Antaeun

Appearance and culture

Antaeuns are a race of intelligent bipedal elephantine mammals, closely related to mammoths. Towering at over 3 meters in height and being very sturdy in body structure they are an impressive sight to encounter in the cold wastes of the southern parts of the valley. Both male and female antaeuns sport large bone white tusks, although males have larger and more impressive ones. They don't really use these tusks in fights but they could easily kill most of the smaller races if caught in the way of them. Antaeuns also have a custom of carving designs on their tusks to show their rank in the tribe. Majority of their body is covered on very thick fur ranging from brown to gray depending on the age, sex and other factors. Their feet are very similar to feet of a mammoth but somewhat more suitable for bipedal walk. On the other hand they have humanoid hands and fingers allowing them to nimbly handle items and weapons regardless of their massive size and thick skin and fur.

Antaeuns form small bands and some times even larger tribes that live nomadic life on the southern parts of the valley at at the edge of the glaciers and plains where they can still hunt for large creatures living in the glaciers but still roam easily through the areas where large forests and hills do not hinder their movement. They rarely stay long in a same area and move in cycles around the edge of the southern glaciers with their mammoths who they use as their massive pack animals. Few times per year some of them trek to the north to trade their hunted items, such as bone and furs in large communities for metal items and cloth that they themself cannot produce due to their nomadic life style. They value large metallic weapons, such as great axes, highly as they are an impressive way to show their rank and status and as they also double as tools that are needed in nomadic life. Lifespan of the antaeuns is relatively long and that they do not have many enemies in the southern glaciers that could prematurely end their life many of the antaeuns manage to gather many metallic items, even highly magical ones. Some of the elder antaeuns who manage to gather enough personal possessions usually tend to retire in communities of other races when they reach certain point in their life and become familiar enough with the odd cultures. Young antauns occasionally seek adventurous life and wander towards the north in seek of knowledge. They are often hired as mercenaries and bodyguards due to their impressive figure, eventhough they are quite peaceful.