Guide Vulture
A carrion bird that the Desert Elves worship for leading the dead into the afterlife.
Basic Information
Anatomy
This bird has a long neck and a short, curved beak. Its head and neck are bare with black skin.
The body is covered in fluffy feathers that insulate it against the extreme temperatures in the Haesinu Desert.
These feathers show a mottled pattern in beige and gray-brown.
Ecology and Habitats
They clean up dead bodies and thus prevent the rotten meat from spreading diseases.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Guide vultures feed on dead animals and people. Their diet focuses on the flesh and organs, but females are also known to eat bones during the mating season.
Additional Information
Social Structure
They live in small family groups. Young birds usually stay with their parents until they are ready to start their own families.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
These vultures have sharp eyes and a keen sense of smell. Their ears are less developed, but specialized for high frequencies.
Cultural Importance
Since ancient times, these birds have played a key role in Desert Elf culture. Their proximity to corpses led to the belief that they also take care of the souls of the deceased. Many old temples contain murals that show these vultures carrying those souls into the afterlife. In the context of the Elven Element System, guide vultures represent the Element of Air. During funerals, priests offer the deceased person's inner organs to these birds, inviting them to ingest their essence and to take it up into the sky. In contrast, people who are deemed unworthy (such as traitors and violent criminals) are not offered to the vultures. Their bodies are thrown to the rats and other vermin instead.
Average Height
0.7 - 0.9 m
Average Weight
3.8 - 5.3 kg
Geographic Distribution
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