Trepalni

In Nixian myth, the taiga was once shrouded in innumerable trees. It was so forested that naught could be built and too damp to be burnt. So they appealed to the ancestral way for answers, finding it in a curious creature; the Trepalni. It and its appetite is fabled to have cleared the way for mon-kind to adopt their home amongst the cold it brought. As they are of some cultural importance some mons forgo hunting them, but their fur is still a widespread commodity in both fashion and practical garments. Today, wild populations reside in all of the major riverways in and around the taiga.

#### Physiology and Anatomy

A species of large beaver, the Trepalni have a number of similar traits. Their flat hairless tails act as both a paddle for swimming and as a tool to hammer down debris into place. Their tails are coupled with webbing between their digits, making them adept even in particularly strong currents. But a Trepalni’s affinity is not in water, rather, it is in ice. Running along their back and tail are specialized blue glands which focus vitor. Trepalni expel this vitor to instantly freeze water into thick ice, matching that produced by an **Expert Cryomancer**. They use these formations to stick wood to form their dams; stronger than any other. Naturally, Trepalni only build dams where ice isn’t subject to melt, limiting how far their lodges and by extension their range can extend.

Xylophagous, only wood will do for a Trepalni. Their teeth are strong enough to endure the stresses of chewing through thick material, allowing them to fell trees in number. Trepalni prefer the easy-to-digest chutes and saplings that grow at the forest’s edge. By eating these plants they invariably control the expansion of the woods. Trepalni build a layer of blubbery fat on their bellies and tails to stave off hunger but may also opt to eat alternative food sources should the lean period extend beyond the norm. On occasion, this may be accommodated through the eggs of domestic and wild animals, putting them at odds with nesting birds and local poultry farmers.

When the spring months ensue, Trepalni have their litters. Upward of four kits can be fostered within a litter, maturing over the course of two years. Youngsters often have less control over their ice magic than adults. It is not uncommon for a young Trepalni to accidentally freeze themselves in a panic. As they mature they become better able to use their magic with restraint; with elder Trepalni building intricate dams and fortifications unprecedented by even their own kind. These formations are a learnt skill and may require several years of additional learning before the Trepalni feels comfortable to go out on their own.

#### Psychology

Trepalni form monogamous pairs which may last a lifetime, though they may have six additional adult offspring residing within their lodge at a time (totaling eight adults altogether). There they work together to build the dam and expand the lodge, ensuring that it is regularly kept. Trepalni are extremely protective of their dams and will attack anything that attempts to destroy or intrude upon them. If a dam is destroyed or becomes too old to maintain, Trepalni will attempt to remain there as long as possible. Trepalni fear open areas on land and moving between them to new dam spots may prove particularly stressful.