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Description
I figured I would do another mount picture, this time for ol' V-Man himself! This was less rushed than Am's related picture, but still pretty rushed nonetheless lol. Long story short I've temporarily lost access to most of my Advent-related sketch references for creatures and races and stuff so I've had to rework some designs and ideas. Kind of annoying, but also kind of freeing in a way!

Anyway, a bit of info:

Vetalga's actually the only character in the story who even has a mount for a large portion of the beginning, but he doesn't really ride her much; she's more useful as a cart puller for everyone's extensive supplies. I guess she's some kind of weird mix between a bull and a monitor lizard.

This big beastie is a hsimora - a very popular species in Dai Tzan culture, owing said popularity to its sheer size and strength. While its bulk lends it to be highly effective as a draft animal, its large frame, horns, and clawed digits make it particularly useful as a war mount. Although far from the fastest mounts on the field, the hsimora are infamous for their ability to charge, knock down, and gore most large mounts as well as their riders. While their appearance is about as menacing as their reputation, the females of this species are far less confrontational and territorial than their male counterparts (males are easily identified by their larger fringe). However, their apparent lack in maternal instincts makes them difficult to breed in large numbers - new mothers will often eat their own hatchlings if they don't leave the nest fast enough, as they will perceive them as food competition.

That being known, the trick to maintaining a docile and people-friendly hsimora is to keep it well-fed at all times. It may seem like a daunting task when it comes to such a large animal, but if it's properly trained it can even be let loose into the wild to hunt for itself before returning to its handler. A healthy and skillful individual of this species will often manage to catch prey as large as fully grown elk and gorge themselves on the carcass, which they will subsequently digest over days at a time. This is ideal for most handlers, as it frees them from the responsibility of feeding the animal for at least a week.

Description
I figured I would do another mount picture, this time for ol' V-Man himself! This was less rushed than Am's related picture, but still pretty rushed nonetheless lol. Long story short I've temporarily lost access to most of my Advent-related sketch references for creatures and races and stuff so I've had to rework some designs and ideas. Kind of annoying, but also kind of freeing in a way!

Anyway, a bit of info:

Vetalga's actually the only character in the story who even has a mount for a large portion of the beginning, but he doesn't really ride her much; she's more useful as a cart puller for everyone's extensive supplies. I guess she's some kind of weird mix between a bull and a monitor lizard.

This big beastie is a hsimora - a very popular species in Dai Tzan culture, owing said popularity to its sheer size and strength. While its bulk lends it to be highly effective as a draft animal, its large frame, horns, and clawed digits make it particularly useful as a war mount. Although far from the fastest mounts on the field, the hsimora are infamous for their ability to charge, knock down, and gore most large mounts as well as their riders. While their appearance is about as menacing as their reputation, the females of this species are far less confrontational and territorial than their male counterparts (males are easily identified by their larger fringe). However, their apparent lack in maternal instincts makes them difficult to breed in large numbers - new mothers will often eat their own hatchlings if they don't leave the nest fast enough, as they will perceive them as food competition.

That being known, the trick to maintaining a docile and people-friendly hsimora is to keep it well-fed at all times. It may seem like a daunting task when it comes to such a large animal, but if it's properly trained it can even be let loose into the wild to hunt for itself before returning to its handler. A healthy and skillful individual of this species will often manage to catch prey as large as fully grown elk and gorge themselves on the carcass, which they will subsequently digest over days at a time. This is ideal for most handlers, as it frees them from the responsibility of feeding the animal for at least a week.