Ghost's Talons

Ai Digital Image

From 'A Bestiary of Farside and Beyond'
by Seer Dinan Pearlson

Ghost's Talons is the name given to a mysterious species of snowy owls that live in the deserted and mostly unexplored freezing tundras of northern Farside.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The owl has not been seen many times and can only be described from hearsay. All those who have glimpsed or observed the owl agree on one point: the owl is the tallest and largest owl in Alven.
According to eyewitnesses, a mature adult owl can reach the height of a tall crane. The owl is nocturnal and can be better seen at dusk or dawn as it returns to its home among the trees.

The huge shape of the flying bird flits through the dark pines, white and silver as a ghost, hence its name. A trapper by the name of Variel Bengray is one of the only detailed descriptive accounts of the huge owl.
Variel describes the bird's head as being spectral white with huge black round eyes rimmed with gold. It also sports two erect tufted ears and its ebony beak is larger than usual for an owl.
What Variel noticed is the enormous talons of the bird: each talon had a very distinctive black, thick, long claw, so big, it looked disproportionate on the beast. When Variel saw the owl, it had caught two large Acorn Mice. Acorn mice are as big as rats, and the squirming rodents looked puny gripped in the owl's black claws.

Variel who sometimes ventures deeper in The Lostlands than most, assures us that the bird's feathers stay white all year long. During the Light Months of the Year, after its moult, the Ghost's feathers may take on a more creamy, gold appearance.
Variel collects any of the bird's long feathers whenever he comes across them. During the biennial moults, they fall harmlessly to the ground and remain in great shape for a long time. There seems to be a market for the owl's white feathers in the southern regions of Alven. The Ghost's feathers are used to adorn caps, hats, and capes in particular.

Ecology and Habitats

The Ghost owls can only be sighted north of The Farside Mountains and The Lost Lochs.
They rarely come close to the coast. They nest in the immense conifer forests that stretch from the mountains to the North Sea.

We can only assume that they are territorial creatures and keep very much to their own boundaries. To withstand the terrible Dark Months in this frozen wasteland, they must also be remarkably hardy and resilient.

Snowfalls in this part of the world are very heavy, and blizzards are common in winter. It has been guessed that the owls go through a period of hibernation during that time of the year.

Dietary Needs and Habits

The owl's diet seems to be varied. They eat not only rodents but also have been seen lifting young deer and boar into their deadly claws. They hunt mainly at night but sometimes can be seen flying over the forest in the early hour of the morning.

Like eagles, they use the air current to fly above their territory and spot their prey. However, they do not dive down like other birds to catch their meal but instead, noiselessly, circle around it until it is too late for the prey to escape the Ghost's Talons.
Some observers have reported that the owls can also lie in wait perched on the high branches of pines, and silently wait for their prey to pass by before they attack

. 

Biological Cycle

The Ghost's biological cycle remains a mystery.  No one has ever seen an owlet and there are many theories as to how the adults reproduce. If one is to believe the myths - and Variel - the owls are immortal spirits that do not reproduce but were brought over from the celestial planes by the Ancestors to become their hunting companions.

The theory is absurd but it shows how little we know about the birds, and why an expedition to the The Lost Coast and The Fleece has become necessary. We will not understand more about this great owl until we can bring back specimens from the North.

Behaviour

In view of its size, the Ghost's Talon could be a dangerous predator of humankind. However, not one has been known to attack a man, woman or child. There are even stories of owls leaving food beside starving trappers or loggers who were at death's door.
Other stories talk of great white owls leading lost humans to safety during a storm or a blizzard. It is dangerous to attach any importance to such stories. The Ghost's Talon has for centuries been part of many myths and legends.

In our own Alven Pantheon, Callie has traditionally been represented as a great white owl. This is the form the Divine Hag takes as she flies over the land, bringing the snows of the Dark Months with her.
As such, seeing an owl has always been taken as a bad omen in the lowlands of Alven. As a messenger of the Cally, the owl is a sign of freezing weather, storms and hardships.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Again, not much is known about the Ghost's abilities. Variel's account talks about supernatural gifts. According to him, they are able to avoid any sense of human presence from miles away. Variel insists that you will not see the owl unless it accepts to be seen by you.
Even with some exaggeration from Variel, it is clear that the owl's hearing is very well developed and the bird can hear from a very long range.

As to the owl's sight, we can assume it is also excellent, especially in the dark. The Acorn Mice, which are one of the owl's favourite prey are pure black in colour, and yet the Ghost will be able to pounce on them in the middle of the night. Variel also mentioned that Ghost's Talons can also see very well in daylight.


On the other hand, no one has heard the Ghost's Talons screech. The owl might be mute and we are not sure how they communicate with each other.

Note:

I am pleased to report that since I last wrote these pages, I have been chosen to take part in an unprecedented expedition to the Lostlands. I am grateful that the Circle of Boons and Antiquities has thought of me as their scientific lead for this groundbreaking trip beyond the mountains.

We are due to set sail on the Grey Maiden in only a few weeks' time and are first heading to the Fleece. From Nedderhyve, we intend to make our way deep into the uncharted interior. May Cally bless your day, dear reader, and let's hope that the goddess will favour our crew and bring us back to port!

Seer Dinan Pearlson

Midjourney - Owl
Representation of Cally as a winter owl.

Geographic Distribution

• The Lostlands