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Description

The Handa is a species of large, carnivorous animals distantly related to the domestic kyogwe. They dwell all throughout the Three Sisters River Valley, but their range also extends into the the lands of the Eastern Mai in the north and all along the southwestern coast where peoples like the Anjiin live. The average adult male Handa weighs around 120 kg and is about 2 meters long from the tips of its mandibles to the end of its tail. They are about 1 meter tall at the top of their head. As facultative carnivores they can also consume fruits and various kinds of plant matter, however, they would much rather eat meat. Handa largely subsist on a diet of smaller animals like kyogwe, yondwe, and minda, but they are also known to hunt and kill larger prey such as the hwale and the swift-footed nogame. When they do not have access to fresh meat, they will deign to eat carrion, but they do much like it. The Handa kills its prey by slashing at it with their long killing claws or crushing them to death between their powerful mandibles. The Handa can maintain running speeds of up to 50 kilometers per/hour for short periods of time. The typical Handa lives for around 12 years in the wild, though they are capable for living as long as 30 years all told.

The Handa does not have a neck, but it makes up for it by having an extra pair of eyes situated on the back of their heads. The anterior pair of eyes are front facing as they are intended for keeping track of prey while the posterior pair are oriented towards the sides of the body to all it observe its flanks. Its six breathing holes are located towards its caudal region, and they use them to produce a low, tremulous call. The Handa has a horizontally aligned jaw with a serrated beak and a superior labrum (a.k.a., upper lip) covered in long whiskers similar to a cat. The inferior labrum ends in two paddle-shaped tendrils covered in thick spiny pads of chitin that function similarly to tongues. These tendrils usually remain tucked behind the jaws but are used to help convey food down the throat and cup up water as the animal drinks. Their feet are perhaps their strangest features. Their front feet have two long toes with thick, wide foot pads that help them stay secure while climbing. Each of their front toes has two claws, a primary “killing claw” and a secondary “climbing claw.” The primary claw is an actually a large outgrowth of chitin-sheathed bone projected from the end of the middle phalanges. The animal intentionally keeps it away from the ground in order to prevent it from dulling while it traverses its environment. It has a similar effect to a cat’s retractable claws, but the method by which this was achieved is completely alien. The secondary claw is duller and wider so as to help it anchor itself into the bark of trees when it climbs or drag away dirt while digging. The posterior limbs only have a single toe. Each toe is braced by a large flexible pad which can fold and bend to secure the foot in place while climbing.

The individual depicted here is a mature male. He is not only larger than his female counterparts, but his pelt is noticeably more vibrant. Male Handa have vibrant red fur running down the lengths of their back, whereas females tend to be more cinnamon-colored. Both sexes display light striping along their arms, legs, and body in order to help camouflage them in their environment and hide them from the sight of prospective prey animals. While his garish coloration might not seem befitting of a deadly predator, one must remember the Handa have evolved to hunt in an environment where many of the plants and trees also have red leaves. Moreover, many of the animals they hunt cannot see red and would thus be unable to detect them regardless. Both male and female Handa have a blue labrum (i.e., upper lip) and long flaps of wrinkled skin hanging to either side of its face and its chin. This skin is usually a slate, blue-gray throughout most of the year, but the males’ becomes more vibrant and flushed with the arrival of the mating season. Soboleru who have laid eyes on these beasts claim that these areas of the face are “kaok” – a color in the ultraviolet spectrum humans are unable to see. Males experience heightened aggression during the mating season and engage in titanic brawls for dominance over one another. Outside of the mating season, Handa are largely solitary animals except when raising their cubs. A female Handa usually has a brood of two or three such cubs, and they are ferociously protective of them. Much like a mother bear, female Handa can be incredibly dangerous and will very quickly attack anything they might perceive as a threat.

In the context of Mayic folklore, the Handa is often paralleled with the Wind Spirit Nerahu due to their violent temperament and savage nobility.

