Tarrun Fauna [OUTDATED]

Tokus are small, pudgy creatures known for their affectionate demeanor. Originally created by Kymaera Industries, they are animal E.T.O.s designed to be the perfect pets: friendly, intelligent, hypoallergenic, and low maintenance. They require next to no grooming, barely leave footprints, and can eat nearly anything; they were also designed to be completely harmless, even around children.
Tokus are adaptable, curious, and fast learning. They were created mostly from the DNA of sea mollusks and share many traits with squids and cuttlefish, such as light sensitive skin, a tail fin, and chromatophores (the inside of their mouth can rapidly change color as a means of expression). As a result they are sometimes called Cuttlepuppies.


The Kroptyn is a small, playful bird often sold in the pet trade. Males are showy and bright red, while the larger females are comparatively drab and brown. Both sexes are highly vocal and known for their loud, distinct call, which was believed in ancient times to predict disaster. Though content as solitary pets, they are generally much more energetic and long lived when kept with a mate. Breeding pairs are typically inseparable and each bird will follow the other anywhere it goes, even into danger or certain death. As a result, the Kroptyn is viewed as a symbol of eternal love and faithfulness in most parts of the world.


Harou's Gerbil, also known as the Crescent Ear Gerbil, is one of the most popular species of pet in Tarrun. A typical gerbil in most regards, it is small, meek, and fond of digging. It is especially favored for its large, quirky ears and cuteness. Unlike most of its kind, the Harou's Gerbil is nocturnal, burying itself during the day and tunneling at night. It is by no means antisocial, though, and will eagerly interact with any humans who've stayed up to see it.


Agmera are large, carnivorous turtles known to commonly reach weights of 300 lbs or more. The most intelligent of their order by far, Agmera are playful, enjoy chew toys, and can be trained to use the bathroom outdoors. They also have a strong sense of smell and seem to enjoy sweet aromas, especially incense. They can eat most types of meat but are most fond of fish.
Typically Agmera will only bond with one or two people in their lifetime, becoming very loving and protective of their owners. They can be snappy around strangers, though, and should never be kept in households with children. They do, however, make exceptional household guardians. At night Agmera will lodge themselves in doorways to block them, presenting their bullet-proof shell and bone-crushing beak to any burglar foolish enough to try jumping over them.


One of the rarer pets in Tarrun, the Cerissula is a brightly colored spider roughly the size of a man's hand. It is commonly mistaken as an E.T.O. due to the popular myth that it was genetically engineered by scientists to be "less scary" than its predecessors, but in truth it is a totally natural species from the Southern tropics.
In the wild the Cerissula can be found on the similarly colored giant Maldew flower, where it ambushes moths, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Despite its predatory nature the Cerissula is quite placid and has a surprisingly high tolerance to being handled. Like any spider its size it is capable of delivering a fairly painful bite, but due to its mild temperament this is a rare occurrence. Even so, the Cerissula's venom is not meant for mammals and is harmless even to infants.


Mammut Birds are large, domesticated avians kept for their giant eggs and abundant meat. Upright and taller than a man, they have a long range of vision and serve as good lookouts when kept with other farm animals. They are alert and easily startled by nature, but despite their great size rarely stand and fight. They come from a long line of flightless birds and are well suited for running far and fast. Their wings are so vestigial that they can only be seen with an X-ray.


The Slog is a squat, long-bodied mammal with short legs and heavy armor plating. While some wild strains continue to exist in the West, most Slogs today are domesticated farm animals. They are slow moving and dim witted, which makes them easy to manage and care for. In the wild they feed on roots, tubers, and insects by rooting in soft soil and mud- domestic Slogs however are much more indiscriminate and will eat nearly anything.
Strangely, all Slogs seem instinctively wary of the sky and can be instantly panicked by large birds, kites, and low-flying aircraft; in such a state they will drop to the ground and refuse to move for as long as half an hour. It is widely believed that this behavior, as well as their dorsal plating, was evolved to cope with an unknown aerial predator that no longer exists.


The Great Rontu is an immense, herbivorous mammal found in sparse forests and savannahs. It is easily distinguished by the long, bony crest which rests against its back. According to the fossil record the Rontus ancestors were once two-horned beasts; over time their horns grew longer and heavier and eventually fused with each other and the skull itself.
The modern male Rontu uses this growth as a mating display, bowing his head to show off the length and color of his horn. The longer and brighter it is, the more females he will attract. Defeating a rival male in a headbutting dispute is also an effective way of gathering attention.


Carnak Beetles are gigantic, gold-shelled insects found in the Gyrik Desert. Strictly herbivores, they use their imposing mandibles to shred wood and giant cacti. This is not to say they are peaceful, however. Being from such a harsh, unforgiving environment, the Carnaks are extremely territorial and aggressive creatures. Both males and females (separated by their smaller, forward-pointing horn) constantly fight with one another, and any animal wandering into their turf is asking for a conflict.
The only humans exempt from this wrath are the tribal people of Kulma, who have coexisted with the beetles for thousands of years and made a practice of sawing off their horns and using them as mounts.
At night and during bad weather, Carnaks protect themselves by hunkering down and burying their legs into the sand. If covered by a sandstorm, they are proficient enough diggers to reach the surface on their own.


