Biomes:

Boreal forest, Temperate Grassland

Domestication:

Possible but extremely rare and generally considered unfit

General information:

Named for their golden horns, these otherwise completely black bovine are a sight to behold. Standing nearly 5 - 7ft or 1.52 - 2m tall at the withers and weighing in at anywhere between 1200 – 2400lb or 600 – 1200kg, these are massive animals with tempers to match. Bulls are substantially bigger than the cows and far more aggressive. These animals are not generally seen as suitable prey because of their tendency to fight rather then flee. There are even tales of herds plowing whole villages to the ground.

Behavior and traits:

The Golden Horned Buffalo are herd animals that like large open spaces and grassland, and as long as they're left alone they're generally peaceful creatures. They don't cling to any territory and move with the seasons. They will however stick to their old ways and building anything on their usual routes is asking for trouble. Their routes are well documented and no mystery to anyone who knows how to use their eyes. Routes that has been abandonded by a herd is often taken over by the tribes of Aedra, that may turn them into official travel roads. Few tribes ever attempt to hunt this large prey, and since the bears have nearly gone extinct, the buffalo doesn't have to fear any predator.

They mostly keep their own numbers in check and the males are by far their own worst enemy. 

A feature that all buffalo have and is somewhat uncommon to herbivores in general is fangs. These are not for fighting but for digging up roots that hold the special pigment that give them their golden horns. Until the calves grow their fangs and start eating roots, their horns are completely black. The largest bulls are almost always dominant in any herd. Where cows will stay with the herd they're born to, most young bulls are chased away or killed by the dominant bull when they come of age. Only when his herd is big enough will a dominant bull tolerate other adult bulls joining. The chased off youngsters form small bachelor groups of their own and seek an established herd to take over. These are often sexually frustrated youngsters that are a danger to anyone they come across. Cows can expect to live well into their twenties and it's common to see a matriarch leading a herd to greener pastures rather than the dominant male. In contrast to cows, the life of a bull tend to be so violent that reaching their teens is uncommon. The reign of a dominant bull might only last five or six seasons or until they're chased or even killed by younger bulls. Only a few wise or extremely strong bulls manage to live to a ripe old age, rivaling even that of a cows. Like the Arwae Gazelle, these animals have a lot to offer prospective hunters. Their hide and bones make for some of the strongest armor and tools, their meat can feed a whole tribe for weeks and is thought of as a rare delicacy. Their horns are a source for some rare paint pigments and their skulls make for imposing trophies. 

When caught as calves, cows can be domesticated but are still hard to control and make poor beasts of burden, mostly because they attract lone males. When kept intact, aggressive bulls pose many challenges of their own. However, when raised from a young age these males can become docile beasts that even a pup can control.