Voarus

Voarus are a species of creatures found uncommonly in the forests and caves of Orium, Mowera, and, before the dimensional tear into the Withered Lands and the manifestation of the Scourge, Darkel. Voaruses are quadrupedal, hairless dog-like creatures with highly reflective black leather skins and mouths that open in a pedal formation, revealing a maw of hooked teeth. Voaruses are nocturnal predators that hunt in packs of 4-15, attacking prey usually around their size, like deer, but will sometimes hunt much larger, more dangerous animals like bears. Voaruses are often hunted by humans and elves due to their danger to both and are used often in both legal and illegal fighting rings where they will either fight dangerous animals or sapient beings to the death.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Voarus are quadrupedal hairless animals with dog-like bodies, highly reflective black leather skin, six-fingered claws, a short tail, and their most identifying feature of having a pedal-shaped mouth. Their mouths open in five pedals like a flower, revealing hundreds of rows of sharp hooked teeth. These hooked-shaped teeth are used to grab onto and tear flesh from prey animals to induce heavy bleeding. A voarus has four eyes, each attached to stalks capable of retracting into its skull, and are placed on both the top and bottom sides of its head. The black leather skin of a voarus is highly reflective, leaving some to mistake it as poisonous or covered in some kind of slime.

Ecology and Habitats

Voaruses live and thrive within the forested environments of Orium, Mowera, and pre-Imperium War Darkel. Voaruses, like wolves, have large spanning territories they hunt and live on these territories for multiple generations. Voaruses will often make homes out of hard-to-reach places, like trees and tall boulders. They may even live within caves if it is protective enough.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Voaruses nocturnal predators, sleeping during the day and awakening during the night. They use this time to hunt prey around their size in large packs of 5-15, mostly hunting deer, pigs, and cattle. A pack of voaruses may attack much larger and more dangerous prey, like bears or humanoids, if they are large enough in numbers and/or they are desperate for food. They will hunt unassuming prey by hiding in the shadows where they can't be seen. They will then begin to circle the prey and will take small bites of flesh from their sides, which induce heavy bleeding. The prey will then run as far as it can, however, won't be able to travel far due to the lack of visibility and large blood trails left behind. When the prey can't travel anymore from exhaustion and blood loss, the entire pack will then tackle the prey with their jaws and claws until death.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Voaruses are nocturnal creatures and can see perfectly in pitch darkness yet are practically blinded in broad daylight or by any other bright light source, like fire. Their hearing is among the best of any animal, being able to pick up sounds distances away, and they are even rumored to be able to hear one's nervous breath. The smell of a voarus can pick up smells miles away but is best at smelling out rotting corpses. Voaruses have no tongues and can not taste.

Lifespan

9-15 years

Average Height

1-1.6 meters

Geographic Distribution

• Darkel
• Mowera
• Orium