Stifur

But they are way more ugly than the books said!

— A city dweller

Stifurs were one of the main beasts of burden used around the plains of Vestar. While most of the Ke'Galan Magocracy has changed over to arcane means, stifurs can still be found in more rural areas across the Divided plains.

Beasts of burden

Most often, stifurs are found to be used within agriculture. Their primary job is to help manage heavy machinery by providing power, either by pulling the machine directly, or by rotating a large crank and provide stationary power. Even though stifurs are generally slow moving, they can haul very large loads, making them also useful for pulling heavy carts across distances without the need for arcane tools.

From the history books

It is a common idea that, because of the quick arcane and technological advancements made by Ke'Galan, most people in larger towns and cities have never seen a stifur and will not know what they look like. Even though for a long time it was one of the most commonly used animals in the country.

No beauty prize

The looks of a stifur is not something to boast about. These creatures are part of the same family lizards and dragons. They are very recognisable by their almost triangular silhouette, created by having relatively high shoulders with short hind legs and a drooping head. They have a thick, rough feeling skin with large scales that cover their neck, shoulders and spine. Stifurs generally have muted colours ranging from brown to green, with almost no colour variation. Because of their short hind legs, the tail sweeps over the ground. When stifurs are bred in captivity, their tails are often bound tight in order to reduce the length of it and keep it out of the way when they are older.

Lifespan

15 years

Average Height

1.5 - 2.0 m

Average Weight

900 - 1200 kg

Average Length

2.7 m

Idioms and expressions

Stifurs are definitely not known to be the most beautiful or graceful creatures. This has allowed them to be used in various idioms used across the Ke’Galan magocracy, none of which are positive. Being compared to a stifur means someone is ugly or graceless, talking about something being stifur shit denotes it to be really bad and hard or though work is often referred to as stifur work.