MANNHUNDR

The mannhundrs were once the war hounds of The Skjall who used them in battle against the Akuunai . Much like The Skjall, these feral apex were once living creatures before they fell under the influence of Noctis's resurrection. They were believed to be the very beasts the Akuunai used as companions and guardians of their nation. Now they were used to slay the very souls they were brought up to protect. With decomposing skin and exposed body parts, these once noble akinine now resembled the undead they now served, but unlike The Skjall, they seemed to posses no intellect making them the perfect weapons of destruction. With the purpose of only serving their master, the mannhundrs were seen as terrifying creatures. They were relentless beasts, and along side The Skjall, a became a formidable force of death. It would take the fall of The Skjall's invasion of The Isles of Ikuda by the Akuunai for the mannhundrs to fall away from their masters and reign free on their own. With few of their Skjall masters around, the mannhundrs became feral strays, menaces to the land's inhabitants. With mindless intent, they would kill and consume any lifeform they'd come across. Although they lacked the intelligence of the skjall, they still held the innate ability to form up groups pf themselves or packs. This would increase their chances of downing prey larger than themselves which was considerable assuming they were still of apex origin. The reason behind this behavior was unknown until it was documented by the Akuunai that the mannhundrs were far more meticulous than perceived. Years later they would be further observed by the Akuunai, specifically of their hunting behaviors. Not only were they able to form hunting parties, but that their hunting strategies were similar to those of the volkin and other canae-like species. The reason behind the mannhundrs' strange choice of prey was due to survival and territory for land from these larger apex predators. They were much smaller than the surrounding apex of Ikuda, but they were also much more uniformed and calculated, making taking territory easier for them. With the slaying of the apex creatures by the mannhundrs came the rising of more of their undead kind thus spreading their kin across the land of Ikuda and well into Volraia. They could even dwell in the tropics of Leila, however due to the warm climate, their remaining flesh would quickly decompose and fall away. This stark change in appearance would seem them a different species and quickly coin them the name the corr, skeletal variants of their zombie-like counterparts. One of the most peculiar features about a mannhundr would be its oblong shaped head. While there are some with a more slender, traditional shaped head much like the living canae species, there have been sightings of different mannhundrs not of canae origin. The typical mannhundr has long, pointed ears that are usually pulled back on either side of the head or standing erect on top of the head. The eyes are set deep, giving off a permanent furrow or slight squint. There is no distinguishing coloring to the nose as it seems to mesh with its hide in tint. Discovery would reveal that while they still have a similar skeletal structure as a canae, it is far more dense and lengthy, giving the assumption that a mannhundr is much like a sturdy tank. Perhaps it is because the skin of these hounds were very thin and sensitive with just an inch layer of fur. Possibly due to decades of mange from their swampy environment. Rarely were there mannhundrs with full coats of fur. Another interesting phenomenon to this freak creation of an undead species is the ghastly exposure of their midsection. Four specific aligning ribs have overgrown the capacity of a normal canae's anatomy in girth and density and juts out of the sides like armored columns of bone. The spinal region has also undergone a morph, reaching upward and jutting out between the spades of the mannhundrs shoulders and along its back. Mannhundrs are often called corrhunds due to the corrosive visage of their entity. The neck and part of the head is covered in a mane that pricks out in even rows of "spades", similar to scales. Coloring usually differs from the hide in a shade or highlight. This course fur of their neck acts as a shield, providing another defense mechanism. The paws of a mannhundr is equipped with flexible digits and a functioning dew claw on the fore paws. Their past life would give one a glimpse of the purpose behind these hounds needing flexible toes. Mating. A male seeking to mate a female will oppose his weight on top of her and subdue her by grasping her sides with his dexterous digits, preventing escape. The dew claw is then used as a clasp once the male is hilted with the female. With them being of the undead, mating was no longer an option. The flexibility of these paws were now served for the athletic abilities they proposed for war. Not only could they traverse the thick waters of the swamp pools while giving chase, but they could also climb the slimy bark of the trees in order to hunt down a hiding Akuunai who sought refuge within the heights above. There are few reports informing the behavior of the undead mannhundrs. True to their descendants, they still hold a pack mentality. The kinship of a pack is left up to question, however. While it seems they have an established hierarchy, there have been sightings of hounds turning on one another, snapping, bullying, and even maiming each other. A rare sighting captured what looked to be a whole mannhundr pack mauling on a single pack-member. They ceased the mutilating when there was nothing left of the victim but a mangled heap of flesh and bone. The sudden turn on those of their own is perplexing, to say the least, and it leads to many questions on how such an ill tempered species managed to reach this far to earn a place in the apex kingdom to begin with. It all comes down to the number one rule of the wild; survival of the fittest. Mannhundrs would be considered the ultimate competitors of this crucial rule. A soulless species derived from the undead, overcoming the odds of survival through vast adaption and evolution. Most mannhundrs have been reported to only come in one occurring stripe pattern, primarily streaking the hind quarters. The head is usually adorned with something of a mask marking that ranges in a portion of the head. These markings of the body are a telling sign of the mannhundr's fragmented connection with the Akuunai. As for the hide, given by their diverse background, there are many colors they can come in.