The Deer

Deer are a family of large, even-toed, hoofed, browsing animals of the forest and forest edge. They are found throughout the Sarvonian continent, over Nybelmar and the Isles of R'unor and in Akdor.

The weight of the body is carried by the third and fourth toes, protected by hoofs, while on either side of the feet are the small second and fifth toes, the dew claws, which do not touch the ground. Deer are characterized by the presence of antlers. Below the eyes are scent glands, which in the male are odoriferous. The tail, usually short, is mobile and is often an indication of the animals. Deer are ruminants (any animal that feeds on vegetation and regurgitates the food - like cows) and may be either browsers or grazers. They come out at dawn and dusk to feed on leaves, grass, berries, shoots, ferns, root crops, and even bark, before settling in a safe, quiet place to digest.

All deer are swift and have highly developed senses, which help them to avoid danger. They also have complex social organisation within the herd.

Deer Overview. Following is a list of all kinds of Deer known in the lands of Caelereth:

HARGIVE, THE (HO'GARG'MAIV)
A short, thick-bodied deer found in the Sarvonian North, is the Ho’Garg’Maiv (lit. Kuglimz'seitre translation "Red White Animal"), also called the "Hargive", is found in herds of 15-20 and is hunted for its thick skin, which makes tough, valuable armour, and its meat.

HO'SHI, THE
The Ho'shi (lit. "Jumping Animal", pluralization of the animal stays Ho'shi, this is thought to have occured due to the fact that one does not see a Ho'shi by itself) is a deer native to the Celeste Lowlands in Northern Sarvonia. It is a small, quick form of deer that sustains itself on the endless alth'ho grasses of the plains area. It is thought to be close relative of the prieta.

PRIETA, THE
The Prieta is a slender graceful member of the deer family that is very adaptable to various environments and able to flourish. They are also made for running and can sustain a speedy pace for hours.

SANTHALIAN BLACK HART, THE
The "cursed" Santhalian Black Hart, also known just as the Black Hart, resembles a domesticated goat except for one major difference. The colour of the horns is what gives the Hart its name, for the antlers are jet black. These long, graceful, beautiful black antlers that can weigh up to 40 pounds. Both sexes have poisonous antlers, although the female version is much smaller and lighter, they can still be deadly. As the name already implies, the Santhalian Black Hart can mainly be found in the mid-southern area of the Sarvonian Continent.

SARVONIAN WHITE DEER, THE
Of the deer species living wild today, the White Deer is the largest species living in Sarvonia. Males stand at 1.60 peds to the shoulder, while females are much smaller at 1 ped. The ‘deer forests’ of the elves are not in actual fact ideal habitat for these large creatures, but they have survived magnificently, so well in fact that several elven tribes have to carefully control numbers to prevent large numbers destroying other forest flora and fauna. Sarvonian White Deer are easily distinguished by their size and their much prized white coats.

STARBACK, THE
Categorized in the deer family, the Starbacks are named for the white spots on their back. Though a close relative to the Sarvonian White Deer, they are no nearly as tall, coming in at around 2.5 fores at the shoulder. The coats, though not as prized as the White Deer, also gain a high price.

SNOWY DEER, THE
The Snowy Deer is considered the most elegant creature living within the Goltherlon Forest. Its white fur, for which it was named, is marked in various shades of white. These deer travel in tight herds and are fairly sociable and affectionate creatures when around their own species. They are extremely quick creatures, one of the fastest on Sarvonia, and are hunted both for their meat and their beautiful coats.

STEPPE DEER, THE
The Steppe Deer, or more accurately named "Fork-Horn" or "Green Deer", is a small greenish deer usually found in the Warnaka Mountains, and in far more limited numbers around the Bolder Forest, the Heath of Jernais, the Aurora Fields and a bit spread around western Nyermersys.

Why this kind of deer is actually called Steppe Deer is unknown, and there have been several discussions about that name among researchers, as not that many Fork-Horns live on any steppe. The theories are that there once were a lot of Steppe Deer in the Heath of Jernais, but were hunted down by humans and large predators, and lost the best grazing pastures to the larger starback deer. Their small size gave them possibly less chance for defense and speed, which made them a far easier target (except in large numbers), or that there were far more hunters, wolves and other predators who waited along their trails to the Warnaka Mountains, where their large caves and grottos used for hibernating can be found. The Fork-Horns travel to those caves each autumn, along a set of trails trough the Heath of Jernais, the Aurora Fields and the Bolder Forest.

TAR'ANDUS DEER, THE
The Tar’andus is a member of the deer family found in arctic and subarctic regions, from the Gathorn Mountains onwards stretching to the North over all the peninsula of Iol. They are the only deer in which both sexes have antlers. The broad hooves support the animal on boggy land or snow and have sharp edges that enable it to traverse rocky or frozen surfaces and to dig down to the grass and lichens on which it sometimes feeds.