Paraa Falcon

Racial Magic

Kalitho's Eye

Able to see and see using every kind of light on the electromagnetic spectrum and are unbothered by bright lights. They can switch between different electromagnetic waves, using everything from infrared and x-ray to even radiowaves, microwaves and ultraviolet. Ultraviolet in particular is useful for spotting scorpions benath the sand! This also works over long distances and dark settings.

☀️Rithaldis' Body

Can convert their entire body into any different kind of radiant energy (sunlight, solar plasma, ionizing radiation). They can maintain their natural shape or they can abandon this, reshaping themselves or merging with existing radiant energy in their environment, travel along it and reform elsewhere. They cannot be harmed by radiant energy either. Rithaldis' Body specifically allows them to merge with bright sunlight and travel along it, granting them the ability to move at the speed of light in intense sunlight or places with strong radiation! This is considered the ultimate manifestation of radiant magic.

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A medium bird of prey of northern Alkelbulan. They prefer wide open spaces, mainly hunting other birds and bats. They are revered by the Masryeen, associated with both Ra and Horus, and a favorite beast of Lithmor herself. She was known to manifest the wings of this falcon, admiring these birds and granting them her ultimate blessing!

Paraa falcon were already highly successful predators, swift and clever, but their racial magic has made them all the more potent! Kalitho's eye grants them the most advanced and adaptable sight among the Eye manifestations. They can see in infrared, x-ray and ultraviolet or perceive any other kind of visible light! They often use this to find prey buried beneath the sand or camoflaged, no creature escaping their sight. Far more frightful is Rithaldis' Body, making them both horrifically dangerous and breathtakingly mobile. Whether transforming their body into solar plasma, scorching and melting foes, or transforming into sunlight and travelling along the intense sunlight of the Shamsi Desert at the speed of light, these are an incredible species!

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Basic Information

Anatomy

Original Ancestor

Falco biarmicus (tanypterus/erlangeri)
Lanner Falcon

Lifespan

15 years

Size

Length: 16-20 in (43-50 cm)
Wingspan: 37-41 in (95-105 cm)
Weight:24.5-32 oz (700-900 g)

Coloration

The underparts of a Paraa Falcon are slate to brown-grey with a paler bluegray on top. They have streaks along their breast and reddish brown on the back of their head. Their call is strident, sounding something like "wray-e", and their have a hearing range of 5,000 Hz. In their magic form all of their body goes stark white and their eyes take on a silvery, mirror like appearance.

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Genetics and Reproduction

From April to June, these falcons fly together with synchronized movements and may even power-dive together near nesting sites. They nest on sheer cliffs, old crow nests and occasionally in trees but will nest directly in rocks in the desert. They will lay two to four eggs some time in July, incubating for 32 days and hatchlings nesting for 44 days, relying on their parents for food and protection. The mother will stay with them during this time but the father will take over when she needs to hunt. Fledgelings will spend up to ten weeks near the nest once becoming juveniles, their parents even teaching them how to hunt, avoid predators and care for themselves! They become fully mature and able to breed at two to three years old.

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Ecology and Habitats

Paraa falcons prefer wide open habitats, capable of living within forests or forest edges, open desert, plains, cliffs, open savannah, grasslands, cities and craggy mountains. They live between sea level up to 7,500 ft. With a surprisingly wide range, they prefer living in Sesli Plato, Flumen Pontem, Shamsi Desert, Kemet, Dawn Ahrayn, Kna'an, Arya, Arabiyyan Desert and Balkurtiz. Some smaller populations or cousin species can be found in Hellas, Nyasi za Rangi, Kasar Wuta, KwaZulu, Skaney and both the east coast of the Eluzian Valley and the cliffs of the Fulgurant Mesa in the westernmost reaches of the valley. Adults are not migratory and instead stick to a set territory but they may adjust their movements according to seasonal rains and the breeding seasons of their prey.

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Dietary Needs and Habits

These falcons are excellent hunters, often raised in captivity for falconry. They prefer preying on other birds and bats but will also prey on small mammals, reptiles and invertebrates. These can include Ramil Lark, Marqat Sandgrouse, Impangele Hen, Qafz Jerboa, Mul'ataa Agama, Isk Viper, Khepri Scarab and al-Mawt Scorpion. Other birds can include doves, ducks, pigeons and domestic chickens.

Paraa falcons are powerful and fast with long talons and a special beak with a tomial tooth. This is a triangular shaped ridge on their upper beak useful for killing prey. It usually captures prey in their talons and finishes them off by biting their neck, severing their vertebrae to kill them instantly. However, it isn't uncommon for them to convert their talons and beak into solar plasma on prey without radiant immunity or inflict radiation poisoning to anything bold enough to attack them. One of their strongest adaptions is their excellent vision, perching and watching for passing prey and potential threats. It is a common sight to see them soaring at great heights in search of prey, unperturbed by the intense sunlight of the Shamsi Desert. They may hunt in pairs or in small family groups, teaching their offspring how to hunt, but larger numbers may come together for grass fires where prey is vulnerable. They have a variety of hunting techniques as well. Sometimes they capture prey after a direct pursuit, they may fly above the prey and make a dramatic stoop onto it or even fly low to the ground or parallel to cliffs. Sometimes they hunt in pairs, one flushing out the prey while the other grabs them. They have even learned to trail after humans to catch any prey they may scare out of hiding!

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Additional Information

Domestication

These falcon are the go to choice for falconry, captured and raised in captivity for these purproses. They are also a popular familiar or beast companion for priestesses of Lithmor across cultures and within temples in Kemet. There are even warriors, hunters and assassins who keep and train them for their incredible perception and dangerous radiant magic!

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Civilization and Culture

Common Myths and Legends

Humans have admired Paraa Falcons throughout history and given them respectable positions in their folklore! They are often associated with gods and heroes in their myths, especially within Hellenes and Masryeen mythologies. Throughout Alkelbulan they are seen as symbols of power, courage, war and wisdom and are beleived to be messengers between spiritual realms, strongly associated with Lithmor. The Quiris and Hellenes associate them with Apollo, Circe (whose name means falcon), Athena and Hermes. In Ostmen lore, falcons represent glory, freedom and royalty, admiring their strength and speed. They could also represent death, fertility, love and travel between worlds. They believe falcons transport spirits between the realms, a cousin species local to Skaney. An Ostmen god associated with falcons includes Hermod (god of communication and bravery) whose spirit animal is the gyrfalcon. And of course, the Masryeen revered this bird as the kings of the air, an animal which represents and incarnates Ra and Horus, both possessing the head of a falcon!