Kashoggi Sheep
Courtesy of Scaramouche Fandango
Originating in the mountains, Kashoggi were once massive, lumbering ruminants. Time and necessity have changed them greatly, to the point where they bear little resemblance to the peaceful vegetarians of old. Modern Kashoggi, though much smaller than they once were, are large for livestock, with shoulders rising above an adult male Forest’s waist. They are omnivorous, eating anything they can get into their mouths, but they prefer meat taken down as a flock. Flocks have a dominant male, known as the tup, while the females generally share the same rank. Older females tend to care for the lambs while the mothers are hunting. Occasionally, a shepherd might introduce a bellwether, a castrated older ram, to lead the flock during the breeding season when the tup is... preoccupied. A flock of five or six Kashoggi can easily take down a Tigaan horse, and while a kheri might pick off a loner, they tend to leave the flocks alone. Kashoggi are incredibly intelligent for non-sentient animals; they herd themselves. Shepherds exist mostly to protect other farmers’ assets from the ravenous flocks, as well as to shear them and process them. Kashoggis all have very thick wool coats that are sheared twice a year; this makes desert life very difficult for all but the two smallest breeds. In all breeds, the males have larger horns than the females and visible fangs. Naturally, Kashoggi sheep have long tails that are often, but not always, docked. They are a long-lived species; breeding females live about twenty years, while an unchallenged dominant male can live to be about thirty. The oldest Kashoggi on record was a massive Lankillian Hill ram who lived to be forty-two years old. Kashoggi are the most common livestock in Caliroq, as they provide meat, milk, and clothing material, making them highly useful.
There are five breeds of Kashoggi sheep (and one sub-breed), mostly found in forested areas.
Highland Kashoggi: The largest breed, Highland Kashoggi are sturdy, intelligent beasts that have little respect for Warrhe-kind. Their wool is greasy and dark; suitable for saddle blankets, rough clothes, and tents, but not for anything fine. It is stringy and can pill or form dreadlocks if not shorn on time. Their meat is lean and delicious, and their milk is rich, making them an excellent stock breed. These are kept in large flocks, some numbering over three hundred head, over vast patches of mountainside. Females are hornless, while males have thick, curling horns. These horns are used in combat, as well as their visible fangs; fights between male Highland Kashoggi are so vicious, only one or two adult males can be part of any flock at one time. The shepherd usually culls or sells all male lambs when they are one or two years old. This is not a breed kept by new shepherds; most of these keepers have been in the business for years and live on Kashoggi farms that have been in a family for generations.
Lankillian Hill Kashoggi: Easily the easiest breed of Kashoggi to keep, the Lankillian Hill breed, also known as Southern Milk Sheep, are smaller and nicer to their tenders than their Highland cousins. While their coats are still fairly greasy, the curls are not as tight and they are much paler, leading to good quality spinning wool. They have a very wide stance, which leads to easy lambing, and their milk is crisp and does not have any distinctive flavor. However, they are extremely territorial; it is a very bad idea to bring any sort of larger animal around them. They will gang up on it, kill it, and strip it down to its bones. Most Lankillian shepherds are very skilled in the art of apology. The males will fight with each other around breeding season, but there are usually farms willing to take in extra male lambs. Flock size is small, with usually no more than twenty to a group. It is not uncommon for one farm to have five or six flocks under the care of six or seven shepherds.
Sub-breed- Lankillian Racing Sheep: Possibly the worst idea ever, these are Lankillan Hill Kashoggi bred for speed and aggression.
Short-Faced Black/White Kashoggi: A breed that produces excellent wool. These are delicate and fine-boned, with long pointed horns that arch over the back. Quiet and quick, the short-faced Kashoggi live in flocks of fifty or more. They have solid-colored coats and are always white or a dark charcoal grey that’s quite like black. Lambing is difficult for this narrow breed, and there is never more than one lamb at a time. Milk production is low, too, and the meat of a breeding-age adult is generally considered too stringy for consumption. Once they’re out of their breeding prime, however... Males do not fight as much as the females do in this breed, and they do not actively hunt large prey. Instead, pair-bonded groups within the flock will hunt small game for each other and their offspring.
Balkhi Kashoggi: This small-sized breed of sheep has very soft wool that grows in waves, not in curls. It was developed to live in the desert, and it does very well. It is a fairly docile breed, though the females are prone to get bitey around lambing time, and it is known for its unique double horns that appear in the males. Rams also tend to grow ‘beards’ like goats, which is not surprising; the Balkhi were developed by the careful introduction of other ruminants and a little magical assistance. Balkhis are nervous and prone to scattering; shepherds usually have assistants to help them keep their flock together. These are not usually kept for their milk or for their meat.
Dwarf Kashoggi: The smallest breed, no larger than a young Darga, Dwarf Kashoggi are easily the most vicious of the breeds. Created as gifts for Desert royalty, Dwarf Kashoggi have finer coats and sweeter milk than most of the other varieties. Their meat is stringy, and generally these are not eaten. Dwarf Kashoggi are generally kept in breeding pairs, and while they have fallen from fashion, certain merchants find them invaluable when guarding supplies. Both males and females have short, cute, pointed horns, much like a lamb’s.
