Giant Pangolin

Despite their prodigious size, giant pangolins are solitary, reclusive creatures who forage by night for insects and vermin. To defend themselves from predators, they rely on a veritable arsenal of natural defenses to dissuade their foes: thick armor of wickedly sharp scales, a flexible and muscular body capable of rolling into a defensive ball, and a noxious musk. Against more persistent threats, giant pangolins' powerful digging claws prove mighty weapons in a pinch.

While a pangolin's defenses serve well against natural predators, they've long been targets of poaching by humanoid cultures, partly for meat, but largely due to the high value of their unique scales. These scales see widespread use in alchemy, folk medicine, and crafting, and thus demand for them-and the associated profits from their sale-remain high. Giant pangolins are better protected against humanoid hunters, but the larger size of their scales means wider applications and greater volume. The increased difficulty of acquiring pangolins makes doing so all the more profitable, and unscrupulous poachers can make a considerable living from hunting these creatures.