Rhinehide

The rhinehide is a magnificent specimen of raw strength and rage. The rhinehide is native to the desert lands to the east, and is often found in groups of three to six. In the wild, these creatures represent an unrivaled territorial power and perception of physical indomitability. The nomadic tribes of the Ballock Desert Lands have long used these hulking creatures as war mounts to protect their caravans and to wage war between rival tribes. Even across the scorching sands, on the Lannai Plateau, these creatures patrol the massive landscape outside the Pick Spires and Grand Souk, commanded by elite veteran warriors trained in mounted combat and experts in animal handling.

Basic Information

Dietary Needs and Habits

Rhinehides are omnivourous creature. While their general preference is for plants, particularly savannah grasses and cacti, rhinehides have been known to scavenge from the carcasses of beast and animals that die under the scorching sun of the Ballock Desert Lands.

Additional Information

Domestication

Rhinehides are fairly difficult to domesticate, but many desert tribes living on the edges of the desert lands have perfected techniques to sway and train these massive beasts to use them as war mounts. While highly territorial, rhinehides are easily swayed into subservience if trained from a young age or if persuaded through persistent reinforcement. Typically, beast masters will use a combination of narcotics to subdue adult rhinehides. The substance is used to get these creatures used to the beast masters and then used in regularity to keep rinehorns sedated. When the substance is lessened, rhinehides quickly reengage with their aggressive and territorial nature, and become hulking masses of rage and destruction as a beast of war.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Rhinehides live almost exclusively on the western rim of the Ballock Desert Lands. The rhinehide survives in the savannah of the western reach of the desert lands, where the landscape begins to shift from mountainous hills to high desert.

Average Intelligence

Rhinehides appear to live on pure instinct and patterned behavior. There does not appear to be any significant intelligence that can be attributed to the rhinehide species.

Lifespan

85 years

Average Height

8.5 - 9 feet

Average Weight

5,070 - 9,230 lbs.

Average Length

12 - 14 feet

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

On average, males and females of the species appear with the same color scheme. The general color scheme matches the pre-desert grasslands in which the species lives, which is to say a largely tan, brown, and dirty yellow skin tone, with highlights of grey armor and sunbleached bone colors.

Geographic Distribution

• Ballock Desert Lands

Discovered by

Heldir Grashem