Tineback
Ruhnuk is a harsh world where both flora and fauna are forced to adapt in order to flourish. A prime example of this is the Ruhnukan Tineback. As humorous as their features may be to onlookers, they all have a purpose. The Tineback's ridged nose and large, blunt underbite allows it to hoe soil and chisel rock at an alarming rate. The Tineback's stout, spined tail often serves a dual purpose. In addition to providing a perfect posterior defense against an enemy, the tail can also be used as camouflage. When feeling vulnerable, Tinebacks can quickly bore straight down into the dirt, burying themselves up to their haunches. Its tail--the only part of the Tineback left exposed--resembles a dangerous, spiny succulent that grows in some of the world's more hazardous areas.
Among the beasts found on Ruhnuk, the Tineback is the most varied. From canyon to clifftop, these thickset beasts roam in groups varying from small clusters to large mobs--referred to by many as a "mix," given their range in color and pattern--chewing their way through most anything in their path. The few sentient visitors to the planet have been known to make a game out of documenting and sharing tales of their sightings.
The most unique discoveries include the elusive "Knock-Kneed" Tineback, whose uncanny speed is the envy of mount trainers, and the "Dulcet Tone"-back, so named for its glass-like tines that chime as it scurries. One famous encounter involved a smaller, unusually friendly, "beefy" variety of Tineback. According to legend, he was adopted by miners who named him Essa'Mu, a name which is thought to mean "Dragbelly," due to the Tineback's stubbier-than-normal legs.
Category: Bestiary
XP Level: 1
FQN: cdx.bestiary.tineback
