Fidari

Description: Fidari are about six feet long and usually stand on all four limbs. They have the elongated snout and rough skin of an alligator, but their body shape is that of a kangaroo, with large hind legs, a long tail, small forearms, large ears, and a pouch. Fidari skin is usually gray and brown with sandy yellow stripes. Their teeth are much like those of a human in regards to the shape: some are sharp for rending meat while others are flat for grinding plant matter. They feed themselves with their forearms, which have four fingers, using their tails to balance when standing on their hind legs to reach the foliage on higher branches. The top of a fidari’s head is covered in bone plates that extend down to the tip of their snout.

Combat: Fidari detest combat, being shy and extremely skittish, and they leap away at the first sign of danger; the only exception to this being if their young are endangered. When in combat, fidari headbutt an enemy (2d8) on the first attack to knock them off balance (save vs. Breath Weapon). They can only headbutt if the opponent is at least 10’ away (they can leap up to 20 ft), as their leap carries them the distance . If the opponent is knocked down the fidari leaps away if it can do it safely; if the opponent is not knocked down the fidari attacks twice with their front claws (1d6 each) and a vicious bite (1d8). Fidari are completely (100%) immune to all poisons.

Habitat/Society: Fidari live in small family groups consisting of a mother, father, and up to 4 young. They mate every year for about one month. The mother carries the young for 4 months, in a litter of 1-4 young. The young grow up within the year and leave when the mother gives birth the next year. If no young are born, then the previous year’s litter will remain with the parents. Both the mother and father take care of the young. Both sexes have pouches which are used to store food. The pouch is like a fourth stomach, slightly digesting food which is then given to the young. The young eat this predigested food for their first three months, but then they must switch to regular food, as the digestive fluids in the pouch dry up and the parent uses the pouch to store food for their own later consumption.

Ecology: Fidari are hated by all civilized folk, being seen as a scourge to both herders and farmers. Even though they are skittish, fidari hunt livestock. If they cannot find a suitable herd animal, they will feast on a farmer’s crop. Fidari have been known to eat anything, and they will even eat carrion if necessary. When eating an animal, they will eat and digest all the parts, including bones, and the same goes for parts of plants that are not edible to other animals. This indiscriminate appetite is due to their strong stomach acids and complicated digestive system - fidari have 3 stomachs, each with powerful acids.

There are many parts of fidari that humanoids find useful: their hide can be made into excellent armor (AC6); their stomach fluid acts as a potent acid capable of eating through metal in 1d6 rounds; their stomachs are highly durable and, if made into pouches, will be about the size of a large cantaloupe and only have a 5% of tearing (roll of 1 on a d20 roll). Fidari meat is inedible due to their diet of poisonous plants.