Leyhawk (LAY HAWK)

Also known as Watcher's Eagles, these large, brightly colored coastal birds of prey are uncontested natural predators in any region they occupy. Their name is derived from their tendency to nest, migrate, and hunt along coastal leylines. While not seeming to possess any magical powers, the species has no known predators, and even larger beasts such as giant eagles and wyverns avoid leyhawk nests.
The species' connection to magical energy and aloof, even mysterious, nature have associated it with the The Watcher, Unnamed, who is said to use these bird as cryptic omens or even take the form of one at times. Tokens formed of feathers, talons, or beaks are common embellishments to magical raiment and focuses. The birds themselves possess no apparent magic, but their association with magic has made them a favorite of mages and magical researchers.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Leyhawks, both male and female, possess brightly colored plumage in every imaginable color. No two leyhawks have exactly the same coloration and their patterns can be used to identify them.

Dietary Needs and Habits

While a leyhawk will eat anything smaller than it, its preferred diet is fish and the birds prey almost exclusively along seashores, rivers, and lakes.

Additional Information

Domestication

All attempts to truly domesticate a leyhawk to date have failed. While some seem content to linger around mortals who provide them food, and even can be trained to some extent, the beasts are still wild and may leave once they loose interest.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Leyhawk's habits of congregating around natural leylines is so powerful that the bird's nesting and migration habits have been used to partially map the flow of magical energies across Sanzeia. While typically a coastal species, the bird is capable of traveling considerable distances to hunt with little effort and have been found near freshwater lakes as far as 100 miles (160 km) inland. An abandoned nesting ground is a sure sign of a shifting of the natural flow of magic energy.
Based more upon bright coloring and the above association, leyhawk feathers are favorite embellishments for mages, with particularly long feathers being prized as writing quills. The body of a leyhawk itself, while edible, has no magic properties, thus the beasts are rarely hunted.

Average Intelligence

In general Leyhawks are thought to possess only a high animal intelligence. Some druids have attempted to magically communicate with the birds, and report that while "being unable to prove it, feel the creature is only humoring questions posed to it." Many who interact closely with these birds describe their behavior as "cat-like."

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Leyhawks possess keen senses common to many avian predators, but they are most famous for their apparent ability to sense magical leylines. Any attempt to harness this ability magically from the beast's body has been unsuccessful.

Lifespan

60 years

Average Weight

25 lbs / 11 kg

Average Length

4' / 1.2 m
9' / 2.7 m wingspan

Geographic Distribution

• Coast of Gold
• Dragon Shores