Taxlatl Terrorbeast
In the days leading up to the Great Strife, the Taxlatl People had a fierce reputation when it came to warfare. While a significanr part of this reputation came from the capabilities of well-trained lizardfolk foot-soldiers, it was mostly due to the frightening war-beasts they could bring to the battlefield as well. The most fearsome of these was a creature the Taxlatl called Leekhak'gak, which loosely translates as "Many horns". Opponents called it the Taxlatl Terrorbeast.
Unlike the Trihorn, however, the body of the Terrorbeast is a little broader and shorter, and is covered with the carapace-like armor plating of its Clubtail parent. The carapace flares out around the shoulder and hip joints, allowing those joints full range of motion and permitting the creature to gallop in a charge. The edges of the carapace forms a row of sharp, slightly forward-curving spikes 8 to 12 in (20-30cm) in length.
The tail of the creature is longer and heavier than that of the Trihorn, more closely resembling that of the Clubtail. But instead of a bony club, the tail also has several sharp spikes protruding to either side. This tail is sufficiently long and muscular enough for the beast to be able to sweep it from side to side to strike at creatures behind it or towards its flanks.
Nature
quadruped, reptilian,
omnivorous, sterile,
magic-assisted origin
Length
25ft (7m)
Height
12ft (3.5m)
Weight
12,000lbs (5500kg)
First, a magical or alchemical potion - presumed to be quite similar to "love potions" known today - is administered to a male Trihorn and a femal Clubtail, which are then permitted to mate. Immediately following the mating, additional spells are cast on the Clubtail which apparently ensure that viable - and desirable - eggs develop. In due course, the Clubtail lays the eggs. Taxlatl "Breedmasters" then took control of the eggs and protected them until hatching.
In combat, the unit's purpose was to devastate enemy infantry positions. A unit would arrange itself in a horizontal line with about 8 to 10ft (2-3m) between them. This line would charge into and through enemy infantry deployments. The combination of fear induced by seeing 120 tons of bellowing, armored, spike-laden behemoths charging was often enough to break an infantry line and cause it to begin retreating. The side-spikes of the carapice and the whipping tail meant that even soldiers who side-stepped a headlong charge would be shredded.
Description
The Terrorbeast is an engineered species, the result of careful crossbreeding between the two large reptilian beasts that have been well-known to the Taxlatl for some time: the Armored Trihorn and the Clubtail. The resulting creature is the size, height, and weight of a small adult Trihorn. The head of the creature resembles that of its Trihorn parent, with three large forward-pointing horns and a broad, flared bony plate protecting the creature's neck as well as the three or four lizardfolk archers or javelineers it can carry on its back.Unlike the Trihorn, however, the body of the Terrorbeast is a little broader and shorter, and is covered with the carapace-like armor plating of its Clubtail parent. The carapace flares out around the shoulder and hip joints, allowing those joints full range of motion and permitting the creature to gallop in a charge. The edges of the carapace forms a row of sharp, slightly forward-curving spikes 8 to 12 in (20-30cm) in length.
The tail of the creature is longer and heavier than that of the Trihorn, more closely resembling that of the Clubtail. But instead of a bony club, the tail also has several sharp spikes protruding to either side. This tail is sufficiently long and muscular enough for the beast to be able to sweep it from side to side to strike at creatures behind it or towards its flanks.
Taxlatl Terrorbeast
Leekhaak'gak in Taxlatl
omnivorous, sterile,
magic-assisted origin
Breeding
The Manyhorn, or Terrorbeast, required the assistance of magic, as the two parent creatures are not capable of mating to produce offspring naturally. While the specifics of the magic involved have been lost to time, the general nature of the process has been derived from a few ancient texts that survived the fall of the The Taxlatl Empire at the end of the Great Strife.First, a magical or alchemical potion - presumed to be quite similar to "love potions" known today - is administered to a male Trihorn and a femal Clubtail, which are then permitted to mate. Immediately following the mating, additional spells are cast on the Clubtail which apparently ensure that viable - and desirable - eggs develop. In due course, the Clubtail lays the eggs. Taxlatl "Breedmasters" then took control of the eggs and protected them until hatching.
Use By Taxlatl
The Manyhorn, or Terrorbeast, was bread purely for battle, and required the assistance of magic, as the two parent creatures are not capable of mating to produce offspring naturally. Military units based on them consisted of twenty beasts, eighty soldiers who would be carried into battle on their backs, and another forty support staff responsible for the care and feeding of the creatures.In combat, the unit's purpose was to devastate enemy infantry positions. A unit would arrange itself in a horizontal line with about 8 to 10ft (2-3m) between them. This line would charge into and through enemy infantry deployments. The combination of fear induced by seeing 120 tons of bellowing, armored, spike-laden behemoths charging was often enough to break an infantry line and cause it to begin retreating. The side-spikes of the carapice and the whipping tail meant that even soldiers who side-stepped a headlong charge would be shredded.
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