Jay Galore
- Intent: Create a large herbivore for Epica.
- Image Credit: Alien Planet/Voyage to Darwin IV, Expedition, Here
- Canon: N/A
- Permissions: N/A
- Links: N/A
- Name: Caoineadh
- Designation: Non-sentient
- Origins: Epica
- Average Lifespan: 30-40 years
- Estimated Population: Planetary
- Description: A large, bipedal creature with a flat body and flat, crescent shaped head, and ground dragging tail. They have a thick, almost shell-like hide on their backs and heads with a set of defensive spikes. They can often be heard before seen thanks to their wailing, trumpet-like calls.
- Breathes: Type I
- Average Height of Adults: 1.8 m
- Average Length of Adults: 3 m
- Skin color: Earthy coloration.
- Hair color: N/A
- Distinctions: Caoineadh can easily be identified by their flat bodies and spiked backs. Adults have an almost crescent-like head that can be used as a weapon in self defense, and is thought to be the source of the wailing, trumpet-like sounds that these creatures produce. Juveniles lack these head extensions, and don’t produce these calls, instead giving a loud exhale. The tails of these creatures drag along the ground, providing additional support for their slow movement. Along with their defensive spikes, Caoineadh have a thick, shell-like hide on the top of their body and head, providing added defense.
- Races: N/A
- Force Sensitivity: Non-Sensitive
- Tough hide.
- Back spikes.
- Herding animals.
- Slow.
- Thanks to their loud calls they can easily be tracked.
- Soft underside.
- Diet: Herbivore, minor insectivore behavior seen.
- Communication: Trumpeting, wailing, examples
- Technology level: N/A
- Religion/Beliefs: N/A
- General behavior: A herding animal, the Caoineadh can be found in groups of 10-40 roaming the grasslands and more sparsely wooded areas, and usually feed on low lying grasses, fungus, and other vegetation. When this isn’t available, they have been seen using their flat heads to dig into the top layer of soil in hunt of worms and insects. The large herbivores herds seem to not really have a hierarchy, making them somewhat more like schooling fish in this regard. When herds encounter each other, they will often “fight” by letting out loud calls, seemingly in an attempt to be the loudest, though the nature of these strangely passive fights isn’t really understood.
When encountering predators, Caoineadh herds will circle their young, and lean their bodies forward to lead with their thicker hide, spikes, and weaponized heads. As they aren’t fast enough to run from most, if not all Epica predators, this is their best chance to survive attacks.
A herding herbivore native to Epica, are known around the planet for their wailing trumpet calls and their heavy defenses. Despite their defenses they are still often the target or predators, and when Epica was settled they found a new predator. While their meat is… of questionable taste to say the least, and their hides give both blasters and slugthrowers a hard time, this has only made the creatures more of a prize to the rich of the planet.
