Sandmount

The scaled sandmounts are one of the Waste's most useful creatures, second only to sand dragons. However, unlike sand dragons, sandmounts are friends, not foes. Having been domesticated long ago, they have assisted many a Wasterner in their travels across the Waste, and many can safely say that their steed is the closest friend they've got.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Anatomically, sandmounts appear very similar to pangolins. However, they have a number of noticeable differences. Most obviously, they are much larger, somewhat around the size of an average horse. Their front limbs are also much larger than their hind limbs, and they typically stand and walk with them in contact with the ground, whereas pangolins keep them off the ground, and often use their hind limbs only for locomotion, keeping their front limbs in the air. A sandmount uses these large front limbs to move along the surface of the Sands at a high speed, and climb the often bizarrely shaped wastebones scattered throughout the Waste.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Sandmounts are herbivorous, unlike their pangolin cousins, and typically feed off of the sparse plants that can be found growing on wastebones. Despite their impressive size, they are actually near the bottom of the food chain, and often fall victim to the jaws of other beasts. However, they are capable of curling up and pointing out their sharp scales, which can cause a predator seeking to devour one quite a bit of distress.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Sandmounts find their use in the Waste primarily as mounts. They tend to skim along the surface of the Sands, making them better than any diving creature, and they can also climb wastebones with ease. While railtrains are by far the safer and faster option, sandmounts are still useful for shorter range travel, or for when a railtrain would be far too large, cumbersome, or noticeable.

Average Height

14-16 hands

Average Weight

520-650 lbs

Average Length

8-10 feet

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Sandmount scales are typically any shade of brown, but can be white, black, or sometimes even orangish-red or rose colored. While this coloration has little bearing on their usefulness as mounts, the rarer colors tend to be more favored, simply because it makes whoever owns the mount feel special.

Geographic Distribution

• The Sands
• Wastebones