Plains Strider

The Plains Strider is the fastest land animal on Tauria — possibly in this arm of the galaxy. Its narrow body and extraordinary leg length allow it to cover immense distances with a ground-swallowing stride that appears almost leisurely until one attempts to keep pace with it.

Unlike most steppe animals, the Plains Strider bears no horns. It relies entirely on speed and endurance. When threatened, it stretches into a full sprint with its body low to the ground and hindquarters driving forward, each stride carrying it further than seems physically possible. They are most useful to observant scouts: when every Plains Strider on the northern plain turns to face one direction, something of considerable size is moving from that quarter.

Giliad's Field Note

"I spent an afternoon trying to approach one within ten paces. I managed four. It regarded me with absolute calm and then was simply elsewhere — I did not see it move, only the grass where it had been. — G."