ya que su imponente tamaño y potencia, además de la interesante forma de sus melenas, lo volvió un símbolo recurrente en los escudos y banderas de varios reinos y familias.
Otras variantes de Gnaw incluyen el Gnaw gris, el Gnaw florido, el Gnaw pequeño, el Gnaw rojo, entre otros.

Anatomía

Los Gnaw heráldicos tienden a ser robustos y musculosos. Sus mandíbulas son anchas y potentes, y sus pies grandes, con uñas extendidas. Tienen cola larga y un cuerpo bien proporcionado. Su cuerpo está cubierto de pelo enteramente blanco, sin marcas o manchas, y su característica más distinguible son las tres melenas de pelo largo que cubren su lomo. Además, tienen pelo largo y mullido en el cuello, y detras de los pies. El pelo de su cola crece en mechones de largo irregular. La piel es usualmente negra u oscura, y las orejas puntiagudas.

Biología

Dieta

Los Gnaw son exclusivamente carnívoros. Cazan a sus presas en manada, tomando turnos para desgastarla. Mientras uno o dos miembros persiguen activamente a su presa, los otros le cierran el paso.

Comportamiento

Los Gnaw heráldicos viven en manadas pequeñas, de entre 6 a 15 miembros. Muchos de los individuos jóvenes sin embargo pueden llegar a pasar un largo tiempo solos o en grupos de a dos, buscando manada. Durante este período estos individuos solitarios suelen pasar pequeños períodos de tiempo con mandas formadas, ayudando a cazar pero manteniéndose generalmente al margen de las actividades sociales.
Las manadas usualmente están formadas por uno o raramente dos miembros de un sexo, y el resto de los miembros del sexo opuesto. Este hembra o macho único suele ser un individuo particularmente grande, fuerte o hábil, que lidera al resto, y elige con quien y cuando aparearse. En muy raras ocasiones se encuentran manadas donde todos los individuos son de un mismo sexo.

Distribución

Los Gnaw Heráldicos suelen encontrarse en terrenos nevados, como el este de las montañas de Karte y el norte de las Islas de la Cresta Roja. Sin embargo, también pueden encontrarse en bosques blancos.

Made immensely popular for its use as an icon in country flags and family crests, the herald's gnaw is the biggest and most notorious member of the gnaw family.
They receive their name from this popularity as a symbol, derived from its imposing size, strength, and physical aspect.

Anatomy

The herald's gnaw is generally robust and muscular, with wide and strong jaws and big feet with thick claws. They have long tails, pointy ears and a well-rounded body shape.
They are covered by a coat of entirely white, thick fur without any markings, which most distinguishing feature is the three "manes" of long hair that cover their back like waves. They also have long hair in the neck and behind their feet, as well as in irregular threads through the length of the tail, similar to that of licerns. Their skin is black or very dark brown.

Biology

Diet

Licern by Welkinal

Gnaws are exclusive carnivores, with the herald gnaws generally hunting large creatures such as licerns, alzufhars and even sceapilions, when they manage to separate them from their guardian hierde. They have even been found to hunt other carnivores, such as hirschmalls, smaller gnaws or doisus.
They hunt in packs, locking their efforts on a singled-out creature and taking turns in order to exhaust its energy, with one or two pack members actively chasing their prey while the others cut off their escape routes.

Behaviour

Herald's gnaws live in packs of between 6 to 15 individuals, though young adults may spend part of their lives wandering alone or in pairs in search of a new pack. During this period they might "try" other packs by spending some time with them and hunting together while otherwise staying on the periphery of their social activities.
Packs are usually formed by one or rarely two members of one sex, and the rest of the opposite one.
The unique female or male acts as a leader and is usually a particularly big, strong or capable individual that chooses when and whom to mate with.
On rare occasions, some packs are found to be formed by all same-sex individuals, which is assumed to be caused by the death of their leader.
They are mainly nocturnal, using their sense of smell and excellent sight to track down and hunt their prey.

Geographic distribution

Herald gnaws take advantage of their white coats by inhabiting snowy terrains such as the mountain range east of Karte or the north area of the Red Crest Islands, as well as many of the archipelago's white forests, primarily the Chalk Expanse.

Distribution of the Herald's Gnaw in the Haan Archipelago

Classification

Pactual species

Collective Noun

A pack of herald's gnaws

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Gnaw

Lifespan

14 years

Average Height

1.10 metres

Average Weight

105 - 200 kg

Average Length

2.5 metres

Geographic Distribution

• Chalk Expanse
• Karte Island
• Larea
• Red Crest Islands

The Herald's Gnaws in the flags of the Archipelago

Flag of Merthiorn by Naelin

Flag of Red Crest

War flag of Thaur