The Cloaked Elks are most common in cold, northern climates. The thick, long hair on their chest, withers and back make this elk seem as if it is wearing a long cloak, and thus came the name.

Appearance. Cloaked Elks are big, nearly 2 peds at the withers, and 1.5 from chest to tail. While their antlers are large, they are not the biggest, only 2/3 ped square. The Unique feature of the Cloaked Elk is the long hair that grows from the withers, chest and belly. These hairs give the elk a barrel-chested look.

Image description. A Cloaked Elk in front of the night sky as seen in the vast reaches of Northern Sarvonia. Picture drawn by Bard Judith.

The Cloaked Elk comes in light colors; usually grey with black and white accents. The back of the elk is grey, with most of the legs, tail and chest, up the inside of the neck and across the bottom of the chin, wrapping around the nose, and inside of the ears a clean white. Female elks have small white rings around their eyes and a single spot in their heads where horns would grow. The skin of the elk is black; all that is not covered in hair has a black pigment to it.

Hooves tend to be black as well, but they can carry white vertical stripes, especially if the elk spends more time in the snow.

The antlers of the male Cloaked Elks are covered in a thin skin of black fur that wears off during mating season. The antlers k are thick and blunt-ended, some comment on their antlers being like the branches of a pruned tree.

Special Abilities. The Cloaked Elk can endure extreme temperatures, due to its thick fur. Their hooves are cloven, unlike most domestic animals. These hooves allow them to walk on rough ground and snow; spreading their weight over a broader area.

Territory. The Cloaked Elk lives in cold climates; most of the Cyhalloi Tundra and vast reaches of Northern Sarvonia. The males are not so dominant as other breeds, though they will fight if the need arises. These elk also tend to band together; one male dominating 5 or so females and their calves.

Habitat/Behaviour. Cloaked Elks have much the same behavior as their other relatives; foraging for food most of the time. They usually have some difficulty finding food in the territories they live in, so their ability to search is a bit more developed. They paw the frozen earth with their hooves to find grasses and roots, and eat snow instead of drinking water. While they can still detect bodies of water from a distance, the snow they live among can dull these senses.

Diet. Cloaked Elks eat mostly seeds and bark of trees, as well as mosses and other ground-plants. The land in which they reside in is hard on plants, so they spend most of their time foraging to sustain their massive bodies.

Mating. While Cloaked Elks are not so vicious as other elks (it is assumed that the harsh weather makes survival more important to the Cloaked Elk), these elk do fight and will maim one another for mating rights. Unlike other elks, the Cloaked Elk may band together during gestation and early calf life; one male and several females and their calves.

Usages. The Cloaked Elks have been prized over much of Caelereth for their coats. The magnificent arrangement of fur makes great, thick robes that keep heat very well, and the coloring, while not unique, is pleasing to the eye. Their meat is prized highly as well as these animals are quite big and such a large amout of meat in such a rough climate is defenitely a blessing. War-chiefs of the northern orc tribes may wear the entire pelt of a Cloaked Elk (skull intact and set upon the head of the orc) as a sign of dominance. This cloak is only used in special ceremonies, however.