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THE
GOPAG
TURTLE
("WALKING
LOG",
"JUMPING
LOG") |
The Gopag
is commonly known as the "Walking Log" and is sometimes called the "Jumping Log"
due to the jumping habits of some of the smaller forms in particular.
Actually a turtle, it has the appearance of a log with moss growing on top. Its
shape comes from both sides of the shell, growing around the animal and forming
a cylinder. This animal comes in a wide range of sizes. Most types are
omnivorous though there are also herbivorous and carnivorous varieties. While
most varieties of this animal are harmless, some are extremely dangerous. It is
said that a man who sits on a dead moss covered log in
Nybelmar might never stand again.
Below you might find a quick reference list for the local names of these
animals: Kopak (Krar), Gopag (Santharian,
generic of Gopak), Tortus (Krath'melarian), Rockwalker (synonym for Tortus in
Krath'melarian), Tortus (Tartacus-
Zhunite), Testudo (Korweynite)
and Chelonia (Anpagan).
Appearance.
Gopags look like dead logs with moss growing on top. They have two large holes
on each end, one for the head one for the tail. It has two pairs of small holes
underneath one pair in front the other in back for its 4 legs. The tails are
short and stout. The necks are elastic: too short for the head to come out when
fully retracted, but can reach half the shell length beyond the shell when
necessary. Normally the head sticks just far enough outside the shell to make
the eyes visible. The shape of the head varies between types. All Gopags have
beaks with nostrils in front (towards the top of the head). The more predatory
types have longer beaks. These animals have four feet with six claws on each
foot. Most of the shell is like bark in appearance and touch. The back of the
shell is thicker and green with a very rough texture similar to small stones.
This texture varies in some Gopag species.
Categorization. Gopags come in many different varieties, which can be split up as follows:
GÁK GOPAGS
These mostly herbivorous and occasionally insectivorous Gopags rarely get over
two palmspans long and
inhabit eastern Nybelmar. All Gak Gopags
have extremely short, well rounded beaks. These Gopags have a particularly
docile nature and are sometimes kept as pets.
a) Alffaenath Gopag
The Alffaenath testido (Korweynite
for Gopag) is a small insectivorous turtle found in the forest of Allffaenath in
northeastern Nybelmar.
It is occasionally made a pet, due to its docile nature and its effectiveness in
keeping down insect populations. Its shell is about one
palmspan and four
nailsbreadths wide. The
beak, like that of other Gák Gopags, is well rounded. The
diet of this animal consists of small insects and fruits. The Alffaenath testido
lives about 30 years.
The claws are short, about ½
nailsbreadth in length. A common source of entertainment is to watch these
Gopags eating insects since they can jump over two
peds high to catch their
prey.
b) Kosth Gopag
Named after the city of Kosth where they are commonly seen as pets, these
testidos are completely herbivorous turtles. They can be found in the forest
east of Kosth, a Korweynite
city in south-eastern
Nybelmar. One of the smallest types of the Gopag,
they grow up to only half the size of an Allffaenath Gopag. They also have one
of the shortest life spans living about fifteen years.
MEDIUM OR COMMON GOPAGS
These Gopags are indigenous to western Nybelmar.
a) Rolling Gopag
These turtles are from north-western Nybelmar
(more specifically: the woodlands north east of the
Julstenian Plains). They are about one
ped long and one
fore wide. These animals
are completely carnivorous, feeding on small to midsize rodents. This variety is
nicknamed the “Rolling” Gopag as the animal rolls to large predatory rodents off
of its back. If the rodent is not removed from its back, the rodent will bite
the turtle’s neck next time next time the Gopag extends its head to feed. The
beak is about twice the width of the head and has small serrations. The claws
are one palmspan long.
b) Spotted Gopag
The Spotted Gopag lives in western Nybelmar
in the forest north of Therrein Nermarein. The three
different shades of green at the back give this animal
its name. The exact hues mimic the predominant local mosses. They can get as
large as two fores long and
two palmspans wide. These
turtles are omnivorous, usually ambushing small rodents and
lizards or foraging on berries. Beaks are about twice the size of the head
and claws are about one
palmspan in length.
