Tarsk

 

"The slave boy, Fish, had emerged from the kitchen, holding over his head on a large silver platter a whole roasted tarsk, steaming and crisped, basted, shining under the torchlight, a larma in its mouth, garnished with suls and Tur-pah."

~Raiders of Gor~

The TARSK is a porcine animal, fat, grunting, shaggy-maned, flat-snorted and with short legs. They are distinguishable by the bristly mane running down their spine to the base of their tail.

Not to be confused with the copper tarsk, of course, which is a common coin. If a customer in the tavern hands you a tarsk, it probably isn't a large pig ...

In the wild, they are often viciously aggressive - cunning, persistent and swift, often hunted from the back of kaiila with long lances out in the open.

Tarsk is a common source of meat, especially among the rence growers of the Vosk delta. The Market of Semris, just to the south-east inland of the delta, is famed for its tarsk markets.

Not everybody likes to eat tarsk though, since it is known as a carrion eater. But its hide can be extremely useful.

The GIANT TARSK is a larger cousin of the common tarsk, which stands ten hands at the shoulder.

It is a wild, untamed animal which is often hunted with lances from tarnback.

IN ROLEPLAY

Tarsk meat is like pork. It can produce sausages, chops, roasts, stews, and anything of the like.