Naipirs

Only dependent on the unreliable grasses of the Kabesh, the Naipirs existence was simple and safe from any predators... until the Sensarets arrived. Easy to hunt and practically defenseless, Naipirs soon came close to extinction from the unrivaled abilities of their newcomers. As time passed, more and more Naipirs grew in-tuned to the empathic communication of the Sensarets until they were able to sense the approach of their hunters altogether, this eventually evolving to the point that a Naipir could alter a Sensaret's emotional perception of their prey. Naipirs became invisible and forgotten, but hungry for a food more satisfying than grasses. As Sensarets conquered the Kabesh and established their communities, predator and prey exchanged roles, and Naipirs stayed close to satisfy a new, unintended need; the taste of refined, complex emotions.

Basic Information

Anatomy

At two feet tall and barely four feet long, Naipirs are one of the smallest animals that survive as well as they do. They are heavy for their size however, rotund due to the three stomachs they need to constantly digest enough grass to live, stubby legs surprisingly adept at keeping themselves in a constant state of grazing. Their brown skin is speckled with dark patches and fine dusky hairs. A thick trunk hangs from their face to the ground, agile enough to tear out the grass for them to eat.

Genetics and Reproduction

Naipirs don't have the energy to search for a mate so often simply pair up with whoever is nearest. Pregnancy is only five months, the litter of five or six almost immediately left to their own devices. Commonly, at least two will die upon being unable to follow and suckle from their mother. In recent years however, Naipirs have begun to react unusually towards mating and rearing their young, likely as a result of having fed upon the emotions of Sensarets for so long.

Growth Rate & Stages

A Naipir feeds upon their mother's milk for up to a year, although they often take to the Kabesh's grass before then. Despite being so young, Naipirs have a grasp of how to interfere with the Sensarets' empathic network from birth, slowly becoming more addicted to all the emotions they detect as they age. Sexual maturity happens around sixteen months with Naipirs fully grown around the same time.

Ecology and Habitats

The Kabesh savannah has been the homeland of Naipirs for millions of years, they miraculously surviving despite how many giant beasts have come and gone through their habitat. Although the Kabesh grasses lack much nutritious value, Naipirs have been eating it for so long that they are unable to consume anything else. As Naipirs are half the height of the savannah grass, they leave little visual impact upon their environment due to how their trunks avoid tearing up the grass from the root.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Naipirs live on the hardy grass of the Kabesh, its low nutritional value keeping them slow and sleepy. The sudden dependence upon Sensarets and their empathic connections is unclear, likely developing from the moment a Naipir experienced the intense emotions their brain had never had the energy to create. Since then, Naipirs have never strayed too far from a Sensaret settlement.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

The high grass of the Kabesh has meant that Naipirs have always had to rely on sound or smell to find one another. Since their encounters with the Sensarets, they gradually evolved a similar form of empathic sensing, if more basic. Naipirs are only able to feel the emotions of Sensarets and not communicate their own feelings. It was from feeding on the Sensarets' awareness of Naipirs that they were able to remain hidden in plain sight for centuries.