Lanternwings
"Like a picturesque sunset that can bite a child's head clean off."
The lanternwing is a majestic yet fearsome predator, shadowy black bird of prey with striking sunset-patterned feathers. Towering in size with a 22-foot wingspan and talons capable of gripping 300 pounds, it is an apex predator of Everwealth’s high-altitude regions, such as the Cloudrend Mountains and Battlement Cliffs. Known for its remarkable ability to thrive on minimal sustenance and its devastating hunting dives, it combines breathtaking beauty with lethal efficiency. While its stoic nature keeps it from attacking indiscriminately, those who wander into its vast territories often face the wrath of a creature that seems to embody both grace and death. Highly valued as a flying mount but notoriously dangerous to tame, the lanternwing remains both a sought-after ally and a formidable foe in Everwealth’s skies.
Basic Information
Anatomy
The lanternwing is a regal creature though rather large in size, weighing roughly 800 pounds, tall as a great horse with a 22 foot wingspan; The lanternwing is imposing as many think the sunset like patterning on it's flight feathers detracting from it's otherwise jet-black coat is beautiful. Objectively one of the most fearsome avian predators on the planet, capable of flying for hundreds of miles to look for food, seemingly magick in-nature, requiring very little nutrients to healthily sustain itself; But when it does need food, it hunts its prey with a beak like a black shortsword, bladed along the top and bottom as-well-as curved to an efficient grabbing hook at the end able to rend many types of flesh into digestible pieces with ease. To catch these meals, the lanternwing can focus on movement with an archer's precision, to then dive at this source of movement at speeds of almost 250 miles per hour to rapidly close in on their quarry before snatching them up with long blackened talons which grip like an iron vice and can carry up-to 300 pounds for some time.
Genetics and Reproduction
Lanternwings will conduct mating rituals during the summer seasons; Where the male will perform a sort of dance with it's colorful tail feathers making it resemble a dancing lantern flame. If the female is interested after this ritual, the two will mate and in roughly 3 months the female will lay 1-5 eggs, any infertile eggs or runt hatchlings eaten by the parents or stronger fellow infant hatchlings.
Growth Rate & Stages
Lanternwing hatchlings will mature from this stage fresh from their eggs, to a prepubescent stage called a 'wickling' where the lanternwing learns to fly and hunt, then finally to a fully grown lanternwing over the course of 2-3 years.
Ecology and Habitats
Predominantly lanternwings seem to prefer environments with higher altitudes, such as high-up in the cloudrend mountains or deep in the grandgleam forest within branches of taller trees. The Battlement Cliffs surrounding most of Everwealth seem to be their favorite though, nestling in cracks and crevices all along its hundreds of miles of length, hunting fish, cliffside woodland creatures, smaller birds and non-perceptive sailors.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Lanternwings are capable carnivores, apex predators that hunt insects, smaller birds, deer, horses, your neighbors... It is not a picky eater, so-long as it moves; Advice to avoid these creatures in-fact if hunted by one being to stand completely still as their hunting methods are based near-entirely on movement.
Biological Cycle
The lanternwing will grow thicker tufts of feathers around the neck and chest during winter months to survive the season, perculiar as most of their kind would simply migrate to warmer climates, a fortunate evolutionary advantage of theirs for us, one can imagine flocks of large carnivoristic birds overhead with no issue hunting people would be a horrifying yearly occurence.
Behaviour
Stoic and docile creatures, typically roosting quietly among their nests in tall trees or high-up in the mountains as the creatures seem to prefer highter altitudes when nesting. However lanternwings can become quite aggressive with folk who enter what they believe to be their territory, unfortunate for many as they often consider large areas their territory with how quickly they traverse great distances, idly traveling the woods only to unintentionally invoke the ire of a bear-sized winged beast with daggers for feet and a scythe for a face.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Not believed to be intrinsically capable magickally beyond the creature's remarkably efficient metabolism. This does seem to ensure lanternwings are quite resilient, more-than-capable of defending themselves and nigh-impossible to starve. Fortunate for us they are sated for long periods as lanternwings occasionally hunt your fellow folk to sustain themselves, with relative ease.
Scientific Name
Phoenivora lanterna
Origin/Ancestry
Most Scholar's Guild researchers believe the lanternwing to be an offshoot of the legendary Phoenix hunted to extinction long-ago for it's longevity granting properties, it and the lanternwing possessing very similar physiology.
Conservation Status
This species although more difficult, and far more dangerous to tame than common flying mounts, when fully trained lanternwing are largely considered the most effective beast for the job of flying and killing short of a dragon. Lanternwings because of this regularly preserved for their usefulness to many regiments and adventurer's alike despite the risks.
Geographic Distribution
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