Ally Beasts
Ally beasts are any beasts that serve a purpose in tagarou society, mainly as transportation, beasts of burden, and pets. They are highly intelligent compared to the other main classes of beast, being easily domesticated and naturally trusting of tagarou.
Anfadri
Also called bog-horses, anfadri (anfadri) are a major mode of transportation for tagarou living in swampy areas. They are similar in size to Earth horses, but very lightweight, which greatly increases their top speed to up to 70-90 mph, making them efficient modes of transport for one or two riders. Unfortunately, they aren’t very strong in comparison to most other transport animals, and cannot carry more than around 400 pounds worth of cargo and/or passengers at a time. On top of physical attributes, anfadri are highly intelligent, with good tracking skills.
While mostly equine in build, in reality anfadri are far from horse-like. Rather than hooves, they have two-toed feet with retractable “water claws”; two extra digits on each foot that allow them to run on water for short periods of time, as long as they don’t stop moving until reaching solid ground. Their entire bodies are covered in shaggy, moss-colored fur, with longer manes on their necks that can serve as makeshift reins when necessary. Two rows of fins run along their backs from their midsection to halfway down their tails, with a larger pair framing a defensive spike on their tail tip.
With relatively small mouths for their long faces, they are mostly herbivores, eating water plants and grass, but will eat carrion, fish, and small animals when necessary. Their teeth are mostly fit for grinding plant fiber, and two sets of fangs in front give them not only the ability to eat meat but also quite a nasty bite.
Ievaryt
Often called “sharpshooters” or “arrowheads”, ievaryt (ievaryt, pronounced ever-tee) are highly intelligent creatures used as mounts for both hunting and recreation. Their skulls sport large, bony fins along the top, chin, and cheeks, giving their heads an almost triangular appearance and earning them their “arrowhead” moniker. These fins allow for ievaryts to make quick turns, easily diverting airflow in different directions when running or flying, and overall providing greater aerodynamic capabilities. Ievaryts’ bodies are covered in short, sleek, water-resistant fur, which varies in color based on gender.
The females of the species are brightly colored and lightweight, with streamlined bodies and two sets of clawed wings rather than legs. These are the “racing aircraft” of the tagarou world, valued for their high-speed flight capabilities, agile movement, and flashy patterning. On the contrary, male ievaryt are flightless and bulky, with duller body colors and an overall larger, almost bear-like frame. They are excellent trackers and fast runners, and are often used for hunting trips.
Ievaryt are primarily found around the icy cliffs where the Crown of Arayi and Moonlight Ashwastes meet the ocean. During spring and summer, females make their homes in caves and ledges along the cliff faces, while males move out to the upper cliffs in order to seek a mate. Female ievaryts are very social creatures, often forming “cliques” of three or more tightly-knit individuals that share the same nest. In some cases, individuals have been seen seemingly consulting the others in their clique on whether or not to accept the advances of a male. At the end of the season, most females migrate out to remote islands and Oceanic Empire settlements, while males travel back into the mainland.
Tau'tayng
Concept sketch of a tau'tayng, with a smaller sketch (top right) of one being held by a tagarou for scale.
Tau’tayng (tau’tayng, pronounced taow-tang) are some of the closest living evolutionary relatives of modern-day tagarou; in essence, they are to tagarou what monkeys are to humans. They possess many similar features to modern tagarou, namely the signature double-thumbed hands, feet with opposable toes, and fluted ear-antennae. However, in contrast to the typical seven-foot height of their sapient cousins, tau’tayng tend to be rather small in size, only growing to a maximum of around five feet tall from ears to feet. Despite being classified as ally-beasts, most Greenwilds tagarou find them to be quite the nuisance, as tau’tayng are often aggressive, disrespectful, and territorial towards other species and each other.