The Definitive Guide to Deep Rothe by Valgloth Sh'yalva
Deep rothe are the most important livestock of the Underdark, serving as the primary animal resource to drow, duergar, svirfneblin, and orog societies. Life in the Underdark is harsh and cruel, and so access to food and animal resources are paramount to the survival and power of their societies. Deep rothe provide such resource in abundance and play a very central role in everyday life.
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I. Description of Deep Rothe
Deep rothe are a medium-height, shaggy-haired bovine species. An average grown deep rothe typically stands at about 4 feet tall. They have strong, heavily built and muscular bodies that are covered in thick coarse fur. Deep rothe fur is typically dark brown, charcoal or black, and is darker around their legs and underbelly. Deep rothe fur provides substantial protection to the cold of many Underdark caverns. Additionally, deep rothe are immune to the effects of spores, mold and fungi.
They have large, hunched shoulders, which suits them well for pushing through caverns and tight passages. Their large shoulder muscles provide robustness in their ability to haul heavy loads and to travel long distances.
They have notably short and heavy necks, which support large square muzzles with big nostrils that are well adapted for being able to smell faint air currents from great distances. Deep rothe have small and recessed eyes and have a keen sense of sight in both light and darkness. Contrary to popular myth, deep rothe are not light sensitive, and have better eyesight than many humanoid species, in addition to keen darkvision, which allows them to see upwards of 60 feet in complete darkness. Their eyes are typically yellow or pink.
Deep rothe have forward-curving horns. The horns are dense and ridged, with pronounced growth rings that show age. Their horns are typically two or three shades lighter than their fur and range from brown to light charcoal in colour. They use their horns defensively and have adapted to use them with precision after having survived in the Underdark for so long.
Their heavy cloven hooves allow them to grip stone surfaces and to traverse and climb uneven cavern floors. Their hooves are typically black or charcoal but can also be dark green. They have short and tufted tails, which are predominantly used for signaling. What makes deep rothe especially unique is their sense of communication and their magical abilities.
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II. Communication and Magical Abilities
A fact that seems to surprise many people is that deep rothe have magical abilities. Deep rothe can conjure small dancing lights, which they can use to communicate with each other, and is often used as a means of warning each other of danger.
Deep rothe communicate by emitting deep, low resonating bellows which can often be subsonic. These low bellows can travel long distances in caverns and can very gently shake stone and the wider environment, serving as a warning call to other deep rothe. Deep rothe have a strong sense of hearing and can interpret these low bellows from great distances and can also interpret the specific meaning of environmental vibrations.
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III. Behaviour and Temperament
Deep rothe are docile animals that are particularly peaceful, calm and non-aggresive. They are difficult to anger or provoke and will usually only attack when they feel it is necessary. Reports of deep rothe attacks are very rare, and usually only occur when mothers defend their young from attack. Due to their very strong senses and their overall disposition, deep rothe are difficult to startle or surprise.
Deep rothe spend most of their time grazing, resting or sleeping. They are not territorial and do not compete for food. They are herd animals that prefer to stay in tight groups. When isolated, a deep rothe can become distressed and will likely begin to bellow. They prefer to follow a lead rothe, which is typically a large and healthy rothe that is very familiar with most members of the herd.
While often mistakenly thought of stubborn, deep rothe are typically very subservient and compliant animals. Deep rothe have been domesticated through careful breeding by drow and duergar to be especially deferential to their lead rothe or to the master of the herd, which is one of the main reasons they have become the primary livestock of the Underdark.
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IV. Differences Between Deep Rothe and Surface Rothe
Deep rothe are smaller and lighter than surface rothe. The average deep rothe is around 4 feet tall, while a surface rothe can reach 5 feet or taller, and they usually weight between 650 to 750 and 850 to 950 pounds respectively. Despite the weight and height differences, deep rothe are much more muscular and compact in their build than surface rothe, and as a result, both species are often equal in strength and power.
Deep rothe have darker, shaggier hair which protects them from humidity and makes them immune to spores, mold and fungi. Surface rothe have longer, finer hair that is even more resistant to cold, as surface rothe tend to live in mountainous and snowy climates. While surface rothe have longer hair, deep rothe have thicker skin, which makes for stronger hide.
Surface rothe are mundane animals with no magical abilities, and have much duller senses than deep rothe, including duller senses of sight, hearing and vibrations. Thus, surface rothe are much more prone to being startled.
