| abstract | - The many volcanic and geothermal areas of the Under-Empire are inhabited by a variety of strange and marvellous creatures. One such beast is the pack-hunting geckamand, a dog-sized fire lizard that changes the colour of its scales to blend in with its surroundings. Geckamands are warm-blooded reptiles that thrive in extreme heat. They leave their dens when hunting, but cannot survive for more than a day or two in the relative cold of the Under-Empire.[1a] Geckamands grow to lengths of four feet, standing up to two feet in height at the shoulder. Their spiny scales are naturally a reddish-brown in colour, but the creatures can change the colour of their skin at will, much like a chameleon. Geckamands can also exhale gusts of superheated gas from their mouths, even as they trip and entangle foes with their rubbery, elastic tongues.[1a]
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