Overview

Created By: Leeson Andaris and Nir'wei

Locations: Southern Idalos, in the lands between Desnind, Quacia and Niomyr; Historical and rare sightings of them in parts of Central and Western Idalos

Height: ~70 ft Average, ~90 ft for males (including antlers)

Width: ~20 ft

Length: ~50 ft

Weight: Varies between 50k and 70k lbs

Native to: Edges of forests around Desnind

Rarity: Extremely Rare; One herd known to date

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Appearance:

Snäytu Kanna (sNay-eetOO kAHn-nAH) are the largest sentient land creatures in Idalos. These behemoths stride across land on four massive hooves, the walls of which stand at least as tall as two men, are often caked with massive amounts of hardened mud, stone, and clay depending on their terrain. Stemming from their hooves extends four massive legs that bend inwardly with one joint each. Its flesh, like the rest of its body save its hooves, antlers, and teeth, is composed of what appears to be hardened bark, much like that of a great tree's. The creature’s legs extends for an average of fifty feet before reaching the apex of the creature's back, where, in the place of bark, a peculiarly soft moss grows. From this moss, the creature gains its nutrients in the form of evolved, perpetual photosynthesis, which makes the beast's blood and moss seem to glow with radiant sun-kissed brilliance, giving the Snäytu Kanna a majestic appearance.

From its back grows a neck, covered and thoroughly plated with bark, and is of appropriate size to allow the gentle giant to accurately survey its surroundings. In males, their eyes are large and magnificently bright with the light of the dual suns. In females, their eyes are split into countless amounts of brightly-colored slits that adorn the upper-middle portion of their heads, in order to better watch for potential threats. These eyes are without pupils, the entirety of their eye being light sensitive rather to a small portion. It is has been thought that the ocular organs of a Snäytu Kanna send out rays of light and view their world through a kind of visible radar rather to having their organs be light sensitive, making the Snäytu Kanna somewhat blind. It seems, instead, that they sense changes in air movement based on the way the moss and parasitic plants that grow from them shift in their flesh. As such, the Snäytu Kanna does not often open its eyes, and when it does, the individual in its gaze could be either mystified by the beast and its eyes of light or literally blinded by its brightness.

In males, two gigantic tree-like structures protrude from its skull in a fashion that somewhat resembles antlers. These antlers are adorned with a thick brush of leaf-like structures that capture and harness the power of sunlight with great efficiency. This extra bit of potential energy is unnecessary for everyday activities, but upon command the creature can utilize a great push of vitality that could be necessary for fleeing, rushing, combat, or mating. Females, while lacking these antlers, have somewhat longer backs and torsos, allowing for more moss to grow and more energy, as well as a large womb for her young, effectively making Snäytu Kanna pregnancies much less obvious and much less cumbersome for the rest of the herd.

The Snäytu Kanna, due partly for their size and partly for their perfect living conditions, serve as roaming homes for the creatures of their given area. Birds will perch upon their antlers, small trees and plants will occasionally grow from their soft backs which attracts squirrels, rabbits, and other small mammals. The ground is soft and fertile, and though they cannot support many beings, Snäytu Kanna support what can easily be described as a small ecosystem, diverse to every individual. They serve as a way to naturally spread foreign species into new habitats in life, and in death their corpses fall and hollow quickly, leaving their strong bark skin to be carved and utilized by larger organisms such as deer, bears, or trees. They are often considered the personifications of nature and hailed with distant respect and gratitude by nearby civilizations.

Habitat:

Snäytu Kanna can be found across Southern Idalos, in the lands between Desnind, Quacia and Niomyr, however there have been rare sightings of them in parts of Central and Western Idalos as well, as they are known to prefer roaming over grasslands, forests and light mountainous regions. They shun Eastern territories because of the desert, and Northern territories seeing as cold temperatures can limit their mobility and temperature.

Rarely would you see a Snäytu Kanna traversing through bodies of water, but due to their migratory nature it is entirely possible, and has happened before. Snäytu Kanna were created in the forests surrounding Desnind, and yet they can be found even a continent away in similar habitats. Therefor, it had to have been possible for the Snäytu Kanna to migrate over a body of water, and even somewhat recently due to the fact that Southern and Eastern Snäytu Kanna do not differ biologically, which means it is certainly possible for whatever factor that forced the beasts to move across an ocean may act again and the Snäytu Kanna could move and adapt to different environments somewhat quickly.

Lifespan and Development:

Usually during the season of Saun, when the Snäytu Kanna are the strongest, the male Snäytu Kanna exhales pollen directly into a female’s mouth which starts to fertilize and develop inside her, until such a time when the developed offspring break the bark around them from inside their mother and crawl out of their wombs. They’re placed in a sunny spot nearby by the father or other herd members and the new father makes a nest of their given area until such a time where the new mother recovers from her wounds and the litter of children are large enough to roam. In order to protect their young and weak, many Snäytu Kanna adopt a herd mentality, travelling in groups with extra protection given to pregnant and vulnerable females.