Description

The Handa is a species of large, carnivorous animals distantly related to the domestic kyogwe. They dwell all throughout the Three Sisters River Valley, but their range also extends into the the lands of the Eastern Mai in the north and all along the southwestern coast where peoples like the Anjiin live. The average adult male Handa weighs around 120 kg and is about 2 meters long from the tips of its mandibles to the end of its tail. They are about 1 meter tall at the top of their head. As facultative carnivores they can also consume fruits and various kinds of plant matter, however, they would much rather eat meat. Handa largely subsist on a diet of smaller animals like kyogwe, yondwe, and minda, but they are also known to hunt and kill larger prey such as the hwale and the swift-footed nogame. When they do not have access to fresh meat, they will deign to eat carrion, but they do much like it. The Handa kills its prey by slashing at it with their long killing claws or crushing them to death between their powerful mandibles. The Handa can maintain running speeds of up to 50 kilometers per/hour for short periods of time. The typical Handa lives for around 12 years in the wild, though they are capable for living as long as 30 years all told.

The Handa does not have a neck, but it makes up for it by having an extra pair of eyes situated on the back of their heads. The anterior pair of eyes are front facing as they are intended for keeping track of prey while the posterior pair are oriented towards the sides of the body to all it observe its flanks. Its six breathing holes are located towards its caudal region, and they use them to produce a low, tremulous call. The Handa has a horizontally aligned jaw with a serrated beak and a superior labrum (a.k.a., upper lip) covered in long whiskers similar to a cat. The inferior labrum ends in two paddle-shaped tendrils covered in thick spiny pads of chitin that function similarly to tongues. These tendrils usually remain tucked behind the jaws but are used to help convey food down the throat and cup up water as the animal drinks. Their feet are perhaps their strangest features. Their front feet have two long toes with thick, wide foot pads that help them stay secure while climbing. Each of their front toes has two claws, a primary “killing claw” and a secondary “climbing claw.” The primary claw is an actually a large outgrowth of chitin-sheathed bone projected from the end of the middle phalanges. The animal intentionally keeps it away from the ground in order to prevent it from dulling while it traverses its environment. It has a similar effect to a cat’s retractable claws, but the method by which this was achieved is completely alien. The secondary claw is duller and wider so as to help it anchor itself into the bark of trees when it climbs or drag away dirt while digging. The posterior limbs only have a single toe. Each toe is braced by a large flexible pad which can fold and bend to secure the foot in place while climbing.

The individual depicted here is a mature male. He is not only larger than his female counterparts, but his pelt is noticeably more vibrant. Male Handa have vibrant red fur running down the lengths of their back, whereas females tend to be more cinnamon-colored. Both sexes display light striping along their arms, legs, and body in order to help camouflage them in their environment and hide them from the sight of prospective prey animals. While his garish coloration might not seem befitting of a deadly predator, one must remember the Handa have evolved to hunt in an environment where many of the plants and trees also have red leaves. Moreover, many of the animals they hunt cannot see red and would thus be unable to detect them regardless. Both male and female Handa have a blue labrum (i.e., upper lip) and long flaps of wrinkled skin hanging to either side of its face and its chin. This skin is usually a slate, blue-gray throughout most of the year, but the males’ becomes more vibrant and flushed with the arrival of the mating season. Soboleru who have laid eyes on these beasts claim that these areas of the face are “kaok” – a color in the ultraviolet spectrum humans are unable to see. Males experience heightened aggression during the mating season and engage in titanic brawls for dominance over one another. Outside of the mating season, Handa are largely solitary animals except when raising their cubs. A female Handa usually has a brood of two or three such cubs, and they are ferociously protective of them. Much like a mother bear, female Handa can be incredibly dangerous and will very quickly attack anything they might perceive as a threat.

In the context of Mayic folklore, the Handa is often paralleled with the Wind Spirit Nerahu due to their violent temperament and savage nobility.