Kudebeck's Gazelle
| Kudebeck's Gazelle | |
|---|---|
 Adult Female in fighting position | |
| Base Information | |
| Classification | Herbivore/Grazer |
| Terrain | Plains |
| Locomotion | Walker |
| Size | 80kg |
| Speed | Slow |
| Strength | Standard |
| Social Structure | Herd |
| Weapons | Horns |
| Armor | None |
| Source | |
| Homeworld | Victoria (Spinward Marches 1817) |
| Multi-world | yes |
| Canon | No |
| Reference | "The Bestiary." Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society 02 26-27. |
Kudebeck's Gazelle is found only on Victoria (Spinward Marches 1817) and some Imperial zoos, but is not native to that world. The true world of origin is unknown. It is speculated, though not proven, the Gazelle has undergone some form of genetic engineering.
The gazelle are also known as Kudies, or Ivory Gazelle.
Description / Specifications[edit]
Kudebeck's Gazelles are hexapodal creatures which, number of legs aside, are externally very similar to the ungulates of Terra. Kudies are usually a dark grey colour on the back and sides, fading to a lighter shade on the underside.
Physiology & Ecology[edit]
Adult specimens weight between 60 to 80kg, depending on exact specimen. Ivory gazelles congregate in herds of seven or more individuals, including one top male-female pair, which are usually the parents of the rest of the adult members of the herd, and several family groups of two to five individuals each. When threatened, ivory gazelles either flee or form a circle, surrounding their young, and fight to the death when cornered.
Their skeleton is made of a white substance similar to ivory in appearance and consistency, which (in both sexes) protrudes from the skin of the skull to form paired horns. The three pairs of legs attache to a dorsally located spinal column, which along with its respiratory and circulatory systems, follows Terran norms.
Kudebeck's Gazelles are usually found in upland valleys of Victoria, which sport sufficient vegetation to support herds, as well as rough ground to provide cover from predators. The six limbs give an advantage on these rough slopes as they are able to use four legs for footing and two for defence. Despite not being native to Victoria, it seems well adapted to its environment, suggesting it and its native world shared several characteristics in common[1].
Life Cycle & Reproduction[edit]
Ivory Gazelles possess two sexes, male and female, which mate for a season or more and raise from one to three young per year. The young are born early in the year, and are capable of standing within a few minutes and run at full speed in an hour or two[2].
Diet & Trophics[edit]
Although possessing many of the characteristics of mammals, the ivory gazelle has a digestive system with many features of that of birds. The mouth has no teeth but has two pairs of opposed shear-like structures, one on each side of the mouth, and a long, prehensile tongue. The grasses and soft shrubs upon which the ivory gazelle feeds are cropped off and swallowed whole, as with Terran ruminants, but instead of being regurgitated and chewed at a later time, the food is passed through a series of gizzards, where it is ground up by stones swallowed for the purpose[3].
History & Background / Dossier[edit]
No information yet available.
Derived Products (Goods)[edit]
Ivory Gazelles are hunted extensively by the inhabitants of Victoria, with their meat being a major source of protein and fat in their diets. The hides can be tanned and converted into leather and the fur is spun and woven into cloth.
Of chief importance is the ivory-like substance of the creature's bones, which is light, strong, and can be readily carved into many shapes, which allow the natives of Victoria to fabricate complex mechanical devices they would not otherwise be able to due to the planet's dearth of metals[4].
Travellers' Aid Society Advisory[edit]
No information yet available.
References & Contributors[edit]
- Loren Wiseman. "The Bestiary." Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society 02 (1979): 26-27.
- Marc Miller. Secret of the Ancients (Game Designers Workshop, 1984), 6.
- Matthew Sprange. "Ivory Gazelle." Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society volume 3 (2019): 82-83.
- ↑ Loren Wiseman. "The Bestiary." Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society 02 (1979): 26.
- ↑ Loren Wiseman. "The Bestiary." Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society 02 (1979): 26.
- ↑ Loren Wiseman. "The Bestiary." Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society 02 (1979): 26.
- ↑ Loren Wiseman. "The Bestiary." Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society 02 (1979): 26.