Not Deer

This fan-fiction article, Not Deer, was written by Adalwulf of Aedirn. Please do not edit this fiction without the writer's permission.

Nid Ceirw
Taxonomy
Classification	Relict
Physiology
Height	Deer sized
Weight	Weighs slightly less than a normal healthy deer
Ecology
Lifespan	Until hunted down, unknown
Intelligence	Bestial
Nature	Aggressive and bloodthirsty
Range	The Continent's northern forests and cold mountain ranges.
Habitat	Cold wastes, forests and mountain paths
Diet	Fresh, bloody meat (They will curiously shun eating other deer however and are largely ignored by their herd which they will protect.)
Prey	Deer Humans Rabbits Wolves
Predators	Witchers

The Not Deer also called a 'Nid Ceirw' by the Aen Seidhe who were the first to encounter them in the Blue Mountains.

Physiology

A Not Deer superficially resembles a deer though there are telltale differences, such as the ability to stand and maintain stance on its hind two legs, as well as a skinny appearance. They possess forward-facing eyes like a predator, an elongated mouth like a canid (such as a coyote or dog), and razor-sharp teeth replacing the usually flat teeth of the deer, they may or may not have sharp thorn-like structures develop on their hooves which are indicators of age.

Abilities

Racial Abilities

Cervid Physiology

As a deer-like creature, a Not Deer has some of the abilities of one.

Antler Protrusion

As a deer-like creature, a Not Deer has antlers if it is a male.

Enhanced Agility

As a deer-like creature, a Not Deer has enhanced agility compared to a human able to cover and dodge from attacks at a rapid pace as their mental processing speed is faster than a human's.

Enhanced Leap

As a deer-like creature, a Not Deer has enhanced leaping clearing 7 feet high easily.

Enhanced Senses

Enhanced Hearing

Not Deer have better hearing than a human.

Enhanced Vision

Not Deer have better eyesight than a human.

Night Vision

Not Deer have vision in the form of night vision.

Ultraviolet Vision

Not Deer have vision in the form of ultraviolet vision.

Not Deer Physiology

Bone Regeneration

Because of the unnatural way, a Not Deer can move, they can end up breaking their own bones to achieve these movements as such they gain the ability to regenerate their bones to counteract this negative effect.

Claw Retraction

A Not Deer has a second form which replaces its hooves with hand-like claws.

Fang Retraction

Instead of the normal molars for chewing grass, Not Deer can developed fangs for grabbing, ripping, tearing and chewing meat.

Unnatural Shape

A Not Deer has a second physical form that is significantly different from that of a normal deer.

Unnatural Size

As a Not Deer ages, they will develop a greater size when compared to their non-cursed brethren.

Behaviors

Ravenous Beings

A Not Deer will eat any kind of animal it can get ahold of even regular deer.

Supernatural Awareness

A Not Deer has the bizarre behavior of being relatively docile in the wild (at least to sentient beings) despite its carnivorous nature, it however will be triggered toward incredible levels of aggression if its unnaturalness as a deer, is vocally commented on within a two-mile radius of the specimen or if eye contact is maintained for too long. After being triggered the specimen will throw away all attempts at maintaining its Cervid disguise in a bid to capture and consume its prey.

Uncanny Behavior

A lack of fear of humans, making clicking noises or speaking in sentient tongues, and moving with uncomfortable jerking motions which may include snapping of bones can be observed. They move like a predator which includes staring directly at prey with their forward facing eyes which it might open up a few more sets for a better look at its potential prey. A Not Deer both when disguised and especially when it drops its disguise is able to stand on its hind legs to be able to get height to look at something and to increase their speed to run something down.

Unspoken Rules

1. The best thing to do if one encounters one and is not ready to fight them is to act like they didn't see them and start walking off in a different direction unless the Not Deer is starving they will stop and go back to what they were doing before.
2. In the case that this beast notices a humanoid it will openly approach and if its potential victim attempts to scare it off it will become provoked as though its unnaturalness has been commented on. A method to disengage the Not Deer if this happens is making a comment on something else (a herd of deer or a pack of wolves) and pointing away from both the target and the Not Deer, this will redirect the Not Deer's attention and it will most likely go to satisfy its curiosity. One can also take something like meat or food and throw it away at an angle between themselves and the Not Deer, the Not Deer will go after the food allowing the potential target to leave the area/sight line.

Harvestable Parts

Meat

Due to its unnaturalness if a Not Deer is killed, it is Not Recommended to eat meat taken from one's corpse no matter how recent the kill was, this can poison humanoids and other monsters, as such corpses of a Not Deer are usually immolated to avoid further biological contamination.

Art Credits

• Netflix´s The Witcher Hirikka Early Concept Art by Jean David Solomon.

Trivia

• Not Deer is based on the Cryptid of the same name from folklore.