Koza (KOH-zah)

Koza are creatures a little larger than a horse, with both feline and reptilian (dragon-like) characteristics of varying types. They are capable of short- to medium-length flights as well as being acceptable (but not ideal) ground mounts, and are outside of Kiva are primarily seen as war cavalry -- itself an arrangement heavily dependent on the good graces of Kiva. In the Itoqir of Korzhûn they are the basis for the Razakir division.
'Koza' is both the singular and plural term. Young under one year of age are known as kits; males are known as kings, and females as queens. The collective noun for six or more is a rally.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Quadruped, quasi-reptilian, winged vertebrates. Their wings are typically each double the length of their body and composed of leathery, partially-translucent webbing, with arches covered in small scales with tufts of fur at the joints. The rest of their body is a mixture of scales/spines and fur, varying between what appear to be breeds.

Biological Traits

Capable of nonstop flight for one hour on average; domestication can extend this to two or three hours with breeding and dedicated training, depending on numerous factors such as weight, presence of a passenger, weather, etc.

Genetics and Reproduction

Females typically give birth in a narrow window during the Season of Opening to one to four kits, after a gestation period of a season. Thus, the mating season is usually in the Season of Waiting. Reproductive patterns may vary in domesticated animals, especially those from long-bred stock, and litters tend to be three or four.

Ecology and Habitats

They prefer temperate, more arid environments, and as such Kiva is ideal for them. Occasionally they have been seen at higher altitudes.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Carnivorous, they are typically solitary hunters of small to medium -sized game. Larger prey may occasionally be caught via group hunting, especially with large numbers of kits to feed. They are sensitive to the freshness of a kill and will not eat meat more than two days old. Young, older, or infirm animals are provided for by the rally.

Behaviour

They typically fly in a dart formation.
Koza can become very attached to their rider-owners (though noticably to a lesser extent if the owner does not fly with them), to the point that even family or rally bonds can take a lesser priority. For example, if two owners each own a koza from the same rally or litter and then argue, the koza will often act defensively toward each other (i.e., take the side of their own rather than their litter/rallymate).

Additional Information

Social Structure

Rallies can range from six to twenty individuals of varying ages, with sexes mixed without discretion. It is usually led by the eldest female, the matriarch, though this is the only special right she has. Individuals usually mate for life, and kit-rearing is communal.

Domestication

Domestication is an old and common practice, initially simply for the ability for faster travel by flight but then to form significant contingents of war cavalry. This was once unique to Kiva but around 600AC written transactions began to appear of domesticated koza being exported to other countries. The Kivan traditional term for koza-riders -- usually in a Kivan context or, at a stretch, other countries' militaries (i.e., whomever regularly rides a koza and has a strong, lifelong relationship with one) -- is bahn-komaat (singular and plural).
All domesticated koza are afforded cremations on death with the exception of Kivans, who maintain feyil medot (carrion burials).
Young Adult / Adult Wild Koza
Wild koza are typically caught by trained individuals (including at least one veteran Wingsmith) in groups of three to five at a time, ideally no more than two from the same rally and no more than one or two females, around one to two years of age. The less stress on both the individual animal and its origin rally, the better -- catching young animals when they are solo-hunting away from the rally is considered best. The animal is snared or lassoed and tranquilized using a blowdart coated with a highly concentrated sleeper's ivy elixir; they are then loaded onto ground sleds drawn by other beasts of burden to remote camps for initial evaluation of the animal. If it is deemed unsuitable in any way it can then be safely released; otherwise, at this point the animal can be given an initial wash to rid it of any surface parasites or contagions, and over the course of the next two weeks the animal is both broken-in and watched for signs of internal disease.
All being well, at the end of these two weeks the caught animals can be safely transported without tranquilizer to the more permanent corral, where they can then be trained for riding, burden-carrying, combat, etc.
Binding of Domestic-Born Kits / Young Adults, and Broken-In Wild-Borns
Once the koza is around one year of age -- or, in the case of wild-born animals, broken in enough to not present a danger -- most koza breeders/rearers will conduct a binding ceremony between the animal and the rider it is expected to have for the rest of its life. In it, the koza must consume binddrought from the prospective rider's palm to simulate the sharing of a kill. In Kivan tradition this is typically followed with both koza and rider inhaling banefire to further simulate the experience and metaphorically blur the line between them, but this does not often happen elsewhere. The binddrought inevitably causes both to fall asleep, and they are left to sleep beside one another. The ceremony is considered complete when they wake.
It is unusual for either koza or rider to be bound to more than one partner at a time, and to repeat the process with a new partner has varying rates of success (particularly if their relationship with the first partner was a long one). Rarely, a particularly spirited animal must be bound a second or third time.
This binding is not considered necessary for animals reared domestically and who spend plenty of time with their prospective rider. For example, Kivan tribes often gift a kit to one of their children, sometimes from birth, encouraging the two to sleep together, play together, hunt together, etc. to naturally create the bond. Likewise, particularly docile lines specifically bred for other nations' militaries often do not require a binding ceremony to establish trust, but spending time with one's mount is still encouraged.
Civilian koza -- such as those employed as rental animals for swift transport between one place and another -- have been trained to be particularly easy to handle and non-discerning, though a certain degree of attachment to a stablemaster in either location is beneficial.
Stabling
Domesticated koza are typically kept in a stable comprising, at minimum, of a sand pit on the ground level and a loft for sleeping accessed by a ramp. These are colloquially known as koza coops.
Riding Equipment
Riding equipment includes a specially-made saddle, bridle, stirrups, butterfly blanket (saddle blanket), and occasionally saddlebags and blinkers. Riders typically wear a tall-belly: a leather belt -- sometimes metal-plated -- wide at its front to cover the abdomen and lower at the back to protect their stomach from the koza's spiked spinal ridge, especially for long rides.
When ridden in a military capacity, they may occasionally be equipped with a light chestplate or a coat of lamellar armor (typically leather). For ceremonial occasions they may be given a colored sash or other drape of livery.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Riding (single rider), military cavalry, (uncommonly) beasts of burden, (rarely) workbeast.

