Dobhar-chú
Pronounced Doo-War-Coo
Basic Information
Anatomy
Dobhar-chú are long slender mustelids, largely resembling their mundane cousins, the Kornôgel river otter, save for their distinctive colouring and massive size. Dobhar-chú have long, broad faces, resembling an otter with slightly canine features. Their long tails end in a distintive tuft.
Biological Traits
Genetics and Reproduction
Territorial possession is only held against members of the same sex, but the territory of a male and female Dobhar-chú commonly overlaps, with the female's territory entirely within the male's. Mating typically occurs in the water, but is not constrained to a particular season.
Dobhar-chú pups are born in litters of one to four, and are reliant on their mother for about a year.
Ecology and Habitats
The Dobhar-chú resides near fresh water sources, such as lakes, rivers, canals and pools. While they can swim in salt and brackish water, they prefer fresh, using it to constantly clean their fur. They will typically claim a stretch, depending on the width of the water, between 1 and 40 km, with shorter territories being centers on large lakes or the seacoast. Dobhar-chú are migratory, moving between different sources of water throughout the year when hunting becomes scarce or they are threatened.
Dobhar-chú reside in a den called a holt, accessible only via a submerged passage. The interior of this space is larger on the interior, a natural pocket of Faerie similar to spaced created with Silverkeys. This makes locating the holt of the Dobhar-chú excpetionally difficult, as they can hide in spaces smaller than should be able to support them, such as within half-submerged tree trunks or rocky outcroppings.
Dietary Needs and Habits
The primary diet of the Dobhar-chú consists of fish and waterfowl, but it can attack and eat larger prey as well, including deer, dogs, cattle and Bediz. These latter are usually driven by opportunity, rather than seeking them out, or a result of the territorial Dobhar-chú defending its area. Dobhar-chú are nocturnal hunters.
Behaviour
Dobhar-chú are aggressively territorial, with a mating pair living alone in an area around a lake or a stretch of water.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Dobhar-chú mate for life, sharing territory and often hunting as a pair.
Of exceptional note is the actions taken by a Dobhar-chú at the death of its mate. When it is killed, the Dobhar-chú will let out a whistle-like death cry, capable of traveling across several kilometers in all directions. Killing a Dobhar-chú will earn the vengeance of its mate, driven by an all-consuming by an ere-hud to avenge the death of the first.
Uses, Products & Exploitation
The pelt of the Dobhar-chú is exceptionally prized for its durability, softness and magical adaptability, which makes it a potent talisman for the storage and manipulation of the Hud.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Dobhar-chú primarily rely on sight and touch while hunting, but arc capable of detecting scents underwater, making them exceptionally skilled hunters in their preferred environment.
Average Length
3.0 - 4.6 meters
Average Physique
Dobhar-chú are exceptionally fast over land, and supernaturally so under water, clearing the entire body of water they have claimed in a matter of seconds, traveling through warped pockets of Faerie to close the distance at incredible speeds, especially when responding to their mate's death cry.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Dobhar-chú commonly have a grey-white pelt, with black ear tips and a distinctive cross-like pattern of black fur on their back.
When submerged in murky waters, their white fur appears to be a darker grey, allowing them to blend in easily.
Geographic Distribution
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