Monginoe

## Mossback

Monginoe are a passive fauna in the world of Asyn.

## Appearance

Monginoe are large quadruped creatures with an arched back and a horn (or multiple) protruding out of its snout. As its name implies, monginoe have a bed of moss growing on their backs. In fact, their bodies are capable of supporting a myriad of flora for some unknown reason, allowing them to grow flowers, fungi, and even small trees on their backs. This gives their horns the appearance of a tree when, in fact, their horns are very much made of bone but protected with a layer of tree bark.

Monginoe calves are very similar to adults except that their bodies have not yet grown their namesake moss and their horn is still dull. Because of this, one can mistake mossback calves for baby rhinos.

## Behavior

Monginoedwell solely in forests in dense herds ranging from 6 to 20. They are transient animals that constantly stay on the move, only stopping to drink at bodies of water or to sleep at night. Because of this, many of them have been adopted and domesticated for transporting cargo through lush regions, as they have more endurance than horses and don't eat as much (horses, however, are much faster).

In the wild, monginoe are incredibly docile and tend to ignore most things. Their thick skin and their lack of natural predators made them some of the most laid-back creatures in Asyn. They are so carefree that they allow smaller creatures to ride on their arched backs during their travels. However, this is not to say they cannot be provoked. If aggravated, they will swing their head threateningly at their aggravator, and the other members of the herd will also get agitated. If it becomes scared, the herd will charge forward and cause a catastrophic stampede.

They stay on the move during every season except winter, its hibernation season. During this time, the herd nestles in a canopied spot in the forest before huddling together and sleeping the winter away.

## Leafhooves

In many places, especially Uneers, monginoe are considered sacred beasts to Leafhooves. Throughout history, Twiccans traveled alongside monginoe when civil conflict and imperialism forced tribes out of their homes, forming a bond for generations. Many mossback migration routes lead directly to different tribes of Twiccans, and many Twiccans dedicate their lives to protecting wild monginoe from poachers who want to harvest their skin and horns for armor or weapons.

## Combat

Monginoe are never aggressive unless provoked extensively. When they do turn aggressive, they aim to scare away their attacker and flee the scene before they can get injured.

Monginoe have **15 HP**. Its attacks deal **2 damage**.

### Stampede

When the monginoe takes damage, it will rear back and bellow a cry that riles up the herd.

Its turn is skipped, giving its foes a chance to react. On its next turn, the entire herd charges forward in a stampede, trampling its attackers for **8 damage** and escaping the battle.

## Trivia

* Monginoe can remember faces and voices, which allows them to form connections with people.
* Many dirt roads found in forests were not created by people, but from herds of Monginoe repeatedly stomping across the lands.
* Mossbacks' favorite foods are hay, berries, fruits, and veggies.
* I don't really vibe with the name so feel free to come up with something better.