Known as the Lord of the Mountains, the Rübezahl Adler (just Rübezahl for short) is a dragon-like apex predator with a massive 8-9 meter wingspan. It lives most of its life in the air, coming down to ground only to mate before dying. Frisians harvest the Rübezahl's leather and bones to construct their famous hang-gliders with the materials. Because of this the Rübezahl has a sacred place in Frisian culture, with rituals and ceremonies to honor and protect the species.
Lord of the Mountains, Terror of the Skies
The Rübezahl is a massive creature, weighing over 250 kg with wings that reach out to a maximum length of 9 meters. It stands at the top of the food chain, preying on the large spore eating flying herbivores in the region and small to medium size land animals. Highly territorial, the Rübezahl marks it's territory with a roar at an amazing 200 decibels. Do to the density of the air on Frisia this roar can also be used to attack prey in the air, akin to an acoustic grenade. Curiously, despite the Rübezahl's ferocious demeanor they do not perceive humans as prey, ignoring them for the most part with a dignified lack of interest.
Reproduction
When a female Rübezahl is ready to mate they announce their fertility with a special song. Attracted by the sound, males will gather for the chance to rut. The female will choose the male with the largest and most colorful wings, docking with him to fertilize her eggs. After fertilization the female will seek out the most toxic air-borne spores, consuming them in large quantities instead of her regular diet of meat. In a few days time the female will land on an isolated cliff face, laying her eggs and securing them to the rock with a special adhesive her body produces. The female will die shortly after from exhaustion and starvation, the spores in her decomposing body growing to form a toxic protective cover for her eggs. In a few months time these eggs hatch, with hatchlings flinging themselves off the cliff edge and beginning their new life in the air.
Shamanistic Protection
The Frisian Shamans, the last remnant of the educated class on-planet, realized that if left to chance the Rübezahl would go extinct like much of the megafauna of Old Earth. They developed ceremonies and rituals to protect the species, wrapping it in a protective layer of mysticism. Shamans were believed to receive much of their wisdom from the Rübezahls, with their nests marked as sacred. This protection went down the food chain, as shamans could pronounce their prey taboo and off limits to human hunting if their numbers ever got low enough to threaten the Rübezahls. In this way the shamans protect the species so vital to Frisian life, while at the same time cementing their own authority.
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