Giant porcupine

Giant porcupines were a larger than normal species of the rodents known as porcupine.

Description
Giant porcupines were largely identical to the mundane, brown variety of porcupine, though their quills was far more noticeable. Quills were stiff, sharp hairs that lined their backs. Their bodies were covered in around three-hundred quills, with their tails in particular having around eighty. Each of these quills measured in length. Their paws made them very skilled at climbing trees.

Behavior
These creatures had only a base, animal level of intelligence, but were relatively non-aggressive unless threatened. Being very timid and prone to panic, they tended to view creatures within of them as potential threats. Whenever a creature came within that range, giant porcupines would crouch down in a defensive posture and utter a warning hiss. If the creature continued to approach them, they were liable to either run away or defend themselves.

Combat
Much like their smaller cousins, giant porcupines defended themselves by launching the quills from their tails at enemies like projectiles. In dire situations they would resort to even biting an opponent. They were capable of shooting their quills at enemies from up to away.

Ecology
Much like their smaller cousins, these creatures lived in family units. Though willing to socialize with others, they preferred remaining with their family unit.

Diet
Giant porcupines were a herbivorous species. They largely ate fruit, tree bark, and tree leaves. They were also very fond of salt.

Habitats
Giant porcupines were primarily encountered in wooded areas, particularly those in temperate climates. For example, in Maztica they were known to be encountered all across its jungles. In Faerûn they could be found in the forest of Starwood, as well as the Goblin Marches and Stonelands, being one the few monstrously sized species that remained following the goblinoids' settlement of the area.

In the region of Anauroch they could be found in the fertile areas of the Plain of Standing Stones.

Outside of the Prime Material plane, giant porcupines inhabited the Celestial Bureaucracy's plane of Qui.

Relationships
Giant porcupines had very few predators.

Those that lived in the Plain of Standing Stones were occasionally hunted by hill giants.

Usage
Much like their smaller cousins, in the 14 century DR there were no known potion or spell applications for the material components that could be harvested from giant porcupines.