c)
Zhunite
Gopag
A person who will eat anything is likened to a
Zhunite Gopag. Rumour has it that
this animal will even devour swords and
armour off of dead soldiers on the battlefield. They grow to about one and a
half ped long and one fore
wide.
d) Desert Gopag
Desert Gopags can be found in the Naezshan Zhunith in
south-western Nybelmar. These Gopags grow
to just over one ped
long. Their beaks are twice the width of their heads and
their claws are just under a
palmspan long. The top shell looks like it is covered
in sand rather than moss. These animals are omnivorous,
eating a large variety of desert plants and animals. Rats
form a large part of their diet. Most of the
water they get comes from the leaves of certain
cacti.
AMPHIBIOUS GOPAS
These Gopags from the shores of northern
Nybelmar all have webbed feet and are excellent
swimmers. Much of their diet consists of fish. The green portion of their back
is smooth to the touch if you run your hand from head to tail,
but you will cut yourself badly if
you run your hand in the other direction.
Amphibious Gopags have beaks that are about four times as long as the rest of
the head and are relatively narrow compared to other Gopags with a concave curve
on the inside, making them
excellent at snapping fish up.
a) Essalui Gopag
Located on the islands of Essalui Thareliath to the northwest of
Nybelmar, these turtles
feed entirely on fish. They are two
peds long and one fore
wide. The Essalui Gopag has a long sharp beak with a curve in it. Its claws are
about one palmspan long.
b) Escandian Gopag
Located on a peninsula in north-eastern
Nybelmar around the city of Escandis. This turtle is two
peds long and two
fores wide. Its beak and
claws are similar to the Essalui Gopag. Though it also swims to hunt fish like
the Essalui Gopag, much of its time is spent waiting to ambush smaller animals
or eating fruits and nuts.
c) Kavoth Gopag
Located in the forests west of Oberion Kovoth in northern
Nybelmar, this turtle is
two and a half peds long
and two fores wide. Its
beak and claws are similar to the Essalui Gopag. It swims to hunt fish only from
late Passing Clouds to early
Changing Winds. The rest of the
year it feeds on various nuts and berries. This turtle lives about 400 to 500
years.
MAN-EATING OR LARGE GOPAGS
These are purely carnivorous beasts of extremely violent temperament. Their
ability to wait for long periods of time before striking suddenly makes them
very dangerous.
They have long well curved claws, which they use to grab prey. Larger prey the
will handle by rearing up on their hind legs and swinging their body like a
club. Some that have survived such an attack compare it to being clubbed by a
gorba.
Large Gopags have a beak about six times the width of their heads with multiple
teeth like serrations that can grab and rip prey to pieces.
a) Gaeldorioth Gopag
This turtle can be located in Gaeldorioth by those with enough skill to find it.
A certain type of moss native to the Gaeldorioth Woods usually grows on its back
draping over the turtle. The “Invisible Moss” has excellent camouflage
facilities, able to take on the colour of the surroundings, it makes the
Gaeldorioth Gopag a very hard target to spot. Experienced hunters will
concentrate on the depression made when the Gopag sits instead of trying to
search this imperceptible animal. The
Coór'hém hunt these heavily, forcing the animals to seek shelter in the
eastern portion of the Gaeldorioth Woods.
This turtle spends most of its time waiting to ambush prey. Around the beginning
of Singing Bird, the Gaeldorioth
Gopag will roll to get the moss of its back to become “visible” to mate
candidates. After breeding it will once again roll in the nearest “Invisible
Moss” to get its bark cloaked again. This period in between is a very dangerous
time for these Gopags since both the
Coór'hém elves and local forest drakes pick
this time to hunt them. Vól’aél drakes, a local drake species renowned for its
incredible eye-sight, can hunt them year round since they are capable of seeing
them even when they are covered with the colour-shifting moss. Certain
drakes can hunt them using their extraordinary
sense of smell, removing the need to glimpse these furtive animals amidst the
undergrowth.
