Lammrskraekk
The name of the Lammrskraek inflicted deep feelings of fred when spoken about by Hohmite Legerians. Native to the Phayu Wing Mountains, the lammrskraekk was a famous, feared monstrosity known far and wide.
Appearance #
From the outside, the terror-inducing legend of the lammrskraek was questionable. They appeared as a deer with a massive coat of wool--giving them the appearance of a ball of fur on legs. Their wool was so thick that they waddled slowly and awkwardly in an endearing manner. They seemed to be quite helpless creatures, often struggling to right themselves if they fell over, and tripping multiple times when attempting to move quickly. Yet, these seemingly pathetic, predator-vulnerable animals flourished in their environment, for the lammrskraekk was a magical creature.
Lammrskraek--both male and female--bore impressive sets of antlers, with the ends twisting into sharp points. This fearsome growth was only intimidating in appearance though, as the low top speed and stubby necks of the creature prevented it from using them effectively as weapons.
Reproduction #
Lammrskraek gave birth to live young, covered in fur and all--ready to face the harsh cold of their mountainous environment.
The Shearghast #
Approximately 2-3 hours after the last newborn exited the mother’s birth canal, a lammrskraek mother would undergo a violent and dramatic magical transformation. This transformation, called the shearghast by residents of the Land Beneath the Snowy Mountain, was the source of the lammrskraek's terrible, nightmarish reputation.
Only females would experience the shearghast.
While in this transformed state, a lammrskraek mother became territorial and aggressive. Their transformation also caused them to shed their wool, enhancing their mobility. The eyes of the lammrskraek bulged from their sockets, bloodshot and twitchy. Their limbs elongated and their skulls would split in half down the sagittal plane, revealing a previously hidden set of sharpened teeth, exclusively used for fighting. Their tongues would elongate as well, and could act like a sticky, tentacle-like appendage perfect for grappling targets before delivering a killing bite. Lammrskraek could also use their antlers more effectively while in the shearghast transformation.
A lammrskraek shearghast could also channel magical power through its horns, sending a ray of boiling, annihilating energy to disintegrate particularly threatening targets.
The shearghast was a permanent transformation that the lammrskraek experienced. A lammrskraek shearghast would eventually waste away after a period of 6-8 month, at which point its offspring were old enough to fend for themselves.
A shearghast never tended directly to its own young. Instead, it stalked the shadows around the offspring, neutralizing any living creature that it found--restraint was a foreign concept to a shearghast.
Magic #
Lammrskraek were highly magical creatures, being one of the only creatures to deliberately and naturally harness Morbomancy (which fueled their shearghast transformation). Lammrskraek had the unique capacity to absorb primal harbingers without immediately being subjected to its effects.
A lammrskraek could hold onto the arcane power of the primal harbinger for months or even years, only utilizing it after achieving motherhood. Indeed, the shearghast was only possible if a lammrskraek had successfully absorbed the morbomantic magic necessary to fuel such a thing. Fortunately for lammrskraek, the Phayu Wing Mountains were rife with primal harbingers--especially during storm years.
Lammrskraek had the unique ability to sense primal harbingers. Flocks would migrate from harbinger to harbinger, attempting to use their high numbers to ensure the energy of the phenomenon was absorbed by a member before any other creature.
Interaction with Society #
Domestication #
The terror of the shearghast prevented lammrskraek from being domesticated as livestock, although they could serve as useful protective creatures when placed and bred strategically. Their incredible power, ferocity, and temperament prevented them from widespread use in any capacity.
Other Names #
The original name "lammrskraek" had its origin in Eirtung, which was spoken by early settlers of Corgath. Modern speakers of Corgathian shorten the creature's name to lammora.
In Tradespeak, lammrskraek were also known as grimwools, and a shearghast was called a vengeful ewe.
In early Sandarian legends, lammrskraek were known as evirmaws, and a shearghast was a maternock.
There were few references to lammrskraek in recorded Isutan history, but shearghasts have been referred to as gaojo ipthin--roughly translated to "the bleak mother".