Hellwing
A hellish nightmare exorcised from the nightmare realm and created in reality by a mage too far gone to be reasoned with to prevent such a horror from being unleashed on the world. A magical fusion between a rare variant of vulture-like Roc called a Carrion Roc and an unknown type of scorpion. The mad mage Harradin as she was known was hell-bent on creating all manner of twisted monsters feeling that nature was too slow to evolve creatures and that she wanted to create ones that suited her desires at the moment. Her focus was always intense on the new creature but after she completed it she often grew bored of them and released them into the world in large enough populations to become a viable threat to an ecosystem. Druidic circles are still trying to reverse much of the damage she caused by her reckless experiments.
While the Hellwing is what many would consider a hellish abomination it does not have any particular ties to the profane font let alone the layers of hell.
Basic Information
Anatomy
All the impressive size and strength of the roc combined with three scorpion-like tails concealed among the tail feathers, a beak with mandibles on the side for holding still living prey, and six eyes all as sharp as a roc's, four of which are forward-facing with two more under and behind the beak. Their scorpion tails curl under them so as to sting a victim as they are being grabbed, or on a fly-by if the victim is a danger to the Hellwing
Genetics and Reproduction
They can only reproduce with others of their species but they lay large clutches of eggs in hard to reach places making reducing their population difficult.
Ecology and Habitats
They hunt often in lowlands and build their nests high on mountain peaks or other difficult to reach places.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Voracious carnivores and scavengers they will eat anything living or dead, though they seem to prefer live prey they can sting first and carry back to their nest.
Additional Information
Uses, Products & Exploitation
The venom sacs from the tails can be harvested for a potent paralytic poison, that in a large enough dose can cause death from the lungs and or heart being paralyzed.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Dragon-teeth mountains, Southern Rhyderia, Mistblade Mountains, and Bladeward Mountains.
Average Intelligence
Thankfully they are not intelligent creatures, however this does make their devotion to survival and reproduction much more focused.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Six eyes with extremely sharp vision and an expanded field of view. It can take up to 30 minutes to adjust to darkness but they can see perfectly at night.
Hellwing tactics
A Hellwing will often stalk its prey from high in the air and determine what the easiest and largest prey is, they will likely prefer to snatch a horse from a traveler than to take the person themselves, but they sometimes grab both in one swoop. Their stingers are used to disable prey and threats, if they sting a target and it is unaffected the Hellwing will choose a new target or just leave. Each tail has enough venom for 3 strikes in a week, the venom produces slowly and only after eating rancid meat (which they have a second stomach for) and mushrooms that grow on the tops of withered trees.Weaknesses
A hellwing is weak to bludgeoning damage due to hollow bones, they are also vulnerable to their own poison unless it is ingested. A large enough net can cause them to fall to the ground they can be temporarily blinded at night with a sudden bright light.
Scientific Name
Avia Scorpius
Conservation Status
These creatures are the result of illegal fusing of creatures and are considered invasive and dangerous and should be killed when seen.
Average Length
40 feet from beak to the tip of the longest scorpion tail. 80-foot wingspans.
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