Legends of Belariath
Pender Kender
About Otaks
(being an excerpt from "The Book of Completely Useless Knowledge", an ancient text of unknown origin)
Otaks are a mild-mannered and inoffensive, if somewhat silly looking, mammal from the area of the Mountains of Penumbra on the continent far across the Great Western Ocean. Adult otaks usually reach the size of a smallish pony with shorter legs. As such they are a favorite steed and beast of burden of the small peoples, halflings, hobbits, kender, nelwyn, and fae.
Easily domesticated and trained for riding, they are not unintelligent, but their entire consciousness seems devoted to the singular thought of eating, which they do almost constantly. As a result they also tend to leave a steady trail of jellybean-like pellets in their wake. These pellets are quickly absorbed into the earth and help to spread seeds and needed chemical substances throughout the forests. This "nature's fertilizer spreader" aspect may account for the Fae's fondness for them.
There are two distinctly different breeds of otak. Lop-eared and round-eared. Lop-eared are found on the western slopes of the Penumbra. Round-eared on it's eastern reaches.
Lop-ears look like some sort of giant kin to rabbits. Their back legs being longer and stronger than the front. In coloration they range from almost pure white through a thousand shades of brown. The fur is long, soft, and silky smooth. They have stubby, 'powder-puff' tails as well. While they do not actually hop, their gait has a hop-like appearance. Galumph, galumph, galumph, with distinct mini-pauses between each. They step out with one front leg, quickly followed by the other, and then both back-legs together. Riding a lop-ear safely requires considerable practice and an occasional tumble if one gets careless.
Round-eared otaks look more akin to large mice. Their coloration is usually some shade of grey. White ones are rare though not unheard of. The fur is shorter and coarser than that of lop-ears. They have a long, hairless tail similar to rats and mice. Their gait is the seasickness producing stride of a camel. Constantly swaying from side to side like some drunken sailor. While it's easier to stay in the saddle of a round-eared otak, some riders new to the experience suffer the discomfort of perpetual nausea. Halflings alone seem immune to this, perhaps because a halfling's stomach seems to never be truly full OR empty.
Both breeds are shy and gentle, they follow directions from a riders knee pressure so a bridle is not required. An otak saddle consists of a harness that encompasses their front shoulders. Lop-ear saddles have a tall saddlehorn and the rider leans forward most of the time. Round-ear saddles have a high cantle, the rider is able to lean back (and oftentimes fall asleep). They often exhibit some nervousness around cat people and wolven. Leading one to speculate that those races may have preyed on them as a food source.
An otak's diet consists of anything it can get in it's mouth (including meat or grain), but they seem to prefer slightly rotted vegetation. For this reason they are prized in civilized areas as "nature's garbage disposal". The main drawback to this diet becomes noticeable when one follows closely behind an otak as they tend to be rather "gassy" as well. Three otaks in an enclosed barn can literally "gag a goblin". Almost turning the air inside a faint bluish hue.
Otaks are capable of short bursts of speed when frightened. Usually moving in a zig-zag pattern. They cannot keep this sprint up for very long and generally go in search of food immediately after. Since they normally travel no faster than a person could walk they are sometimes called "a lazyman's steed". But they can maintain this rate of travel virtually without limit. Having exceptional endurance, and grabbing a quick bite of whatever they pass that looks edible on the way.
Otaks tend to be long-lived, easily surpassing 200 years, and often outliving their riders. In some cultures ownership is passed on from generation to generation.
The origin of this species remains undiscovered, but pictographs in the Palandara Caverns depict them being ridden in ancient times.