Dire Animal Characteristics

Dire animals are larger, more feral versions of common animals. They tend to share a sharper predatory instinct, and be mostly carnivorous, despite some common versions of the creatures being herbivores in nature. Their appearances can vary widely, but most share a consistently rough and jagged frame, with coarse, dirty hair, all a product of their seemingly unnatural growth. Dire animals tend towards the territorial side and will attack just about anything that threatens their home.

History

Dire animals garnered the term from the sense of urgency and danger most people get in the pit of their stomach when encountering one. Some dire animals have been known for setting up burrows nearby small vllages and hunting local townsfolk that stray to far from safety, often sparking local legends. In more enlightened areas they are recognized for what they are, potentially dangerous beasts of extraordinary strength and size. On occasion various factions and military units have trained and captured these creatures for personal uses, although the training of a dire animal is not easily done.

Culture

Dire animals tend towards the general habits of their more common cousins, although a bit more aggressively. They will also frequent areas common to their species, sometimes even sharing space with their ordinary relatives, although these cases are rare as most ordinary animals loath dire creatures and are unusually hostile towards them. Some see this as further evidence that Dire creatures are not quite natural in origin