Shadowbeak

These creatures are rare to see, but seem to travel all over the realms of Cairne, though no one can say for certain if there are a large number of them, or that they just roam great distances. Either way, they seldom interact directly with the world beyond watching the goings on of the various societies of the world. Their eerie appearance leaves many to fear or despise them, and they are generally reviled by all. Considered bad omens or spies for dark powers, they are often attacked when seen, though this does little to dissuade them from their observations, and in some cases have led to vicious attacks by entire murders of them. 
While not common knowledge, these servants of the Sovereign of Ravens , Erebus Kane are his eyes and ears in the world, and on occasion something much worse as well.

Basic Information

Anatomy

While the Shadowbeak does still appear, for all intents and purposes, a raven, they are decayed and tattered reflections of what they once were, leaving bits of their internal skeletal structure visible through missing patches of feathers and skin, and exhibiting cracked beaks and empty eyes that glow with a disquieting green glow.

Ecology and Habitats

Unbeknownst to the vast majority of the people of Cairne, these creature originate from the island of Beacon , and are the creation of Erebus Kane , a tool through which he watches the machinations of the world from his seat of power there. They have no need to eat or speel, and remain unfazed by any form of weather that does not physically damage them.

Behaviour

These creatures do not directly interact with the world unless provoked or sent out with an intended purpose that directs them otherwise by their creator.

Additional Information

Social Structure

It is very rare to see only one of these birds in a given location, as they travel in a murder or congress. There is no apparent hierarchy within this grouping however, and while they will move and work in unison, it appears to be an innate understanding of a unified purpose more than a conscious effort.

Domestication

The Shadowbeaks are the undead creations of a powerful mage, and as such only answer to him. If captured or detained in any way, the animal will simple cease its animation and crumble to dust.

Average Intelligence

Despite their condition and purpose, these creatures retain their remarkable animal intelligence and are quite capable of solving simple puzzles, manipulating small objects, and are even capable of speaking a handful of words, though this may be mimicry more than true speech. The Shadowbeaks also have a remarkable memory and the ability to retain faces and voices of creatures they interact with on the rare occasions that they do.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

These undead birds have remarkable sensory abilities, able to see far beyond the reach of most life forms, and able to pierce darkness with ease using Void Sight. Their undead state does not appear to have hindered their ability to detect things with their other senses either, though this appears to be more in line with a general sensory awareness of living creatures within a certain radius of their location rather than any organic sensory ability.

Civilization and Culture

History

Not long after Erebus Kane completed his ritual of ascension into undeath, he took it upon himself to guard his work and ensure his survival by devising a way in which he could keep his eyes upon the world while remaining free to pursue his endeavors. To this end, he authored a powerful ritual that required the sacrifice of one of his physical eyes, imbuing a conspiracy of ravens with undeath and binding them to him as well. He is able to see, hear, and speak through the animals wherever in the world they may be, and act as spies and agents of his will, able to reach locations that he is not able or willing to travel to. The birds, so imbued with his power are dangerous conduits of necromantic energy and old world arcane power that predates the Blight itself. There have been several occasions that he has called upon this power to direct one of the birds to crawl down the throat of a corpse, animated and empowering it as one of The Deathless . The birds, eithe rby intention of due to the time they have spent in The Void , are also rife with the infectious agents that cause The Breathless Plague , making contact with them more than just dangerous, but carrying the potential consequence of an outbreak as well.

Scientific Name

Undead (Animal)

Origin/Ancestry

Ravens

Lifespan

Effectively immortal

Average Weight

1250 g

Average Length

65 cm

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Black, with portions of exposed bone and greyed flesh. While there is a great deal of diversity in their general appearance, the one factor that all share is the faint green glow in their eyes.