Mooders were an extremely widespread mammal on Oshmondu. They were sometimes called common rothé. Mooders were a smaller bovine race that could feed on most small plants and that occurred throughout the plane, both in the west and the east. It was a very adaptable race that could survive in most climates and had a number of subspecies.

This article treats the common mooder, the most widespread western genus of mooders.

Characteristics

The common mooder was smaller than the average Oshmondian mammal. It was comparatively thinly built and much less stocky than other races. It didn't have horns. Mooder skin tones ranged from black to white, over the most common color of light brown. Their skin was always unicolor and did not feature patterns. In case of danger, mooders were able to sprint at high speeds for some amount of time. However, after a long charge, the animals needed days to recuperate fully.

The animals lived primarily on fields or larger open areas in forests, wherever they could find grasses. Mooders could not survive in jungle climates.

Mooders preferred by far a diet of grasses, because they were easier to digest. Some could also eat fresh leaves or the stalk of low-growing shrubs and crops. Domesticated mooders were adapted to a pulse and tuber diet, eating sweet tewpers and shells without problems. Most commonly, however, herder preferred to let mooders graze on fields rather than make them eat grown stock.

Cycle of Life

In the wild, mooders lived in herds of about 20 specimens. They slowly wandered the plains, browsing grasses as sustenance and occasionally visiting streams or other bodies of water to drink. Herds did not move quickly except in case of danger. Sometimes, when multiple herds found together, they formed huge groups that could devastate a landscape. However, whenever such mega-herds split again, the mooders knew to find their old group and usually went with them.

Reproduction

During mating season, which occurred irregularly and could sometimes be completely missed in a year, male specimens were driven by an intense lust. They reproduced sexually with any females they came across, sometimes not even of their herd or of their race. They did not fight each other, however. Often, females did not appreciate mating and tried to get away, sometimes leading to minor wounds from the struggle.

The mooder race in general was able to fertilize members of other species and create fertile offspring. Common mooders could copulate with all other subspecies, although this was rare with ghost mooders and often impossible with rothé.

After fertilization, a dam carried her child for a bit less than half a year, after which a calf was born.

Growth

Calves fell under the responsibility of their mother. After their sexual frenzy was over, male mooders helped the herd by defending it an sometimes helping raise the children.

Young mooders could stand after around half an hour, and walk after again as much time. They stuck close to their mothers for their three five years, drinking her milk and staying away from dangers outside the herd. Calves weaned around one and a half years of age. Mooder calves were known for being extremely quick and mobile despite their frail appearance.

After three years, they were called stirks and lived relatively autonomously, but were still kept in the center of the herd and subordinate to older mooders. Then, around five and a half years of age, they became young bulls for males or heifers for females simultaneously with their becoming fertile. Mooders lived up to about 22 years old.

Taxonomy

Common mooder. These mooders were the most common and appeared primarily in western Oshmondu. Domesticated mooders were also of this species, but had some different traits, such as an accelerated life span, larger bodies and a more accepting diet.

Patterned mooder. Also called skeleton mooders, these specimens occured primarily in northern Oshmondu, including on Litchy, northern Bao-Mou and some parts of Intralu. They were even smaller and slimmer than common mooders, and had striped or flecked patterns.

Yattle. These mooders lived in warmer climates across Oshmondu, including Balebu and the Archaen area. They had more drooping features, were smaller but more stout than common mooders, and had longer but thinner hair. They were also more accepting in their diet and could live at high altitudes.

Ghost mooder. Also called ghaur, these mysterious mooders often had long but completely white fur and lived in recluse locations, often on mountains or in cold tundras. They had the uncanny ability to move soundlessly, leave no trace, and disappear in thin air by moving into parallel dimensions.

Rothé. Called common or deep rothé, these bovines were considerably larger and beefier than mooders. They also had longer fur, thick horns, and lived underground in the Caverealm. Their physiology was so different they were sometimes considered to be of a different genus altogether.

Yahk rothé. Commonly called mountain rothé, these variations of rothé were somewhat less large and had light gray fur. They were extremely good at maneuvering on steep rock despite their large size, and could survive on extremely little food and water. They were found on the highest mountains of Oshmondu, primarily on Balebu and northern Litchy. Some varieties, called ice rothé, had lighter fur and looked extremely similar to ghost mooders. They lived on glaciers, snowy peaks such as the Tharmounts, and sometimes even on the ice caps.