This drake is particularly dangerous because its
powerful jaws can even destroy Gopag armour of small species like a twig. These
Gopag grow to just under three
peds long and have a width of about one
palmspan. They have claws
which are composed of numerous sets of bones. This joint structure allows them
to temporarily extend their claws up to a
fore outwards.
b) Zsharkanion Gopag
The majority of cases involving people eaten by Gopags in the lands east of the
Zharkonian peaks are due to the ferocity of this animal. Unfortunately every
year fewer cases get recorded as scholars are no longer as keen as they used to
be to travel to this area.
From what we could gather so far, this turtle is just under three
peds long and has a
diameter of around one palmspan.
It has sharp, well-curved claws about half a
palmspan. The Zsharkanion
Gopag, perhaps a bit like the vicious mountain ranges it lives in will attack
any animal - from coin sized insects to dragons - that
comes within its hunting range. Due to its ill-fortune in "unting
dragons", the animal is often teasingly referred to as
the "dragon food Gopag”. In fact, people on both sides
of the Zsharkanion Peaks chastise boys who have too inflated an idea about
themselves and will rashly volunteer for tasks beyond their abilities by telling
them not to be like the Zsharkanion Gopag and assume responsibilities they
cannot handle.
c)
Anpagan Gopag
This turtle found in both the northern and southern parts of the
Anpagan Peninsula is over three
peds long and has a
diameter around one palmspan.
The Anpagan Gopag spends most of its
time waiting to ambush small birds, mammals and lizards
and can live up to a month without food. One of the longer living Gopag species,
this turtle lives to be about 800 years. The
Anpagan Gopags are extremely
effective at camouflaging themselves in forest undergrowth. Most notably, their
scent is so similar to that of a tree that even
bloodhounds have trouble finding them.
c) Giant Gopag
The Giant Gopag lives in the south-westernmost jungles of
Nybelmar on the Peninsula of Shar (aka the
Krath Peninsula). About eight
peds long and two
peds in diameter, the Giant
Gopag is sometimes called the “old man of the forest” because of its extremely
long lifespan of about 2000 years.
The story behind how people of the Krath jungles could identify the lifespans of
this extremely long-lived turtle is quite an interesting one – especially
considering that the average lifespan of the Viaquis tribe is 40-50 years!
There was a highly revered profession among the Viaquis dedicated to the
tracking and preservation of these extraordinary creatures. Often jokingly
called “the pages of the Old Man” each of the “clubs” would mark one of these
animals with the colour and insignia of their society and would be responsible
for keeping track of that particular Gopag thereafter. This important task would
be passed on from one generation to the next; new admissions were quite rare and
successful applicants still had to pass several challenges to prove their worth
and devotion to the club. Further, these clubs competed severely for the decadal
state award (first instigated by Emperor Dearan Asaen to protect these turtles
from extinction).
What later evolved to such a revered occupation started out when the sons of
rich Viaquis rajas made it a hobby to mark these turtles and monitor them
generation after generation - passing the 'honorable duty' (and all that
nonsense) onto the new members of the aristocracy.
Up close, the back of the Giant Gopag shell makes this animal seem to be covered
in rock up to eight
nailsbreadth across. This turtle has a beak four times as long as its head
is wide. Its beak is pointed with several teeth like points. Its sharp well
curved claws are about one ped
long. The Giant Gopag is extremely heavy, weighing about 320
pygges, and as a result
very slow, walking at less than two
fores per day. Capable of
going months without food, the Old Man of the Forest will sit and wait to ambush
almost anything that gets within one
fore of its claws. Though
it will hide from some of the larger dragons, the Giant
Gopag is a fierce and fearless creature, known to attack animals quite bigger
than itself without blinking. It has also been seen taking down the swift and
ferocious fujin, cats slightly larger than a zyloth
used by the Krathrians as mounts.
Very few of these astounding turtles are believed to exist today. The Viaquis,
who have always been a superstitious folk, regard causing the death of one of
these “wise” Gopags an omen of terrible misfortune. Even today they are quick to
expel people who might have killed a Giant Gopag to avoid bringing bad luck to
the community – even if the death had been accidental or not fully
substantiated.