Snäytu Kanna typically live to the age of 110 arcs and become sexually mature at 50 arcs old. From there, a suitable mate is found within an individual’s own or neighboring herd. Snäytu Kanna mate for life, meaning that once impregnated, the female Snäytu Kanna is bound to the male Snäytu Kanna and vice versa for the rest of their existence.

Herds are either added onto by reproducing within the same family, or begun anew by mating between herds. Herds often reach their limit at a minimum of ten members and at a maximum of fifteen members, and the numbers grow quickly with every new litter.

Litters of Snäytu Kanna usually include 6-7 newborns, and about four typically survive. Most die of malnutrition due to being smaller than their brothers, sisters, and adult families, or, tragically, poaching as a big game trophy.

History:

It is often thought that the Immortals Moseke and Xiur collaborated to create a creature that embodied both the balance and neutral benevolence of nature and hope for its continuation of being. Legends state that Moseke crafted the beast’s skeleton and body from the earth and forest life, and Xiur planted hope in their hearts and in their eyes, making both shine with the brilliance of the stars.

Quickly, they were discovered by Sev’ryn peoples near and around the city of Desnind, who, with their strong ties to nature, began to hold the new behemoths in great respect and reverence. They gave the beasts the name Snäytu Kanna, meaning Walking Earth, and held them as divine creations of Moseke. As such, they have always done their best to keep a respectful distance from their herds and families, letting them ensure the balance of nature quietly and properly.

There are legends of the occasional emotional bonding between man and Snäytu Kanna, forming a unique relationship. Both the Snäytu Kanna and the human would abandon their families and homes in favor of a nomadic life dedicated to the continuation of natural balance and order. These individuals in the legends are more often than not blessed by Moseke and already have formed a deep relationship with nature before bonding with the behemoth, and are usually of Sev’ryn descent.

With the spread of civilization, the Snäytu Kanna’s numbers grow less and less dense. Philosophers have argued that they are a symbol of the state of nature, or perhaps a sign from Moseke to not consume the entirety of her domain. Either way, the Snäytu Kanna continue, and hopefully will continue, to roam Idalos in quiet and determined hope for the wilderness and its upkeep. Their herds travel only in the deep forests, often avoiding cities and civilizations if they can. Occasionally, if the need is great, a Snäytu Kanna will stride near a city and amaze its inhabitants, towering over their buildings and shadowing even the greatest of leaders.

Diet:

The Snäytu Kanna feed consistently off of the rays of the dual suns of Idalos via a potent form of photosynthesis through either specialized moss-like structures on their backs or thick brush on the males’ antlers.

Temperament:

Snäytu Kanna are docile and notoriously well mannered towards most other creatures at most other times during the annual cycle. However, during the Ymiden and Saun portion of the arc, males get increasingly territorial and temperamental towards rivalling males. Though still relatively uncommon, it is more likely for one to hear the pained screams of an injured male that has been wounded by combat over a potential mate, or see a somewhat horrific battle between two of the giants.

Other than over mating, there is only one other time where the disposition of a Snäytu Kanna is greatly altered, and that is during a time of mourning. During the loss of a herd member or child, which can potentially happen annually but is most common in Saun, the herd, for a short time, becomes much more reclusive and solemn than normal. Though quiet and somber funerals are the most common, on occasion the forests will echo with the pained song of a mother mourning her child, often likened to the wind if it could moan with the ferocity of forlorn thunder.

Abilities:

Snäytu Kanna have a wide range of peculiar abilities compared to the rest of the local fauna. This includes their size, their fortified bark-like skin, their lack of a need to relieve themselves of waste or replenish food supplies or water. But arguably, their most but arguably their most impressive ability is their ability to hibernate throughout Zi’ida and Cylus, while perfectly blending into their natural surroundings to any but the most skilled of observers. Through careful rationing throughout the rest of the arc, the Snäytu Kanna can easily survive in even the harshest of colds until such a time where the weather is bearable enough to awaken.

As well as this, there have been legends of communication with the Snäytu Kanna through many arcs of meditation and attention to an individual creature. These legends detail a dedicated individual who has bonded with a Snäytu Kanna over many many arcs, and, after speaking to the Snäytu Kanna absently over those arcs, one day heard the Snäytu Kanna speak back in common tongue. The fact that Snäytu Kanna are intelligent creatures has never once been argued, but whether or not the legend speaks some amount of truth has yet to be seen.

See Also

See also Barkskin