The Domesticated Raptor
When it comes to modes of travel, none can be said to be as... unconventional as the Domesticated Raptors of the lower Independant Landgraviates and deserts of Beht'adur.
Seen as dangerous to those who live to the north, the Raptors were once a feral problem to all who lived in the lands stretching from Thím Gûthuwal down to the southernmost shores of the continent. Fiercer than wolves, they hunted in small packs of eight or less and often raided settlements and farms alike, carrying off children, livestock, and pets.
Known as the "Raptor" or the "Bloodfang Hunter", they were becoming quite the problem before a farmer named Gehfai Horsefriend put his foot down.
When they finally hatched, Gehfai made sure to keep them far from his livestock. He allowed the hatchlings to interact with his dogs, which had taken a liking to them, much to his surprise.
He made sure to expose the hatchling to as much human contact as he could so they could learn and understand that humans were friends. These raptors grew up and were much more amicable than their mother, though there was still a wildness to them and he still had to be careful with them.
He had to work with four more generations before he felt comfortable to move onto the next step of his plan.
He chose the most docile raptor, a female, of the newest generation and began to train her to take weight on her back. She grumbled and protested and tried to nip at him when he secured the pack saddle to her back and tied sacks of grain to it, but having trained horses for years, Gehfai was nimble and dodged every one of her attempts to get him to stop. She eventually surrendered, and day by day she grew used to all this strangeness.
A year after Gehfai began to work with the raptor, which he named 'Olfassa', he felt confident to leave his farm on her back.
from the wrath of the hometown's citizens. Using the fiercesome sight of his mount and her family, he kept the people at back, allowing his friends to mount up on their horses and flee with him back to Dry Spring Junction.
His friends, family, and the townsfolk of the nearest town to his farm thought he was crazy when he managed to capture one alive. This one turned out to be a fertile female that soon laid eggs in his barn.
Gehfai tried to domesticate the female, but she proved to be too wily and cunning and was forced to slay her when she went to turn on him, much to his chagrin.
He took the eggs she left behind and incubated them himself by keeping them near the fire when he couldn't keep them close to himself.
I really believe that if I was not a farmer or the only grower of watermelon in the area, the townsfolk would have carted me off to the middle of nowhere and left me there to die.
Everyone in an Uproar
There was much to do in town when Gehfai rode into town on Olfassa's back. People stared at them, some whispered to each other. Guards gripped their weapons at the ready. Children screamed and ran back into their homes and dogs barked and bared their teeth. In the market near the center of town, Gehfai was confronted by a large group of guards and the mayor of the town. The mayor yelled at him, the townsfolk yelled at him, and in the end Gehfai and Olfassa were forced to flee the town before everyone's rage morphed into a raging mob. A few days later, Gehfai awoke in the middle of the night to his barn on fire, the screams of his horses and the panicked bellows of his raptors. By the time he got outside, it was too late to fight the fire and he was forced to brave the flames as he rushed into the barn over and over, bringing out whatever horses he could manage to loop a rope around. His sheep, which always wore their halters at night, were easy to link together and lead out of the barn. He managed to save three of his raptors—Olfassa, her mate Ihtír, and one of their children, Hakhal—before the barn began to collapse, forcing him to listen as the rest of his animals burned to death. With singed hair and a soot-streaked face, Gehfai knew how this fire started, he felt it deep in his soul. Someone in town had set fire to the barn in an attempt to erase all his hard work. "Abomination"—that was what they had called Olfassa.The Aftermath
Gehfai knew he wouldn't be able to stay there if he wanted peace of mind. The people of town had made it perfectly clear that they would never accept domesticated raptors, so he knew he had to go looking for people who would, and for a safe new home. The next day, he left the care of his farm with his most trusted friend, a man named Vhelthi Wheatheart, who had watched his efforts and toils. Vhelthi had long since grown used to the sight of domesticated raptors as their farms bordered each other, and promised to defend Gehfai's animals even at the risk of his own reputation. Gehfai then mounted Olfassa and took to the road, knowing he had to search personally because he had no idea who he should write to.I am quite afraid. It is quite funny how people now seem more dangerous than the creatures that terrorize us regularly. I pray to the Father-of-All that no harm comes to Vhelthi. He's the only one I can trust, and the only other person Ihtír and Hakhal have taken a liking to.
He skipped the next town over—he figured that word had already spread there. In the next town, it turned out that some of the citizens there had also heard from his town and reacted when they saw him and Olfassa. They were chased out of town by pitchfork and torch wielding citizens.
It wasn't until they reached the next town that Gehfai finally found some hope. It was here, in the remote, butte-surrounded town named Dry Spring Junction, that Gehfai finally found his new home. Rushing home, he arrived in record time—
Just in time to defend Vhelthi and his family
The Result
The Domesticated Raptor is a tough and reliable steed for the dry and arid lands of the southern Independant Landgraviates and Beht'adur. They often gain hydration from their meals and can go several days without drinking from whatever water it comes across—one of the reasons why the Bloodfang Hunters were such a threat. Now that so many generations have passed since their wild roots, the raptors are extremely safe, to the point that they can be trusted to be left alone with children. They are said to have a similar mentality to German Shepherds. Female raptors have an extremely strong maternal instinct, and will regularily check on their chosen people, often to the point that they will develop seperation anxiety. Due to the extensive breeding programs that popped up once the raptors began to be accepted, it was long believed that Bloodfang Raptors went extinct. In truth, there are still some pockets of Bloodfang Hunters in existance, but they hide themselves away from person and raptor alike, and Domestic Raptors will show dominance towards them and do not hesitate to protect their "pack". Those same breeding programs have lead to some variations that branch off from the basic raptor, and some of these "breeds" sport horns while others have different shaped tails. Domesticated Raptors have even been used in war or on patrol and thus armour has been forged to help protect their most vital areas (pictures to be made).
Vehicle Type: Mount
Status: Domesticated; Friendly
Availability: The Independant Landgraviates, Beht'adur
Map: (to be made)
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