fylox

He has the loyalty of a wild fylox.

— common Mordena saying

The fylox are predatory hunters native to the Mordena homeworld of Janikk. They are best known for their craftiness in problem solving and are often used by Mordena Special Forces teams on missions, both as attack animals and to break into buildings and other structures.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Fylox are quadrapeds, recognizable by their long, slender legs, twin tails, and brown-scaled reptilian faces. Aside from their face they are covered in fur, mostly red with brown markings on their lower legs and the back of their neck, with white in their ears and the lower half of both tails. They are surprisingly muscular, a trait hidden well by their fur, with a jaw clamping strength of almost two thousand pounds per square inch and a top speed around fifty miles per hour.

Dietary Needs and Habits

The fylox is a native of Janikk, found wandering in the plains, forests, and wetlands. An omnivore by nature, its diet consists of fruit, vegetables, and any creature it can catch.
Fylox are highly cooperative, and while they may fight amongst themselves for territory or partnership they will not intentionally cause serious injury to one of their own. They are opportunistic and will readily eat the kills of others, provided they do not identify the carcass as belonging to one of their own. Many remain loners by nature during the plentiful spring and summer months, but even these will band together to join established packs during the fall and winter months to hunt down larger prey.

Additional Information

Domestication

A fylox cannot be domesticated, merely tamed to respond in a desirable manner. They are highly trainable, particularly when rewarded with food and shelter and other favored enticements. If the benefits of the relationship cease so too does the fylox's loyalty, with some exceptions. If a fylox has accepted their handler as a member of their pack they will retain a semblance of a relationship, although the depth of this bond and the fylox's willingness to respond as trained ultimately depends upon the individual fylox.
Many Mordena Special Forces teams include one or several fylox as members of the team, relying upon the animals for offensive capabilities and their cleverness in problem solving. They have proven to be particularly adept at breaking into Shielded buildings and other structures, easily finding and exploiting security bypasses meant to allow the free passage of the target's own defensive animals.

Average Intelligence

Fylox are known to be crafy and creative, able to build and use simple tools to accomplish their goals and perform advanced problem solving involving multiple steps. They have developed a rudimentary language involving growls, yips, howls, body language, and scent, with slight variations based upon their home region on Janikk. They have been known to use Janikk's neural net to locate prey and readily form temporary packs to eliminate threats as identified by the net in defense of the planet.
In captivity they are highly trainable provided their handler remembers that they are not domesticated, merely willing to submit to the requests of others for their own benefit.

Never neglect your fylox. Treat them like the best friends you'll ever have, and they may decide they like that idea.

— Mordena fylox training advice

by Gerhard G. (modified by A. Biscup)

Lifespan

10 to 18 years

Average Height

3 to 4 feet from ground to shoulders

Average Length

4 to 5 feet

Geographic Distribution

• Janikk

Daoff's thoughts were interrupted by fur, scales, and claws as a fylox bound into the room, positioning itself in front of his youngest children to growl at him menacingly. Before he could react Fanak ran towards the predatory creature, wrapping her arms around its neck and burying her face in its fur. "Buddy!" The fylox responded by nuzzling her arm with its snout, both tails vibrating happily, eyes still locked on Daoff.
"Buddy saved our lives!" Yarra explained quickly. "But she got hurt and now she can't work and can we keep her? Pleeeeease?"
Daoff eyed the fylox nervously before looking to the Commander for help.
"Not sure you have a choice in the matter," the mage chuckled. "She won't listen to me anymore."

Further Reading