Stormer Swine

Stormer Swine are the formidable descendants of a legendary Thunderpig known as Breakfast. This extraordinary beast was a gift from Edarr, the god of storms, to Tree, Masterbaker of The Black Dragons. Unlike ordinary swine, Breakfast carries within him the untamed fury of the storm, his very presence crackling with latent power.

Remarkably, Breakfast still lives to this day, residing in Tree’s house, where he has sired several generations of offspring. Among them, the most renowned are the Stormer Swine—massive, fleet-footed hogs that thunder across the Stormer Plains and its dense forests in great drifts, their hooves pounding the earth like rolling thunder.

Due to their growing numbers and sheer power, annual hunts are held by the Orcs of Uzrash and the People of Stormer to thin the herds and maintain balance in the land. These hunts are not only a necessity but also a celebrated tradition, a test of strength and skill for those who dare to face the Stormer Swine in the wild.

One of the most famous dishes to emerge from these hunts is Alma di Porco su Pappardelle, a masterful creation by the legendary chef Felipe Staghorn. This dish is said to capture the very essence of the Stormer Swine, celebrated for its deep, smoky flavor and the unparalleled tenderness of its meat—a taste as wild and powerful as the creatures themselves.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Size & Build

• Height: 5 to 6 feet at the shoulder
• Length: 10 to 12 feet from snout to tail
• Weight: 800 to 1,500 pounds (males larger than females)
• Build: Muscular and thick-bodied, built for both endurance and bursts of incredible speed

Skin & Fur

• Thick, storm-gray hide with a faint iridescent sheen that crackles with residual static electricity
• Coarse, bristling fur that darkens before storms, almost as if absorbing the energy in the air
• Older Stormer Swine may develop lightning-shaped scars across their hides, remnants of battles or natural magic within them

Head & Tusks

• Massive, reinforced skull capable of withstanding extreme impact
• Eyes glow faintly blue or violet, especially in darkness or before a charge
• Tusks curve forward and slightly upward, infused with storm energy—sometimes seen sparking when the swine are agitated
• Some legendary specimens have been reported with tusks made of blackened thunderstone, a rare magical mineral

Legs & Hooves

• Powerful legs designed for sprinting at unnatural speeds—despite their size, they can reach up to 50 mph in short bursts
• Split hooves, wider than typical swine, reinforced with keratin and crackling with latent energy
• When running, some say small arcs of lightning flash between their hooves and the ground

Genetics and Reproduction

Stormer Swine, being descendants of the legendary Thunderpig Breakfast, have a rapid and robust reproductive cycle, ensuring their continued abundance across the Stormer Plains and forests. Their breeding habits are influenced by storms, divine magic, and the natural cycles of the land.

Mating Season & Rituals

• Stormer Swine mate primarily during storm season, which occurs twice a year—once in the early spring and again in the late autumn.
• Males, known as Thunder Boars, compete in clashing duels, where they charge at each other, their tusks sparking with static electricity. These battles determine the strongest and most storm-touched males for breeding.
• Some have claimed that lightning strikes are drawn toward these fights, as if Edarr himself chooses the victors.

Gestation & Birth

• Gestation Period: 5 months, significantly shorter than normal boars due to their divine lineage.
• Sows, known as Storm Matrons, give birth to large litters of 6 to 12 piglets, ensuring rapid population growth.
• Births often coincide with thunderstorms, and it is believed that the crackling energy in the air helps awaken the latent storm magic within the newborns.

Stormer Piglets

• Newborns are called Boltlings, small but incredibly fast, able to run within minutes of birth.
• Their fur starts out dark gray or brown, but as they age, it develops the stormy sheen characteristic of mature Stormer Swine.
• Some piglets are born with tiny glowing tusks, a sign of exceptional strength in adulthood.
• Boltlings instinctively huddle near sources of static electricity, sometimes rubbing against storm-charged trees or even sparking small shocks as they play.

Growth Rate & Stages

• Juvenile Stormer Swine reach full size within two years, growing rapidly due to their storm-infused metabolism.
• Males often leave their birth herds around age 3 to challenge other boars for dominance.
• Average lifespan: 20–25 years, though some ancient specimens, especially those descended closely from Breakfast, have been rumored to live far longer.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Stormer Swine are omnivorous power-feeders, consuming vast amounts of food to fuel their immense size, rapid growth, and storm-infused metabolism. Their diet consists of a mix of vegetation, roots, fungi, small animals, and even mineral-rich stones that help conduct their natural storm energy.

Primary Food Sources

Stormgrass & Thunderbark – Unique to the Stormer Plains, these plants are rich in nutrients and absorb static electricity, making them ideal for the swine’s storm-charged bodies.
Roots & Tubers – They dig up deep-growing plants, such as storm yams, known for their high energy content.

Fungi & Lightning Caps – Special bioluminescent mushrooms found in storm-blasted trees, believed to enhance their electrokinetic abilities.
Meat & Carrion – While not active hunters, Stormer Swine will scavenge carcasses and occasionally prey on smaller animals, such as rabbits, birds, and even the occasional unlucky predator.
Thunderstones – These mineral-rich stones are consumed to aid digestion and are believed to enhance their storm energy conduction. Some say older swine develop a charged core in their stomachs from years of absorbing these elements.

Unusual Feeding Habits

Stormer Swine create "Lightning Pits" – They root up the earth before a storm, exposing mineral-rich soil and stones to absorb latent storm energy. After the rain, they return to consume the charged debris, which some claim gives their meat its legendary flavor.
Electricity Absorption – Some rare individuals have been observed standing in thunderstorms, seemingly absorbing ambient energy, though this remains unproven outside of legend.
Predatory Behavior – Though mostly scavengers, elder Thunder Boars have been rumored to stampede and trample weaker creatures in times of scarcity, absorbing their energy through charged tusks.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Abilities & Adaptations

• Electrokinetic Fur: Can generate and discharge static shocks when agitated
• Storm Sense: Can detect incoming storms hours before they arrive
• Berserker Charge: When enraged, they enter an unstoppable stampede, during which they become nearly immune to pain
• Herd Defense: Though territorial, they will defend their own in coordinated assaults against threats

Scientific Name

Porcus fulminis tempestatis

Origin/Ancestry

Porcus fulminigenus tempestatis

Conservation Status

Stormer Swine (Porcus fulminigenus tempestatis) are highly abundant across the Stormer Plains and forests, with their populations continuing to flourish despite regular culling efforts. Their rapid reproduction, divine lineage from Breakfast, the Thunderpig, and adaptability to harsh weather conditions ensure their numbers remain stable.
Even with annual hunts by the Orcs of Uzrash and the People of Stormer, the swine continue to thrive, often forming massive drifts that thunder across the land like living storms. Some even believe that their connection to Edarr, the storm god, grants them resilience beyond ordinary creatures.
While they are not currently at risk, localized overpopulation can lead to environmental disruptions, requiring ongoing management to prevent them from overwhelming crops, settlements, or other wildlife.