Territory.
The locations where Gopags can be found are dependent on the species you look
at. For further details in this respect see the
Categorization section.
Habitat/Behaviour.
Although all types are slow on land, those that hunt fish can swim fast. Gopag
all have a lunging ability which makes them able to attack any animal within a
diameter of twice its body length. If the first lunge misses, the prey will most
likely get away so it tends to wait till they get close.
Most Gopag species live about 200 years. The smaller varieties by and large have
a shorter lifespan.
Hunting Large Gopags.
Though large Gopags are difficult to stalk and especially to kill,
several distinct styles have been developed:
Coór'hém
hunting style
The Coór'hém elves will throw a
wounded animal in front of a Gopag far enough that the turtle will have to
expose its neck to claim its food. When it reaches out to grab an easy meal the
elves will hit the back of its neck with a
small throwing axe. A rope is often attached
to the axe to quickly pull it back after
severing the spinal column. This technique, although originally devised by the
Coór'hém, is the most common method of
hunting the large Gopag species among humans.
There is some variation in weapons used by
the different tribes: Anpagans
sometimes use machinated javelins to impale
the animals to the ground. Some Zhunite
mages on the other hand create illusions of wounded animals to lure the Gopags.
Kavogerim dwarves
will scout out ahead of the party they are protecting to look for Gopags amongst
other hazards. They will hit the exposed neck of the Gopag with their halberds,
decapitating the turtle. Although very dangerous and not at all a wise way to
slay large Gopags, this has become somewhat of a show of
strength and potency among the
Kavogerim. Many rich merchants for example will ask their guide if he “has
killed his Gopag” before deciding whether or not to hire him.
Gorba hunting
style
Gorbas will walk up to a Gopag head; when the
turtle lunges at him he will swing his spiked club at its head.
Doimo
nomad hunting style
At least one Doimo nomad
will run towards the Gopag holding an oversized
spear used for hunting large game. As the Gopag attacks, the hunter will
quickly move to hit the side of its neck, driving the
spear into the neck as
he runs. He will then usually run over the Gopag shell to escape, since gopags
are incapable of scratching their backs. Krathrians used a similar method only
they rode a fujin cat instead of running on foot.
Chyrakisth
orc hunting style
Chyrakisth orcs
will move the Gopag close to a heavily used trade route, by luring it with a
wounded animal or by magic, and wait for it to
attack its victim. After the victim has been killed but before he has been eaten
they will throw spears
at its neck to kill it. They will then steal whatever valuables the victim has.
This behaviour has led to a number of wars against them and even an agreement
between the Coór'hém elves and the
Anpagan
humans called the treaty of KorMor by the
Anpagans.
This agreement requires both sides to kill any orcs
found near the trade routes between them.
Diet.
The diet of the Gopag varies considerably between the different species. For
further details see the Categorization section.
Mating.
Most Gopags will mate for the first time at age four. Thereafter the mating
ritual will take place every spring until the Gopag dies. The two notable
exceptions to this are the Kosth Gopag, which begins to make in the first year
of its life, and the Giant Gopag which will proliferate every seven years.
In early Singing Bird, the
female Gopag will begin to show reddish spots on her back. Males interpret these
signs as an indication that the female Gopag is in heat. If two males arrive at
the same time they will fight until one of them gives up. The spots on the
female’s “bark” disappear soon after mating occurs. Eggs are laid in a circular
pattern in pairs and are about a tenth of the shell length of a full grown
Gopag. The mother sits on the eggs until they hatch and the newborns are ready
to begin their adventure on the dangerous
Nybelmarian continent.
Hatching time varies. The Allffaenath and the Kosth Gopag eggs hatch in a couple
of hours after they are laid. The Essalui and Escandian eggs usually take about
two weeks to hatch. The Giant Gopag takes three to four months to crawl out of
its protective shell.
Usages.
While smaller types are often kept as pets the shells of Gopag are well liked by
those who use bone crafting and by those few who are strong enough to wear heavy
armour made from these animals. The hide trader Occillo had a very profitable
business making armour from Giant Gopag shells. The giant Oog is said to have
worn such armour made from several Giant Gopag.