Courtesy of Scaramouche Fandango
Originating in the mountains, Kashoggi were once massive, lumbering ruminants. Time and necessity have changed them greatly, to the point where they bear little resemblance to the peaceful vegetarians of old. Modern Kashoggi, though much smaller than they once were, are large for livestock, with shoulders rising above an adult male Forest’s waist. They are omnivorous, eating anything they can get into their mouths, but they prefer meat taken down as a flock. Flocks have a dominant male, known as the tup, while the females generally share the same rank. Older females tend to care for the lambs while the mothers are hunting. Occasionally, a shepherd might introduce a bellwether, a castrated older ram, to lead the flock during the breeding season when the tup is... preoccupied. A flock of five or six Kashoggi can easily take down a Tigaan horse, and while a kheri might pick off a loner, they tend to leave the flocks alone. Kashoggi are incredibly intelligent for non-sentient animals; they herd themselves. Shepherds exist mostly to protect other farmers’ assets from the ravenous flocks, as well as to shear them and process them. Kashoggis all have very thick wool coats that are sheared twice a year; this makes desert life very difficult for all but the two smallest breeds. In all breeds, the males have larger horns than the females and visible fangs. Naturally, Kashoggi sheep have long tails that are often, but not always, docked. They are a long-lived species; breeding females live about twenty years, while an unchallenged dominant male can live to be about thirty. The oldest Kashoggi on record was a massive Lankillian Hill ram who lived to be forty-two years old. Kashoggi are the most common livestock in Caliroq, as they provide meat, milk, and clothing material, making them highly useful.
There are five breeds of Kashoggi sheep (and one sub-breed), mostly found in forested areas.
Highland Kashoggi: The largest breed, Highland Kashoggi are sturdy, intelligent beasts that have little respect for Warrhe-kind. Their wool is greasy and dark; suitable for saddle blankets, rough clothes, and tents, but not for anything fine. It is stringy and can pill or form dreadlocks if not shorn on time. Their meat is lean and delicious, and their milk is rich, making them an excellent stock breed. These are kept in large flocks, some numbering over three hundred head, over vast patches of mountainside. Females are hornless, while males have thick, curling horns. These horns are used in combat, as well as their visible fangs; fights between male Highland Kashoggi are so vicious, only one or two adult males can be part of any flock at one time. The shepherd usually culls or sells all male lambs when they are one or two years old. This is not a breed kept by new shepherds; most of these keepers have been in the business for years and live on Kashoggi farms that have been in a family for generations.
Lankillian Hill Kashoggi: Easily the easiest breed of Kashoggi to keep, the Lankillian Hill breed, also known as Southern Milk Sheep, are smaller and nicer to their tenders than their Highland cousins. While their coats are still fairly greasy, the curls are not as tight and they are much paler, leading to good quality spinning wool. They have a very wide stance, which leads to easy lambing, and their milk is crisp and does not have any distinctive flavor. However, they are extremely territorial; it is a very bad idea to bring any sort of larger animal around them. They will gang up on it, kill it, and strip it down to its bones. Most Lankillian shepherds are very skilled in the art of apology. The males will fight with each other around breeding season, but there are usually farms willing to take in extra male lambs. Flock size is small, with usually no more than twenty to a group. It is not uncommon for one farm to have five or six flocks under the care of six or seven shepherds.
Sub-breed- Lankillian Racing Sheep: Possibly the worst idea ever, these are Lankillan Hill Kashoggi bred for speed and aggression.
Short-Faced Black/White Kashoggi: A breed that produces excellent wool. These are delicate and fine-boned, with long pointed horns that arch over the back. Quiet and quick, the short-faced Kashoggi live in flocks of fifty or more. They have solid-colored coats and are always white or a dark charcoal grey that’s quite like black. Lambing is difficult for this narrow breed, and there is never more than one lamb at a time. Milk production is low, too, and the meat of a breeding-age adult is generally considered too stringy for consumption. Once they’re out of their breeding prime, however... Males do not fight as much as the females do in this breed, and they do not actively hunt large prey. Instead, pair-bonded groups within the flock will hunt small game for each other and their offspring.
Balkhi Kashoggi: This small-sized breed of sheep has very soft wool that grows in waves, not in curls. It was developed to live in the desert, and it does very well. It is a fairly docile breed, though the females are prone to get bitey around lambing time, and it is known for its unique double horns that appear in the males. Rams also tend to grow ‘beards’ like goats, which is not surprising; the Balkhi were developed by the careful introduction of other ruminants and a little magical assistance. Balkhis are nervous and prone to scattering; shepherds usually have assistants to help them keep their flock together. These are not usually kept for their milk or for their meat.
Dwarf Kashoggi: The smallest breed, no larger than a young Darga, Dwarf Kashoggi are easily the most vicious of the breeds. Created as gifts for Desert royalty, Dwarf Kashoggi have finer coats and sweeter milk than most of the other varieties. Their meat is stringy, and generally these are not eaten. Dwarf Kashoggi are generally kept in breeding pairs, and while they have fallen from fashion, certain merchants find them invaluable when guarding supplies. Both males and females have short, cute, pointed horns, much like a lamb’s.
