Khimsha

Biology

Khimsha is a mammal species that is native to RIMA III. Khimsha’s purple fur serves as natural camouflage and helps them to hide in the tall purple grass of Riman steppes. The purple color of their fur is caused by ingestion of a bacterial strain that is prominent in all sources of sweet water across RIMA III. Abundance of this bacteria also makes raw meet of Khimsha poisonous for human consumption. Khimsha can still be eaten, but its meat has to undergo a lengthy process of marinading and cooking.

Lyandra of Kraz and her Wa’sion Halud riding their Khimshas over the dusty steppes of RIMA III

Human Intractions

Khimshas are known for their tamable easy temper and were rapidly domesticated by the human exiles soon after the Exodus. The demanding process of preparation for their meat made Khimshas into the first choice for riding and other labor intensive tasks. The only times when a Khimsha can pose danger to a human are either when the animal is scared of something or during the mating season when female Khimshas are fighting with each other to be mounted by the biggest male.

Behind the Scenes

Concept of mighty warriors riding giant capybaras (or wombats) was too cute not to implement. In order to make these “capybaras” feel more alien, they were made purple – of the same color as the tall grass on their home planet. This matching also made total sense from the evolutionary standpoint as these herbivores would use their natural camouflage to avoid predators.

Name Khimsha is a combination of words “khinzir mishear” which means “hairy pig” in Arabic.

Gallery: Khimsha