Post by Head Moderator on Feb 3, 2012 5:57:06 GMT -5
Axe Beak
Enormous birds that vaguely resemble a cross between a parrot and an ostrich, axe beaks are known for their aggressive and territorial behavior. Wild axe beaks are nearly impossible to catch and train, but there are domesticated varieties available and wealthy nobles or ostentatious warriors ride these birds as mounts. Axe beak eggs command a high price in markets that sell them.
Chiming Birds
These are long graceful birds, with long white tails (two trailing long feathers), a long neck, and two feathered crests. They are platinum white with black eyes and slight black marking around their eyes. Their beaks are short and nearly golden in color. Chiming Birds are extremely long lived. They may be immortal, dying only of injury or loneliness. The oldest pair known in the world, who nest in the elven capital of Kir'viir, have been observed for just short of 250 years.
They live in pairs, mating for life. Their courting rituals, if the records in Kir'viir can be believed, take several years. They are said to breed every fifty to one hundred years with a single egg.
These birds are graceful, seemingly able to fly without flapping their wings. Some say, they magically summon the wind to lift them, others just call them expert gliders. They catch insects on the wing or can be seen eating seeds upon occasion. They stand and pose most of the day. Every few weeks they will call out with their songs.
The reason they are called Chiming Birds is their call. It has a ring, like a bell being struck. Each Chiming Bird can make six to ten different chime/bell like sounds. This is not the chirping of your normal bird, just with a chime. It is music, identifiable music. A pair can produce quite a range of sounds and the sweetest music made by animals.
They do migrate south like other birds every decade or so. The entire species flies to the Singing Forest in Kir'viir, where they congregate and interact for six months, then return to their homes.
Chumba Chickens
This hearty wild breed of chicken is small & stout. Its colouration is dirt brown. When defending its nest, the chumba puffs its feathers, making it look like an angry little ball, and attacks ferociously. They're mean. Away from the nest it is more likely to run away than fight. Its eggs are small & notably harder than chicken eggs, but the chumba is easier to tend & resistant to disease & environmental stress which makes them the top choice for the northern areas of our world.
Firefoot Fennec
The firefoot fennec is a colorful vulpine related to the common fox, but is distinct for it's miniature size and unique coloration; namely the crimson patterns that decorate its paws. Relatively little is known about these animals, but some speculate they are not native to Arith. They are able to adapt and survive in numerous types of environments, and hold a cultural status as a good luck symbol in many places.
Hissing Cockroach
Oddly enough, these cockroaches make great pets! Normally a pet of the lower class, there have been tales of one year of high fashion where gems were glued onto the backs of the cockroaches and they were worn as living jewelry. It was short-lived, as jewel-bug beetles work far better and are prettier. These cockroaches don't fly or bite, and make an odd hissing noise.
Jadelings
These small and beautiful birds are sought after by the wealthy as living ornamentation. Their feathers are iridescent light green, striking in appearance. The tail feathers are long and crossed in a scissor-tail configuration. They make no sound, are gentle & fearless, and are easy to keep clean.
Necrowings
Necrowings are the twisted creations of necromancers not wishing to employ the easier but more costly methods of using an all seeing eye(glass ball where if one knows the location they can only see what is going on in that specific area). Their skeletal figure is unnerving at worst to the people below, and never a good omen. Priests have a tendency to patrol their graveyards with a very handy axe after one of these has been spotted, to protect those entombed in his domain. Commonly employed as spies, they can fly for days without end, not needing any nutrition. There is however a downside to their usefulness, they will not fight and if attacked they will flee at first opportunity. They also can't fly more than 30 miles from their owner; the further they fly the weaker they become until they fade into nothingness.
Razorcrow
This unusually large raven earns it's name from it's curved beak which sports jagged edges that makes it easy for the bird to rip into carrion and animal hides it's smaller cousin could only peck at. Many people consider a murder of razorcrows a dire omen. It has a natural bite attack of 1d6.
Sugar Gliders
Sugar gliders are part of the opossum family and can be found in the forests of Kir'viir. They love to socialize and work best in pairs. They bond easily with their owner if they are handled a lot. A full grown glider is around 3 ounces in weight, and 7 inches long. They are nocturnal creatures.
Sunfire Hawk
The Sunfire is a bird of prey, a perfect flyer and fearless predator. It is around the size of an eagle, its frame sleek, and the plumage a mix of radiant red, blazing orange and golden yellow. Despite its swiftness and ferocity, the Sunfire relies on a trick to catch prey unaware - its feathers conduct light, thus it does not cast a shadow. This is most useful when it charges directly from the sun, becoming effectively invisible - thus the popular expression that it “charged right out of the sun”. Also, its feathers store some of the sunlight, and the bird can release it when threatened, thus causing a bright flash of light that blinds those who wish it harm. The Sunfire lives in mated pairs, preferring warm and dry climates. Its prey are other birds, as well as small animals.
Xeklufft
This bird seems almost half reptile, almost more like a winged snake than a bird. It has a long, serpentine body with six wings evenly spaced down it's body. Due to its lithe form, it is capable of turning on a dime even at high velocities. The largest Xeklufft on record is two and a half feet in length. Their wingspan is disproportionate to their size though, for the record Xeklufft have a wingspan of only four feet.