Roc
It was for all the world like an eagle, but one indeed of enormous size; so big in fact that its quills were twelve paces long and thick in proportion. And it is so strong that it will seize an elephant in its talons and carry him high into the air and drop him so that he is smashed to pieces; having so killed him, the bird swoops down on him and eats him at leisure.
The Roc is a mythical bird of prey known across North Africa, Central Asia, and the Indian sub-continent, but they are most commonly encountered in the Middle East. These colossal birds cast shadows like low-lying clouds as they soar through the sky, their feathers and flesh tougher than an elephant's hide. With the size and power to seize an elephant from the ground and carry it into the air, the Roc is a true terror of the skies. A Roc can remain dormant inside an egg for years but mature within minutes once hatched. Few are seen in the modern world, and there are no clear explanations as to why.
History
Rocs have flown the skies over Farsun, Verulia, Kamelia, and Thurania during the Thurian Age, over Stygia, Shem, Turan, and Iranistan during the Hyborean Age, and over the Arabian and Persian world of the current age. Many of those who have spotted them from the times of Persia, Judea, Egypt, and Rome have said that Rocs seem to come in for feeding and leave at dusk in the direction of Madagascar. They resemble enormous golden eagles and may be related to common raptors in some way. The species mostly disappeared by the time of Camelot and the fall of Rome.
World War II
Shazam saved a sailor who had panicked and fallen off a bridge. After the sailor was taken to safety, he recounted how he had been shipwrecked on a remote island and stumbled upon a giant egg. The sailor tried to cook the egg, but it hatched instead, and a Roc emerged, growing to an enormous size within minutes before flying off. The sailor built a raft and floated away from the island as soon as humanly possible, but now he couldn't stand the sight of birds. Shazam investigated the island and found no sign of the Roc. He then found some of the natives and spoke to them, but they denied seeing it and avoided him. Come nightfall, Shazam saw the mythical bird off the coast, with the islanders bringing it offerings in the hope that it wouldn't destroy their homes. The Roc attacked them instead, and Shazam swooped in to protect the villagers. In the ensuing battle, Shazam damaged the Roc's wings, causing it to fall into the ocean, where it was never seen again.
Cold War Era
Newlywed scientists took their honeymoon in Cairo to participate in an archaeological dig. On the way to the site, they noticed a perfectly symmetrical dune that seemed too perfect to be a natural formation. They stopped the car and left the vehicle to investigate. After several hours of digging, they uncovered a massive egg in the sands. A mix of disappointment, confusion, and wonder came over them before they packed up their tools to get back to the car and report this. In the time it took to pack, the sun heated the egg, and the Roc hatched. The giant bird flew through Egypt, swooping down to snatch up boats, buses, and train cars. The newlyweds realized that the Roc was building a nest, and its brightly colored feathers suggested it was a male. NATO launched F-104G Starfighters and hit the enormous raptor with missiles, but it seemed to shrug the explosions off. When it came back around for the jets, it knocked them out of the sky. The scientists convinced the NATO supreme commander to contact NASA and decorate their next unmanned rocket to resemble a female Roc. As insane as that was, NASA complied and launched days later. The male Roc chased the faux female into space and the confused suitor eventually disappeared off NATO's scopes.
Aliases:
- The Winged Mammoth
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