Sloveniskan Forest Derse

Another species from my Sloveniskan Flora and Fauna (well, really just fauna) series! This is the forest derse, a predominate herbivorous prey species on the drakoon continent. There's a lot more stuff on them than what is listed here and you can learn more on my Tumblr where I posted more notes -> rosannapbrost.tumblr.com/post/…


Some basic stuff here though:

Sexual dimorphism for this species is kind of still on the drawing board. I know the females are smaller than the males but I don’t know what sort of markings they have yet. I would think they would be a bit less flashy than this big male with his exotic looking black and white face. Probably still spangled.

Yes, these guys die a lot, but they sport a very powerful kick with which to make their attackers weary, a kick which is very capable of killing attacking predators if placed right, including drakoon. It’s a human misconception that herbivores are pansies - in the real world wolves are frequently killed when their very deadly and not-pathetic-whatsoever-prey defends itself by trampling them - or, like forest derse, kicking the predators in the head. (That’s why a lot of humans are seriously injured or die from horses kicking them too.) Repeat: herbivores are not helpless!

They are actually closely related to Escavian Rock Derse (favoured prey of falcolfs) but I have no idea what those look like yet. A lot less flashy. I have a sense of ‘brown’ when I think of rock derse. They are also related, more distantly, to Sloveniskan Red Derse. (Successful interbreeding is impossible.)

Sloveniskan Forest Derse cannot be ridden, though as proven by draft derse, it is possible to domesticate them and it takes many generations to breed out their innate fearfulness of other animals. Forest derse are useless as draft animals and though their pelts, leather and meat are favoured, forest derse have no business being anywhere but in the wild. Draft derse can supply more resources than a forest derse can and are a lot easier to handle.

I spent quite a lot figuring out how the heck these things contend with heavy predation; being prolific is certainly one way. (Rabbits! XD) Drakoon being conservation-minded is another. I can’t really understate their intelligence either; these things really are extremely smart and observant which is why they almost never get caught in traps.

As part of forest derse conservation, ancient drakoon domesticated them and began to breed them bigger, hoping to create a less intelligent, larger beast which they could use as a food source for their carnivorous masses as well as a draft animal, since elven horses are never used for drafting purposes. Over a period of several hundred to a thousand years the draft derse was created, a species the size of small house with great strength. While forest derse are infamous for their outstanding intelligence, draft derse are infamous for their outstanding stupidity. Due to the massive difference in size, forest derse and draft derse cannot interbreed.

Though preferring the deep forest, Sloveniskan Forest Derse will occasionally come out into the open and it is not uncommon to see them grazing in the open alpine landscape of the horselands where any approaching predators can be seen for kilometres. The forest derse who live there are believed to be a unique subspecies as the base colour of their coats is paler, often brown or grey to camouflage them better against their wide open habitat.

It’s true that most elven horses refuse to help their drakoon hunt derse. This is because elven horses respect them, feeling a kinship with them and thus dislike seeing them killed; however, elven horses usually have no qualms whatsoever about helping their drakoon hunt less savoury animals such as forest snipe or fugara which might otherwise hurt or kill an elven horse. Living with drakoon elven horses have developed predatory tendencies and are extremely good hunters (literal hunters - they stalk and chase just like a predator) but they refuse to give chase to other prey species. Many horses will not even allow their drakoon to shoot derse seen by chance from their backs.

These guys are largely inspired by antelope with their crazy exotic markings (though the markings came entirely from my head) but they are also inspired by North American Elk for their shaggy necks and bellies, which would protect them in their cold, rainy habitats. Their white spangled backs (inspired of course from deer) would help them hide themselves in the shifting light of the forest. Their tails are specifically inspired by gemsbok and wildebeest, which are some of my favourite antelope species.

Like I mentioned before, their society is inspired by deer and wild horses (such as mustangs) though also a bit by big cats in the nature of the males living solitary lives.

I’m pretty fond of these things. They’re like the drakoon or even Rimarian version of the ‘great stags of the forest’ though of course these things have no horns. There actually really aren’t that many horned animals on Rimer, because the whole point of horns in a prey animal is so that they can protect their rear - a point which I feel is pretty much refuted when predators can attack from above. Besides; horns are really common on Earth, so it’s more alien of Rimer to not have many animals with them.

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A few key facts about derse: 1. All derse have three toes. 2. No derse have antlers or horns of any kind. 3. Derse are very hard to hunt because they are very intelligent and very wary.*

^{*Except for draft derse. Draft derse are dumb as bricks. You can walk right up to them and brandish a sword in their face and they wouldn't move. Draft derse were pretty much bred to be as stupid as possible.}

These guys really could have used a few pages or even a full chapter all to themselves; there's really too much to say about them on one page.

Other fauna of Sloveniska:



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