The Trihorn is an even-toed ungulate herbivorous quadrupedal creature native to the planet Ucharpli in the Kyartula continent. Having an extraordinary ability to adapt to harsh climates, they are commonly used for a variety of purposes, and as a result, the animal has developed thousands of different breeds which vary even more from planet to planet.
Trihorns were nearly hunted to extinction after a nuclear war on Ucharpli left the planet scarce of resources but conservation efforts and mass genetic engineering have saved the animal from such a fate.
Physiology[]
The Trihorn's name has a fairly straightforward origin, named for the large horn on its nose and the two protruding from the sides of its head. These valuable horns are made of ivory with traces of iron and are the Trihorns primary means of defense against predators aside from its powerful kick.
Male Trihorns have a long feathery, colorful mane which they can ruffle up as a means of attracting females. Females lack any sort of feathers covered only in short hair. Trihorns also come in a variety of colors, most commonly blue, purple or silver. Red Trihorns are exceptionally rare in the wild and appear to be a random evolutionary quirk with no real advantages over the more common colors.
Trihorns have four eyes, positioned in a way that allows them to see nearly 360 degrees, but they lack three dimensional vision in favor of being able to see around their environment. Also, like many other life forms on Ucharpli, Trihorn eyes see deep into the ultraviolet spectrum rather than the human visible light spectrum. A Trihorn can recognize others by their patterns of bio-luminescence.
Trihorns are also very intelligent, able to understand Vaikan speech and obey commands with some training making them very easy to domesticate. In comparison to other similar animals on Ucharpli, a Trihorn's brain is remarkably developed and complex. Because of this, many Vaikan colonies outlaw the consumption of Trihorn meat although the poorer regions have no issue with it.
Interestingly, Trihorns have black tongues mostly likely as a means of defense against Szon's UV rays.
Uses[]
Trihorns have had numerous uses especially among the preindustrial Vaikan colonies which have little to no access to motorized vehicles. They are chiefly used as mounts for transportation as well as work animals to tow large equipment. Their horns are often ground up as ingredients in herbal medications, and their feathers are often used for decoration.
The Karalian Empire primarily uses Trihorns for recreation purposes as their use as work as animals has become obsolete with their greater access to machines. Trihorns are show animals used for racing, rodeos, jousting and many other activities.