Tyrraptor (T-ear-Rap-tour)
Tyrraptors are an apex predator of Geminus Major, a continent renowned for its hostile environment & large predatory ecosystem. Rumoured to be able to hunt even dragons, tyrraptors are held with great reverence across the Geminus isles, & one of fear within the tales of children's books. The Hunting & Ecological Balance Commission considers them a High threat, with emergency commissions being placed in the event of one finding its way off of Geminus Major.
Appearance
Tyrraptors typically have a russet brown tough, leathery hide that's complemented by feathers ranging from yellow to red, resembling autumn leaves, all along the top of the body from head to tail, as well as some flaring out from their elbows. They stand around 3-4 metres high, and around 7-10 metres in length on average. They have strong, muscular legs with curved clawed feet, with one larger than the rest sticking up slightly. The arms, whilst less muscular, are a lot more articulate than most predators, and in combination with their clawed digits with opposable thumbs allows for them to tightly grasp many objects, from trees to prey, and even tools.
Diet & Behaviour
Initially believed to be scavengers who would eat the leftovers from other predator's hunts, it turns out that this was in fact part of their own hunting methods. Tyrraptors are highly aggressive, killing many smaller creatures that most larger predators would ignore and use the remains as bait for other, larger creatures that would normally predate on them. This process continues over time, the tyrraptor eating the smaller carcasses as larger prey becomes bait, until they eventually have eaten their fill. Tyrraptors will typically ambush from above, using their claws to climb & their feathers providing a small amount of gliding potential so they can still catch a target by surprise without a treeline being directly overhead.
Tyrraptors live on average for around 10 years, reaching full maturity after 2, reproducing through laying eggs. Most tyrraptors choose to hunt alone & are nomadic in nature, moving frequently as to avoid prey becoming too familiar with their antics, though there are recorded cases of tyrraptors working together in small packs. In these instances, they'll often hunt the larger prey directly instead of using slower but safer tactics. That said, individual tyrraptors are still strong & agile enough on their own to tangle with & best all the fauna of Geminus Major, as what they lack in physical strength & stature they more than make up for with intelligence & ingenuity, using their surroundings to their advantage, even within another beast's own lair. Whilst there's been no sign of them crafting or creating tools, there are numerous cases of them acquiring them from dead hunters or abandoned villages, and have had success in using more primitive devices, most of which are then repurposed into traps.
Stalvenrakh's military at one point tried to domesticate tyrraptors for military use given these natural strengths, & whilst early attempts seemed successful, once released into the field they turned on their riders once they determined the odds were in their favour & took the opportunity to escape, leading to weeks of turmoil as the armoured tyrraptors wreaked havoc across the continent, feasting healthily upon the larger herbivores of a much less cutthroat ecosystem.
Appearance
Tyrraptors typically have a russet brown tough, leathery hide that's complemented by feathers ranging from yellow to red, resembling autumn leaves, all along the top of the body from head to tail, as well as some flaring out from their elbows. They stand around 3-4 metres high, and around 7-10 metres in length on average. They have strong, muscular legs with curved clawed feet, with one larger than the rest sticking up slightly. The arms, whilst less muscular, are a lot more articulate than most predators, and in combination with their clawed digits with opposable thumbs allows for them to tightly grasp many objects, from trees to prey, and even tools.
Diet & Behaviour
Initially believed to be scavengers who would eat the leftovers from other predator's hunts, it turns out that this was in fact part of their own hunting methods. Tyrraptors are highly aggressive, killing many smaller creatures that most larger predators would ignore and use the remains as bait for other, larger creatures that would normally predate on them. This process continues over time, the tyrraptor eating the smaller carcasses as larger prey becomes bait, until they eventually have eaten their fill. Tyrraptors will typically ambush from above, using their claws to climb & their feathers providing a small amount of gliding potential so they can still catch a target by surprise without a treeline being directly overhead.
Tyrraptors live on average for around 10 years, reaching full maturity after 2, reproducing through laying eggs. Most tyrraptors choose to hunt alone & are nomadic in nature, moving frequently as to avoid prey becoming too familiar with their antics, though there are recorded cases of tyrraptors working together in small packs. In these instances, they'll often hunt the larger prey directly instead of using slower but safer tactics. That said, individual tyrraptors are still strong & agile enough on their own to tangle with & best all the fauna of Geminus Major, as what they lack in physical strength & stature they more than make up for with intelligence & ingenuity, using their surroundings to their advantage, even within another beast's own lair. Whilst there's been no sign of them crafting or creating tools, there are numerous cases of them acquiring them from dead hunters or abandoned villages, and have had success in using more primitive devices, most of which are then repurposed into traps.
Stalvenrakh's military at one point tried to domesticate tyrraptors for military use given these natural strengths, & whilst early attempts seemed successful, once released into the field they turned on their riders once they determined the odds were in their favour & took the opportunity to escape, leading to weeks of turmoil as the armoured tyrraptors wreaked havoc across the continent, feasting healthily upon the larger herbivores of a much less cutthroat ecosystem.
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