Elephants

Second only to the saurian, elephants and their relatives are the largest of all beastial herbivores. Although there are many species of elephants, they are easily recognizable their opposable trunks and at least one pair of ivory tusks protruding from their mouths. Depending on the species, some elephants have large ears and thick leathery skin that protects them from the heat of the sun while others, such as mammoths are more acclimated to cold environments sporting thick coats of fur.

Another notable feature that elephants and their relatives possess is their intelligence and memory. In fact, they have been known to hold grudges against poachers or hunters for months and even years enacting revenge as the herd comes in full force to attack their settlment or village. Such behavior is reflects the strong familial bond amongst an elephant herd as each member fiercely defends its own, collectively raises their young, and mourns the loss of a herd member.

In general, elephants tend to be largely unaggressive, albeit quite wary, towards humanoids. However elephants have been known to be quite welcoming to druidic tribes and other groups in tune with nature. In fact, they have been known to regularly communicate, visit, and even aid these individuals in the protection of their environment. If an elephant herd has had negative encounters wiuth humanoids in the past, they will become extremely territorial upon future encounters. When provoked, elephants rarely fight alone unless separated from its herd. While defenders of the herd engage their enemy; the others guard and escort the young or elderly to safety away from the fray.

Hippos

Whereas the elephant primarily dominates the land, the hippo's realm are lakes and streams. They spend the majority of their times in water feasting on vegetation on the river banks or underwater.

Unlike the elephant, the hippo is an extremely moody and violent animal, particularly against predators and humanoids. Its hatred for predators and humanoids makes it even hard for druidic tribes to safely communicate and bond with these animals. Despite its demeanor, it actually seems to assume to role as a guardian for other herbivores. Whenever the hippo is present near a lake or stream, other herbivores are drawn to this place thanks to the sanctuary that a herd of hippos provide. Whenever a predator is seen in the vicinity of the hippos home, it immediately erupts into a violent fury as it proceeds to kill its foe.

The hippos primary weapon is its powerful jaws that can easily snap any unfortunate creature that finds its way in its jaws in half. Its jaws have been known to even be powerful enough to splinter small boats and canoes in a single bite.

Despite the notorious reputation of its jaws, it has also used it at times to gently grap drowning herbivores as the brings it to the safety of the shores.

When encountering a hippo, it is best to give it an extremely wide berth and one should be watchful to look for what may appear to nearby logs floating in the water as a hippo is rarely found alone. If one finds themselves in combat with a hippo, the best advice is to avoid its jaws as once it clamps down on its victim, it will not let go and will drag its foe underwater slamming it against underwater rocks and debris.

Rhinos

The rhino is another large herbivore known for its prominent horns attached to its nose. Depending on the species, some rhino may posses one horn while some have been known to have up to four. Although most species tend to be smaller than both the elephant and the hippo, rhinos are known for their surprising speed and endurance for their size and build.

By nature, rhinos tend to be much more solitary and are only seen with other rhinos while mating or raising young. As a solitary herbivore, this makes it seemingly an easy target for predators. Because of this, rhinos tend to be extremely territorial driving off even other herbivores that get too close.

Once antagnoized, the rhino seemingly transforms into a living battering ram, using its overwhelming size and surprising speed skewer its foes with its horn. Unlike other hertbivores which flee when wounded, the rhino would rather stand its ground than flee as its fury gives its unnatural endurance letting it shrug off the harshest of wounds.

Because of this, many predators tend to leave rhinos alone for it will be a prolonged and dangerous endeavor to bring one down. Their tenacity also makes them a prized mount for many cultures; if they have the courage and discipline to attempt to tame such an unruly beast.

Giant Sloth

Easily rivaling the elephant in size, is the peaceful titan known as the giant sloth. This large beast lives primarily in dense jungles where there is ample source of food to appease their voracious appetite. These sloths seem to personify the concept of laziness as they literally spend the majority of their life eating and sleeping. Thanks to their large size, these titans have very few natural predators are able to graze with little fear and their powerful claws allow them to climb into the largest of trees to sleep in relative safety.

However, when it does need to defend itself, it transforms into a fury storm of claws uncharacteristic for a seemingly lazy beast. Maybe it is the fact that its meal or sleep was interrupted by the audacity of a predator, that drives it into a terrible fury. Once antagonized, the sloth will uses its unnaturally long arms to shred its enemy. Even if the predator attempts to flee, the sloth gives no mercy to the one that interrupted its peaceful solitude as it tramples through the forest in pursuit flinging tree branches at its quarry. Its wrath is only sated when the current threat is eliminated will the sloth revert back to its normal demeanor, peacefully eating or sleeping as if nothing had happened.

Giant Armadillo

From a distance, giant armadillos would resemble giant turtles with large clubbed tails. However, these heavily armored creatures are in fact mammals. Although they do not typically live in herds with their own kind, they are often present alongside migratory herds of other herbivores such as gazelles and buffalo.

Due to their slow gait, many predators attempt to try their luck against the armadillo; however, its plating repels the claws and teeth of all but the strongest predators. If that does not deter its prey, it uses its clubbed tail to knock away attackers. If it wants to make a quick get away, it simply curls up into a ball plowing into any creature foolish enough to try to stop it.

