War Shrike

War Shrikes were created by the Ancient Cloud Giants and Storm Giants to hunt their foes, The Dragons. These birds as immortal as their Foes and Masters, with them simply growing larger and more dangerous with time. All War Shrikes have human level intelligence and some of those raised among civilization can utilize telepathy at a younger age than their wild cousins. War Shrikes will grow to be human sized within a century of hatching and will generally remain at that size until they reach their fifth Century, after which they will grow rapidly to become nearly as large as a giant by the end of their fifth century. They then grow at a slow but constant rate until the time of their death. Only one War Shrike is known to have reached such gargantuan size to rival a Great Wyrm and that is Arkatos, Master of the Winds within the Elemental Plane of Air. Arkatos belonged to the Last King of the Storm Giants and has no particular interest in hunting Dragons, though he is quick to anger.
War Shrikes need only eat once every few days when they have reached their mature state, that being roughly human sized. Ancients have been observed forgoing food for years or even decades at a time. Young Shrikes will generally be self sufficient only a few days after hatching. Ancients have been observed consuming such creatures as Krakens, Purple Wurms and small Dragons.
War Shrikes have an innate ability to utilize lightning within their Talons and Feathers and will use such magics in their hunting. When a Shrike reaches maturity they can utilize this power to travel vast distances, turning themselves into bolts of lightning that streak across the clear sky. Ancients command nearly as much power, and respect, as their Storm Giant Creators with Ancients being able to generate entire storms when enraged. One such storm was able to generate winds of such speed and ferocity that it cleared a mile wide area of the ocean down to the sea floor and lifted a kraken into the skies, which was then promptly dropped onto Castle Blackwall within Moromel. Ancients also possess the ability to reduce their size as they see fit.
Wild Shrikes live in rookeries that can hold up to a thousand young Shrikes, a few Dozen Mature Shrikes and one Ancient Shrike. The Ancient protects the Rookery with its presence and the young are guided and taught by the Mature specimens. If the Rookery is threatened then the Ancient will attack the threat with the rest of the residents following behind. A flock of War Shrikes can and will bring down any hostile threat in their territory, which can be up to 100 miles in diameter, depending on the Ancient and their attitude. Some Shrikes will leave Rookeries to find adventure or explore the world and they are often seen on board Ships sailing the Sunfire Archipelago or across the Planes, with the Elemental Plane of Air being their most common location outside The Material Plane.
Shrikes may be domesticated, though they tend to only obey the individual that directly raised them and any subseqent handlers will be met with hostility. Some have been observed guarding over families for several Generations. The three oldest War Shrikes that have been raised in domestication are the two raised personally by Emperor Autrion, Ilitas and Zevitis, who he raised from hatchlings. These two Ancients often accompany their master on Dragon Hunts. The other Acetas, was befriended by Saalima Khan after he was injured in a battle with the Druidic Queen. He now lives within Edin, assisting in its Defense should he see a worthy challenge. He has taken to the battlefield to teach Ilitas and Zevitis the error of their ways, subduing both of the Ancients himself in a battle between the Empire and the Alliance outside of Evergarden. Since then the two Imperial Ancients have been wary of the Old bird.