Crag-Boar

The Crag-Boar, a creature native to the mountainous regions of western Yrdde, is a testament to the sky-sea world’s unique blend of resilience and primal power. It’s a creature of great size, possessing a stubborn temperament and tusks and horns that can shatter boulders. Yet, beneath that intimidating exterior, lies a creature that, through centuries of selective breeding, has found a valuable place within human society – a reliable beast of burden, a stalwart guardian, and, in the more lighthearted moments of the Free State’s Wildheart Festival, a boisterous challenge for those seeking to prove their strength.

Physical Description

Adults typically measure 6-8 feet long from snout to tail, stand 4-5 feet tall at the shoulder, and can weigh upwards of 1,000 pounds. Their most distinguishing feature is their hide - a thick, leathery armor that has a distinctive rocky texture, mottled in shades of brown, gray, and black. It is remarkably durable, offering protection against predators and the occasional farmer's implement.
Adding to their appearance are a set of massive, curving tusks that can extend over a foot long and are as sharp as any well-honed blade. These tusks are used for rooting for food, defense against rivals or predators, and can effortlessly tear through even the toughest vegetation. Two additional horns, thick and ridged like branches of petrified wood, protrude from the top of their heads, adding to their already intimidating appearance. The tusks remain once they're fulling grown, but the horns break and fall away during the last few months of winter, and typically regrow before the end of spring.

Ecology and Behavior

Crag-Boars are primarily herbivores, their diet consisting of roots, tubers, berries, and various plants that thrive in the mountainous regions and rocky outcroppings of their territories. Their powerful snouts, equipped with sensitive nostrils, allow them to unearth buried roots and sniff out sources of water in even the driest of seasons. Their hides provide excellent camouflage, allowing them to blend seamlessly with the rocky landscape.
They live in relatively small, tight-knit packs, usually composed of 6-12 individuals. The pack is led by a dominant female, chosen for her size, ferocity, and the length of her tusks. They fiercely defend their territories and young from predators, displaying remarkable courage in the face of danger. Their vocalizations range from guttural grunts and rumbles to earth-shaking roars capable of sending even seasoned hunters scrambling for cover.

Domestication and Breeding

The Crag-Boar’s strength, endurance, and inherent resilience have made them valuable to human society for centuries. While their wild temperament requires patience and a firm hand, those who understand the subtleties of their behavior can breed docile lineages, creating a reliable source of labor and protection for agricultural communities.
Their muscular frames make them ideal for hauling heavy loads. Crag-Boars are often fitted with sturdy harnesses, pulling carts, plows, and transporting supplies across rugged terrains. They require minimal upkeep and are capable of surviving on forage alone.
As protectors, the presence of even a single domesticated Crag-Boar acts as a potent deterrent against most predators. When domesticated they tend to adopt other, smaller creatures, defending them as if they were members of their pack. Their size, aggressive instincts when threatened, and tusks keep any opportunistic predators or rustlers at bay.
The Crag-Boar Wrestle, a highlight of the Free State's Wildheart Festival, celebrates their strength. In this challenge, contestants (typically well-lubricated with ale and imbued with more enthusiasm than skill) attempt to wrestle a juvenile Crag-Boar to the ground. It’s a boisterous event filled with laughter, spills, and a grudging respect for the creature’s formidable nature.

Ready to Test Your Mettle?
Wildheart Festival Presents: The Crag-Boar Wrestle!
Think you’re tough? Think you’ve got the grit of a mountain dwarf and the tenacity of a sky-whale calf?
Then step into the arena, face a legendary Crag-Boar, and claim your place as CHAMPION!
Here’s what awaits:
A Grunting, Slobbering, Tusked Beast of Legend: This ain’t your grandma's pig, folks. This is a Crag-Boar, bred for muscle, fueled by root vegetables, and with a temperament spicier than a bowl of chili peppers soaked in Fire Mage sweat! Don’t worry, those tusks are blunted, but we aren’t responsible for bruised egos or any other body parts.
Glory Beyond Your Wildest Dreams: The last one standing, the one who pins the beast, or the soul brave or foolish enough to simply survive will walk away a legend, their name whispered in taverns from here to the peaks of Frostwatch!
Prizes Fit for a Champion: Crowns? Check. Ale that’ll make your hair stand on end? Check. A kiss from the prettiest maiden (or lad, we don’t judge) in the crowd? You bet your sweet, sweaty backside!
Sign Up NOW at Your Local Wildheart Festival Coordinator!
Sponsored by: The Rusty Cog Tavern – Where the Ale Flows and the Songs Never End