Creature 807 = Daeodus
This speckled egg is covered in short bristles and occasionally makes faint grunting noises.
Hatchling:
Spoiler
This small creature is shy, but affectionate and very friendly. It reminds you of a piglet, though a little larger, about the size of a small dog by the time it is able to stand freely on its own four legs. Daeodus have grand appetites but thankfully will eat nearly anything. Kitchen staff at the Keep love to have them around for this reason, because as long as they are steered away from more succulent foods, the daeodus will gladly rummage through the garbage for edible scraps. A young daeodus learns quickly, and apart from eating refuse, they can be trained to retrieve magical objects using their keen sense of smell. As hatchlings, they are loyal as any direwolf companion, though they aren't quite fierce enough to warn away dangers. Hatchlings raised in a domestic environment can become household companions, at least for a few years until they grow too large to fit through the door. Around two years of age, juvenile daeodus undergo a rapid growth spurt and start to exhibit their species' less adorable characteristics.
Spoiler
A mature daeodus stands nearly seven feet tall at the shoulder with a three-foot mouth that holds massive, sharpened tusks. They are large enough to eat pretty much anything they regularly come across, and do just that. Daeodus are true omnivores, devouring plants, crops, garbage, small animals, livestock, carrion, people, and even other daeodus. Their ravenous appetites are difficult to sate, and even if they are somehow satisfied, they do not remain full for long. When they are not hunting or foraging, daeodus can usually be found fighting bloody battles with others of their kind. Their thick hide and determination usually prevents lethal injuries, but by the time they are four or five years old, a daeodus is usually covered in scars. Broken teeth, missing eyes, and re-healed bones are not uncommon among wild animals. Despite their stocky build, daeodus can run nearly as fast as a horse for short bursts and turn quickly to snap at prey. A daeodus which has been raised by a person, magical or otherwise, will usually remain affectionate toward that person, even allowing themselves to be pet and fed. They are still aggressive toward most other creatures, especially other daeodus, and must be carefully managed by their owner. Even then, they are not household pets, and require constant training and plenty of food to keep from running rampant.
Spoiler
Daeodus are one of many strange creatures native to the island of Calidis, relatives of the onrosus but much like pigs or boars in their behavior. Like many creatures of Calidis, daeodus grow to immense sizes, large enough even to be ridden – though few would dare ride an adult. Contrary to the popular belief that they are dirty animals, daeodus are actually quite fastidious, spending hours each day rolling in dust baths to keep their bristly coats free of parasites. Daeodus are known to have an excellent sense of smell that can detect magical objects, and for this reason, daeodus were brought to Alveus to search out magi during the magewars. The practice has since subsided, in part because of the danger these creatures pose if not raised properly, but some Alvean farmers still use them to find rare goods such as truffles. A population was also introduced to Foenara some years back, and poses a serious threat to food stores and travelers.
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Creature 808 = Fiorellan Hedgehog
The sharp spines on this egg are almost hidden by soft green moss.
Hatchling:
Spoiler
Midsummer in the garden means colorful, strongly scented flowers and some days it seems as though your fiorellan hoglet is almost drunk on the perfumes that fill the air. Today it is wandering amongst the flower beds and you find yourself trying not to laugh as it slowly staggers back and forth, trying to decide between the scented scarlet blooms of a rose, the heavy perfume of jasmine, or the lingering fragrance of honeysuckle. Your hoglet has been growing quickly, its tiny spines have hardened and now form an adequate defense. Moss has bloomed and spread over the tiny creature as well, and is now nearly long enough to give the illusion that your hoglet is a small mossy pebble instead of a grumpy, spikey ball. As the afternoon continues and your hoglet joins other fiorellans to hunt for crickets among the four-o'clocks, you find yourself wondering why you haven't seen any moss snails recently.
Spoiler
Fiorellan hedgehogs are a common sight around the Keep. While their natural habitat spans from the plains surrounding the Stream north to the city of Synara, the small, moss covered creatures much prefer to move into any well cared for garden. As they are particularly fond of flowers they are as likely to be found hiding amongst the honeysuckle vines in a non magical garden as they are to be chasing Razan orchid hatchlings in the Keep's huge greenhouses. Predators generally do not bother these hedgehogs as the thick green moss that grows alongside their quills tastes quite bitter, this combined with the sharp spines that cover their backs makes for a painful and disgusting mouthful. Magi from the Herbalist's Guild will often find themselves called to collect fiorellan hedgehogs from gardens where they threaten the local moss snail populations. The tiny snails are the favorite crunchy snack of fiorellans and care must be taken to keep them from over eating. Fortunately for the moss snails, fiorellan hedgehogs are usually most active during the daylight hours.
Spoiler
It's rare to see a serious student of potion brewing or herbalism that does not have an array of fiorellan hedgehogs rooting around in the garden. The small prickle-backed creatures are calm natured and curious, and when found snoozing under a favorite flowering bush they are often mistaken for round, moss covered stones. The moss that grows on their backs is used in potions as an antidote for poisons that attack magic, making it especially valuable at the Keep where students have been known to ingest things common sense should have warned against. All fiorellan hedgehogs are drawn to strongly scented flowers, and it's not uncommon to see a standoff between an adult fiorellan and an adult magi over who will get to enjoy a particular flower. Unsurprisingly, it is never the magi.
Yay for new critters!
