Due to our baby sitter being in hospital, there was not play session two weeks ago to inspire another chapter of Draconic Shennanigans so, instead we will have another Creature Feature, this time of the more domesticatable type. What is more, this time I was able to draw and paint(!) a design to go with the fact file this time so we are improving. So on with the show: -
Creature Feature
Name: Komuh (also known by their more common name of Fluff Muffs)
Appearance: Komuh are quadrupedal animals about the size of a German Shepherd. They are hoofed and their faces appear some where between that of a small pony and a goat, with large, dewy eyes and long, soft, expressive ears. Their large nostrils are widely spaced and lead back to a large olfactory bulb that is credited with giving them a superb sense of smell. Their lips are soft and their tongues are extremely long, able to fold in their mouths to fit and are often used as basic manipulators, particularly to grasp and draw food into the mouth. However, their most distinguishing feature is their hair, their copious amounts of hair. Indeed, they have been decided as 'perambulating hay stacks'. Each filament is long and covered in the hooks that enable it to be spun into thread. This fiber is know as one of the most sort after fabrics in the galaxy as it is fine, strong, light weight, water and stain resistant, as well as fire resistant and very insulating. Indeed several different forces have standing contracts for the purchase of Komuh wool cloth to be used for cold weather gear and survival supplies. To demonstrate how fine a cloth Komuh wool can be woven into, it is possible to gather a two meter (six and a half foot) wide bolt of Komuh wool and run it through a medium build man's wedding ring. The only disadvantage of Komuh wool is its resistance to accepting any sort of dye, restricting the color range to what naturally occurs. The most common colors are dove grey and dove pink. The rarer and therefore more expensive colors are white and very occasional black. The rarest of the rare is the iridescent dove turquoise, seen in only about one in a thousand. Royal Komuh as they are know, have long been associated with almost divine blessings and are usually kept by either noble families or the ultra-rich, unless the trait spontaneously arises in an unassociated bloodline.
They also molt, continuously. Komuh molt only once a year, for three hundred and sixty five days. It is a necessity of anyone who owns a Komuh to brush them, vigorously, every day. However, seeing as good quality Komuh wool sells for twenty pounds (twenty five point five dollars) per kilo in its raw state, keeping a well cared for Komuh can be something of a money mill.
For those worried by the prospect of mistreatment of Komuh in pursuit of profit, they should bare in mind that Komuh are not as defenseless as they appear. Not only are they ridiculously sure footed, able to scale mountain sides that would be considered suicidal by any right thinking creature, they can also scream - they can scream at one hundred and twenty five decibels. Considering that one hundred and fifty decibels is all it takes to rupture the human ear drum then it is understandable as to why the scream of a distressed Komuh has been known to scramble code the central nervous systems of more delicate or sensitive beings. They also possess an organ in the throat similar to the one that cats use to purr on both intake and outtake of breath, only in the case of a Komuh they use it to scream on both the intake and outtake of breath, resulting in an unending barrage of sound that can rupture soft tissues that are exposed for too long.
Habitat: The Komuh is an unusual being in that it only truly thrives when in partnership with an unrelated species. It is believed that this is an evolutionary adaptation rooted in deep history. It appears that the Komuh was evolving at the same time that an avian super predator was roaming the skies. These 'Thunderbirds' would on occasion snatch Komuh to feed to their young, however, if the Komuh was left alive in the nest it would 'clean up' any debris and act as a living heat pad for the young birds. As such the young in such nests had a higher survival rate, especially as young birds shared many predators with the Komuh, resulting in the Komuh's using their screams to either drive the predators away or alerting the adult birds that all was not well at home. Over centuries this became a symbiotic relationship and has lead to a trait that has continued in the Komuhs even after their original partner went extinct due to environmental pressures. It appears that they have had the fortune to continue to find species that are willing to partner with them down the millennia, resulting in their continued existence. As they are now partnered with sentient species their numbers have blossomed as never before.
In their modern, domesticated form the Komuh are known as affectionate pets and excellent guardians of children. They bound fantastically well with their family unit and are known to hum when contented, a sound that has a beneficial effect on at least the human nervous system, lowering stress and physical stress markers while simultaneously increasing brain activity and the systems for the regulation of inflammation. Further studies are being conducted to discover whether they have a similar effect on other races. Feeding them is easy as they consume kitchen scraps without complaint as well as weeds and will graze down lawns. If anything controlling their eating is the issue and you do not want a bored Komuh in your house as it will start chewing on anything, up to and including the walls. A basic feed to ensure a balanced intake of essential vitamins and minerals is advised but is more of a supplement to their general grazing.
Training is advisable but fairly easy if the time is dedicated to the initial effort. Brushing is utterly essential to avoid a house carpeted with shed fur. However, many civilizations have a purchasing scheme for Komuh fur, in recognition of just how valuable it is.
Food source and Hunting tactics (if any): Komuh are perfect omnivorous scavengers. They possess the full range of dentistry in their mouths and every tooth grows throughout their lifetimes, although the canine teeth do grow at a slower rate, particularly in the females. In male Komuh, the canines grow at a faster pace, in particular during the mating season when they can reach proportions close to what would be considered sabre teeth. These fangs can then be used in utterly vicious battles for the breeding rights. A male Komuh in musk has to be handled with both care and precautions.
Outside of the breeding season, Komuh can and will eat anything, the only substance known to be totally impervious to their efforts is metal. Given enough time they have been known to grind their way through ceramics. Vegetable, animal and mineral are all necessary parts of their diets, although their digestion can handle wood only poorly. Bones are completely essential, not only as a major part of the resources that going into producing their hair but also to wear down their ever growing teeth. Indeed Komuh are one of the few creatures where it is perfectly safe to give them cooked chicken bones as they grind everything they eat to powder before swallowing. However, it should be noted that plastic is NOT a viable food source as it is known to be poisonous to them.
Status: Domesticated. The Komuh is a benign and indeed, often beneficial to their owners. Many worlds have breeding facilities and run schemes where those without employment and those in need, such as the disabled, veterans and the mentally distressed, are granted passes to go and brush the resident Komuh and are granted permission to sell the fur they gather to authorized collection points as an alternative to a handout benefit system. The affection and hum of contented Komuh have a stabilizing effect on those with emotional difficulties and regular contact with Komuh is know to have a beneficial affect on health.
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