#elafia

Animal based on: Père David's deer Species name: Elaphurus davidianus Distribution: endemic to Chinese region and already extinct in wild Hint: Antler shape and deer on E2 art

General information:

This deer, also known as the elaphure or milu (Chinese: 麋鹿), was named after Father Armand David, a French missionary and naturalist who discovered the species in the 1860s while in China. Historically, Père David’s Deer lived in the swampy lowlands and subtropical regions of China. This species is unique among deer because of its unusual combination of physical traits. It has a long tail, large hooves adapted for walking on wet ground, and branched antlers that curve backward.

However, due to excessive hunting and habitat loss, the species became extinct in the wild by the late 19th century. Fortunately, some individuals had been taken to zoos in France and Germany, where the deer were successfully bred in captivity.

incorrect. there are not that many episodes of doctor who

Animal based on: Moose Species name: Alces alces Distribution: Northern Hemisphere Hint: Her antler shape

General information:

In North America, they are called moose, while in Eurasia they are known as elk. Interestingly, in America, the word elk actually refers to a different species of deer, the wapiti (Cervus canadensis), which can be confusing. For clarity, we’ll use the term moose here. Moose are the largest and heaviest living species of deer. Adult males, called bulls, can stand up to 2 meters tall at the shoulder and weigh between 400 and 700 kilograms, though some exceptionally large individuals can exceed 800 kilograms.

They are easily recognized by their distinctive antlers, which differ from the twig-like antlers of most deer. Instead, moose antlers are broad and palmate, shaped like open hands with multiple points extending outward. These impressive antlers are not only used for fighting during the mating season, but also serve as a display of strength and health to attract females. The size and shape of a bull’s antlers can reflect its age, diet, and overall condition.

Moose inhabit boreal and temperate forests across the Northern Hemisphere, particularly in Canada, Alaska, Scandinavia, and Russia. They prefer wetlands, river valleys, and lake shores, where they feed on a wide variety of vegetation. Their diet includes leaves, twigs, bark, and aquatic plants. In summer, moose are often seen wading or swimming to reach underwater plants — they can even dive several meters below the surface to feed. This unusual ability sometimes leads to encounters with marine predators like orcas, which have been known to attack swimming moose in coastal waters.

Most defining feature of Elafia people is their antlers, which serve as both a physical trait and a deep cultural symbol. Regarded as the heart of their traditions, antlers represent their strong connection with nature, often compared to the branches of trees. Elafia people have come to be portrayed as mystical and reclusive, a people who revere nature above all else.

Elafians can be found throughout many forested regions such as Ursus, Kazimierz, and Leithanien. Among these, Sami is home to the largest Elafian population. Anthropologists widely believe that Sami was the original homeland of the Elafia people before they gradually spread to other parts of Terra.

This race is based on deer, from the family Cervidae. Deer are widely distributed, with native species found on every continent except Antarctica and Australia. Sexual dimorphism in deer is quite noticeable. In most species, males are larger than females, and only males grow antlers—except for the reindeer, where both sexes have them. The water deer is the only species in which neither males nor females grow antlers.

Antler is a bony structure that grows from the head of a deer. Antlers are unique because they grow and shed every year. When growing, they are covered in a soft, furry skin called velvet, which supplies blood and nutrients. Once fully grown, the velvet dries and falls off, leaving behind hard bone. Antlers are usually branched and are used by males to fight rivals during the mating season and to display strength. This makes antlers different from horns, such as those found in cows or goats. Horns have a bony core covered by a hard layer of keratin, do not fall off, continue to grow throughout the animal’s life, and are usually unbranched. Horns can also be found in both males and females.

Operator from this race: Firewatch, Gitano, Tsukinogi, Nine-Colored Deer, Czerny, Qiubai, Coldshot, Viviana

Etymology: The name Elafia comes from the Greek word ἐλάφι (eláfi), meaning “deer.”

Note: Interestingly, giraffes are also considered part of the Elafia race, likely because the Chinese name for giraffe, “长颈鹿” (chángjǐnglù), literally means “long-necked deer.” This is reflected in Mechanist, who is based on a giraffe but is classified as an Elafia.

