Raezzar
Raezzar are large predators native to Varos, known for their solitary hunting style and impressive strength. Of note, there is at least one Raezzar that roams the Burning Wastes, and has been spotted by Mining Team 6 on several occasions.
Basic Information
Anatomy
The average Raezzar stands over 20 ft. tall, and are often over 15 ft. when measured from head-to-tail. Similar to the gorillas of Castrovel, Raezzar will run on all four limbs, but their physical structure makes it advantageous to fight on two legs, often swiping at enemies with their meaty paws. While Raezzar have sharp teeth, they prefer to smash their prey, usually during an initial charge of their bone-plated foreheads. Like most creatures on Varos, Raezzar are highly-resistant to heat, and can wander the planet's surface without harm.
Genetics and Reproduction
One of the most coveted pieces of information sought about the Raezzar is its breeding pattern, as a female has never been spotted. Raezzar children have been seen with their fathers during their early years, but usually find new hunting grounds upon reaching new hunting grounds. Those who don't end up trying to steal their sire's, which is always a fight to the death. Given the limited ideal hunting grounds on Varos, this has kept the population of the Raezzar in check, although this has been slightly altered due to the mining operations of the Brethedan Bureau of Prisons.
Growth Rate & Stages
Raezzar take twelve years to reach full adulthood, but are as tall as a grown Human male at birth. Over the years, xenobiologists have found that the size of a Raezzar is an unreliable marker of age, and instead rely on the size of the creature's forehead plate. While minuscule during the first four years of life, the plate grows to dominant the Raezzar's face by their eighth year, and continues to grow and harden throughout their lifetime.
Ecology and Habitats
Raezzar prefer the hottest portions of Varos' surface, and prefer to make their nests as high up as possible - usually on cliffs or volcanic peaks. While they can survive in colder areas like the Smog Pit, these areas lack easy prey, and thus these predators roam elsewhere. With the exception of Rastelviri, Raezzar are the top of the food chain on Varos, and can radically change the behavior of other creatures in their hunting grounds.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Raezzar are strict carnivores, and feed upon practically every other creature that lives on Varos. The Igxual are perhaps their greatest source of food, due to the species' impressive litter size and breeding rate. While Raezzar were not known to eat sentient life in the past, this has changed as the number of mining teams on Varos increases, and the creatures get a taste for alien blood.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Raezzar have two sets of eyes - one pair that look forward, and another that look to either side. This gives the Raezzar an impressive field of vision, and makes them difficult to sneak up on. While detailed study of the creatures have proved difficult, xenobiologists believe that the Raezzar is incapable of smell, and instead has hyper-focused hearing and vibration-sensing capabilities.
Lifespan
80 years
Average Height
20 ft.
Average Weight
14 tons
Average Length
15 ft.
Geographic Distribution
Comments
Author's Notes