the bäckahäst is a large omnivorous pholidocervid, and one of the few extant predatory omnivorous artiodactyls. the pholidocervids are not actual cervids, but they are among the more closely related pecorans to them (along with bovids and moschids). their "semiaquatic" lifestyle has given a rise to much of the mythology that surrounds the bäckahäst, utilising rivers as a means to ambush unsuspecting terrestrial prey, and so, despite a natural preference for such habitats, their most efficient natural hunting strategies do not target aquatic prey, however, fishing cultures are present in many bäckahäst groups. instead of natural blubber or heavy musculature, bäckahästar have adapted one of their stomach chambers into a sort of "crop", where they store stones that allow them to adjust their buoyancy in water somewhat.

their coats tend to come in light colours, especially for populations in more northern areas, and their undertones can range from cool to warm, although dark fur does also occur. coat colour tends to be very specific to certain populations, especially more isolated ones, although cultural practices in many groups lead to some areas having a less strict colour range than others. they are sexually dimorphic like most other artiodactyls, with males being larger on average as well as possessing a single horn (granting the animal their human name) which resembles an antler superficially, but is more akin to a pronghorn's horn. it has a permanent bony core, while it grows a sheath annually during spring, and is dropped in the autumn, leaving the smaller core behind. although, contrasting pronghorns, the bäckahäst horn grows slightly between each shed, and thus, a male can be aged roughly based on horn size. this depends however as the growth can vary depending on the health of the stag as well. both sexes possess some scales on their face and legs (moreso on the face), a diagnostic trait of the pholidocervids.

FORMS

the bäckahäst has the ability to shapeshift, although their shift differs from the basilisk and is much more limited in its scope. instead of liquifying most of the animal, the bäckahäst possesses a glandular system of nodes throughout the body that is able to excrete an anda-carrying chemical which causes tissue and bone to become "malleable", with some special sheets of musculature unaffected which helps reshape the body into a target form. the bäckahäst can only shift into one another form (and back), their "faun" or "näcken" form, where they take on a more humanoid appearence. if shifting from the quadruped form, the body converts tissue that is in excess for the target form into energy to fuel the shift, while if the target form is the quad, the bäckahäst must rely on stored food within them. this food can often be found in another stomach chamber that has evolved into a storage crop, where a part of the food they eat while in faun form is converted into fat for later access.