Kuzkuz

I just don't understand why anyone would want one. They stink, they look stupid, and they spook easy, which leaves you with a dead fake and the need to locate an invisible lizard. I'd rather have a pet rock.

— Gulshan the Traveler

Kuzkuz have the strangest self defense mechanism ever witnessed in Iouran. When threatened, they simultaneously teleport a short distance away, become invisible, and create an illusion of their own corpse in their previous location. That oddity plus the ability to project minor telepathic sensations plus extreme rarity make these a popular pet among those who can afford them.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Kuzkuz look like the inelegant design of a young child asked to invent a lizard. Their four tiny legs bend at odd angles, their eyes bulge, and the downward quirk of their mouths makes them appear perpetually worried. (To be fair, their demeanor suggests they actually^drink! are.) Mottled dull greens make up their uneven hides, and glands situated in both the corners of their jaws and the cloaca emit a powerful musk.
In the center of their foreheads sits a growth that resembles a gem. Males' gems tend toward fiery colors while females have a cooler spectrum of blues and purples. Additionally, the male's gem is more horn-shaped, and females have a flatter, oblong growth.
They average 6-8 inches long from nose to tail. The longest ever recorded was nearly 12 inches.

Genetics and Reproduction

Kuzkuz are egg laying creatures, excavating dirt mounds to nest. Females create several mounds, but lay eggs in only one of them. They then guard the nests from a short distance away, and the incubation period sees a change in the kuzuz's normal protective teleportation magic. Rather than teleporting herself and becoming invisible while leaving behind and illusory corpse, her protective powers transfer to her eggs. If a predator digs them up, she teleports them to a nearby empty nest.

Ecology and Habitats

Kuzkuz are found only in one cave on Haven Skerry, which the most widely accepted map of the area dubs Calitai's Sanctum. It is a gorgeous secluded space with a cold, crystal clear lake in the shade of an enormous cavern. The wide cave mouth allows in enough light to allow for thriving flora.

Additional Information

Facial characteristics

Bulging eyes
Small, sharp teeth
Gem-like horn
Constantly worried expression

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Calitai's Sanctum, Haven Skerry

Average Intelligence

Presumed low.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Kuzkuz have acute night vision. Their eyes can move independently. They also have an excellent sense of smell, accomplished both through nostrils on their faces and pores along their flanks. While it is well known that they can transmit simple emotions and sensations, it is only speculation that they also receive empathic impressions.

Lifespan

12-15 years

Conservation Status

A less than good-natured debate over the sentience of the cat-like jaqats that live on Haven Skerry divides natural philosophers and scholars.Those who argue in support cite the commitment with which the creatures protect the kuzkuz, threatening anyone who attempts to capture the timid lizards. Kuzkuz themselves offer no threat whatsoever to their hunters, but more than one intrepid merchant looking to make some money off the rare pet has instead ended up a jaqat's dinner. Interestingly, those who have come simply to observe the kuzkuz find that jaqats follow them everywhere, but do not attack.
The point being that the jaqats might be conserving the species.

Average Weight

.5 - .75 lbs

Average Length

6-8 inches

Average Physique

Dumpy.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Mottled green, sometimes with watery stripes