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43. Larl: There are several varieties of this tawny leopard-like beast that is indigenous to the Voltai and other ranges. It is six to eight foot tall at the shoulder. Its head is broad, sometimes more than two feet across, and shaped roughly like a triangle. This makes its head viper-like. Their heads are in constant motion. It has an unobtrusive bony ridge which runs from its four nasal slits to the start of its backbone. The ridge can be penetrated by a spear but an imperfect cast would glance off the bone. It has an eight-valved heart in the center of its breast. They sometimes visit the civilized plains. When it hunts alone, it is silent until it roars preceding its charge. When hunting with others, they emit hunting cries, cries to drive their prey toward a certain direction, into the path of quiet larls of the same pride. A larl prefers to ruin a hunt, even with a number of other quarry, if it means that one might escape. No one had ever tamed a larl. Even when raised from a cub, a larl will go wild at sometime and run away. They are hunted with spears. They usually only attack men when provoked or no other prey is available. Hunters of larls use the Gorean spear. They go in single file. When they see a larl, the first man in the line casts his spear and then drops to the ground, covering himself with his shield. If the larl is not dead, the next man in line will cast his spear. The last spear must stand his ground if the larl is not dead and face it with his sword alone so the others can escape. The First Spear is usually the best spears-man and Last the worst. Its pelt is normally a tawny red or sable black. The black larl is predominately nocturnal and both male and female are maned. The red larl, the more common type, hunts whenever hungry and has no mane. Females of both types are smaller but are quite as aggressive and sometimes even more dangerous particularly when they are hunting for their cubs during the late fall and winter. The white larls have upper canine fangs that are a foot in length and extend down like a saber tooth tiger. There tails are long and tufted at the end. There are also larls in the jungles near Schendi. The heart of the mountain larl allegedly brings great luck, even more luck than that of the sleen. There is even a larl hunter dance that is performed by men. They dance in a file, dancing the stalking of the beast including the confrontation and the kill.
44. Lart, snow: This is a four-legged mammal whose winter fur is snowy white. It has two stomachs and the food in its second stomach can be held almost indefinitely. It hunts in the sun, eating bird's eggs and leems. It is about ten inches high and weighs eight to twelve pounds. A good pelt could sell in Ar for maybe half a silver tarsk.
45. Leech: A salt leech is one type of known leech. A marsh leech is another. A marsh leech is about four inches long and half an inch thick. If a leech is stuck on you, burning it or placing salt on it will cause it to let go.
46. Leem: This is a small arctic rodent, five to ten ounces in weight. It hibernates in the winter and their summer coats are brown.
47. Lelt: This is a small, five to seven inches long, blind fish. It has fern-like filaments at either side of the head which are its sensory organs. It is white with long fins and swims slowly. It inhabits the brine pits and is the main food of the salt shark.
48. Lice: Lice vary in size from very tiny to the size of marbles. The larger variety infest tarns so tarnsman must remove them. When they remove them, they might feed them to the tarn. Lice can be dangerous though as they transmit the pox.
49. Lit: There are several varieties of this bird including the common lit, crested lit, and the needle-tailed lit. They are all found in the rain forests. The crested lit is brightly plumaged with red and yellow feathers.
50. Mamba: This is a large, predatory river tharlarion from the rain forests. It has a long, log-like body with short powerful legs. It has a long snout and tail. It is similar to a crocodile.
51. Mindar: This bird is similar to a hummingbird. It is a short winged, yellow and red bird of the rain forests. It uses its sharp bill to dig at the bark of flower trees for larvae and insects. Its wings have adapted for short, rapid flights. |
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