Ashwing Falcons

"The keening cry, like the hiss of steam venting from a freshly burst magma pool, somehow seeming a perfect impression, yet also ten times more fierce, and filled with all the pride one would expect from the shriek of such a bird of prey. Masters of the sky in their home ranges, the largest natural avian predator on the continent of Durol, and perhaps the known world. Their smokey ashen grey-black plummage that gives them their name a start contrast with their near crimson talons and beak, along with their decorative chest feathers, seeming as if a smokey mirage of molten rock on wing."

Basic Information

Anatomy

Ashwing Falcons are a unique breed of bird, living and surviving, even thriving, whilst their nesting grounds are generally seen as places only tainted beasts and aberrations could survive. Yet so far as any records or studies suggest they are a naturally occuring species, for stories and tales of these birds exists even in the scarce legends and cultural tall tales that are older than the Sundering itself. Other than color and size, they very much look like falcons, as one would imagine, they have all the traits one would expect and know of. However, the adults get to truly a massive size for the falcon family, fully a fifteen foot wingspan tip to tip. They get to a size and weight where adults are capable of taking prey items, and flying with them in their talons, as large a full sized steppe goats, which is a favored prey item for these mighty winged hunters.

They are known to be immune to poison, and also to flame, seeming not to feel even the extreme heat of their nesting grounds. Like most birds, their bones are hollow, to aid in flight.

Biological Traits

Immune to Poison
Resistant to Fire Damage
Talons and beak deal 1d6 fire damage in addition to normal damage for these natural weapons on a hit
Ashcloud aura, when on wing, ranged attacks are at disadvantage against these creatures, as when they fly, they seem to generate a bit of a smoky ashcloud like aura that obscures their shape and form.

Genetics and Reproduction

Ashwing Falcons mate for life, and females will lay a clutch of eggs once every other year. Clutches range from 3 to 6 eggs, and the birds seem to have quite good caretaking abilities and instincts, for most have two of the chicks, on average, make it to adulthood. They leave the nest after about 14 months, having a longer adolesence than many other similar bird species.

Growth Rate & Stages

These birds, rough estimates and studies suggest their life spans may average around twenty-five years, with the oldest specimens ever observed or hunted potentially, judging on size, plummage tone, and bone structure, was in its late thirties. Adolesence lasts about 14 months after they hatch, though true adulthood, that is sexual maturity, takes an additional 18 months to achieve. Chicks are born snow white in plummage, though the beaks and talons have the crimson-orange look of molten magma just like the adults.

Ecology and Habitats

These birds are one of the apex avian predators in the skies of Valerick, masters of the mountain ranges they call home, always near volcanic areas, for that is where one will find their nesting grounds. The heat and gases of volcanic regions seem not to bother it at all, in fact some theorize these elements play a key part in the health and viability of their eggs, as no mated pair has ever been observed to successfully nest on other slopes or crags, only on and in volcanic regions.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Ashwing Falcons are pure carnivores, hunting a wide variety of prey species in the mountain ranges they call home. They can and will, with no fear, take humanoids if the opportunity seems to present itself. Steppe Goats, Bestials, Greenskins, Rabbit, Fox, other smaller birds, any and all small and medium sized animals or other creatures upon mountain ranges they call home are valid prey. Here too their volcanic nesting areas seem to play a key role. These falcons are not known for taking prey and leaving carcass, they take prey they can carry and fly it back to their nesting area. Here, again many theories exist. Some think it is the bird's own innards, something unique. Others think the fumes and gases somehow cook or steam or 'smoke' the carcasses, perserving them. But they leave naught for scavengers, a kill lasting a mated couple two to three days on average, as many as four days if the kill they've made is large enough, nearing the largest thing they could carry back.

Additional Information

Domestication

They are not a species, nor likely to ever be, that has been domesticated in the common sense. However there have been rangers, wild folks wandering wild places, especially those whom serve Boran the Bloodhound, whom have acquired the egg of an Ashwing, and raised the chick themselves, bonding with it in a fashion, the creature becoming a loyal and stalwart companion.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Its bones in particular are known to have properties of great crafting value. In rune-forging, one does not just need the metal the item will be forged of and the manna dust to use for the etchings, but also, dependant on the sort of runic powers being woven unto the metal, some sort of flux like material, to be used as an additive in the forging, or sometimes the quenching, processes. Powdered Ashwing Bones are one such substance, tied to the crafting of armor implements meant to provide protections against flame, as well as in weapon forgings where the rune work is meant to provide benefits of fire and flame in an offensive capacity. They are not the only such acceptable additive that can be used for such a process, though they are an additive of moderate power, making them notably valuable even with the difficulties of hunting such birds.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

They range wide from their nesting grounds, hence being known as one of the dominant avian predators of the mountains across Valerick. However they congregate around volcanic grounds, nesting all about the slopes and rims of volcanoes themselves, and range all about the mountains from these points.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Ashwing Falcons are known to have exceptional eyesight, capable even through ash, mist or cloud, of picking movement out below them up to a mile or two away when on wing. They also have strong hearing, and even seem to possess some unrefined and rudimentry tremorsense when on the ground, which makes approaching their nest a dangerous proposition at the best of times.

Lifespan

25 years

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

The ashy grey-black plummage is met by the clashing beauty of the crimson-orange talons and beak, and decorative chest plummage, giving the birds on wing the look of almost a fiery ash cloud, which is part of where their name comes from.

Geographic Distribution

• Continent of Durol
• Continent of Gavis-Lune