Dikeras

Dikeras are the two-horned equine cousins of the well-known horse. They are found in most of the world, though not native to most of the world. They are valued as riding and companion animals, but have been hunted for their horns.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Dikeras are largely equine in form, with the standard four hooved limbs, mane and tail, etc.

Their definiting feature is the two horns growing just in front of their ears. These horns can be anywhere up to two feet in length. Typically, dikeras horns grow in some variety of spiral, though the odd strain of straight-horned individuals has been seen (it is believed to be genetically recessive). Horns can be smooth or ridged.

Dikeras are single-toed ungulates, and have one solid hoof at the end of each leg. They are known for having thick and long manes and tails, and lots of feathering regardless of type.

Genetics and Reproduction

Like their other equine counterparts, dikeras reproduce sexually, requiring a male and a female individual. They bear live young, and it is a single birth 85% of the time. Twins are seen 10% of the time, and triplets are seen 5% of the time. Unlike horses, dikeras seem to have evolved to have successful multiple births - multiples are born smaller, and take longer to physically mature. The gestation period for the dikeras is about 375 days, or about nine and a half of this world's months.

Growth Rate & Stages

Dikeras foals are born able to walk and run within hours like their horse counterparts, but they mature slightly slower. They will nurse for a full two years, though in the second year they will also begin to graze and eat solid foods. They are not physically mature until well into their third year, and in the case of twins or triplets, sometimes their fourth year.

They develop their horns as slowly as their bodies. For the first three years of their life, dikeras have stubby baby horns which will reach the length of about their ears at maximum. These baby horns are covered in a fine fuzz. Once the dikeras reaches physical maturity, they will shed this pair of baby horns (after a period of great itchiness!) and begin to grow their adult pair of horns, which can take up to a year. Their adult horns are permanent, and will not grow back if lost or damaged.

Because of their slow growth, the first four years of a dikeras' life have all been named by those who study and domesticate them. They are yearlings for the first year, and dyadlings for the second. They become weanlings in their third year after they are done nursing, and finally itchlings in their fourth year, as a reference to their horn-shedding stage.

Once they reach physical and horn maturity between the ages of 5 to 7, dikeras generally change very little until they are very elderly, at which time they may shed one or both of their horns naturally and painlessly. Once that has happened, it is very hard to tell them from horses at a distance, but they retain a calloused area where the base of their horn once was.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Dikeras are mostly herbivores, but prefer a more varied diet than horses, frequently adding bark, fruit and vegetables if they can find them, and mushrooms and fungi to their diet. They have been known to be insectivores, especially during times of growth and gestation.

Behaviour

Like most similar animals, dikeras are herd animals. They do not like to live alone. Herd size varies greatly between habitat. Dikeras have shown a definite preference in mates, and will generally stay with a mate for several cycles, though they do not necessarily mate for life.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Dikeras from the plains can live in herds with 50 to 100 individuals. Some desert and forest herds have been known to reach 50, though they are generally more around 15-20, likely due to scarcity of resources in the desert and cramped quarters in the forest. Mountain herds, in contrast, might be as few as 3-5 individuals, though the average is 8-10.They form very strong familial bonds within their herds, and lone dikeras do not generally live long or prosper. Young dikeras usually leave their herd once their horns are grown in, around 5 or 6, and join a herd of other young males or females of their gender until they are 8-10 before joining a herd of adults. They show recognition of friends and family even decades after separating, and there is some evidence that they travel to see other groups of known dikeras.

Domestication

Dikeras are marginally more intelligent than horses. Dikeras, for instance, can be counted on not to disastrously overeat if presented with too much good feed, unlike horses. They make excellent and loyal companions if they are treated well, but hold a grudge if they are not, and there is a marked difference between domestically-raised dikeras and wild-caught dikeras. It takes a special skillset and a lot of patience to domesticate a wild-caught dikeras...or the magical ability to speak to animals. Domesticated dikeras are less flightly than their wild counterparts, and can be almost more predator-like than prey-like within a couple of generations. It is harder to breed dikeras than horses, because they can be picky about whether they will mate with another individual in a way that horses are not.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Domesticated dikeras are used as riding and pack animals, but also as guardians for other livestock. They are fiercely protective of 'their' herd, and willing to adopt groups of other animals as their herd. They are hardier than horses and less likely to run away, dump you (on accident), or get hurt doing somethind stupid.

They have, however, been exploited for their horns. The horn of the dikeras is used in more than a few spells and potions, and the core tends to be a beautiful opalescent or shiny version of the outside color that makes very beautiful jewelry. It does not hurt a dikeras physically to remove their horn, but it leaves them without one means of defending themselves. The bigger issue is that those who poach wild dikeras for their horns are rarely careful, and since the animals will fight horn harvesting, often end up injuring or killing the animal in the process. It is a grave crime to harvest dikeras horn in Mare'n, and illegal in Delryn, meaning the only ethically sourced dikeras horn in Westra is shed from foals and the elderly. In Austra, it is less restricted, though many individuals believe the same way that the Westrans do.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Dikeras are native to the continent of Westra, but humans who traveled to Austra took the dikeras with them, and over time herds of escaped or released dikeras populated 'wild' herds across that continent as well. They are found on Ryold and Saman only as domesticated animals, and are not found on Oskksul in any meaningful number.

Dikeras

pronounced die-KER-ahs

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Lifespan

60 Years

Conservation Status

Common

Average Height

15.0-16.0 hands (Plains & Desert Dikeras)
13.0-15.0 hands (Forest & Mountain Dikeras)

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Dikeras come in almost all shades of brown, tan, black, and gray. They have color genetics incredibly similar to horses, including paint and appaloosa genes. Different colorations are more common in different types of dikeras.

Dikeras horns are usually some variation of their body color, and they do seem to inherit these colors from their parents. Often their horns match their hooves. They have a natural pearlescence. They can be lighter or darker than the dikeras' body colors.

Geographic Distribution

• Austra
• Westra

Plains Type

Plains type dikeras are found most commonly in Mare'n, or a few sections of Austra. They have a medium body type and are the largest of the dikeras. Most domesticated strains have quite a lot of plains dikeras in them.

Height

14-16 hands

Common Colors

Bays, Blacks, and Chestnuts. May come in pinto. Occurance of the cream and dun gene are common, so there are duns and palominos.

Forest Type

Forest type dikeras are found primarily in the jungle islands of Mare'n, but can be found occasionally in other places. They are the middle size between Plains/Desert dikeras and the small Mountain dikeras. They are slimmer and leaner than Mountains and Plains dikeras.

Height

14-15 hands

Common Colors

Forest type dikeras come in all colors. This is where you are likely to find appaloosa colorations and other spots, including a large amount of very prominent dapples.

Mountain Type

Mountain type dikeras are found all over Delryn and Austra, where mountains are common. They are some of the most common dikeras. They have a medium body type but are short and hardy.

Height

13-14.3 hands

Common Colors

Mountain type dikeras are usually black or chestnut, with almost no occurance of the gene that causes bay. They are often pintos, and this is the type of dikeras where gray is most common found. There are some known to have genes which cause a flaxen or blonde appearance.

Desert Type

The most rare type of dikeras are found in the desert of The Brilliant Empire, and they are very few in number. They have evolved for desert living and are slim, fast, and hardy.

Height

14-16 hands

Common Colors

Only come in solid colors. Chestnuts are most common with bay and black occurring and a large number of individuals with cream and champagne type mutations. No dun is present.

Images in this article are made in Heroforge.