The Ashgorn
The ashgorn are one of the native species of Valose. Born in a land of war and glory, the ashgorn are best known for their aggression, battle prowess, and competitive nature. In spite of their hostility, the ashgorn are honor bound to respect the whims of others- as long as they are respected in turn.
Biology
The ashgorn are tall, strong, and powerful. They have large, fat tails and tough flattened feet. They possess a hollow crest on their head which is capable of producing an extremely loud and resonant call. They have very thick and tough skin and possess keratinized bumps on their neck, back, and tail. Their eyes are unusually set in their bottom jaw as opposed to their top, enabling them to better view the things below them.
Abilities
Vialor's Reflexes
The ashgorn are able to temporarily slow down their perception of time. This allows them to react unnaturally fast to attacks and other dangers.
Ecology and Behavior
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Ashgorn possess a pure gilder reproduction system with all mature individuals being capable of fertilization and giving birth to live young. For ashes specifically, the terms dam and sire is used to refer to the carrier of the pregnancy and the one to impregnate them respectively. This term is often used by calves when referring to their parents and does not have gender implications.
Pairing season occurs during the winter. Ashes will spar and fight one another in order to attract a potential partner. After courtship, ashes will typically pair together for several years, however, some partnerships only last a single season.
Dams are pregnant for nearly a year and a half and give birth to a single calf. Calves can walk within a day but take several weeks to start running. They rely on plant matter regurgitated by their parents until they are six months old, after which they are able to consume solid food.
Ashes are considered adults at 16. The average lifespan of an ashgorn is around 250 years but life expectancy hovers just above 100.
Social Structure
Unlike the majority of Intalli, ashgorn are unaffected by solitude. They don't need constant social interaction and find contentment in being alone. Due to their discomfort in large crowds and aversion to crowded areas, ashgorn often choose to live in small communities or by themselves.
Ashgorn have distinct familial households with titles derived from the head of the family. When ashgorn officially pair up, they may establish a new household or join the household of the other. It is common for these relationships to dissolve after several years, prompting one partner to return to their original household or join the household of a new partner, thus perpetuating the cycle.
Offspring produced from these unions typically choose a final household to join upon parental separation, and this household will determine their title as an adult. Most will follow their dam rather than their sire.
If they do move houses, they are encouraged to bond closely with the members of their new household (Known as namekin) as it is typically frowned upon to change houses after the initial decision.
Ashgorn will often possess a sizable extended family, usually referred to as bloodkin, but will keep their primary focus within their household. Interactions and relationships with bloodkin often persist, however, the depth of these connections are typically shallower than those shared with namekin.
Diet
Ashgorn are herbivorous and primarily browse on the twigs and leaves of trees. Shrubs, grass, and fruit are also regularly consumed. When given the opportunity, they will consume carrion or even hunt small prey. Ashgorn regularly chew on bones for extra nutrients and as a stress reliever.
Hybrids
Due to the competitive and violent nature of ashgorn pairing, hybrids are a rare sight. Hybrids are generally healthy but have expected fertility issues. Most will skew in size in favor of the larger parent. Ashgorn reflexes generally do not pass on to hybrids.
Psychology and Culture
Ideals and Instincts
The ashgorn possess an innate love for violence and conflict. To them, battle is a sacred art and a way to prove their strength and prowess to Vialor themself. They are instinctively driven by aggression and most inherently enjoy the thrills of combat even in spite of the danger.
This instinctive aggression is also what that drives them to seek out challenges and rivalries. Whether it be in combat, artistic pursuits, or intellectual feats, ashes will take any opportunity to push the boundaries of their abilities.
The pursuit of excellence is highly encouraged within ashgorn culture. Impressive feats of any type are highly praised and are seen to bring glory to both the individual and their community.
In spite of their fondness for competition and bloodshed, the ashgorn are bound by personal and cultural codes of honor. They believe in the achievement of glory through combat, valiant deeds, and unwavering loyalty. Winning at any cost is not the goal; rather, they seek victory with dignity.
Ashes take great pride in treating both allies and adversaries with respect. Every word and gesture shared with potential friends or enemies is carefully measured to avoid unintended disrespect or offense.
Fortunately, if one truly despises another, they are not forced to keep it a secret. It is considered far better to disclose one's disdain of another rather than hide it, allowing the offended party to fairly retaliate, whether it be in combat or other means.
Customs and Traditions
The practice of honor sparring is widely observed among ashgorn. While primarily utilized for courtship, it may also serve as a means of resolving other conflicts. Participants engage in combat in their true forms and refrain from weapon use. Sparring begins with both opponents rising to their hind legs and exchanging kicks. This allows both participants to quickly size each other up and assess their strengths.
Once both have fallen to all fours, attacks are restricted to blows using the head or neck, with occasional allowance for biting. Kicks exchanged after the initial introductory stage are highly stigmatized and strictly forbidden. A well-aimed kick can result in devastating injuries and is thus seen as a quick and cheap tactic to end a fight.
Sparring concludes when one participant yields or has otherwise been incapacitated. Rematches are permitted only after several months from the initial spar. Requesting an immediate rematch is viewed as disrespectful, implying the winner's victory was illegitimate.
Due to potential major injuries to sensitive areas like the spine or skull, armor is encouraged for sparring. Armor is usually used to reinforce the head and neck and allows most blows to be shrugged off.
While initially designed for ceremonial combat, sparring armor has been adapted to meet the demands of larger and more intense battles. Notable adaptations include reinforced gauntlets, allowing for deadly blows with the hooves. Some gauntlets are adorned with powerful blades for opportunistic strikes to the face or legs. These blades require the use of highly durable metals to puncture the thick hide of ashes, making them particularly dangerous when used against other species.
Trivia
Bone stacking is a common ashgorn game. The goal is to stack as many distinctive types of bones on top of one another without toppling the entire stack. The most impressive bone stacks frequently serve as landmarks.
Ashgorn have a unique method of expressing contentment and camaraderie- they engage in synchronized tail wagging. This is often used to diffuse tense social interactions and is a common sight during introductions.
The most common use of their call, created from their hollow crests, is as a built-in war horn. The particular sound of their call is unique from individual to individual and largely depends on the shape of one's crest. This call is also used for long distance communication, although it is purposefully pitched deeper to allow for a noticeable distinction.