Animal based on: European fallow deer Species name: Dama dama Distribution: Italy, Turkey, Rhodes, and most of the Balkans Hint: Deer on E2 art

General information:

Fallow deer are native to Europe and parts of western Asia. Today, their native population survives mainly in Turkey, while other groups exist across the world due to human introduction. Historically, the Romans first domesticated and spread fallow deer across Europe for hunting and ornamental purposes. Later, during the Middle Ages, they became a common sight in royal hunting parks and estates. The species went extinct in Greece around 1900 and in Bulgaria during the 9th–10th centuries, but they have since been successfully reintroduced to those regions.

One of the unique features of fallow deer is their antlers, which are partially flattened to form a broad, shovel-like surface known as palmate antlers.

These deer prefer mixed woodlands and grasslands, where they graze and browse on grasses, leaves, and shoots. They are social animals, often living in herds that vary in size depending on the season. During the breeding season in autumn, males compete for mates by displaying their antlers, calling, and fighting to establish dominance. Outside the breeding season, they usually form separate groups based on gender—females with their fawns and males with other males.

Animal based on: White tailed deer Species name: Odocoileus virginianus Distribution: native to America continent Hint: Deer on E2 art

General information:

As the name implies, the white-tailed deer is named for the white underside of its tail, which it raises as a warning signal when alarmed. Although it is the smallest deer species in North America, it is also the most widespread and abundant, with an estimated population of around 30 million individuals. White-tailed deer are found throughout Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central America, and parts of South America, making them one of the most adaptable deer species in the world.

White-tailed deer vary in size depending on their geographic location. Individuals from northern regions, such as Canada and the northern United States, are generally larger and heavier, while those from southern areas are smaller and lighter. Their coats change with the seasons—reddish-brown in summer and grayish-brown in winter—providing effective camouflage against predators. Fawns are born with white spots on their backs, helping them blend into the dappled light of the forest floor. As ruminant herbivores, white-tailed deer feed on whatever vegetation is most available to them. Their diet includes leaves, twigs, grasses, fruits, nuts, fungi, and even agricultural crops. In winter, when food is scarce, they switch to hardier plants, such as conifer needles and woody shrubs. Because of their adaptable feeding habits and high population numbers, they can have a major influence on plant communities, sometimes overbrowsing forests and affecting regeneration.

White-tailed deer are social animals, often seen in small family groups, especially during the colder months. Females (does) typically stay with their offspring (fawns), while males (bucks) are more solitary or form small bachelor groups outside of the breeding season. During the rut, or mating season, which occurs in autumn, males compete for mates by displaying dominance, fighting with their branched antlers, and marking territory with scent.

Animal based on: White tailed deer Species name: Odocoileus virginianus Distribution: native to America continent Hint: Her antler shape

General information:

As the name implies, the white-tailed deer is named for the white underside of its tail, which it raises as a warning signal when alarmed. Although it is the smallest deer species in North America, it is also the most widespread and abundant, with an estimated population of around 30 million individuals. White-tailed deer are found throughout Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central America, and parts of South America, making them one of the most adaptable deer species in the world.

White-tailed deer vary in size depending on their geographic location. Individuals from northern regions, such as Canada and the northern United States, are generally larger and heavier, while those from southern areas are smaller and lighter. Their coats change with the seasons—reddish-brown in summer and grayish-brown in winter—providing effective camouflage against predators. Fawns are born with white spots on their backs, helping them blend into the dappled light of the forest floor. As ruminant herbivores, white-tailed deer feed on whatever vegetation is most available to them. Their diet includes leaves, twigs, grasses, fruits, nuts, fungi, and even agricultural crops. In winter, when food is scarce, they switch to hardier plants, such as conifer needles and woody shrubs. Because of their adaptable feeding habits and high population numbers, they can have a major influence on plant communities, sometimes overbrowsing forests and affecting regeneration.

White-tailed deer are social animals, often seen in small family groups, especially during the colder months. Females (does) typically stay with their offspring (fawns), while males (bucks) are more solitary or form small bachelor groups outside of the breeding season. During the rut, or mating season, which occurs in autumn, males compete for mates by displaying dominance, fighting with their branched antlers, and marking territory with scent.