Escale (`ɛs ,cal ɛ)

The escale is a large quadrupedal feathered reptile, commonly utilized for transport and defense. The excellent climbing ability and hardy nature of the escale has made it a popular choice for journeying in treacherous conditions which would be unsuitable for horses or similar mounts. As such, the species has become increasingly widespread in more mountainous regions, with it being a popular choice for messengers and travelers

Biology

The escale belongs to a clade of feathered reptiles, believed to share a close relation with either lizards or birds. It is characterized by a feathered body, with a prominent crest on the head and flared tail. The legs are short in proportion to the body and have five toed feet, resulting in a gait that has been described as similar to both short legged mammals and crocodiles. Overall, a healthy escale is highly muscular, allowing it to lift more than its own weight when scaling steep inclines. An adult escale is typically 12 feet in length (including the tail), and measures about 3.5 feet tall from its feet to its haunches, weighing in at about 1000 lbs. It exhibits mild sexual dimorphism, with males typically being somewhat larger and possessing larger feather crests. Similar to birds, the escale is an endothermic (“warm-blooded”) animal, allowing it to live a more active lifestyle and inhabit colder climates with greater ease. The feathers are also believed to serve the purpose of keeping it warm, along with serving a role in mate selection.

Diet

Escale are opportunistic omnivores, eating a wide variety of fruits, insects, and meat. Wild escale will choose to feed on whichever food source is most available to them in the current season. Domestic escale are typically fed with human food scraps, pests such as rats and insects, and whatever it may capture while being allowed to roam freely.

Breeding

Breeding occurs naturally in the early spring, though it can be induced at other times with human intervention. Escales courtship involves a “dance” between a male and female, in which the female determines whether it approves of the male. If mating is successful, the female lays a brood of 5-10 hard shelled eggs, which are cared for by the mother and father. Typically, only about 50% of eggs hatch. Once hatched, a baby escale (referred to as an escatito) takes approximately 1 year to reach maturity.

History & Domestication

Wild escales are thought to have originated in far northeastern mountainous regions, where the ancient inhabitants first domesticated them approximately 3000 years ago. Wild escale still exist, and are distinguishable by their smaller size and their “wild-type” plumage, along with having a more aggressive temperament. Domestic escale, though once restricted to their native ranges, have gradually spread throughout the known world, and while not a substitute for horses, they are valued for their niche purposes.
In Tel Rialis, escale have been brought by Kuliyan migrants from Kreasso, and are slowly gaining prevalence throughout the entire peninsula. Use of escale mounts and riders allows the people of @Doro , Vencerrado, and most recently Bayt Alma to traverse the mountain ranges that divide them with greater ease. Escale are an increasingly valuable resource to the Kaddite regions as well, particularly Domína, though trained riders are still somewhat scarce.

Interaction with Humans

The escale stands apart as one of the most unusual domesticated animals, contrasting from the mammal species that have traditionally been domesticated by humans for millennia. The most popular usage of the escale is that of a mode of transportation, though it has also seen specialization for hunting as well as companionship. Unlike horses, escales are not frequently used in warfare, as their slower pace and shorter stature provide less of an advantage in combat.

Transportation

Traversing mountainous and otherwise difficult terrain is the specialty of the escale, and the main reason why a person would choose to ride one over a horse or mule. The powerful body and dexterous limbs make it far easier to travel through otherwise treacherous mountain ranges. In order to avoid falling, riders use a specialized kind of saddle which doubles as a harness, holding the person in place even when climbing steep surfaces. An additional advantage of the escale is its bold nature, remaining calm in situations that might cause a horse to balk. On the other hand, this animal takes a high level of skill to ride properly, and its tendency towards stubbornness makes riding one an overall difficult to master technique. Skilled riders are generally respected and sought after by parties who wish to use them as scouts and messengers.

Specialized Equipment

While similar to horse riding materials, the tools used to ride an escale are distinct and must be prepared differently. The bridle features a “bit” typically made from leather or cloth, which the animal bites onto when the bridle is applied. As the structure of the mouth is different, soft bits must be used to avoid causing injury. To prevent the buildup of bacteria, the bit must be frequently cleaned and replaced. The back strips of the bridle wrap around the head and are fitted between the feather crest. The saddle is designed to secure the rider when at steeper inclines and declines. It includes a back brace which wraps around the rider’s torso, and attaches them to the back of the saddle and to the front of the animal, via an extended strap. A skilled rider is able to quickly adjust these straps to ensure continued comfort and reduce the risk of falling off the mount.

Selective Breeding

A variety of breeds of domestic escale have emerged over the centuries, with some serving practical purposes, and others being decorative. Practical escale breeds may be specialized for hunting small prey and other pests, or bred to be larger and capable of pulling heavier equipment. The most common selectively bred traits are for variety in plumage color and patterns, along with alterations in the length or structure of the escales’ head and tail crests. Some escale are bred to be smaller sized, and are often used to train young riders. Larger varieties may be bred with bulkier frames and shorter tails to haul heavy materials.

Images Top to Bottom: A young Escale trainer with two tamed escale, one featuring wild-type plumage (left) and the other having drooped leucistic-type plumage (right) The same scene as the first image but zoomed out to show the long, feathered tail of the wild-type escale A common type of escale-specific bridle, placed on a simple modeled escale head. The leather cord attached to the frontal brass ring is the bit, to be placed in the mouth of the animal. This same ring is also where the reins attach, though in this model they have been removed for ease of transport.