High-Mobility ships are called "Birds" for their maneuverability and wing shape—overlapping plates and jets which can be curled and tucked like a bird's for speed and maneuvering.
Although the birds of the Vadakendanic Procession are considered the "true birds", the other banners have their own variations on the design which account for their favored Tech Clade and available materials.
First Creation
Circa ~13800 CS
The first models were made on Jhoutai by the Vanthric Haimarchy, by grafting a frame of Nictishamei-alloyed Coral into a light, powerful, springy skeleton modeled after the more airborne variants of the Aeolamen Raptorhounds. They tried to use the Crustarthroflect of Jhoutai, but even with Nictishamei parts they could not recreate their bodies to a usable scale, without shear forces destroying the frames in flight.
Working from this raptorhound simulacra frame, they were able to engineer a cockpit large enough for a Verin, a @solum Divinorium of the creature. From this moment forward, it became the de-facto method of flight for warriors, bug-hunters, and surveyors.
Changing Hands
~15300 - 19000 CS
After the Sazashi Revolution, the Valuser'ran Supremacy siezed power by locking down the world's supply of Sunmetal over several centuries, including the Sunmetal Mines in Jhoutai's belt. They did this under the guise of preventing the Haimarchy from building a military, but the Sazashi prefectures beneath them suffered from the uneven technology proliferation as well.
It wasn't until Aempian-managed mines in the Mar'rianiyan Territories began withholding a percentage of their output to the Supremacy that anyone was able to stockpile enough of the material to use against them. This became critical in them assembling a small (but effective) aerial division to hold back the Valuser'ran birds during critical battles.
Evolving Shape
~19900 CS
It was not until the Advent that the designs saw any major change. The proliferation of scholars to Eden meant that studies of many of its creatures eventually came back to Jhoutai, and the designs of birds in particular caught the rapture of Verin the world over. Birds on Eden filled a nice filled by other predators on Jhoutai, and arguably did so much more effectively for combat than their own.
During The Bannercasting, the Verin released new Birds designed for combat with Pact ships. It is this latest paradigm which gives the Aeolashamei their nickname of birds.
Summary
Haimarchy: Most offensive and survey vessels are birds.
The Somnacy was gifted Birds by the Procession after the Pact abandoned Eden. While they've made the designs their own, the influence is obvious.
The Pact uses more focused insectile designs inspired by the Haimarchy's birds.
The Federation uses a mechanical variant combines Edenic and Pact designs. It is impactical within atmospheres.
Light of Hayadra
The Light of Hayadra, created in 14419 CS by Sovereign Valenselkus, was the first Leviathan-Class vessel.
The Sovereign piloted it, often with a compliment of ~5 engineers and Psiolics.
The vessel was considered massive and fast for the time, with a wingspan of 110m, an unassisted terminal velocity over Mach 1, a boosted downward striking speed of Mach 2, and a flight of Mach 1.
The Hayadra's wings held matrices to conduct spells on a large enough scale to shape weather patterns . It was not uncommon for someone to have at least one story of spotting the Hayadra in the skies, tending to the Monolithic Procession or summoning up an evening shower.
The Hayadra was destroyed in 14720 CS by Nictipagua action when Hayadra was found guilty of using natural disasters to siege cities with major resistence to the Crown.
Comments
Author's Notes
Hummingbird Inspiration
Falcon Inspiration