Facial characteristics

Wedge-shaped heads with high-placed, long feline ears; large, flat noses; several stiff, thin whiskers either side of nose and above eyes; two distinct 'primary horns' (of varying shapes) on top of head between ears, smaller crest of horns between and at top of jaw behind ears; large, slanted eyes with slit pupils; large canines; forked tongues. Eyes can be black, gray, blue, gold, or green. Horns and talons vary in color and may or may not match coat.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Most common in Kiva and Seyis-Gol, but the occasional rally has been seen in Unenshuut and Ustraria.

Average Intelligence

Average to high; capable of learning at least a dozen verbal/hand commands with moderate levels of training, sometimes more with a dedicated trainer. Their ability to retain these commands greatly increases if they are trained from a kit by the rider they have throughout life.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Decent (but not superior) night vision; moderate perception of higher-frequency sounds.

Civilization and Culture

History

Koza breeding has become a serious profession and matter of pride for Kivans, who consult and add to their own compendium of notes on breeding, training methods, observed behavior, wild population numbers and nesting sites, etc., which is closely guarded as an intangible state secret.
Having been a long-domesticated animal, the appropriate way to describe a koza has entered most common vernacular. It follows the pattern of coat color(s), coat pattern, whether they are a king or queen, and primary horn type. Thus, a male koza with a red coat with medium-sized brown spots and flame-type primary horns would be described as "a red and umber bloom king with flame horns". To avoid confusion, the color of the base coat is always named first whenever there is a non-solid coat pattern. The two 'primary horns' are those situated on the top of the head between the ears; other horns may be present.

Breeders' Recorded General Coat Colors:

Ebony -- primarily black

Tawny -- primarily golds, straw-colored, yellows, ambers

Ivory -- primarily white or off-white

Red -- primarily reddish tones, from brown-red to reddish-orange

Umber -- primarily browns of varying tones

Gray -- primarily light gray to dark gray

Breeders' Recorded General Coat Patterns:

Wash -- dominant solid coloring

Streak -- dominant stripe pattern

Dapple -- dominant mottled pattern of two colors

Star -- dominant small spotted pattern of two colors

Bloom -- dominant medium to large spotted pattern of two colors

Storm -- dominant blended mix of two or three solid colors with no obvious pattern

Dip -- differing tail/mane fur color to rest of coat

Breeders' Recorded General Primary Horn Types:

Flame -- backward-pointing several branches with a subtle wave

Root -- short single spikes pointing straight up

Antler -- two to four branches pointing straight up, each with a slight curve

Dagger -- single medium-length to long spikes pointing backward in a wave shape (traditional Kivan daggers being curved)

Common Myths and Legends

See Plains Hunter. Many have fancifully speculated the first koza to be the offspring of the Great Sky Drake and the Plains Hunter.

Lifespan

50-60 Years (Domesticated) / 30-40 Years (Wild)

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Average Height

15-18 hands (5-6ft) at 'withers'

Average Weight

Males approx. 2,500lbs, females approx. 2,000lbs

Average Length

Approx 15-18ft from nose to tail tip; wingspan 12-25ft

Average Physique

Sleek, muscular, agile.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Variety of natural colors including white, grays, browns/tans, black, reds, and golds. Common patterning includes stripes, mottled, and spots of varying shapes/sizes.

Geographic Distribution

• Icalar

Related Myths

• Great Sky Drake