Moon Talon

The countries of Thormenal and Koronna share a Northern border with the country of Haradel. This natural border is a long mountain range known as the Bar Nol.
High, craggy, and often forested, This mountainous border holds many oddities not found in the rest of Faelon, not the least of which is the animal known as The Moon Talon.  In Faelish-speaking Thormenal it is called the Neshol, and known to the Koronnan in their native Chalish as Shirdai.
The Moon Talon is a strange beast with the body of a lion and the head and front talons of an owl. It is large enough to carry a rider on its back, but to do so the beasts must be hatched and reared by its rider or a trainer with the time and patience of a parent.
Moon Talons keep to themselves mostly and are exceedingly territorial. There are many old stories told about the riches that the Moon Talons must guard as they will swiftly kill anyone who comes near.  Many an adventurer has been torn to pieces in the mountains searching for the fabled treasures of the Moon Talons.
Though Moon Talons hunt and range through the mountains claimed by Thormenal and Koronna, the Moon Talons nest only in Koronna, and for ages have been tied to the cycle of the moons for their return to ancient nesting grounds in the Shirdai Valley, a narrow craggy valley deep within the Koronnan side of the Bar Nol.
The Koronnans, themselves worshippers of the moons, feel a special kindred with the Shirdai, and have long seen the fates of the Moon Talon and the country of Koronna as intertwined by the celestial bodies. Stories have been passed down about the great revolt against the Traazorite Empire that granted the Koronnans their freedom and how it was tied to an omen of Shirdai at their nesting time.  Because of this the Koronnans are very protective of the Shirdai and keep watch on their nesting grounds with all the veracity of Mother Moon Talons. 
Moon Talon eggs are very rare and much sought after for many reasons.
For the Bronze tribes living in the Bar Nol the eggs of Moon Talon are a delicacy and hunting them has become a right of passage for their young warriors. The Bronze Tribes defy Koronnan law and threats to carry on the age-old tradition of Neshol’ilgat where a young warrior proves his ferocity and cunning by removing an egg from a nest without killing its protective mother or father.
Thormenal also seeks the eggs of the famous Neshol, though for completely different reasons than that of the bronze tribesmen. There are many in the world that would pay incredible sums of money for the egg of a Moon Talon, and many more Thormenalan merchants that would happily supply it to them.
It is a black market trade however as the two countries have an agreement that prohibits the taking or sale of Moon Talon eggs except under one condition: The Sky Spears.
Thormenal is known for its use of mercenary companies alongside its regular military and professional navy. One of these mercenary companies, the Sky Spears, has a storied history with Koronna and their Moon Talons.
Many, many moons ago Thormenalan Archon Foral Korest handpicked a group of mercenaries to do the unthinkable: to sneak into the Bar Nol Mountains in Koronnan territory and steal as many Moon Talon eggs as they could.
Most of the mercenaries he tried to employ thought he was crazy. No amount of money or the promise of land moved most of these Freeblades to work for the Archon. What could he possibly want with the eggs anyway?
Slowly but surely a few of the most unhinged, down-on-their-luck, and adventurous mercenaries answered the call. When Korest was happy with the size and makeup of the group they set off for the Bar Nol.
With Korest at the lead, the small group of thieves fought their way into the Shirdai Valley and back out with a handful of eggs. His mercenaries were well paid and were asked to remain on his household staff as his plans for the eggs came to fruition.
Korest’s raid kicked off a period of political bickering and occasional conflict as Koronna demanded justice for the theft of the eggs. Korest, however, would not be cowed. Politically strong enough to resist any pressure from the Thormenalan Electors and militarily superior to almost any foe, Korest stood firm with the eggs in his possession.
Meanwhile, all the world bustled with what Korest wanted with the eggs. Some saw the theft as an act of bravado, a last hurrah for an otherwise fading ego. Others spoke of a man with an appetite for the rare and absurd and suggested he would eat the eggs.
Within a couple of years, the world had forgotten such rumors and besides the lingering political animosity between Koronna and Thormenal, the incident was all but forgotten.
War, like it often did, returned to Koronna. The Traazorites, still harboring a grudge against their breakaway state and murmuring “heretic” under their breath, returned to Koronna and brought with them violence and destruction.
Thormenal had pledged to the defense of Koronna against the Sun Empire, but with tensions between the two countries still unresolved it was unknown whether and how Thormenal would respond to the current crusade.
The answer came at the battle of Hakys Eapa. The Koronnan army, hard pressed and held by two Traazorite legions while a third came upon their flank, faced utter destruction at the hands of their old oppressors.
The battle raged all day and through the night as the Koronnans desperately tried to use the Traazorites’ superstitions of moonlight against them. Things became desperate at first light as the Traazorites renewed their attack on both fronts and began to collapse the Koronnan battle lines.
With the rise of the sun, the Traazorites began to chant their morning liturgies to Runah. Possessed with the zealousness of their god, the slaughter of the beleaguered Koronnans was at hand.
Even as the Traazorites looked toward the sun and shouted their praises, forms began to appear silhouetted against the burning disc. It wasn’t until Korest’s new fighters, the Sky Spears, slammed into the Traazorite lines that both sides understood what was happening.
The ferocity with which the Sky Spears hit the Traazorite battle lines caused an almost instant panic amongst the flanking legion. The Moon Talons tore into their opponents with beaks and claws while their riders skewered with their lances and swords.
It was only a few moments before the flanking legion broke and gave way. Ignoring the fleeing legion, Korest’s Sky Spears reformed on the ground and commenced a wild charge into the flank of the near-victorious Traazorites.
Moments before the Traazorites had been assured of victory but with the flanking Legion in flight and a parliament of angry Moon Talons hacking through their flank the Runah worshipers faltered. The Koronnans, seeing the riders come to their aid on the backs of the Shirdai, were reminded of the tales of the Moon Talon’s ties to their independence.  Their morale was bolstered  They renewed their attack against their age-old opponents.
With the Koronnans resurgent and reinforcements on their flanks, the Traazorites began to give way. Korest himself killed the Traazorite commander in personal combat. Their commander dead and their numbers dwindling, the Traazorites quit the field with the Moon Talons harrying them the entire way.
The battle was a turning point in the war, and for their part in the victory, the slight against Koronnan honor was forgiven Korest. In exchange for the promise of future aid, a yearly stipend of Moon Talon eggs were offered to Korest to raise and train a perpetual corps of fighters for the Sky Spears.
Though Korest and his first group of Moon Talon riders are long dead, the Sky Spears live on, supported by the Koronnans and their yearly gift of Moon Talon eggs, coming to the aid of Koronna whenever there is need and spending the rest of their time as a mercenary company of the highest renown.