Great Eagles
The Gnomes and Elves of Pethron work together to gain use of certain giant eagles for use as transport.
Basic Information
Anatomy
A full grown great eagle of good pedigree can have a wingspan up to twelve meters. More common wingspans stretch six meters. Even young eagles have wingspans of one or two meters.
Ecology and Habitats
The Great Eagles roost in the upper reaches of both of the main mountain ranges of Pethron.
Additional Information
Domestication
Domestication of the Great Eagles is not common, but does occur. It is primarily the result of a joint effort between the Elves and the Gnomes.
Gnomes
Forest Gnomes are light, adventurous and able to speak with animals (though they prefer smaller animals). They work with the elves and make use of the eagles to give their cartographers and surveyors access to an elevated perspective. Elves
The Elves have enchantments that they use to charm the parent and infant eagles, so that they will accept the gnomes into the nest to become familiar. Once an eagle is fully trained, it can carry Elves as passengers in a basket. Elves make use of this transport for swift diplomatic deployments to the governing bodies of the various groups.
For all the excellent skill of eagle and rider, the passengers often carry magical fail-safes as a precaution against being dropped. The Process
Several times a year, groups of Gnomes, escorted by Elves, will make a trek to the high places of the western mountain ranges. Each group will connect with a particular nest and each gnome will bond with a particular eagle. Multiple visits to the nests are made throughout the childhood of an eagle and the connection will go through stages of contact, then riding the eagle while it is on the ground to eventually being a passenger in flight, then to directing it's flight as a rider. The final stage is training the eagle to carry a basket of passengers.
The eagles aren't used as mounts continuously - they spend most of their life ranging wild in the mountains. Even if there are a dozen gnomes that have domesticated an eagle, only two or three will have the eagle with them and available for use at any given time. Military Applications
When an eagle is being ridden by a gnome, it is unable to hunt prey and would not be able to engage in combat maneuvers. Military applications are limited to reconnaissance and the transport of elite troops. Even then, the eagles are vulnerable to attack and are hardly an expendable resource.
Forest Gnomes are light, adventurous and able to speak with animals (though they prefer smaller animals). They work with the elves and make use of the eagles to give their cartographers and surveyors access to an elevated perspective. Elves
The Elves have enchantments that they use to charm the parent and infant eagles, so that they will accept the gnomes into the nest to become familiar. Once an eagle is fully trained, it can carry Elves as passengers in a basket. Elves make use of this transport for swift diplomatic deployments to the governing bodies of the various groups.
For all the excellent skill of eagle and rider, the passengers often carry magical fail-safes as a precaution against being dropped. The Process
Several times a year, groups of Gnomes, escorted by Elves, will make a trek to the high places of the western mountain ranges. Each group will connect with a particular nest and each gnome will bond with a particular eagle. Multiple visits to the nests are made throughout the childhood of an eagle and the connection will go through stages of contact, then riding the eagle while it is on the ground to eventually being a passenger in flight, then to directing it's flight as a rider. The final stage is training the eagle to carry a basket of passengers.
The eagles aren't used as mounts continuously - they spend most of their life ranging wild in the mountains. Even if there are a dozen gnomes that have domesticated an eagle, only two or three will have the eagle with them and available for use at any given time. Military Applications
When an eagle is being ridden by a gnome, it is unable to hunt prey and would not be able to engage in combat maneuvers. Military applications are limited to reconnaissance and the transport of elite troops. Even then, the eagles are vulnerable to attack and are hardly an expendable resource.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
The great eagles are well known for excellent eyesight and hearing.
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