| Other Names | Terror of the Woods |
| Climate/Terrain | Alpine Forests |
| Frequency | Rare |
| Organization | Solitary |
| Activity Cycle | Any |
| Diet | Carnivore |
The dreaded torgat is the tall, fast, lean bipedal lizard. The beast stands 4 to 6 meters (14-19 feet) tall and weighs about two to three tons. Its muscled legs allow it to run swiftly. It is covered in large, thick horny scales. Its great reptilian head is crowned by two great swept back horns. It has two tails which it whips back and forth to strike at opponents.
The torgat's main weapon is its devastating bite. The jaws of a torgat can crush a tree to splinters or snap a human in half. The torgat is also extremely swift and agile, able to dodge and dart about the trees despite its huge size. The torgat has very good senses and excels as a hunter.
The torgat is extremely cunning and has been known to use tactics : treasure as bait, leading parties away from their camp and then doubling back to destroy it, etc. It is undoubtedly the animal's remarkable cunning that makes it such favored game.
The torgat has very tough scales that easily turn a blade. Each scale is about a foot long by six inches wide. If enough scales are collected, fabulous armor can be fashioned.
Torgats are found only in northwestern Ithria. They can be found scattered throughout the forested hills of the north ranging from the eastern Dragonclaw Mountains to the Shard Wastelands. There have also been reports of torgats in the Trackless Mire, the Grandwood, the forested hills of the Thunder Peaks and the Elderweald. Generally speaking, torgats prefer forested areas in wilderness regions. They are never encountered near towns or villages.
In the north west, torgat hunting is considered a manly sport and social event. The sport of hunting torgats is very popular in Normidia despite the fact that it is a very dangerous pastime. Many a young Normidian lad dreams of growing up and bringing down a legendary torgat. Torgat hunting is considered a "team" hunting sport and a standard torgat hunting team consists of twenty men. It is considered unlucky to hunt a torgat with less than 20 men and cowardly to go with more.
Each year, about a hundred teams will venture out to hunt a torgat. Many Normidian hunters die each year hunting this majestic beast. If more than 17 men return, it was considered a good hunt, even if they come back empty handed. Only about one in ten teams successfully brings down a torgat. Every year, there is at least one team that doesn't come back at all.
When a team actually does brings down a torgat, everyone eats. An average torgat will yield about 1000 to 2,000 pounds of tender red meat. Most people agree that torgat meat is delicious and there are several recipes for torgat meat which are popular in Normidia. Typically a great feast will be held after the hunt, stories of the hunt will be told and tankards are raised in toast to those who were killed in the hunt. Taverns and inns in nearby towns and villages will vie to purchase some of the meat. These establishments will then preserve the meat (by salt, brine, ice or other method) and sell it for many weeks afterwards.
The torgat feeds on anything slower than it. A single torgat may claim as much as 800 square kilometers as its territory. Torgats will hunt each other if claimed territories conflict. It is estimated that there are approximately one thousand torgats scattered througout the far northwest of Ithria and their numbers seem to be steady despite their popularity as a game animal.
This website was last updated September 30, 2024. Copyright 1990-2024 David M. Roomes.