Hopist

Hopist by Welkinal

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El Hopist es un enorme ave acorazada y carnivora, pariente cercana del Hapist, que habita en el noroeste del archipielago de Haan, y se lo puede encontrar en mayor cantidad en las Islas de la Cresta Roja y el norte de la Isla de Dhalmain.
Son enormemente temidos por los Societarios y los Hapist. Estos últimos abandonan en masa cualquier lugar donde se haya visto un Hopist recientemente, por lo que los societarios suelen observar su comportamiento para prevenirse, ya que no es inusual que un Hopist caze y mate niños societarios.

Biología

Aspecto

Similar al Hapist, los hopist tienen alas formadas por plumas enormes estrechamente unidas entre sí, pareciendo más una serie de membranas. Sus alas son más largas y estrechas, permitiendoles planear por largos trechos con poco esfuerzo. Toda su cabeza, parte de sus alas, su lomo, pecho y su cuello están cubiertos por finas y livianas corazas protectoras.

Extensión geográfica

Debido a su gran tamaño, y a su forma de cazar y de volar, los hopist viven en areas de montañas rocosas o llanuras, y no suelen ser encontrados en sitios boscosos, costeros o ciudades tumultosas.
Se los puede encontrar en las islas de Dhalmain, Larea, Red Crest y Thaur.

Dieta

Los Hopist son enteramente carnívoros. Suelen alimentarse de presas medianas como licerns o hapists, o de las crías de criaturas grandes, como alzhufares o doisus. Son temerarios y se los ha encontrado cazando incluso a crías de tetsus y societarios.
Ubican a sus presas mediante su excelente sentido de la vista, que les permite verlas mientras vuelan a muchísima altura. Cazan volando largos trechos hasta encontrar algún individuo alejado de su grupo, bajan en picada y se lo llevan entre sus enormes garras hasta un sitio seguro, usualmente su nido en la montaña o algún otro sitio alto.
Son también oportunistas que están dispuestos a robarle sus presas a otros cazadores como doisus o gnaws. En la mayoría de los casos, estos huyen y abandonan la presa en cuanto el hopist se abalanza sobre ellos. Caso contrario, el Hopist puede llegar a matar con su pico y garras al cazador, aprovechando su coraza para defenderse.

Native to the northwest area of the Haan Archipelago, hapists are big armoured birds, close relatives of the smaller hopist.
They can be found in the largest numbers in the Red Crest and Dhalmain islands.
They are feared by both societarians and hapist to which they pose great danger.
Since the hapist would flee any area where they spot a hapist, societarians try to keep a close eye on these birds' behaviour as a precaution, as it is not unusual for wandering hapists to hunt and kill livestock and societarian children.

Physical Aspect

Hopists are enormous flying birds that stand at up to around 1.30 meters tall, with a wingspan that can be on the 4 meters.
Similar to those of the hapist, their wings are formed by large feathers closely linked to one another by special barbed structures on the feathers' vanes, resembling big semicircular membranes.
Their wings are long and narrow, allowing them to glide for long stretches with little effort.
Their entire face and parts of their wings and chest are covered in thin and lightweight protective scales. While those on the face form a visible shield, the ones in the rest of the body are mostly covered by feathers.

Geographic extension

Due to their size and hunting habits, hopists live in rocky mountain or plains areas and are rarely found on woodlands, coasts or big cities.
Their range encompasses the islands of Dhalmain, Larea, Red Crest and Thaur.

Dietary Habits

Hopists are obligate carnivores that mostly prey on medium-sized creatures such as licerns or hapists or on the offspring of bigger creatures including alzufhars, doisus and even societarians and tetsus.
They locate their prey with their excellent sense of sight which allows them to spot creatures from very high altitudes. They often navigate long distances until they find an individual separated from its group and dive down from the sky, crashing into their prey and carrying them out with their massive claws to a secure place to eat them, usually a cliff or nest in the mountain.
If they have difficulty killing their prey, they may carry it to side of a cliff and drop it from the air for them to be crushed on impact.
Hopists are also opportunists that will attempt to steal the hunt of other creatures such as gnaws or doisus. In most cases, these creatures will flee as soon as they see the bird diving down, abandoning their prey.
If the hunter tries to defend their prey instead, hopists are usually capable of overpowering and killing them using their beak and claws, and defending themselves with their armoured bodies.

Distribution of Hopist in the Haan Archipelago

Classification

simple species

Average Height

Up to 1.30m

Geographic Distribution

• Dhalmain Island
• Larea
• Red Crest Islands
• Thaur Island