The Akhlut

[Varos Talantos]

The Akhlut

The Akhlut is a vicious creature, seemingly appearing as a cross between a wolf and an orca. Known to hunt in packs, these creatures seem to come and go with vicious snowstorms, attacking their prey while they are blinded by the snow, and quick to vanish into the icy waters when overwhelmed.

There have been, however, rare occasions in which an Akhlut has been subdued and tamed by a particularly fierce rider. This has only been successfully done a handful of times, but it is rumoured that if one can chase off an attack by the Akhlut and keep one of their number from escaping, an opportunity to attempt to "break" the captured Akhlut is created. This is by no means an easy task as those who attempt to tame the beast must first manage to mount the creature without being eaten. If this is accomplished, the Akhlut will fly into a rage, doing everything in it's power to throw the rider. It might do anything from running in circles and bucking to diving into icy depths and swim at high speeds to freeze the one who has dared tackle the challenge.

Of the Akhlut, there are three types:

1. Akhlut Common
2. Diving Akhlut
3. Akhlut Prime

Akhlut Common are likely to buck and thrash to dispose of a rider. They are fast, able to go up to 45 miles an hour in short bursts that have been likened to a cheetah's. They are hulky creatures weighing in at and around half a ton in weight. They throw themselves at victims, powerful front paws used to drive foes into the ground or batter them viciously. Their elongated, crushing jaws are the perfect complement to their predatorial ways.

Diving Akhlut are more in touch with the water around them and have honed their attentions to techniques that help them in such environments. If one were to attempt to mount a Diving Akhlut, the creature would likely throw itself through ice into icy waters and speed off at speeds in excess of 35 miles per hour. The blinding cold and torrents of freezing water have proven fatal for many riders that underestimated these creatures. In attack, they dart up from under victims standing over an ice shelf; limbs flailing in attack, these creatures are truly a frightening spectacle when erupting from around you. However, if confined to land somehow, these creatures are only able to run a steady 25 miles per hour and are less physically suited to land and it's attacks as their less rare counterparts.

Akhlut Prime are the leaders of Akhlut packs and are not to be trifled with. They are the Lords of their fighting units and will readily crush any perceived threat with their powerful fins. They are descendants of a fabled clan of Akhlut Commons that have learned the strategy of the Diving Akhlut and passed the legacy through bloodlines. Now shattered, the descendants of the Akori are still fabled Akhlut, using magic, mind, and body to overcome those who stand in their path. They have never before been tamed and are regarded as indomitable.

Taming the Akhlut

In obtaining Akhlut, one must start a miniquest in an area north of the 60th parallel north (i.e., Alaska, Northern Russia, Sweden, Finland, Greenland). A Common Akhlut's quest must be 25 posts long. A Diving Akhlut's quest must be 35 posts long. An Akhlut Prime requires a quest of no less than 50 posts and the receiver of an Akhlut prime will lose two abilities (or their equivalent) in battle. These abilities will be the two abilities given permanently to the Akhlut Prime (they may never gain more). A minimum of two adventurers must go on a quest for the Akhlut, though one will most likely die. Three is the recommended minimum number of adventurers for this feat.


Important Note: Abandoning a quest will result in a penalty, to be determined by the Staff. Examples include a temporary ban on participating in quests, losing points, etc.

If a quest is abandoned and the quest no longer meets the minimum requirement of characters, it can be completed with the number as long as at least two members remain, or a volunteer can join the quest.