Giant Alpacas

Alpaca of the Spine

Every few moments, a small curly head rises above the backs of a heard of Giant Goats. While not much smaller than the beasts it hides behind, the Giant Alpaca finds safety in the herds of behemoth goats. Its plush fur is beyond valuable in the higher reaches of the Spine of Kallex. It’s fatty meats a delicacy to the predators that find their homes in the cold peaks and warm dens of the higher elevations. A prized creature to all, the Giant Alpaca is one of the most important creatures cared for by the Barbarians of the Spine.
Those that have called the Spine of Kallex home have found their ways to survive in the harsh environment. Long before these men and women became organized in the clans they are today, they kept their own small herds of creatures that could be used for their meat and fur. At first, they tamed the Giant Goats that roamed the high peaks. Then they found the alpacas of the frozen valleys and mingled them with the herds of their goats.
The alpacas mingled with the herds of goats, hidden by the large bodies of the goats. As time passed, the goats took on the role of protectors, shielding their smaller brethren from the larger predators. With the goats as protectors, the Barbarians could use the alpaca for their soft wool, a natural shield from the harsh winters of the Spine.

Basic Information

Ecology and Habitats

Before the alpacas were domesticated by the Barbarians of the Spine of Kallex, they were found most often in the deep, frozen valleys of the higher elevations. These valleys provided shelter from predators as the temperatures there tended to be ten or more degrees colder than the surrounding peaks. They rarely left these valleys, only roaming outside of the valleys in a radius of fewer than five miles.
Once the alpacas were domesticated, their normal habitat followed the movements of the Giant Goat herds. This habitat ranges from the highest peaks of the Spine, high above the frost point, to the deep valleys they had once roamed. The herds roam the length of the Spine throughout the year, searching for greener places as the seasons change.

Additional Information

Domestication

It is unknown when the Giant Alpacas were truly domesticated, but it is assumed that the alpacas were domesticated by the various Barbarian groups in the Spine in the last two thousand years or so. In the earliest years of their domestication, the alpacas were used only by the Barbarians, but in the last two centuries, the Barbarian clans began trading the fleece that came from the alpacas.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

The fleece of the Giant Alpacas is a coveted weaving material due to the weight and warmth that it grants. Skilled weavers turned the fleece into a variety of products that were sold across the Northern Continent.

Giant Alpaca Cria

The cria of Giant Alpaca are often the size of normal alpaca found in Isekai, often standing about three feet at the withers. These cria will grow to be much larger, but will still be smaller than the Giant Goats that offer protection to the alpaca herd.

Geographic Distribution

• Spine of Kallex