Ebena Kuranto

Ebena Kurantos are horse-like creatures inspired by real and mythical equestrian animals. They can be obtained in the cupboard or purchased from the Genome Splicer.

Lore-wise, they were discovered by Finni Mortis, as documented in BULLETIN #103.

## Growth

### Capsule

"The delicate colors of this capsule remind you of a wide-open sky."

### Young

"Long legs carry this juvenile wherever its curiosity leads. It often spends the day frolicking across meadows with other foals, always under the watchful gaze of the herd's adults. At night, it tucks itself up against its mother to sleep. Although it will nibble grass in mimic of its mother, its main source of food is her rich milk. Lab-kept juveniles should be fed either Ebena Kuranto milk or a balanced formula for proper nutrition."

### Adult

"Gleaming coats in rich colors make Ebena Kuranto stand out against the pale green meadows and plains of their preferred habitat. Herds follow no set course in their constant migration, wandering from one lush area to another as they graze. A herd usually consists of a stallion, several mares, and foals. Larger herds may have multiple stallions; in such cases, one male leads while the others serve as herd guardians. Whether traveling or at rest, herds stay close together for protection. Sharp squeals and screams are used to alert each other to danger, often inciting a stampede as the herd flees to safety, whereas high-pitched neighs serve as herd-wide communication. Soft nickers are sometimes heard between mothers and foals. Juveniles remain with their mothers until weaned, after which they generally disperse to other herds, although fillies will sometimes stay. Though skittish and flighty, Ebena Kuranto do have gentle temperaments, and work has begun in training lab-born ones to serve as pack animals or for riding purposes in order to further support field researchers."

## Extra Info

The information below is included in Ebena Kuranto's creature notes on site.

### Extraordinary Evolution

A few unusual individuals have been spotted in wild herds of Ebena Kurantos. Some feature bony growths on their forehead, while others display full-sized wings. The diversity of feathered versus unfeathered wings and variety of horns suggest some rather unique biology at work, and further research into the genetics responsible for such traits will be necessary. Although their size and weight make the wings impractical for flight, Ebena Kurantos featuring such appendages use them to chase off would-be predators, usually by spreading them to appear larger and more dangerous. Those with horns also wield them in defense, and both winged and horned Ebena Kurantos often serve as guardians in their home herds under the lead stallion.

### Sweet Tooth

Ebena Kurantos appear to have a nose—and a tooth—for sweets. While on his research trip, Finni Mortis was startled one morning during breakfast by an Ebena Kuranto that walked right into his campsite, went over to the small bag of sugar he uses to sweeten his porridge, and tried to stick its nose into the bag. His attempt to rescue the sugar resulted in half of it being spilled and subsequently licked up by a very enthusiastic mare. She hung around for the rest of the day, only departing when her herd began to move on. Given the high glucose content of the grasses Ebena Kuranto feed on, it is possible the scent of the sugar drew her to the camp with the assumption there would be a source of good nutrition there.

### Hot to Trot

Despite their evident curiosity toward humans and other animals, wild Ebena Kurantos are exceptionally wary creatures. Always preferring flight over fight, they are nearly impossible to approach without spooking. However, through positive reinforcement techniques and proper socialization from a young age, lab-born foals are known to quickly develop loyal bonds with their caretakers. Great steps have already been made in training these Ebena Kurantos as riding animals, although caution must be exercised: researchers have noted that even the gentlest and most calm-tempered of these equines still have a propensity to take off at a gallop in wide-open spaces.

## Variations

### Markings

\*The top three markings are displayed on black bodies, while the bottom two are on white bodies.

### Feet

\*Black "socks" are actually part of the various bay and buckskin body markings.

## Trivia

* TFO uses Esperanto as a basis for creature names (although it's not always exact—accents are ignored and spellings occasionally shift). “Ebena Kuranto” means “Plains Runner.”
* This creature was released by spriter infinis in celebration of their birthday, as documented in the new species announcement on the forum.
* The following caption accompanies the field notes in Figure 1:

"Horn develops from a tooth germ situated within the right frontal bone (1). Note the deviated metopic suture. In hornless Ebena the frontal bones develop as normal (2). A deciduous horn erupts soon after birth. This remains beneath the skin and is essential in the development of the frontal bone. A permanent horn erupts when the Ebena matures, breaking through the skin."