Roxul

It is said that the boulders shift while none watch. Though this saying has little meaning in the literal sense, it may have a parallel in Ludwag. The Roxul is just that, a ‘living boulder’ to the locals. Their slow-going demeanor often surprises adventurers who accidentally intrude upon them. These earthly creatures have little time for man or elf, though their uses exceed that which Roxul usually let on. Their applications in modern society extend to facets like labor and -though rarely- practices within the arts of magic. The wild population of Roxul has been significantly depleted, resulting in wild specimens becoming ever more sparse across their native ranges. Efforts to protect the Roxul are few and it may not be long before the last wild specimens are gone too.

#### Physiology and Anatomy

Their rock-like moniker is derived from their armored plates. A Roxul’s back is lined with red-gray scutes which are both bone and mineral matter. When threatened, Roxul can roll into a ball to protect their vulnerable underside, shielding themselves with a layer of rock-like armor. A Roxul’s snout and legs are largely unarmored, requiring instead to be buried or masked by cover. They often fall prey to Gnangleork who attempt to skewer them between the chinks in their armor. To deter this their claws -which they mostly use for digging- can easily take an eye out. An experienced Roxul can easily throw their superior weight around to catch the fleet footed carnivores off guard.

Roxul are omnivores with a very varied diet. Their teeth are designed to chew folivorous vegetation, spending much of their time eating leaves and grass. Though this food source can sustain a Roxul it will not keep them healthy and active. They need protein to keep themselves strong. Their extremely enlarged nose can point them in the right direction, able to sniff out insect mounds better than any other beast. But for such a large beast simply invading an ant mound is a difficult task; how does a Roxul get the insects within? As mentioned, their claws allow them to dig at the earth. Once they’ve made a sufficient hole the Roxul implores the use of a long tongue to siphon insects from their tunnels. A Roxul’s tongue can extend before the length of a human arm and is very muscular, so much so that it is considered a ‘prime cut’ of the Roxul in butchery.

In the wet season where the insects are plentiful, Roxul have their calves. Roxul cows usually only have one calf a year with twins being rare and even rarer to survive to adulthood. Calves are born without their armor plating which eventually grows through their fluffy coat of fur. To not incur the wrath of bulls, calves eat different food like berries to avoid competition. These food sources are often in different spots than their mothers which puts them at risk of predation. In order to communicate over these distances all Roxul have large and sensitive ears to pick up on individual sounds. Once a calf has grown beyond a year’s worth in size it may return more permanently to the herd.

#### Psychology

Though outwardly reclusive to others, Roxul have deep social bonds between each other. They form herds of up to eight adult individuals helmed by a bull. The bull will protect his herd from threats that he can actively put down but wont risk his own against threats too insurmountable. He’ll tolerate smaller males amongst his herd as Roxul pair monogamously. These pairs can last a lifetime though Roxul have no issue selecting another should one be unavailable or dead. When rearing young, Roxul pairs work together to ensure their calf survives through their adolescent stage.

Roxul can be tamed but are fairly taxing to maintain. They need large pastures and abundant food to remain healthy- with domestic animals often being malnourished and suffering from a shortened lifespan.