Greater Smilohound
Northern canid-line predator
The Greater Smilohound is a massive canid-line predator of northern Ngorrhal, Kela, and Ukhaalstaag. It stands 3.2 to 5.1 meters at the rear and weighs 1.8 to 4.2 tonnes. Its frame is heavily muscled, broad across the shoulders and deep through the chest, with a large, heavily built skull. Its long upper canines grow continuously throughout life and regenerate fully even when broken at the root, reaching up to four feet in length and roughly six inches across at the base in the largest males. Musculature concentrated in the hindquarters gives it rapid acceleration and high agility for its mass, and its powerful jaws and robust frame can absorb small arms fire. Thick fur insulates it against snowstorms and icy winds.
It lives 50 to 80 years and matures slowly. It thrives in cold ecosystems and roams open plains, frozen tundra and cliff sides, where its packs dominate. Seismic activity rouses packs into heightened aggression.
It is trainable, but its size and aggressive nature make it nonviable in urban regions. It was heavily used in the Ngorrhali civil war for mounted scouting and front-line combat, and Frost Sentinels revere it for its strength and loyalty. Its leather is among the most valued exotic materials on the planet and appears in luxury fashion markets alongside Crystalhorn accessories and ice bear fur. Fire is a weakness that can be exploited tactically, but its presence still complicates any ground exploration in the northern regions it dominates.
