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====== Amblers ======

<WRAP right third>
{{:creatures:animals:img_20250510_170057.jpg?400|}}
^Type^
|Animal|
^Habitat^
|forests of central [[geography:Eldask:]]\\ Halfling farms|
^Diet^
|mostly herbivorous; grasses, roots\\ Supplemented by insects and worms|
</WRAP>

Amblers are a large sloth-like bipedal omnivore that live in small herds. Native on central [[geography:eldask:]], Amblers have a long standing symbiotic relationship with [[ancestries:halflings]] that has developed an ecologically beneficial system of agriculture.

===== Appearance =====
Amblers Calves are all born a whitish tan and do not begin developing horns until around 2 weeks old.
Sows are the larger sex, often broader and taller than the Sires in the herd. Sows reach approximately 9-12ft in height while Sires rarely exceed 8-9ft. When threatened they will stand straightened up on their hind legs with their arms extended, in this defensive posture Sows can stand upwards of 18ft tall.
Sires often appear a slightly darker shade of brown than Sows due to spending large amounts of time mud bathing. All Amblers have moss growing on their shaggy fur, in calves it will begin to grow almost immediately as they spend a great deal of time on the backs of sow amblers. This moss grows in flourishes of red and green and is highly beneficial to the Amblers.

===== Behaviour =====
Amblers independently live in small roaming herds and present a different set of behaviors than the Amblers who have adapted to remaining in one place and living amongst halflings. However at any given time a roaming Ambler may join a herd that has settled or vice versa, yearling amblers especially are known for leaving settlements and joining roaming herds if they have not grown attached to their caretakers.

This has led to halflings reaching incredibly high care standards, with many celebrations and traditions centered around showing their devotion of care. Ceremonies to name the calves of new parents involves both halfling caretakers and the new Sow and Sire parent drinking a ceremonial variant of [[#Slothback]].

==== Reproductive behaviour ====
Broody wild Sows will dig deep burrows and gather nesting materials in this burrow from the surrounding area. In captivity they often display broodiness by bringing nesting materials to their caregivers for use in their stables. Amblers reliably have 2 offspring at a time, occasionally triplets may occur but not often and when they do if there aren't enough milk producing Sows one will not survive. This is due to competition for resources, Amblers only have 2 nipples each and so the odd one out often dies without intervention.

Herds with 2 or 3 Sows will take shifts babysitting and gather communally when feeding the young. When babysitting a sow may be left with up to 6 calves clinging onto her back at a time, although they are often at much different stages of development.
Once the juveniles are weaned off of milk they begin to move around on their own and explore, which will often distress the nanny Sows who can't get the playful juveniles to stay on the sows back, it is common for halflings to separate the juveniles from the nanny at this stage to ensure the younger calves are protected.

===== In halfling Culture =====
The agricultural use of amblers is mostly limited to them being beasts of burden. Neither their meat nor milk is particularly useful to [[ancestries:|kin]]. Rarely wool is made from their fur, though as this process is very labor-intensive and produces no particularly great quality, it is reserved for ceremonial purposes.

When a field needs tilling or new land needs clearing, amblers are let out to dig for roots and critters with their long claws, in the process making the land usable. This is the main way of tilling most halfling farms utilize, at least one ambler is part of every farm in [[realms:Cicolia]] and [[realms:Thax:]].
In addition amblers are also used as pack animals. With great harnesses many pouches and packs for tools can be attached to them.

Halflings build up great bonds to amblers, being around them from childhood and not slaughtering them. Young halflings will often climb on an amblers back to hang onto it like calves. Some halfling parents let amblers babysit their children this way.

==== Slothback ====
The moss on amblers' backs can be processed into a type of [[culture:drugs:alcohol:|schnapps]]. This schnapps is highly alcoholic and has a slight fizzines. It is said that the idea for it originated from observing amblers eat moss off each others backs to get tipsy.

Slothback is often shared with amblers and also finds its way into special ceremonies, such as [[#behaviour|the naming of new calves]].