Surface rothe are notoriously stubborn and obstinate in their disposition, and while still being herd animals, are typically more independent than deep rothe. Their more willful nature is likely the reason why some mistakenly also describe deep rothe as stubborn. Surface rothe are known to be temperamental and willing to rush, stampede or attack if frightened, which is quite uncommon among deep rothe.
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V. Deep Rothe Husbandry
Deep rothe are typically herded in groups of 10 to 40. They are most commonly kept in cavern pens. These cavern pens are not just natural environments but are altered and engineered specifically to keep rothe. The pens are reconfigured through masonry to create separate areas for feeding, drinking, sleeping and handling. Cavern walls are generally smoothened for safety, while chokepoints are made for handling deep rothe by slaves, and jagged, sharp areas are made to keep rothe away. Drip-streams and aqueducts are made for drinking and for keeping pens humid. If a cavern pen is too cold, geothermal vents are used to keep the environment warm.
It is becoming increasingly common to herd deep rothe in open-air environments when their herds exceed more than 50 animals. Such is the case with sprawling, suburban pens that are located outside major metropolises. It is usually considered a grave mistake to keep rothe herded by wooden or stone pens when in the open air, as they might escape or destroy their barriers. Deep rothe are very strong, used to climbing rock, and are good at forcing their way through tight spaces, and so neither wooden nor stone barriers are likely to suffice. Instead, it is better to keep these bigger herds on peninsulas that are largely surrounded by water, with a singular well-fortified opening to reach them. Simiarly, another common practice is to keep deep rothe pens surrounded by watery moats. Deep rothe are heavy and compact and do not make for good swimmers, and so they avoid submerging themselves or jumping over water. Some herders even keep deep rothe on islands in the middle of lakes.
Deep rothe are grazers and spend a lot of their time eating. Their diet primarily consists of fungi, mushrooms, lichens, moss and other fungal bloom that thrive in humid environments. They are strict herbivores and will not eat flesh, even if starving.
They are light shedders and generally do not require trimming to maintain a healthy coat. Deep rothe hair is not especially useful for tailoring, as it is quite coarse, oily and the fibres do not brake evenly. Deep rothe do not require bathing and usually avoid water altogether.
Their submissive and docile temperaments have carefully and selectively been bred by drow and duergar herders, who continue to breed their rothe to be as subservient as possible. Young, boisterous deep rothe are highly encouraged to be culled. Duergar and svirfneblin also tend to breed their deep rothe to be smaller and more compact, some of which can be as wide or even wider as they are tall.
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VI. Deep Rothe and Their Bounties
Deep rothe are bred, maintained and slaughtered for a wide variety of reaons. They are the primary source of meat and protein for the majority of Underdark societies. They are compact with meat, and their meat is a dense, dark red and highly nutritious, particularly in iron. Meat from the belly can be quite fatty, and this tallow is often used in cooking or for making greases, oils, and lubricants. Deep rothe tallow is a popular alchemical ingredient used by svirfneblins.
Female deep rothe produce milk, which is thick, heavy and notably rich. It is by far the most popular source of milk in the Underdark. The taste of deep rothe milk is often described as somewhat tangy, due to their mushroom and fungi-filled diet. It is considered excellent for baking and is the primary ingredient for making cream or cheese in the Underdark.
The hides of deep rothe are tough and durable, making them popular hides for tanning and tailoring. Their hides are suitable for creating leather armour and other lather goods. Deep rothe leather is very commonly used by duergar, drow and orog leatherworkers.
Deep rothe waste is widely used as fertilizer and has been shown to be rather effective in fostering the growth of new plants and fungi. Their dung is also flammable and can be used as fuel or for making fires, and like their fat, is also used by svirfneblins in alchemy.
Deep rothe are used across the Underdark as beasts of burden, primarily as pack animals which carry food, equipment, weaponry and mercantile goods when traveling. Drow and orog armies are typically accompanied by dozens of deep rothe. For duergar, and to a lesser extent svirfneblins, deep rothe are an important source of labour in mining and agriculture, in addition to their mercantile endeavours, where they carry equipment or haul cargo. Drow and orogs tend to use slaves for such work in mines or in agriculture but may use deep rothe if they are short on slaves.
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Written by Valgloth Sh'yalva, 188 AR.