Matru’os

Wading along the waterways and amongst the lakes of Kahursa is a very curious oddity. So curious in fact that the institution of study on the Umbusan mainland refused to believe that the returned specimen was truly an animal. Indeed, the Matru’os is a living and breathing animal, wholly organic from the island of Kahursa. It hails from an ancient ancestry that predates many mammals who dwell presently. In both myth and history it upholds a series of ancient ways as one of the island's oldest residents. A guardian of her maiden waterways against the plights of war and pollution. They’re an incredibly popular animal amongst children with figures of their likeness being sold in the port city and tales of their exploits becoming the basis for play and show.

#### Physiology and Anatomy

The Matru’os are a species of omnivorous monotreme endemic to the Kahursa island. They are close relatives with platypus and share many of their anatomical traits. Like their smaller cousins they’re largely aquatic creatures who spend much of their time submerged. Nostrils face up to grant easy access to the air. Webbing between their digits grants them greater surface area to push against the water, making them nimble swimmers. Their waddling gait on land is rather slow by comparison, roughly comparable to a dwarf. They can jump a reasonable distance though, often used to leap back into the water to escape the jaws of a predator or to spring an ambush upon unsuspecting prey. Beneath the water they can detect electromagnetic pulses through their long duck-like bills, enabling them to find fish even in murky water.

They can stand upright like a bear albeit with a hunched forward posture. This posture frees up their forelimbs to be used for more than mere locomotion. Though they possess thumbs they’re not particularly dexterous so this stance offers something different to manipulation of tools. A slit on each arm conceals a weapon most grand, a keratinous blade. These can be unsheathed and are each as long as a short sword. When swung by a Matru’os these blades can puncture plate armor and cut great slices through chainmail making them incredibly devastating weapons. They equally function as shields to either block incoming attacks or lock with the blades of other adversaries. Should these blades be broken they will eventually grow back, however the time taken to do so may stretch on for months.

Despite being mammals, Matru’os lay eggs. They have their clutches along the lake banks when the rains fall. Both male and female take part in creating the nest to shield it from the elements throughout the time it takes for them to hatch. Hatchlings are born without a furry coat and so will freeze without their mother. A mother Matru’os tail is fluffy and able to be clung to by the youth so that they may remain warm and be carried along with her while she moves and feeds. Hatchlings are considered mature when they become too heavy to be carried by their mother’s tail and fall from her clutches.

#### Psychology

Matru’os keep to themselves and dwell within monogamous pairs. A pair will clear out a spot on the waterway as their own and defend it from other Matru’os. Duels between rivals are common and injuries can prove fatal. To avoid conflict, Matru’os mark their borders with claw marks to warn passing Matru’os of their presence. They’re tolerant of other organisms provided they do not get close to their nests. They will gladly attack anything that dares provoke a response from them, seeing them from their territory under pain of death. Toward sapient species they are equally tolerant but see the use of blades as a challenge whilst within their territory.