Ayungeru

Deep in the swamp lands and wet woods, one can expect to find an ayungeru forging for food. They are easily identified by their large, bony chins flanked on either side by throat sacks constantly puffing out a reddish-brown gas and hard brown scales that line their backs. Ayungeru have tough rubbery scales that provide them with a variety of benefits. They are immune to fire and can shrug off the electrical attacks from mahseer drakes that stalk the same habitat. Not much can harm this creature but piercing weapons can get through its thick rubbery hide. The last and most important benefit of their rubbery scales is how sensitive to vibrations they are. An ayungeru can sense the slightest vibration through the ground and use this to communicate and detect foes but this can be double edged sword as extremely loud sounds can harm them. The feet are also quite padded and make them surprisingly stealthy while moving. Some rangers have reported that ayungeru like to sneak up on predators that are waiting to ambush prey and spook them from their hiding spot. Whether they do this for their own amusement is to be determined.

Ayungeru have wide and varied diet and can eat just about anything but prefer to eat rotting wood and mushrooms. They specifically are fond of a poisonous mushroom that they have formed a symbiotic relationship with. The ayungeru eat the mushrooms and store their poisonous spores in special throat sacks. These sacks will slowly puff out the spores and allow the mushroom to spread throughout the ayungeru's territory. They are hardy creatures naturally and aren't bothered by the poison and even use it to enhance an already powerful chin slam attack. Ayungeru are typically peacful creatures unless threatened or in rut during the late summer/early fall. A male in rut will pace through its territory and slam its chin along the boundary to both attract females and deter rival males. When two males meet, they enter a slam off. Each one will take turns slamming their chin into the ground harder and harder until the other submits. This can take days and reports have stated that especially stubborn males will knock themselves unconscious from the sheer force of their slams. From a distance, this competition sounds like a steady drum beat and some cultures take it as a sign to harvest their herbs. 

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