Kiroan Sand Fox

"I don't understand how I lost my coin pouch, it was right here as I was dressing!"

— Fournan, Caravan Master

The Kiroan Desert is well-known for a few of its larger creatures, and how hazardous it is to traverse. Common knowledge amidst residents of the Empire paints the desert as nothing less than a deathtrap, where large predators are all that lives there. The sand hunters and sand drakes may be slightly well-known for being hazards, but there are other creatures which dwell in the sands. The local nomads have domesticated riding animals who dwell on the edges of the desert, and they have many tales about other animals and insects which live in the area. Among these is the sand fox, known for being intelligent, stealthy, and slightly mischievous.

Sand foxes are relatively small, smaller than housecats common around Erisdaire, with a sandy-brown pelt and oversized ears. Sand foxes have paws broader than most animals their size, which have a coating of fur on the underside to protect their paws from hot surfaces. Their small build also helps them run across softer sand which would bog down larger animals, or human-sized beings. During daylight hours, the ears help them stay cool, and also to hear potential predators coming after it. At night, the same pelt also keeps them warm while they hunt prey underneath the sand through hearing their location. Mostly they stick to eating small snakes, insects, and potentially sand hunter larvae should they be fortunate enough to find a nest. However, they have been known to follow caravan routes to pick at whatever refuse was left behind - or whatever might be eating what they cannot.

The nomads have respect and even admiration for sand foxes, but when a scholar attempted to toss food to one they were stopped immediately. "Do not feed them, or they will never leave." Given how caravans traveling through the eastern borders of the desert report seeing increasing numbers of sand foxes loitering about, the sentiment is not lost. Furthermore, it has been proven the small animals have an attraction to shiny objects and a penchant for running off with them to bury in the sand. Similarly, sand foxes will shred leather goods seemingly out of spite for those who ignore them. Scholars suggest it may be a sign of hunger instead, and advise (counter to the nomads) to have some dried meat or berries to offer so the sand foxes won't do too much damage.

Attempts have been made to capture sand foxes and keep as pets, and doing so has proven difficult beyond what most would consider "fruitful". Sand foxes are entirely capable of evading capture, living in the same environment as much larger predators and being adapted to move very quickly over difficult ground. Those who have kept them complain about the smell, the noise, and how anything not made of wood or metal is soon destroyed by these tiny animals. Furthermore, they seem to always escape confinement and return only for food or the company of their keepers. Mentioning the difficulties to nomads usually elicits a reaction of much humor at attempting to keep such an animal captive.

"Leave nothing unattended for long, or you'll pay the fox's price.

— Threxian, Kiroan Nomad

Lifespan

8-12 years