Pörröi

Porroi are plush, fluffy ball-shaped creatures native to Brenias' snowy peaks, their cute and cuddly appearance is a deceptive mask for a vengeful beast. They remember the faces and smells of those who harm them or their kind, be wary to slight a pack of Porroi. This behavior has earned them a bad rep amongst most people as vicious beasts who slaughter any who encounter them, in reality, this is far from the truth, the origin of these rumors was most likely spread by those who had harmed the creatures and found swift retaliation.
  Porroi are a rare sight not because they are endangered, but because they inhabit areas dangerous for most people to trek. Another cause of their rarity is the Porroi breeders among the Dwarves and Askelans who keep their migration and nesting habits a secret, even going so far as to manipulate their migration patterns. This has given both Khun Dun and Askela a jointly held monopoly on the management of the species since they possess the only Porroi populations not present in Brenia, this has allowed them to sell neutered Porroi males, in relatively small batches, to other countries establishing a lucrative market in the North.
  The possession of a Porroi as a pet has become a sort of status symbol over the years in many nations making them a highly sought-after luxury for nobles and their children. The price of a domesticated Porroi would make even a wealthy merchant raise their brow and any wild Porroi, especially females, found on the black market could easily cost the equivalent of Duchy's three years' worth of revenue.

Dossier 58: The Pörröi, Unexpected friends

I have been relentlessy wandering the snowy peaks of the Myrie for days now, trying to trudge my way through thick sheets of snow. I grow hungry but as my luck may have it I spot a flock of birds circling above a nearby ridge, a corpse perhaps maybe my plight is lifted.

As I grow closer I come across a peculiar sight, wild Porroi, who seem to be circling around a dead Bristleback woh appears to have killed one of their kind, vengeful little bastards indeed. As a grow closer I wonder if they have noticied my presence, they have not stopped circling their quarry but seem to have hurried their gait. After a few moments it becomes clear to me that they are definetly aware of my presence but are not wary of me at all, as draw close the Porroi do not let up with their "dance" and seem to peer at me almost if wanting me to join.

I join their dance hoping along with them around the corpse, thinking to myself if I have grown so desperate for sustenance as to frolick around like a child, before I can finish expressing my thoughts the Porroi begin to lay waste to the Bristlebacks corpse tearing trough it with their saw like teeth like a scythe through weeds. I sneak a sizeable piece of meat from the beast, the Porroi paying me no mind, I begin to set camp as I finish cooking my share the Porroi who had long finished devouring their portion whole, press up to me as if curious to what I'm doing.

I give each of them a portion of my share, greedy little bastards, but I guess im one to talk as I ate for free. As I begin to rest for the day the Porroi brush against me for warmth snuggling close with their soft fluffy fur, a welcome thought, maybe they aren't so bad as people think, the little bastards.

- Xerith the Wanderer, Surviving Saera - A book on the wilds of Saera

Basic Information

Anatomy

Porroi are fluffy bipedal mammalian creatures sporting a ball-like shape. Their fur is soft and snow-white akin to their favored icy habitats. They have a set of razor-sharp teeth that are durable and strong enough to bite through stone and solid Arda, a favored delicacy of theirs. Their eyes emit a vibrant, golden-amber glow when encountered in dark spaces, reminiscent of a lively, burning lantern. Porrois' sharp claws help them to tear through potential prey, more importantly, they provide traction through icy, snowy climates and allow them a certain degree of grip in their mountainous habitats. 
  Over time some Porroi begin to sprout metal or rock-like protrusions on their face and heads, whether a result of their unique diet or not these protrusions provide a great deal of extra defense to the creature combined with their fluffy fur to soften blows from a predator or protect them should they fall.

Genetics and Reproduction

by EmperorDrako via Playground AI

Porroi younglings mature very rapidly depending on their feeding cycle this can be anywhere from six to twelve months. What is truly unique is the way they are birthed, Porroi females are exceedingly larger than males, and it is believed that the males go out of their way to "fatten" up their mates. When a female is carrying children she enters a state of hibernation during which she gives birth, but not how one would typically think, the younglings will stay in their mother's belly until they grow enough to eat their way out, a gruesome affair yes, but crucial to the younglings survival. Unfortunately, the mother will not survive this ordeal and will continue to provide for her young even after death, her corpse acting as a pseudo-shelter for the young Porroi.

Ecology and Habitats

Porroi are one of the few creatures that have adapted to the snowy climes of Brenia, they prefer mountainous areas or subterranean expanses such as caves. While native to Brenia most Porroi that people encounter are not the wild ones of Brenia but those either domesticated by the Dwarves of Khun Dun or the Askelan Islanders. There is even said to be a subspecies of the Porroi who have adapted to the Drauma Desert beyond Khun Dun.

Dietary Needs and Habits

The Porroi have a very unique diet, for the most part, they are omnivores which is weird because they lack molars, however, their sharp teeth aren't for devouring meat but for cutting through rocks and stones. Wild Porroi have a peculiar interest in eating Arda stones or solidified Aether, with their powerful teeth and jaws they are able to bite through these sturdy stones with ease.

Behaviour

The Porroi exhibit a variety of interesting behavior patterns chief among them is their ritualistic way of eating, before consuming either prey or Arda a group of Porroi can be seen hopping around their soon-to-be meal as a sort of dance it has been noted that they do not appear hostile to those who approach them during this ritual as thought previously. In fact, it has been said that if one were to imitate their movements that they would allow even a human to join them in their meal if they so wished.
  Another peculiar habit of theirs is the role of male Porroi, males tend to the younglings after birth providing food and acting as guardians even to younglings that are not their own, a very communal society among animals.

Additional Information

Domestication

by EmperorDrako via Playground AI

Domesticated Porroi have over time been altered to have blunter teeth or even develop molars, they have also been bred to have thicker, fluffier fur. There is also a breed of Teacup Porroi the size of a small ball, to cater to the more "refined" taste of nobility.
The Dwarves of Khun Dun bred a special type of Porroi for use in their mines with even more durable teeth, enough to cut Adamantine, these Black Porroi have developed scales, an insect-like abdomen for regulating body heat and processing Arda, and are a closely guarded secret of the Dwarves who keep their spread to a minimum even amongst their own kind.

Scientific Name

Pörröinen Purema

Lifespan

8 years

Average Height

60 cm / 1'9 ft

Average Weight

25-35 lbs / 11.3-15.8 kg