Halka
The halka (frequently referred to as the halka horse) is a species of small equine creature found on the jungle planet of Eryn. They are domesticated and utilized by the aggressive rylak packs, who rely on the small horses to serve as pack animals and beasts of burden.
Domestication and Captivity
In rylak settlements such as Felgr, the halka horses are housed in the miserable, squalid confines of the pack's slavepens. They are kept in close quarters alongside captive ellr slaves. In rylak society, the masterless ellr slaves are considered nothing more than property, viewed as being no better than a simple halka horse.
The living conditions for the halka are cramped and poorly maintained. They are kept in small, individual pens branching off from a narrow central hallway. These rooms are only just big enough for a halka horse to stretch out in. The rylak provide the animals with dry palm fronds and a bit of dirty water. The halka are bathed only once a week, which coincides with the weekly cleaning of their pens.
As a result of these squalid conditions, the halka horses are generally unclean. Their presence heavily contributes to the overwhelming stench of the slavepens, adding the strong odors of horsehair and manure to the smells of rotting wood and unwashed bodies. Despite this dismal environment, the quiet of the slavepens is frequently broken by the restless sounds of the animals, including the wickering of the horses, the stamping of their hooves, and the huffing of their snouts.