CHEMOO

Overall Appearance: The Chemoo is a large(1500-3000lbs) quadraped, apparently related to the bovine mammal. The Chemoo is found grazing in herds in the irradiated wastelands of The Americas and Asia. It has a protruding ridge of boney plates from its head, running along its spine , to a 3-4 foot black tail with tufted white hair at the end. Typical coloring of the Chemoo varies. Females have mottled black, grey, and white. Pure colored varieties typically signify the male of the species. Tusks are typically black/grey. Eye color is typically grey. This changes when their attack/defense reflexes are engaged and they turn a sickly yellow-green.(see below) The most interesting feature of the chemoo is the protruding bladder on either side of its body near the rear legs of the beast. These bladders are used for the animals attack/defense mechanism(see below).

Habit: the Chemoo is an omnivore and while it spends much of its time grazing, its voracious appetite and canine teeth and tusks allow it to actively hunt and consume meat as well. Typically slowly wandering in the herd, the Chemoo can run in bursts at up to 35mph, when spooked or pursued by a predator.  Seemingly immune to cold and snow, the Chemoo can be found in many possible places where grazing land and hunting grounds are available. The Chemoo is also attracted to precious minerals and metals, and in fact, seems to have an innate sense to find them and dig them up. Although indigestible, the beasts will, with some regularity, ingest them. Gold, and platinum being their favorites.

Attack/Defense: The Chemoo has a unique attack/defense mechanism in that it can expel in massive quantities a dense, thick, nearly opaque cloud of sickly colored yellow/green gas from bladders located on either side of the animal. Located near the rear legs, these bladders of gas can belch forth enough gas to completely surround the beast in a cloud of gas of approximately 10’x10’x10’.  The gas is extremely persistent, and will only dissipate over time, as normal winds have little effect on the cloud. The gas is a nerve gas, similar to mustard gas used in WWI, only much more persistent, and deadly to most creatures caught in its area of effect.