Various parts of the Gopag are used to fulfill different purposes:
The Shells
Coór'hém like to use the backs of
Gopag shells for necklaces or suits of armour since they are very resistent to
blows (and being thrown at the nearest wall in post-romantic rage…) and are
often mistaken for emeralds if rigorously polished.
The Claws
The claws of the Giant Gopag are used in earrings because they can be used as
swords. Kosth and Essalui Gopag claws are
popular in earrings amongst female assassins since women tend to wear more
jewelry and they are able to use their charms to get closer to their victims.
Gopag claws are used by the Coór'hém elves
in wristlets since they make effective stabbing
weapons. Men of the lower castes among the Viaquis were known to wear Giant
Gopag claws on one ear. These often had elaborate metal extensions on one end
with various jewellery attached and were considered extremely gaudy even by
Viaquis standards.
Kosth and Essalui Gopag claws are also popular as earrings amongst female
assassins as a weapon of last resort. They
are small enough not to be considered dangerous by the intended target but large
enough to make effective stabbing weapons -
though of course taking them off without the target noticing is not very
painless. The Coór'hém assassin
Cár'tuuléna wore at least four of these on each ear at all times.
The claws are also made into rings. Those of the Gaeldorioth Gopag are
particularly popular since they can be extended by clinching a fist. Cár'tuuléna
was rumoured to assassinate the more famous of her victims always with a
Gaeldorioth Gopag ring.
The Body
Gopags over a ped in length
are sometimes utilized as impromptu
battering rams due to their weight and extreme durability. Legend has it
that these were first used during the First Shadow War and several reports
coming from this exotic continent confirm that the Gopag-ram is still in use in
some eastern nations today. It is worth mentioning however that over the
centuries – especially among the Anpagan
– the battering mechanism has grown considerably complicated.
Allffaenath Gopags are also often kept in farm fields to eat
insects that would otherwise devastate crops. They are at times kept in yards
and homes to control insect populations.
The meat, though edible, is seldom eaten due to its extremely sour taste.
Recipes that use Gopag meat are usually very heavily sweetened. The Viaquis for
instance have a ritual delicacy (which most outsiders find quite revolting)
where the Gopag meat is cooked in honey and olive oil. The
Compendium’s
correspondents in eastern Nybelmar say the
meat is sometimes also marinated in ale or
R’unorian brandy.
Myth/Lore.
The Gopag is often typecast in local fables either as the dim boy of the class
(since these turtles tend to be very heavy and slow for their size due to their
dense shells) or a patient elderly Arathrian plotter. Similarly, young women
searching for a husband among the Sharosar are told to act like the Gopag, to
wait patiently under the canopy until their prey is most unsuspecting and
vulnerable. In much the same way, Arath officials teach their sons never to
strike until the target is in range and never to move against their Emperor
openly unless victory is certain.
There is a myth among the Viaquis that their ancestors when they first arrived
in the southern forests of the Earth Peninsula after escaping
Menemronn's destruction hid themselves
from the 'little mountain men' (also thought to be a myth by many scholars)
inside the empty shells of Giant Gopags. Soon the ancient Viaquis started
building homes, even entire villages, from strange combinations of these giant
shells using their magic to shape and mould the
hardened armour of dead gopags - or so the legend goes. Perhaps there is some
truth to this rather fanciful myth, for contemporary Viaquis architecture, with
its characteristically elongated domes, is indeed reminiscent of these
mysterious animals.
The Alffaenath Gopag is thought by many people to ward off evil spirits since
those that own them get sick less often.
People on both sides of the Zsharkanion Peaks chastise boys who have too
inflated an idea about themselves and will rashly volunteer for tasks beyond
their abilities by telling them not to be like the Zsharkanion Gopag and assume
responsibilities they cannot handle.
The Viaquis, who have always been a superstitious folk, regard causing the death
of a Giant Gopag an omen of terrible misfortune. Even today they are quick to
expel people who might have killed a Giant Gopag to avoid bringing bad luck to
the community – even if the death had been accidental or not fully
substantiated.
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