YAKS

A large wild or domesticated ox (Bos grunniens, also known as Peophagus grunniens) of the high steppes and mountains.  They have short, smooth hair on the back and long wavy hair on the breast, sides, legs and tail, being in the wild blackish-brown and up to about six feet high at the shoulder and 1200 pounds in weight but smaller and varying in colour when domesticated.  They are often used as beast of burden and as a source of flesh, milk, hide and hair.

Given the above definition, it is difficult to perceive why the yak was chosen by Carchoth.  The old demon has never satisfactorily explained why yaks figure so much in its everyday existence, nor why it is always accompanied by an'exceedingly small yak'.  Some have said that the demon was temporarily struck down by amnesia and lived amongst the yaks, thinking it was one of them for many years.  Others that the yak was chosen for its sheer beauty.  The vast majority favour the view that Carchoth chose the yaks simply because few people knew of them and that it would thus be easy to be an expert on all matters 'yakkish'.  Whatever the reason is, the yak is an integral part of the realms of the day, it is even possible to buy a cuddly stuffed yak for a lady friend or indeed for oneself if one likes that sort of thing.

One quote concerning yaks from the Ancient One which can be reproduced here is - 'You know where you are with a yak; at the wrong end of a very sharp pair of horns!'