Badass Bookworm
Narrak
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: Create a fun critter for Tygara. The Narrak fills the role of a large herbivore to replace the role of deer or buffalo.
- Image Credit: Here.
- Canon: N/A
- Permissions: N/A
- Links: Tygara , Vashyada , Qadiri, Khaimari , Lands and Features of Tygara, Spine Tree, Yazgid, Arkas, Ghoush, Partuz, Tylania,
- Name: Narrak
- Designation: Non-sentient
- Origins: Tygara
- Average Lifespan: 8-12 years. Narrak in captivity can last longer.
- Estimated Population: Planetary. Found mostly in Yarkul and the southern plains of Zhukathis. Scattered populations are found in Ajustra.
- Description: The Narrak is a quite large herd herbivore of considerable importance to the inhabitants of Tygara. To cope with the colder climates they live in, the Narrak has long, thick fur, and fatty reserves which can last it through cold winters. Its head is crowned by impressive horns for both male and females. These are used for defence and for males and females to compete for mating. Their legs are quite stubby and end in hooves well adapted for picking a path through rough ground or over snowy sections.
- Breathes: Type I
- Average Height of Adults: ~1.5m
- Average Length of Adults: ~2m
- Skin color: Pinkish under the fur.
- Hair color: The Narrak's fur is usually of a brownish or russet colour which darkens as they mature. Males tend to have more reddish fur.
- Distinctions: Narrak in southern Zhukathis have adapted to a life in more scattered woodlands and plains rather than the dense forests of Yarkul. For this reason, they have adapted to form larger herds for protection and to migrate more over the larger territories. These animals also have less thick fur as it is warmer.
As animals mature their fur becomes darker. It starts as a rather pale brown or red (for males) and ends as a deeper brown and almost maroon colour. - Races: Those in Zhukathis are adapted to the open plains and scattered woodlands, as well as warmer climate.
- Force Sensitivity: Non-Sensitive
- Horns. The horns of the Narrak are long and curved. They are extremely dangerous and can pierce flesh and light armour easily. These horns are used by the Vash for trophies or ceremonial weapons.
- Heavy. An adult Narrak can easily reach several hundred kilograms. When angered or startled, the Narrak's charge can put all that force at considerable speed with their horns into lethal effect.
- Useful. The Vash and Qadiri have come to depend on the Narrak for its meat, furs, hide and horns.
- Survivable. Narrak survive in the dense forests and wide plains of southern Tygara. They endure cold and hunger well, and can eat practically anything plant based. The Narrak raises a calf every year, so their numbers remain strong and even hardships
- Dim. The Narrak, like the Ghoush of the more tropical regions of Tygara is rather stupid. They are difficult to train and for limited reward. They are easy to trick and trap in hunts.
- Vulnerable. Weapons, even conventional ones like spears and bows, are effective against the Narrak. It takes effort to bring one down, but it can be done. Modern weapons such as blasters have even less trouble piercing their hide.
- Stubborn. The Narrak is stubborn, mulish in its intransigence and very hard to train. This means that although they are used as pack animals but are hard to control and keep contained.
- Prone to Startling. Fire, loud noises, Partuz, sudden movements, the colour orange, etc, all these can cause the Narrak to become startled. When startled the animal is liable to bolt and/or lash out at those around it.
- Diet: Mostly Herbivore. The Narrak can eat practically any plant, from leaves to roots, to bark. They often use their horns to scrape the bark off the large trees in the Yarkul forests and eat the bark. The Narrak will on occasion eat grubs and insects but this is usually accidental.
- Communication: The Narrak communicates through a mixture of scent and vocalisations. These take the form of lowing, grunts and growls.
- Technology level: N/A
- Religion/Beliefs: N/A
- General behavior: The Narrak tends to operate in a herd of 6-8 in Yarkul, and up to 12 in Zhukathis. As a general rule the Narrak are not aggressive, but will react fiercely if their young are threatened or the herd is attacked. Competition for mates is an area of fierce struggle for both males and females. Unusually, there is strong competition between the males and between the females to prove who is the most suited. This can occasionally mean that a male Narrak might prove his strength but be unsuitable for the female, or vice versa.
A mother gives birth to a calf after nearly a year, and the calves stay with the herd for 5-6 years to grow before being able to breed. At this point males will head off to find another herd to work with, whilst the females breed and help raise calves.
Narrak will react to threats by forming a wall of muscle and horns and bellowing loudly. If this doesn't work the males and some of the females will charge forward to drive off the threat. It is this behaviour which makes them quite easy to trick and trap by Vash and Qadiri hunters.
The Narrak have been a feature of Vashyada and Qadiri life ever since these species moved into areas with the animal. It is theorised that the Narrak once were one species and when Yarkul split from Zhukathis millions of years ago it separated them into separate factions.
Regardless of the truth of this, the earliest records from both the Vash and the Qadiri in these southern lands mention the Narrak. This animal has long been vital to the continued survival especially of the Vash. Thus, the use and the protection of this species is a critical priority for the Vashyada. In the time before the planet's contact with the galaxy, the Vash absolutely relied on the Narrak for many things such as meat, hides, water bladders and even parchment. A successful hunt could ensure a clan would survive a hard winter, whilst a failure to bring one home could cause great concern.
The Partuz, the giant spider-like creatures living in Yarkul, would at times hunt Narrak, or pick off the weak and old. To do this they would use their web spinning to attempt to blind or trip a Narrak so they could get in and poison it with their venom. This was a delicate balance though, as an enraged Narrak could crush a Partuz under hoof if it caught it. When the Vash domesticated the Partuz they adapted the animal's tactics to their own ends. With this they could hurl down spears and arrows into the Narrak, then drop down to finish them off.
Xioquo and Qadiri slaver raids on Yarkul happened at times, and when they did, they would often seek to target the Narrak. If the raiders could kill or make off with the animals the Vash might become desperate and come out to fight.
When people from off-world came to Tygara initially there was little impact from them, but then hunters came to poach the Narrak. Often these hunters would use blaster rifles and take only the horns, leaving the bodies to rot, and threatening local Vash clans with starvation. The Vash's efforts to protest to Firemane and the Eldorai seemed to be coming to nothing, so the Vash would drive off these hunters instead. If a warning would not work, an arrow in the neck would. When Firemane enforcers attempted to arrest the Vash responsible they found only stony silence and resistance.
When the war to free the planet from Firemane's tyranny began, one of the major reasons behind the Vash support of the rebels was this lack of care of the Narrak and their refusal to treat the Vash's environmental concerns seriously.
The Narrak is a vital part of Tygara, and provides the Vash and many Qadiri with much of what they need to survive. In addition to this they are a curious animal with many interesting uses even outside of hunting.
