RE: Godhood XIV - Usurper [Honey Edition Turn 3]
04-14-2013, 09:55 PM
(This post was last modified: 04-15-2013, 01:33 AM by DenizenShipper.)
Kahtrak pulls a delicately sculpted metal figurine from some hole in space, still glowing from the forge. It is some form of bird, with brilliant brass feathers, cruel onyx eyes and a beak of ivory. The skin, as visible on the creature's vicious talons, is darker and oilier. Otherwise, it appears to be modelled on a crow, but with a large, ruffly collar made of longer white gold feathers at the neck.
It blinks confusedly. Apparently, it is not a statue, but instead just an incredibly shiny avian. Kahtrak tosses it with great force through the upper atmosphere of Seriba. The bird falls apart into an entire flock of the same avians as it approaches the surface, and they fly off towards the coast in an angry, noisy jumble.
These creatures are flock-hunting raptors. Unusual, I know. But the only reason raptors can't flock is because they lose the element of surprise. Well, that and the fact that they're high-metabolism apex predators. But I have solutions for both of those problems.
They migrate constantly, up and down the coast, so they don't have to worry about depleting their food source, the wolperams and the alternate marmots that live in that grass I modified. And they're not ambush hunters, that's what I think you'll like about them. They're arson hunters.
Most of the time, it would be hard for a bird of prey to hunt anything in the sebright, between the noise and the distracting shine. However, over time dead matter will build up in the fields, either because of seasonal dieoff or because of overgrazing. And it's these patches that they seek out. They use their flinty talons to set the ground litter ablaze, drive all the herbivores into the open (out to sea, ideally), and feast while they can. A massive flock of ill omens, exploiting it's own natural disasters.
The raptors are highly intelligent, and mentor their young on the many complex behaviours required for their lifestyle, including kindling techniques, when and where to set a blaze to best corral the prey, and how to survive close, constant contact with the fire itself. Their temperament is best described as opportunistic, cautious and irascible.
They weigh slightly more than a wolperam, but are noticeably larger because of their light physical construction. Their mode of attack is catlike, latching onto an opponent's back with their razor-sharp talons and opening as many shallow bleeding wounds as possible until it stops struggling. The beak is inelegant, and used only in eating.
They are flock animals, but they pair up and leave the flock temporarily when raising young. This must be done inland, high in the mountains, because the chicks require a environment free of flammable materials. This leaves the family unit vulnerable to boledroms, which can catch uncautious birds using their long, stick tongues. They avoid travelling inland the rest of the time for this reason, but attempt more mundane hunting methods when they do, for fear of suffocating the prey in their burrows.
1 act for a small, metallic-coloured flying species.
...1 act for firestarting flint patches on their talons.
...1 act for basic intelligence.
And everyone wins, biologically. The grass is fertilized by fire, and only the vermin populations that are getting too large will provide sufficient dead matter, most of the time.
But what do you want to call them?
It blinks confusedly. Apparently, it is not a statue, but instead just an incredibly shiny avian. Kahtrak tosses it with great force through the upper atmosphere of Seriba. The bird falls apart into an entire flock of the same avians as it approaches the surface, and they fly off towards the coast in an angry, noisy jumble.
These creatures are flock-hunting raptors. Unusual, I know. But the only reason raptors can't flock is because they lose the element of surprise. Well, that and the fact that they're high-metabolism apex predators. But I have solutions for both of those problems.
They migrate constantly, up and down the coast, so they don't have to worry about depleting their food source, the wolperams and the alternate marmots that live in that grass I modified. And they're not ambush hunters, that's what I think you'll like about them. They're arson hunters.
Most of the time, it would be hard for a bird of prey to hunt anything in the sebright, between the noise and the distracting shine. However, over time dead matter will build up in the fields, either because of seasonal dieoff or because of overgrazing. And it's these patches that they seek out. They use their flinty talons to set the ground litter ablaze, drive all the herbivores into the open (out to sea, ideally), and feast while they can. A massive flock of ill omens, exploiting it's own natural disasters.
The raptors are highly intelligent, and mentor their young on the many complex behaviours required for their lifestyle, including kindling techniques, when and where to set a blaze to best corral the prey, and how to survive close, constant contact with the fire itself. Their temperament is best described as opportunistic, cautious and irascible.
They weigh slightly more than a wolperam, but are noticeably larger because of their light physical construction. Their mode of attack is catlike, latching onto an opponent's back with their razor-sharp talons and opening as many shallow bleeding wounds as possible until it stops struggling. The beak is inelegant, and used only in eating.
They are flock animals, but they pair up and leave the flock temporarily when raising young. This must be done inland, high in the mountains, because the chicks require a environment free of flammable materials. This leaves the family unit vulnerable to boledroms, which can catch uncautious birds using their long, stick tongues. They avoid travelling inland the rest of the time for this reason, but attempt more mundane hunting methods when they do, for fear of suffocating the prey in their burrows.
1 act for a small, metallic-coloured flying species.
...1 act for firestarting flint patches on their talons.
...1 act for basic intelligence.
And everyone wins, biologically. The grass is fertilized by fire, and only the vermin populations that are getting too large will provide sufficient dead matter, most of the time.
But what do you want to call them?