The Sandsnatch is another inhabitant of the Gyrik Desert. An ambush predator, it disguises itself as a patch of ground by burrowing into sediment and exposing its back. Using its eyes and the six heat sensors on its snout, it patiently waits for unsuspecting prey to pass by. To speed the process along it can also employ its tongue- the striped, wiggling organ mimics the look and movement of a snake and draws in smaller predators. When the unsuspecting animal wanders close enough, the Sandsnatch lunges upward and engulfs it in an instant. Though not large enough to swallow an adult human being, their penchant from striking out of nowhere and leaving grievous leg wounds makes them a nightmare for desert travelers.


The Corpse Chipper is a voracious little bug that feeds exclusively on carrion. Normally buried in the dirt with its mandibles concealed inside its thorax, it springs to life as soon as it smells rotting meat. Using its gigantic, saw-like jaws (which can each move independently), it shreds through flesh at an astonishing rate. A living conveyer belt, its powerful digestive system and set of quadruple anuses allow it to excrete as fast as it ingests. Having evolved to deal with the corpses of giant monsters, they make short work of everything else.

Lich Worms are not true worms, but rather a type of plump, leathery-skinned fly larvae that specializes in scavenging dead daikaijuu. They slither along feeding on exposed flesh and skin parasites, all the while secreting a thick, caustic slime from the pores on their sides. Remarkably, the chemical compounds within it are able to deteriorate kaiju skin, softening the otherwise impenetrable hide enough for other worms and scavengers to chew through. As a result, Lich Worms speed up the decomposition process considerably and are a little known but crucial part of Tarrun's ecosystem.


Greigyxes are plant-eating mammals that dwell only in rocky mountain environments. Fast, ornery, and sure-footed, they are no easy prey and can defend themselves well using their bony skullplate and serrated horns. Though well armed to deter their usual predators, the Greigyx in the Goronian Mountain region were nearly wiped out by the sudden appearance of an invasive species. Today only a fraction of them remain, though fortunately a number of healthy populations still exist in other locales.


Kobolts are close relatives of the Greigyx, found in similar but generally colder environments. More social in their behavior, they live in small groups and can communicate with each other using simple signals such as head bobs and tail swishes. On their own Kobolts are very skittish, but in a group they will readily stand their ground by huddling together and lowering their heads, presenting predators with a wall of hardened bone and horn. If attacked from behind they are likely to bolt, but not before lashing out with their long, razor-sharp spurs.

The Yantao is a titanic freshwater turtle with fringed green skin and a thick carpet of algal growth on its back. Blending in perfectly with the bottom, it lurks in rivers and lakes. Preferring relatively shallow water, it ambushes land-bound creatures by suddenly reaching out with its long neck and dragging them underwater. Once its meal is caught, the Yantao will back up into deeper water and drown its victim before tearing it apart. So long as it is not so far below that it's nostrils can't reach the surface, it can remain underwater indefinitely.
Yantaos are capable of moving on land, but usually only do so to cross into richer hunting grounds. Females must also emerge to dig a nest and lay eggs.


Greymarks are lithe, elongated sharks found along the Western coast of Tarrun. More flexible and snake-like than their relatives, they are at ease navigating the rocky bottom and catching prey hiding in underwater caves. Their lightweight build also makes them incredibly fast over short distances. Greymarks feed mostly on fish but are highly opportunistic and will gladly scavenge anything that falls in the water; they are notorious for exploiting shipwrecks and flimsy lifeboats. Though thinner and lighter than most sharks, they are by no stretch of the imagination small: an adult Greymark is typically anywhere between thirty five and forty feet long.


The Vulgrithe were huge, primitive carnivores that invaded the Goronian Mountains almost immediately after the death of Vangar and Aphila. With no competition or predators of their own, they heavily exploited the native ecosystem and caused irreversible damage, nearly hunting the local Griegyx to extinction. They also regularly preyed on human beings and devoured close to a hundred hikers, farmers, merchants and would-be hunters. Over the past ten years, however, their numbers have inexplicably begun to dwindle, and currently it is believed that the Vulgrithe are extinct.


Wretchers are (comparatively) small cousins of the Vulgrithe who are, unfortunately, still very much abundant in their numbers. Highly aggressive and opportunistic, they roam the entire Northern region of Tarrun and hunt cooperatively in packs. They will prey on literally anything, even their own sick and wounded, and are enthusiastic man-eaters. They are also notorious for their bold behavior and tendency to carry disease. Recently they have begun to migrate, growing scarce in their original habitat but appearing much farther South than ever before.