Roc

Basic Information

Anatomy

Rocs are massive birds with 100' wingspans that can hurl a boulder over a small island. They are most closely related to Hawks and have massive hollow bone structures that allow for these collosal creatures to fly and great speed.

Biological Traits

Rocs can range from 80' to 120' wingspans depending on different areas that the rocs call home. Some Irish rocs are smaller with more vibrant colors and migration patterns further south to bury themselves in the Saharan sands.

Genetics and Reproduction

Rocs reproduce into their late 80s and lay a small next of eggs that the females guard with their life for a gestation period of 2 years before they hatch and are taught to fly.

Growth Rate & Stages

Rocs go through a similar life cycle of a hawk but on a much larger scale.

Ecology and Habitats

Requiring massive environments with huge amounts of food, rocs are uncommon everywhere outside of Yzgard. The only other place that seems habitable to these massive birds is northern Ireland with nests in the sun court and migration west to hunt in the moon court.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Rocs are omnivores who both hunt and forage. Known to hunt ankhegs and carrion crawlers as well as larger game such as mammoths, rocs are also known to forage for mushrooms and berries from the massive forests of the moon court.

Biological Cycle

After hatching from their egg the baby rocs are taught to fly and immediately go on their first migration south to nest and hibernate in either the mountain ranges of Greece or the sands of the Sahara outside of the great storm depending on family tradition.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Rocs are very social creatures but because of how large they are, it's difficult for them to socialize with other rocs now that humanoids have taken over the land. Rocs tend to bond with humanoids now or have designated leaders in what small roc cultures remain. The leaders of these cultures tend to be the oldest with the brightest feathers or in more mountainous regions they are the largest or most historically deadly.

Domestication

Domesticating a roc has long been considered impossible except in the case of the Valkyries. Recently this has been disproven as Ilda Ida Ultragoth has taken it upon herself to make a place in Ireland called the Playground that houses rocs. She calls herself the queen of the rocs and knows most of the rocs in the playground personally.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Roc feathers have sometimes been used for roofing in small giant villages or used to insulation in viking longhouses but aside from this, roc byproducts have little use to humanoids.
In Yzgard rocs have been decided as the steed of choice for Valkyries and lets them fly into battle with mythral armor and an army behind them.

Facial characteristics

Rocs are widely omnivorous due to the massive amounts of food they have to intake daily. Their eyes are located towards the front of their head and their beaks are tall and strong With razor like teeth along the inside. They also have dark rings around their eyes to make hunting from the clouds easier (though some moon touched individuals' rings turn pale and hunt nocturnally).

Geographic Origin and Distribution

More than 80% of the population lives in yzgard with more and more rocs migrating to Ireland every year. About 15% of the population lives in Ireland now and about 5% are scattered throughout the rest of the world.

Average Intelligence

These birds, dispute their strength, can be incredibly clever as well with domesticated rocs being close to the intelligence of a 6 year old child.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Rocs have great eyesight but can't see in the dark incredibly well. They rely on their massive strength rather than tactics to take down their prey.

Scientific Name

Accipitridae Gargantua

Lifespan

180 years

Conservation Status

Protected in yzgard, rocs are very rare anywhere else except for their recent population boom is northern Ireland. Rocs are very well revered in Scandinavia but not well conserved in other parts of the world.

Average Height

60ft.

Average Weight

30,000 lbs

Average Length

60 ft.

Average Physique

These birds are surprisingly muscular considering their weight to length ratio. An average roc is able to lift a small galleon or support a small militia stop it's back. Rocs are currently the only airborne creatures to be known to historically be strong enough to fly over the Avalonian Sea for even short periods of time.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Roc colors are usually darker colors with most having brownish red colors. Young rocs have yellow feathers that turn darker as they mature. Some cultures of rocs have been known to have darker purple and blue feathers around their necks and stomachs.