Ikplik
# Overview
The Ikplik is a mundozoan animal native to the 2nd Realm. Descended from meerkats, they retain their size, pack structure, and appearance despite their shift into the niche of herbivores native to grassland habitats.
Their name derives from the throaty, high-pitched distress calls that they make when under threat, mostly from minikin hunters.
# Cultural Relevance
The cultural relevance of Ikpliks to minikin vary from culture to culture. To the Morellic minikin, ikpliks are treated as both pets and livestock; sheared for their wool, skinned for their pelt, and used to enrich farm soil.
They are rarely eaten by all races but the austerkin as their diet results in the accumulation of toxins in their flesh. When cooked, the toxins are deactivated, but can still pose a threat if undercooked.
Austerkin eat ikpliks as a delicacy, as their diet is similar enough to ikpliks that the effects of the toxins is nullified.
# Morphology
Ikpliks are identical to meerkats except for in a few respects; they not only have an extra pair of limbs, but also employ the use of alucinara energy as a defence mechanism.
# Diet
The diet of ikpliks is defined by its mainly herbivorous nature; the main food sources for ikpliks are;
- grass
- leaves
- berries
- insects