Camel

The camel is the staple beast of burden for civilizations living in the most extreme of environments. Although most camels are associated with desert biomes, they also are popular founds found in the arctic regions of the material plane. Their bodies are perfectly adapted to enduring extreme heat and cold. In addition to resisting extreme temperatures, they are extremely proficient at traversing through loose sand, thick snowbanks, and even icy surfaces. Their eyes are also able to be shielded from extreme snowfall or sandstorms allowing them to safely travel through the harshest of conditions without difficulty.

Despite their amazing utility as a beast of burden, camels are known to be frustratingly stubborn and moody. Whenever it has a bad day, it will refuse to do anything it is told until it gets its way. This stubborness has even been known to be quite impervious to magical effects that alter its behaviors.

Giraffe

The largest relative of the camel is the giraffe. This creature is known for its immense size; towering even over the elephant and even many dinosaurs. However, despite its height, it is not nearly as massive or strong as these other creatures. What it lacks in build or strength, it makes up with its surprising speed easily outrunning any potential predators.

Despite its somewhat lanky frame, the giraffe is no pushover when threatened. Thanks to its powerful kicks and log-like neck, it has been known to easily shatter the bones and even decapitate predators from its sheer power of its blows. However, if its foe still proves to be too much, the giraffe will quickly attempt to flee using its long gait to put distance between it and its attacker.

Llama

The llama is a relative of the giraffe albeit much smaller as most variants are about the size of a small horse. However, they make up for their size with their sturdy endurance making them prized pack animals. However, they are notorious for their personality. By nature, they tend to be particularly grumpy, stubborn, and moody creatures , particularly in any interactions with humanoids. Although they are not particularly aggressive to humanoids, they seem to take pleasure in being contrary and making lives of their humanoid owners as difficult as they can.

One of their favorite tactics is to spit in the eyes of their owner. Although they use this as a defense mechanism, they seem to enjoy using their humanoid owners as target practice. Unfortunately, they are suprisingly accurate and are able to hit their target through the smallest opening. Another annoying tactic they enjoy it to chew the hair or occassionally the ears of anyone who get to close.

Springhorn

The springhorn, also known as the gazelle or deer depending on the region, is one of the most common of large herbivorous mammals on the Material Plane. They dwell in nomadic large herds, sometimes in the thousands, constantly searching for grasslands. It is not uncommon for these herds to be intermingled with other herbivorous creatures such as elephants and even dinosaurs. Staying near such creature helps provide ample notice and protection from predators.

Since they tend to be skittish by nature, springhorns tend to immediately flee at the first sign of danger using their superior speed to make a quick escape. However, if corned, it will attempt to gore predators with its horns. However, it will only resort of self-defense long enough for it make an escape.

Buffalo

The buffalo is the much larger and bulkier relative to the springhorn. What it lacks in size, it makes up in strength and endurance. Just like their smaller kin, the live in large mutli-species herds. However, when danger approaches, they will become quite territorial and will attempt to drive off predators by charging it with their horns. However, if the threat proves to be too much, they will resort to fleeing as they are not as heavily built for prolonged engagements as other herbivores such as rhinos or elephants

Moose

The moose is probably the largest and most dangerous of all the springhorn's relatives. Although most springhorns possess a pair of antlers on its heads, the moose has much more pronounced horns, often spanning nearly 10ft. in width with the largest specimens. One of then primary uses of the moose's antlers are to attract mates and to intimidate rivals. It tends to be much more solitrary and and territorial than its smaller relatives, so its often best to give a moose plenty of space when encountered. When threatened, it wields its antlers with deadly efficiency.

Its antlers are particularly useful against predators such as wolves wherein its wide reaches enables it to injure multiple members as it charges through the fray. Many forest loving civilization have tamed these creatures using them as beasts of burdem, livestock, and even mounts of war due to their large populations in wooded forests.

Dire Boar

The most dangerous of all woodland herbivores is the dire boar. This creature is known for its perpetual aggression, especially against creatures that intrude upon its territory. Their primary weapons are their jagged tusks that they use to gore and eviscerate their opponents. Most predators tend to avoid attacking a dire boar due to its relentless fury that gives it supernatural endurance when wounded. In a matter of seconds, the boar can easily turn the tables on its attacker as it refuses to back down when threatened continually fighting to its last breath.

Many hunters and adventurers view the boar as one of the ultimate quarry thanks to its tenacity and strength. Only the most skilled and capable of hunters are able to bring down a beast of this magnitude.

Carnoboar

Almost as intimidating as the dire boar is the carnoboad. By nature, most boars can be quite omnivorous feasting on anything they come across if they are hungry enough. Whereas most boars may scavenge the remains of a dead creature, carnoboars are known to actively hunt down prey. The brutes hunt in small packs of 4(1d6) members that will relentlessly pursing anything the set their sight on. Even other predators such as wolves or bears end up as potential prey as these boar pursue their quarry with a series of furious squeal.

Carnoboars don't seem to show any fear of humanoids as they will begin the view them as a new source of meat. Unlike other predators which will flee when overpowered, the carnoboar will continue to fight on to its dying breath fueled by its perpetual fury.