Olfene

In Silvic folklore there was a time when they didn’t possess flame. They were afraid of the many monsters who lurked in the darkness and desired a means to keep them at bay. Through a guiding hand-disputed between the Spirits or the Gods-they were led to the flame by a curious creature; the Olfene. Its assistance allowed the Silvic to master flame and drive back the darkness. Olfene continue to appear in a number of tales where things go missing or need to be found as they’re symbolic for their means of direction and tracking skills. Today, both wild and domestic Olfene are found across the east side of the continent in substantial numbers.

#### Physiology and Anatomy

A species of Tapir, the Olfene aren’t that much different in outward appearance. Their key traits lie in both their head and feet. Beginning at their business end, Olfene have an acute sense of smell. They’re able to track very specific scents and identify them even with a lot of other scents around them. Olfene can distinguish between different herbs and alchemical ingredients by scent alone, inferring them based on an instinctual memory of their effects. Olfene are able to tell if a source of food or water has been contaminated or poisoned with their enormous nasal cavity, detecting the slightest disturbance when presented with two seemingly identical sources. These great nasal cavities produce a unique kind of mucus which rapidly thickens into a foil-like membrane once it vacates the cavity. Olfene can use this mucus to cover items prone to spoilage so that they keep longer- extending their longevity like drying or spicing meat would. Food items covered in this mucus are still edible if only unpalatable to most.

***(Olfene cannot track mobile organisms, they’re purely a vegetative, fungal, and item-finders)***

Olfene make for exceptional diggers, their foreclaws are flat like shovels to help them displace earth. Through digging do Olfene get their favorite food in buried truffles and tubers which their nose can lead them to easily. Their digging feet also make for impromptu weapons if aggressed with a steady kick from an Olfene often leaving scratches and bruises. Ultimately Olfene are not built to fight and instead use their muscular limbs to flee from predators. Though slow at first, they can quickly accelerate to speeds comparable to dogs to evade predation. They can shed excess heat generated via running through their large floppy ears so as to not overheat.

When the truffles are plenty, Olfene may have their calves. Olfene cows only usually have one calf though twins do occasionally happen. Olfene calves have over-active mucosal glands and are able to enclose themselves within a cocoon. These cocoons prevent their scent from catching in the air rendering them difficult to track. As they mature, Olfene calves develop stronger striding legs and better survival skills to replace their waning defense mechanism. A mature Olfene is easily identifiable by the full set of stripes running along their sides which the infants lack in favor of a full green-brown coat.

#### Psychology

Wild Olfene are shy creatures who live in rather small groups. At best, their herds may have but five adult members. These groups are exceptionally timid, fleeing at the slightest intrusion of other organisms. It is quite difficult to take Olfene from the wild although ***Herbomancers*** have an easier time doing so. Once tamed or if captive bred, Olfene are sociable animals able to respond to rudimentary commands. They aren’t likely to join someone on the battlefield but may just as well join them in searches or games like any dog would. Regardless of upbringing, Olfene are social amongst each other and often form strong social bonds.