Woolly Donkeys
Dalran: Iripekat
Woolly donkeys1 are among the most important domesticated animals used in the empire of Dalra, particularly as pack animals and a source of wool, milk and meat. They are descendants of emlatine mountain donkeys, a subspecies of wild donkeys found throughout southeastern Emlas, northwestern Orrs in Túlmikkía and the Isin Isthmus connecting the two continents.
Woolly donkeys are mostly used at higher altitudes within the empire, while other donkeys (descendants of emlatine desert donkeys) are raised in the lowlands, where the former would suffer in the warmer climate.
Because of their importance, donkeys (woolly or not) are generally treated much better in Dalra than in many other countries in Gætíus' World, and any implication of one being cruel to the animals is considered a grave insult among Dalrans.
Woolly donkeys1 are among the most important domesticated animals used in the empire of Dalra, particularly as pack animals and a source of wool, milk and meat. They are descendants of emlatine mountain donkeys, a subspecies of wild donkeys found throughout southeastern Emlas, northwestern Orrs in Túlmikkía and the Isin Isthmus connecting the two continents.
Woolly donkeys are mostly used at higher altitudes within the empire, while other donkeys (descendants of emlatine desert donkeys) are raised in the lowlands, where the former would suffer in the warmer climate.
Because of their importance, donkeys (woolly or not) are generally treated much better in Dalra than in many other countries in Gætíus' World, and any implication of one being cruel to the animals is considered a grave insult among Dalrans.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Woolly donkeys are hardy animals, able to withstand frequent rains and often harsh winters while able to survive on tougher plants and less water than most dalran horses. They are also more sure-footed in rougher terrain than the latter, and less likely to wander off to dangerous places.
The length and quality of the wool varies between breeds, though its always thicker than the fur on their lowland cousins. The finest wool comes from a rare breed known as silk donkeys, both of which belong exclusively to the Hap (emperor) himself, and clothes woven from this material are considered among the most precious gifts one can receive.
The length and quality of the wool varies between breeds, though its always thicker than the fur on their lowland cousins. The finest wool comes from a rare breed known as silk donkeys, both of which belong exclusively to the Hap (emperor) himself, and clothes woven from this material are considered among the most precious gifts one can receive.
Additional Information
Domestication
Woolly donkeys first appeared during late bronze age, long after mundane donkeys had been domesticated in Túlmikkía, and not long after the people of the Zamra Mountains had been introduced to the latter.
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Woolly donkeys are invaluable for life up in the mountains as beasts of burden, and also provide wool, milk, meat and skins. Dried donkey meat is the most common kind of meat eaten by commoners in the highlands, and forms a part of soldiers' rations along with dried fish and freeze-dried potatoes, while the milk is used in yogurt, traditional medicine or fermented into an alcoholic beverage.
1Original icelandic: ullhærðir asnar, singular: ullhærður asni.
by Lappalingur
Origin/Ancestry
Southeastern Emlas
Lifespan
15-20 years
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
The most common colours are white, black, grey and various shades of brown. Most breeds have a darker dorsal stripe and another across the shoulders.
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