Groat
| Groat | |
|---|---|
| Base Information | |
| Classification | Herbivore/Grazer |
| Terrain | {{{terrain}}} |
| Locomotion | walk |
| Size | large |
| Speed | Extra Slow |
| Strength | Standard |
| Social Structure | Medium pack |
| Weapons | Scent glands |
| Armor | {{{armor}}} |
| Body Structure | |
| Symmetry | bilateral |
| Head/Torso | Head with brain/senses |
| Limbs & Manipulators | 2 fore legs, 2 rear legs |
| Tail | 1 tail |
| Skeleton | Bony interior |
| Internal Fluids | Blood |
| Skin | Furry pelt |
| Natural Weapons | Scent glands |
| Body Shape | |
| Size | large |
| Stance | Horizontal |
| Length/Height | 1.3m |
| Body Profile | typical |
| Weight | 27kg |
| Details | |
| Edibility | Yes |
| Training Difficulty | No |
| Source | |
| Homeworld | Fulacin (Spinward Marches 2613) |
| Multi-world | Yes |
| Canon | yes |
| Reference | The Traveller Adventure |
Herbivore native to Fulacin (Spinward Marches 2613) in the Rhylanor Subsector. Individual groats are harmless, but the outer members of a herd will attack any perceived danger in groups. They are capable fighters, using teeth and hooves. They posses a scent gland under the tail and are capable of expelling a noxious fluid up to three meters.
Groats have been transplanted to several worlds in the Aramis subsector, most notably Focaline (Spinward Marches 2607).
The groat's shaggy hair (known as groatle) is the most obvious resource it provides. Once sheared, cleaned, and groomed, it has a softness and silkiness rivaling the finest synthetic. In addition, groatle contains a high concentration of metal salts, which has two beneficial effects. First, groatle cloth is proof against most lifeforms which eat other animal fibers (such as various species of Terran moths). Second, a simple chemical treatment brings out an iridescent, shimmering quality which is very attractive. Groats are also raised for their meat, which is highly prized by Vargr.
Non-canon
History
During the 2nd to 4th Century, groatle commanded fabulous prices back in the Imperial core. Hunting expeditions went to Fulacin for the sole purpose of catching groats and passing merchants would detour just to collect a few dozen pelts. A side effect was the development of the art of groat-meat scrimshaw carving.
In 377, Moran scientists geneered a variant species of groat that could survive in environments lacking the high heavy metal content of Fulacin’s soil and atmosphere. The metal content of the pelt was maintained by concentrating what heavy metals the groats did ingest in the pelt, leaving the meat low enough on metal content to be edible; some Vargr actually developed a taste for it. Groat farms reduced the value of groatle significantly and it soon became unprofitable to go to Fulacin for the groat hunting alone.