folotopi (fohl-ot-oh-pee)

Folotopi: A Study of a Natural Oddity.
By VanLief Aericksen

A domestic beast by choice? Or selective breading taken to the extreme?

Even if you've never been to the Territories of the Seven Tribes of Uhl, the hot, arid desert in the south and the frozen, arid northern ice plains make for some of the harshest living conditions on the continent of Halconiket (with the exception being the Demon Lands, of course, those are likely a bit more harsh). Only the toughest of people, plants or animals live in these places. The almost tolerable temperatures of the narrow strip of land between the heat and the cold may fool one into believing the area livable until the lack of accessible water kills you.

Throughout this dry, harsh area live rugged animals who eek a living fighting and surviving with absolute seriousness. Attitudes of kill or be killed and competition for resources that leave the looser for dead. With one notable exception. The folotopi.
Folotopi are large quadruped animals with thick, leathery skin, strong tree-trunk like legs, no visible ears, and big, stupid, grinning faces, or so it might seem. Their faces do seem to smile in an almost foolish manner, their large, brown eyes seeming to gleam with barely hidden mirth.

Bonding with a folotopi is like making life long friends with a jolly, mischievous three turn old child. Cute, annoying, and exasperating, amusing and worth the effort.

- Ansel Wholpeg

Minister of Agriculture

Their amazing ability to tolerate, nay, even enjoy, the intense dryness of both the cold ice fields and the hot, high desert make this animal unique throughout Halconiket. From birth, folotopi have the singular ability to regulate their own body temperature to withstand either the heat or the cold. Their thick, leathery hide with a waxy outer feel holds water inside their body. The thick fat layer under the skin holds a surprising amount of water, allowing a folotopi to go long periods without water. Their large glassy eyes have multiple almost clear lids that close to protect against both swirling sands and flying ice crystals.
The animals can eat almost any plant life, from sawgrass to barrel cactuses, spines and all. They appear to be immune to everything poisonous and though they are not known to be voracious meat eaters, they will eat small rodents, serpents, and carrion if it is all that is available. Folotopi do not hunt, but are opportunistic in eating what they can. This naturalist has even lost a good hat or two to a hungry animal while researching this very article.
But, as amazing as the folotopi are for their natural abilities, even more amazing is that they appear to have voluntarily domesticated themselves. Completely. Not a single wild folotopi has been recorded. Ever. As far back as records go. Written records anyway. The Tribes have stories of the domestication of the folotopi, tales of the animals approaching various tribes en mass and behaving as if they already belonged. This was in the last years Before the Blessing, when demons and gods still walked among the people.
The tribes tell stories of those days, when some tribes attempted to use the gentle, good natured animals as a food source. A short lived endeavor as the meat of the folotopi is horrible to taste and poisonous to boot. And the animals all share a good natured attitude like to that of a simple child. A naughty child at that.
Folotopi are tricksters, joke-players and delight in good natured fun, like knocking a man over and pinning him to the ground gently to then lick his face and neck with their large, soft, sticky tongues. They also delight in stealing hats, scarves, canteens and note pads and pens and hiding them in their oddly mailable skin. Flaps of the folotopi skin create pockets, enveloping things on the underside of their bellies, in the same manner as they keep their very young just after birth. The folds of skin on the underbelly of a fully grown female folotopi are large enough to hold two or three grown men. The animal extends the folds and wraps whatever it likes up in the fold like a huge utility poach, keeping whatever is inside warm, or cool, depending on the external environment and the need. A handy feature exploited by the tribesmen and women who often use this as a protection against sand storms, ice storms and other environmental hazards.
The folotopi on the other hand, love to use this feature to hide things from unsuspecting handlers and researchers. I have heard that sometimes an especially mischievous cow might even playfully envelop a person, who for instance, might be a bit afraid of desert snakes, in with a few harmless Feather Snakes, just to hear him scream and feel him squirm. I've neve witnessed this in person and have no proof, but, have heard the tales.
I am also told, repeatedly, that the folotopi would never do anything to put a person in danger, or knowingly cause harm to a person. But I am sure there is a first time for everything.
Folotopi and people of the Tribes bond like children to adults. The friendship appears to go both ways and there is a great fondness between those bonded. I can tell you from personal experience, the playfulness of the folotopi appears to infect the person bonded. Even the serious elder chiefs of the tribes crack a smile and laugh at the antics of these stupid seeming creatures.

To not laugh at the antics of a playful folotopi is to wear the skin of a demon over a hardened heart.

- High Chief Worquad

Stupid folotopi are not. Imbecilic and overly trusting they may be. I have seen folotopi risk their own lives multiple times to protect people, even when the danger was more than could be overcome by a folotopi.
I will always carry a place in my heart of hearts for Traltor, the folotopi gifted to me by the chief of the Kantoo clan when I lived among them to research this article and the paper submitted to the Royal Library of Malminar. Against my better judgement, I will return often to see her and spend time among the Tribes. I hope she does not miss me too much and hope she is doing well.

Qoitiken Woman and young folotopi
Image by Kbignell via Midjourney

by Kbignell via Midjourney