Cerphan, Great-Horned

The largest of the cerphan's, the great-horned cerphan is over five feet at the shoulder and has an outer top shell covered in curved spikes.

• Habitat Desert
• Aggressive 7
• Occurrence 3
• Social Family

The largest of the cerphan's, the great-horned cerphan is over five feet at the shoulder and has an outer top shell covered in curved spikes. The male's coloration is dusky brown with dull red and yellow mottled patches across its shell. The female is sandy brown with barely noticeable brown and red patches. This coloration affords them significant camouflage while buried in the sand waiting in ambush for their prey. The spikes are not sharp, but the cerphan is still capable of inflicting quite a bit of damage with them when charging or slashing from side-to-side.

All of its four legs end in webbed toes for running on the irregular ground and sharp claws capable of digging through sun-hardened rock. Although not as fast or nimble as a horse, the great-horned cerphan is still has a fast enough sprint to catch most animals from ambush. Its mouth is full of three rows of sharp teeth that continuously fall out and are replaced during its life.

The great-horned Cerphans, like all of its cousins, are creatures of the deserts and hot steppes. Their natural coloration provides them with some measure of camouflage; although it has few natural enemies. The myriad of horns that cover their outer shell not only help radiate the heat of their body, but collect what rain and moisture they can and funnel it to the cerphan's mouth.

The cerphan is most active during the dawn and dusk hours, but a hungry cerphan may even venture forth during the midday. When not hunting the cerphan burrows into the earth leaving only the top of its shell and head above ground. Food

A carnivore by nature, the cerphan only takes in a small amount of vegetation it needs for its digestive system. The only exception to this is the arca bush, which the great-horned cerphan eats during the mating season. The acid in this bush that normally drives off other animals is what the male cerphan uses to generate the musk it needs to attract a female. Encounter

If the great-horned cerphan is not hungry, in its mating cycle, or protecting its young it will rarely attack humans — preferring instead the pronghorns and great skints that populate its territory. When it does attack, the cerphan will make a series of fast passes, using its spikes and body to knock their opponent to the ground. Once on the ground the cerphan will tear their body apart with their fore and hind claws. Once dead, the cerphan will stop and consume their meal unless other creatures attack or come near.

The shell will make 1d10 quantities (MR3; Earth) hard sections suitable for armour or shields. The musk glands 1-2 quantities of the male cerphan (MR2; Earth, Fire) can be used in for several types of acid or poisons. Finally, there are 1+2d10 quantities (MR2; Earth) of internal organs.