Cassowary

A Cassowary is a large, flightless birds with striking features - including a helmet-like triangular casque on their head, pink cheek, long red wattles, blue neck, and razor-sharp toes. The female is generally larger than the male, with a taller casque, and is brighter in colour.

Cassowary chicks are covered in dark brown and creamy white stripes, with reddish-brown heads and chests. They have long, pale legs - can walk almost immediately after hatching

Cassowaries can run at up to 50 km/h (30 mph) through the dense forest and can jump up to 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in). Plus, they are good swimmers, crossing wide rivers and swimming in the sea. All species have a keratinous, skin-covered casque on their heads that grows with age.

Cassowaries are very wary of humans, but if provoked, they are capable of inflicting serious, even fatal, injuries. They are known to attack both dogs and people. The cassowary has often been labelled "Esau's most dangerous bird". They can deliver a lethal kick.

A cassowary’s booming sound is the lowest known call of any bird – it is at the border of most humanoid races' hearing range.

Class = Aves
Genus = Casuarius
Species = casuarius
LIFESPAN = estimated to be 18-20 years in the wild.
INCUBATION = 60 days

SPECIES

+ Casuarius casuarius = Southern cassowary
height: 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 metres) tall - weigh: up to 170 pounds (77 kilograms)
+ Casuarius unappendiculatus = Northern cassowary
height: 1.5–1.8 metres tall (4 ft 11 in–5 ft 11 in) - weigh: up to 82 lbs (37 kg)
+ Casuarius bennetti = Dwarf cassowary
height: between 99–150 cm (3 ft 3 in–4 ft 11 in) long - weigh: 17.6–26 kg (39–57 lb)

---

CASSOWARY

Large beast, unaligned
AC = 15
HP = 96
Speed = 60ft - dash up to 120ft

STR = 18 (+4)
DEX = 15 (+3)
CON = 16 (+3)
INT = 10 (+0)
WIS = 10 (+0)
CHA = 6 (-2)

Skills = Perception +3
Senses = Passive Perception 16
Languages = none
Challenge = 2 (450 XP)
Proficiency Bonus = +2

Pack Tactics

The cassowary has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the cassowary’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature, and the ally is not incapacitated

Actions

Multiattack =The Cassowary makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws.

Kick

Attack = +6 to hit - reach 5 ft - one target - Melee Weapon
Hit = 11 (2d10+4) slashing damage (clawed feet).

Pounce

If the cassowary runs at least 40 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn - that target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw, or be knocked prone.
If the target is prone, the cassowary can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action.

Bite

Attack = +4 to hit - reach 5 ft - one target - Melee Weapon
Hit = 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.

The cassowary is a ferocious flightless bird possessing the size, strength, and speed to attack effectively enough to cause severe damage. It can run down almost any prey over open ground, pouncing to pull creatures down with razor-sharp claws.

COMBAT

The Cassowary are cautious, dangerous bird that often hunts in packs - especially when protecting their eggs. Using speed and strength. Cassowary have advantage on attack rolls against a creature if at least one of its allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally is not incapacitated.
It can make two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws. The claws can slash and tear fresh.

---

Basic Information

Genetics and Reproduction

Cassowary eggs are normally bright green - although multi-coloured eggs have been found, hidden in their shallow nests. Cassowaries love fruit and most are predominantly frugivorous, which does affects the colour of their eggs.

After mating, the female will lay three to five eggs. It is the male bird only, that incubates the eggs and rears the young.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Cassowaries are mainly omnivorous - eat fruit, fungus, carrion, and even human food.
The vast majority of their diet consists of vegetation, fruit, berries, insects, spiders, and small vertebrates.

Creature stats - based on Ostrich/Emu with Velociraptor stats for the added ferociousness

---

SIGHTINGS
* Dusk Quagmire in the Northern Isle
* Stench Swamp in the Feywild Expanse of Kutloc

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Feathers: Glossy black, stiff feathers
Neck: Bright blue and purple, with long red wattles hanging from the fore-neck
Head: Helmet-like casque made of keratin, the same material as hair and fingernails
Toes: Razor-sharp inner toes
Eyes: Amber eyes

Geographic Distribution

• Esau