Daeodon

Written by Lokrow and inspired by pre-existing Dire Boars

Daeodons or Dire Boars are a variant species of wild boar. They are noticeably larger, about the size and weight of a large horse used to carry heavy loads. They are fearsome animals and a hunt of Daeodon can just as swiftly turn into a massacre of the hunters as it can become a feast.
Nonetheless, they are in significant numbers in the Hold of Belkzen where the Seed Clans often use them to carry their heavy cargo as they travel across the Hold.
It should be noted that orcs haven't domesticated the Daeodons but are merely using the herds' own migrating patterns in order to carry their cargo along their own travels. As such orc routes often follow paths often frequented by the Daeodon.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Daeodons have four stout legs atop which rests a densely muscled body. Their bones are dense and heavy. The area of the shoulders is often marked with a rise of the spine into a hump and their neck is muscle-packed and almost immobile.

Genetics and Reproduction

Daeodons mate for four months across fall and winter. The season is vaguely regular but external pressure can precipitate it.

Growth Rate & Stages

Daeodons gestate for around half a year and reach sexual maturity in one to 2 years. Following that they will keep growing physically until death

Ecology and Habitats

Whilst the favourite environment to a daeodon is woodland area with a diverse range of food, they can and do make do with different climates and environment. Ranging from plains to arid wasteland. They do not tend to live near bodies of water as they are not great swimmers, thought they can easily locate a mud pool to wallow in.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Daeodons, much like boars, are omnivores. Their strong jaw makes them able to crush even bones with ease to grind into paste, though they mostly do that when biting into meat.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Daeodons naturally form up in herds which usually have 1 or 2 birthers whom the rest of the herd imitates. Otherwise disorganised, a herd of dire boars can easily be turned into a stampede given sufficient external stimuli.
Herds come together and are more cohesive during the mating season, after which the herd goes back to being more disorganised.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Perhaps most obviously, the Daeodon are a great source of meat and only one Daeodon can yield enough to feed 10-20 individuals. In the Hold, the bones are often turned into jewels, ornaments, tools or armour. The tough and thick hide can be turned into robust leather. Finally, the hair is often turned into various brushes for body painting or hygene-related purposed.
Orcs will also use dire boars who are unbothered by their presence as beasts of burden to carry their resources whilst they travel on foot alongside. Sometimes even going as far as attaching wagons to daeodons in order to carry more, though this depends vastly on the terrain.
Orcs have also been known to guide stampedes of daeodons into settlements whose defenses are deemed too strong to overwhelm by orcs alone.

Facial characteristics

The daeodon's snout protrudes away from its face and flares outwards. Above this central feature, the daeodon has black inset eyes and below, a wide maw with protruding tusks.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

They tend to prefer woodlands but have taken to even some of the arid plains of the Hold of Belkzen. They can otherwise be found everywhere else on Golarion, either along other daeodons or wild boars.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Daeodons have very poor eyesight, though they can see in the dark better than in bright daylight. They rely most on their acute hearing and keen sense of smell. The latter is able to pick up the scents of buried food even a couple feet into the ground as well as sources of water.

Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms

Orcs and daeodons can often be found together. The orcs provide a source of food to the daeodon in the form of their leftovers and trash. While daeodons will often serve as guides to nearby water sources when they seek to wallow in mud, a practice that orcs have also adopted as a result.

Lifespan

10-20 years.

Average Height

2.1 m

Average Weight

1 metric ton.

Average Length

3 m

Average Physique

Daeodons are massively muscled with a thick layer of fat surrounding their form, built to endure both predators and hunters just as well as the elements. Much like wild boars, most of their weight is set in the muscles surrounding the neck and shoulders. They can forage even into frozen ground and upturn boulders.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Daeodons come in a small range of uniform earthy colours, usually ranging from a deep brown to a sandy yellow. Rare albino daeodons also grow larger and are particularly fearsome.