Ramil Lark
Racial Magic
First Ability
Ilnid's Skin
Can convert their skin into sand, quartz or glass, differing by individual. They can expand these into jagged glassy spikes, thick sandy insulation or tough quartz armor! However, this species mostly uses this as camoflage, blending into the desert sands.
❄️Iska's Skin
Can produce layers of ice from their feathers, convert their feathers into ice and expand this around themselves into various shapes. They are also immune to extremely cold conditions and can cool their skin at will. Also used as camoflage in the Frozen Wastes and for protection.
Second Ability
☀️Rithaldis' Manipulation
Able to manipulate and reshape radiant energy present in their environment. In this species, they automatically repell ionizing radiation and strong sunlight, immune to the dangers of the Shamsi Desert. They can even purify the food they eat from radiation before swallowing it.
Aasaru's Eye
Able to see desert plants in their environment over great distances and regardless of barriers. Used to find food and water, most desert flora centered around watering holes and wadis
A small and common bird of the northern deserts of Emynea, especially Shamsi Desert and the Frozen Wastes. These little larks spend much of their time on the ground, foraging for seeds and avoiding their persistant predators including the Wata Jackal and Paraa Falcon. When under threat, they tend to freeze and blend themselves into the sand, ice or rocks around them. While they can be found throughout a vast territory they aren't a common sight, difficult to spot and quite wary. Most are familiar with ramil larks through their sweet and fluttering song and the sight of them bathing within watering holes in the light of dawn, a gentle pleasure of oases life!
Basic Information
Anatomy
by Lee Stepp
Original Ancestor
Desert Lark
Size
Wingspan: 11-12 in (27-30 cm)
Weight: 20-28 grams
Coloration
Genetics and Reproduction
by Lee Stepp
These are usually a solitary species and don't often flock. Ramil larks also become territorial when breeding, making their nests on the ground, under or alongside rocks or tussocks of grass. When building this nest, they start with a shallow scrape before lining it with plant materials and a rim of glassy shards or quartz pebbles. 1-5 eggs are lain, both parents guarding them diligently before and after they hatch.
Unlike many other desert species, they are not able to survive without a water source but appraoching a watering hole is a risky affair for helpless chicks. To sustain their children, the father has special downy feathers on their bellies which absorb and hold water! Once a day, he will soak in a watering hole and fly the water back to his chicks. The chicks and their mother will give a distinct call foro him so that he can find them, even if they've moved. He will present his wet belly to them with his wings extended, signalling for them to drink.
When ramil larks detect a predator, they will hide themselves under plants or rocky outcroppings if not hiding themselves directly in the sand, adults converting their feathers into sand to better hide. The chicks won't fully develop their racial magic for some time, unable to rely on the total camoflage their parents are capable of. If their parents notice a predator, they give a warning cry and the whole family will crouch and freeze. Most of the time, predators pass by without noticing them but if they get too close, one of the parents will feign an injury. They will pretend to be wounded and helpless, luring the predator away. Once they are far enough away, they will fly off.
Ecology and Habitats
by Lee Stepp
These birds are found throughout the northern deserts of Emynea. They prefer living in deserts and semi-deserts, living everywhere from dunefields to craggy mountains, oases to wadis, scrublands to flats. While they are most common to Alkelbulan, they can also be found throughout the Frozen Wastes and all the way to the shores of Bharat. In Alkelbulan they can be found in Shamsi Desert, Dawn Ahrayn, Kemet, Arabiyyan Desert, Balkurtiz, Kasar Wuta, Gaarreen Ho'aa and Sesli Plato.
Dietary Needs and Habits
These birds eat mainly insects and seeds, walking and running along the ground as it forages for these. Those with Aasaru's Eye often fall back on this ability, seeking out lush pockets throughout the deserts. They prefer foraging along the ground rather than taking flight to find its meals, more succeptable to predators in the air.
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