Shithious

The Shithious is a giant monstrous creature that lives in Reakea. They are considered a dangerous predator as well as a kingly hunt due to the high death rate when such hunts are mounted. In fact in the kingdom of Atlaria to hunt one is a requirement for young rulers to undertake to prove themselves worthy. If they should fail then all young hunters are allowed to try for the throne. Many dynasties have ended this way.

Basic Information

Anatomy

They are enormous quadrupedal beasts with a tough leathery skin that is hard to pierce with most metals. It stands on four powerful clawed legs capable of ripping through most armor and can send a grown moan flying across it's cave. It's head and neck are covered in a very think layer of bone with ridge plates and spikes along the top. The underside of their necks are covered in sharp horn like spikes. In addition they have large thick tails that are spiked at the ends making for a highly dangerous weapon.

Genetics and Reproduction

The breeding period for the shithious takes place in the autumn months and gestation lasts about 5 months resulting in the birth of 1-2 pups.

Growth Rate & Stages

They have 3 life stages pup, juvenile, and adult. 

Pup:

After birth the shithious pup stage lasts roughly 6 months, 3 of which are spent on nursing and the last three on growing and adjusting to solid food.

Juvenile:

At the juvenile stage they will stay with their mother and father for an additional 6 months in which they begin to learn how to hunt and survive on their own.

Adult: 

Upon the end of the juvenile period they are chased out of their parent's cave and begin their hunt for a territory of their own. During this time they will find a mate they will spend the rest of their lives with and the two will settle into a cave of their own.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Despite their reputations as monstrous predators, the shithious is actually omnivorous. They subsist on large prey that wanders into their caves or what they can hunt outside at night as well as cave dwelling flora and wild vegetation.

Behaviour

The shithious is a creature that mates for life and has a rather continuous family unit to fill their cave dwellings. This pack mentality, though temporary and ever changing as the pups age and leave to build their own, makes them even more dangerous as even a pup can be a very dangerous opponent when threatened.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

They are only found in the caves of The Shadowed Barrens in Reakea. This makes the ongoing mining effort difficult to maintain.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

While the shithious has not extrasensory capabilities it is worth noting that due to being cave-dwellers they have incredibly good senses of hearing and smell as well as nigh vision. This makes them formidable opponents unless one can lure them outside of their caves.

by MykolaVoid (EtherianWorkshop) on NightCafe

Conservation Status

There are active efforts ongoing to curb the populations of the shithious out of concern for the dangers they pose to mining efforts and expeditions in the area. Less concern are the people of Reakea due to the wild and untamed nature of the area they live.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

They tend to be orange or earthy red in color which can make them hard to see due to the rocky appearance of their skin and the coloration of the caves they call home.

Geographic Distribution

• Akos Canyons