Jeweled Gray River Tortoise

It is unknown why or how they are all born with Fire Rubies embedded in the tops of their nearly impenetrable shells, but that seems to just be how they evolved. It certainly helps them in the long run, as they have adapted to use the rubies to boil water in their stomachs which they can spit out in self defense, as they are herbivores. They are good swimmers, but they tend to live on the river side, basking in sunlight and warmth. They are native to southern Ostra, and their shells are used by the Gentolf to make shields, but only if they come across a River Tortoise that is already deceased, as it is considered a sin in Gentolf culture to bring harm to one. Though they are unable to speak, it is widely believed that the River Tortoise is a very wise creature. Aside from the mating season, they spend most of their time in their shells absorbing sunlight into their rubies, alone.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Beyond the pyromancy-imbued gem that forms within their shells, the grey river tortoise is standard biologically. They are theorized to be a cousin of the Galapagos Tortoise, sharing a similar size and life span. However, they are much more tolerant of water. Because of the heat energy the gem produces, they must periodically bath to cool down the temperature of their shells. This gem becomes useful when they swallow large quantities of water and boil it, spitting it out at predators. To do so, they have evolved to have temperature resistant stomachs and throats.

Ecology and Habitats

The river tortoise rarely enters the river itself, but spends its lifetime on the river bank. As a tortoise, they do not have any swimming skills, and are in fact too heavy to swim, so they only ever wade into the water to cool off.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Like any tortoise, the grey river tortoise is an herbivore, subsisting mostly on grasses and the rare fallen fruit.