A I: Moles

Written by Neons-Mindrealm

Moles
Burrowing Beasts of Alterna I: The Lands of Paradise

Origins:

Tracing back to the last years of Narcana's Throne War of Origin Race, it is believed that through the controlled possession of Fallen Spirits, a similar but docile creature was forcefully evolved into this burrowing predator. In order to aid the failed assault on Sovera.

Current Habitat:

These large burrowing predators prefer rich and semi-solid soil as their resting place and hunting ground. Which makes the remaining fields of the Evergreen Veldt their current home on the Lands, just like it was back on Narcana.
Where they live entirely encased in the surrounding earth. As with their unique digging technique, they do not create any tunnels, but simply seem to slowly swim through the ground, moving any soil directly behind them.

Average Size / Height:

On average, Moles reach a height of up to 2.2 meters tall, with a body length of around 3.5 and a bulky width of approximately 2 to 2.8.

Diet:

Feeding on nearly everything they can find, Moles count as predatory omnivores, with a very slow metabolism.
Although they mostly just feed on various kinds of root vegetables, occasionally they also ambush living prey that happens to wander across their burrowed forms.
But after the consumption of an entire creature, Moles usually just fall into a food coma like state, where they simply burrow themselves again, and remain unmoving for at least a couple of days.

Physical Appearance:

Evolved to an optimized life underground, the large and bulky body of a Mole is covered entirely with a short and dense fur. To not only protect it from the constant soil abrasion, but also enhance its already sensitive skin, whilst simultaneously enabling it to be able to see quite clearly through mere vibrations in the ground.
Due to this unique way of perceiving their environment, as well as their encased underground habitat, Moles do not possess any eyes, ears, or a nose.
And besides their two shorter hind legs and angled front legs, with 4 broad spade like claws each, optimized for digging effortlessly through semi-solid ground, the only other appendage a Mole possesses is a head which seamlessly connects to their bulky body.
On their upper jaw, Moles have an underdeveloped line of small, cone like teeth, which in most cases aren't used for anything, as they mostly do not chew, but simply swallow their food whole.
Their lower jaw, however, shows quite the strong underbite. With an array of multiple big, spade like fangs, similar to their claws, but much more narrow. As well as two even larger fangs on the corners of their jaw, which almost reach as high as their body is tall.
The main use of these terrifying fangs is both to shield the Mole from dirt, and incoming attacks when forced above ground, as well as for a swift and deadly ambush. Where the Mole just shoots up from beneath the earth, and impales its prey on its large fangs.

Behavior and Social Structure:

From the very moment they hatch, Moles are purely solitary creatures, who actively avoid contact with their kind, as they aimlessly burrow through the rich soils of their plain habitat.
The only time they do seek out others of their kind is during mating season. For which they build small and temporary caves underground, which afterwards collapse and bury the laid egg deep within the soil.
Regarding their behavior towards other species, they appear to be mostly passive, except when they feel the vibration of a creature walking right over their burrowed form.

Role in the Food Chain:

Even though Moles aren't active hunters, they are considered a form of apex predator, in the Evergreen Veldt's vast open fields.
With their unique burrowing technique, that doesn't leave behind any clear signs above ground, to announce their presence beneath.
And brutally sudden ambushes, able to even put down larger prey with just a single strike.
However, once they have come above ground, after ambushing their prey, there is a noticeable timeframe in which a Mole becomes extremely vulnerable, even to smaller predators. As due to their lack of eyes, and reliance on sensing vibrations in the ground to see, Moles completely lose their spacial awareness, until they burrow themselves up again, to either flee or ready up for another ambush.
Which Wyvern, and other large airborne predators, are often seen to be taking advantage of. By diving to the ground and running a few steps, before taking flight again, in order to safely lure out Moles from beneath. And turn this ambushing predator into an ambushed prey.

Special Abilities and unique Physical Traits:

Adapted to a life underground, Moles not only possess optimized, spade like claws and fangs, as well as short, dense fur to protect them from soil abrasion. But also a primal level of Channeling, which enables them to channel the little arcane energy they can find underground directly into oxygen. And store it for up to a few hours inside a special air sack, located right between their lungs.
Due to their slow metabolism, though, they need to take long rests whenever they have finished refilling their air sacks through Channeling. As with their lower heart rate and slow flowing blood, even primal levels of Channeling can heat up their bodies drastically, and cause severe damage to happen, if not taken the time to cool back down.

Additional Insights:

Since Moles count as predatory omnivores, who seem to prefer to feed on various kinds of root vegetables, they often appear as quite dangerous nuisances, for farmers all over the Lands' Evergreen Veldt. And have basically taken up a permanent slot in the Guilds hunting quest category.
For adventurers who are either brave or crafty enough, to hunt these large, burrowed traps.