THE HOO

The Hoo (Bovum montarius) is a large, quadruped herbivore native to the Asari Region of the Eastern Equatorial Section in the Habitual Belt on VOI 700 D.

Originally domesticated by the Native Tribes, the practice was later adopted and expanded by exohumans, who rely on Hoos as the primary pack and draft animals of the frontier. Their alien physiology, calm temperament, and endurance make them invaluable across settlement life and trade.

Hoos fulfill multiple roles:

• Pack Animals: Carrying loads across wetlands, steppe, and river valleys.
• Courier Operations: Since the founding of the New Kourou Courier Service in the early Beta Age, Hoos have been the draft animals of choice for transporting letters and goods between settlements.
• Farming and Fieldwork: With the abolition of Service Bots in the Gamma Age, Hoos became the backbone of exohuman agriculture, pulling plows and carts in rural communities.
• Meat Production: Beyond their role as work animals, Hoos are also raised for food, forming an important source of protein in the exohuman diet.

• Shoulder Height: Up to 1.7 meters
• Body Length: Up to 2.6 meters
• Weight: 700–1,200 kg
• Head & Horns: Triangular skull with elongated muzzle; asymmetrical horns (e.g., one long curling horn, one jagged short horn). Growth surfaces often show striations like tree bark or faint mineral sheen.
• Eyes: Side-set like prey animals, but with reflective slit pupils that glow eerily at night.
• Body Shape: Heavy front shoulders and longer hind legs, giving a forward-leaning gait.
• Spine Ridge: A raised bony ridge along the back, covered in coarse bristle-like fur, forming a distinctive silhouette.
• Feet: Three-toed, clawed feet capable of gripping rocky terrain as well as soft riverbanks.
• Fur & Skin: Long, layered strands in mottled patterns of rust, brown, or black, blending into twilight landscapes. Scarred, calloused patches form on shoulders where saddles and harnesses rub.
• Speed: 40 km/h (approx. 25 mph) running. (In-game movement: 40 ft.)

• Muscular Build: Capable of carrying heavy loads over long distances.
• Bonding Instinct: Forms deep connections with handlers, improving trainability.
• Adaptive Feet: Clawed grip provides stability on uneven terrain.

• Armor Class (AC): 13
• Hit Points (HP): 80
• Speed: 40 km/h (approx. 25 mph) running. (In-game movement: 40 ft.)

• Horn Charge: 1d8+3 piercing damage. When charging, deals +1d6 additional damage if the target is Large or smaller.
• Clawed Kick: 1d8+2 slashing damage. Can knock back opponents 5 feet if they fail a DC 12 Strength save.
• Trample (Mounted Variant Only): 2d6+2 bludgeoning damage. A mounted Hoo can trample prone enemies, forcing them to make a DC 13 Dexterity save or take full damage.

• Herd Defense: If a Hoo is within 10 feet of another Hoo, it gains +2 AC due to defensive positioning.
• Acute Hearing: Advantage on Perception checks based on sound.
• Instinctive Escape: If reduced below 25% HP, the Hoo can make a Dexterity save (DC 14) to flee at full speed without provoking opportunity attacks.

• Diet: Herbivorous (grasses, shrubs, river reeds).
• Social Structure: Herd animals with dominant males and guiding matriarch females.

• Defensive Circles: Herds form a protective ring around young and weak members.
• Camouflage Reliance: Mottled fur helps them disappear in twilight grasslands and rocky steppes.
• Herd Warning System: A deep, resonant bellow alerts nearby Hoos to flee or defend.
• Bonding & Trainability: Domesticated Hoos respond to familiar voice commands and routines.

Native Tribal Usage:

• Pack and Transportation: Caravans across the Asari Region.
• Agriculture and Labor: Plowing fields, hauling harvests.
• Spiritual Symbolism: Horns sometimes painted or decorated during rituals to represent endurance and loyalty.

Exohuman Usage:

• Agricultural Use: Integral to plowing and transport.
• Transportation: Used in caravans and courier services.
• Breeding and Training: The Federal Breeding and Training Station for Hoos in Hope maintains controlled breeding lines (Gamma Age)
• Meat Production: A main protein source in the Beta Age.

• Mating Season: Once per year, during peak vegetation.
• Gestation: 14 months, one calf.
• Calf Development: Nurse for 6 months, remain with mothers for up to 3 years.
• Lifespan: 30–40 years.
• Mating Rituals: Males engage in horn battles for dominance.
• Herd Leadership: Older females often lead grazing and migration.

To exohumans, the Hoo embodies the “New Frontier” aesthetic of VOI 700 D: alien yet dependable, scarred by labor, and glowing faintly under twilight. Their raised spine ridge and asymmetrical horns give them an unmistakable outline, while saddles and scrap-metal harnesses strapped to their scarred shoulders emphasize the patchwork resilience of frontier life.

On dark caravan routes, their glowing eyes and faintly bioluminescent flank streaks provide eerie reassurance, guiding settlers through the night. To many, the Hoo is both survival partner and cultural icon — stubborn proof that civilization endures, even on hostile alien soil.

The Hoo is not a combat-focused creature but plays an important role in survival, exploration, and transportation-based campaigns.

• Wild Herd Encounters: Skittish if startled, requiring careful navigation or persuasion.
• Stampede Hazard: A panicked herd can become a deadly hazard.
• Beast of Burden: Critical for transporting supplies, potentially creating escort or survival challenges.
• Hunting and Poaching: Rival factions may target Hoos, raising ethical or resource dilemmas.
• Courier Missions: Hoos are tied into settlement communication networks; caravans can be attacked or go missing.
• Mounted Combat: A trained war Hoo, scarred and armored, makes a formidable mount.

• Habitual Belt
• Equatorial Sections East and West (Asari)
• Eastern Equatorial Section of the Habitual Belt
• Wildlife of Asari
• New Kourou Courier Service
• Firetown Courier Service
• Federal Courier Service

Known Predators:

• Arr
• Korozo (attack draft Hoos in the Ralar Region)
• Moar
• Zapor (attack draft Hoos in the Ralar Region)