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Gargantuan beast, unaligned
Armor Class 16 (natural armour)
Hit Points 247 (15d20 + 90)
Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft.
Saving Throws Str +10, Con +9, Wis +4
Skills Athletics +10
Proficiency Bonus +3
Damage Resistances cold
Senses passive Perception 11
Languages —
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Pack Tactics. The bhulkythun has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the bhulkythun's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
ACTIONS
Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 25 (4d8 + 7) piercing damage.
Ram. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 29 (4d10 + 7) bludgeoning damage.
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Bhulkythun are large, intelligent creatures native to the colder valleys of Zemhalla in Abolask, living in family herds of around thirty individuals, led by a matriarch. These herds will violently defend each individual member, taking to the air and ramming into any attacker with their bulk. Each of their six pillar-like legs work in conjunction to help the animal plod about, with some specimens weighing well over eighteen tons. The largest bhulkythun on record stood 24 feet tall at the shoulder and was nearly 60 feet long. A long whale-like tail extends back beyond the body, and is primarily used for achieving lift in flight. They have no natural predators in their range, as wolves and bears are far too small to take even calves. They are covered in thick fur that protects them from the coldest of nights, and as such are prized for their pelts. Recent poaching has greatly reduced their numbers, driving them further up their mountains and away from the trees that they rely on for sustenance.
Despite their size, bhulkythun are capable of being tamed, albeit only if trained from a very young age. This approach involves forcibly separating the calf from its herd and gaining its trust, a very difficult feat. Bhulkythun are especially fond of oats, and they can quickly be won over through their use. Once bonded, a bhulkythun will act as a loyal herding animal, similar to a llama or a sheepdog, defending livestock with the same ferocity that they would another bhulkythun. They can also be trained as pack animals to carry heavy loads and act as transportation to otherwise inaccessible mountain peaks, though it is very difficult to control a bhulkythun without a proper saddle. In the summer, the animals will molt their coats and produce a substantial amount of fur, which can be used to create clothing that is especially resistant to the cold. In recent years, "bhulkythun farms" have sprung up in the Zemhalla highlands, where the animals roam freely most of the year but return to their owner for fur collection.
Bhulkythun are long-lived animals, most living to be around 90 years old, with a record of 102 years held by the still-living Duurambo of Zyphertol's wild bhulkythun herd. They grow to adult size within approximately twenty years, reaching sexual maturity around fifteen years of age. Males have large, striking crests made of keratin that they display during the spring mating season to intimidate competitors. When display fails, the animals will battle using their tusks and bulk, ramming into one another until one gives up. Gestation typically lasts 24-25 months, upon which the female will birth a half-ton calf.
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