Drachick

Drachicks are a species of giant chicken which seem to have descended from dragons. They roam the upper regions of the Razorcrest mountains. Drachicks are a curious happenstance, due to their home region.
Most Drachicks are domesticated and live in flocks of ten to fifteen with a family of Giants. A drachicks most dangeous weapons are its claws, but they are quicky followed by their heat breath, which while unable to spew fire like a dragon, can reach temperatures hot enough to cook flesh.

Mysterious Origin

As mentioned above, the specific location Drachicks can be found in is curious, because there are no Dragons living in the Razorcrest Mountains at all. It is no surprise given the fact that Dragons and Giants do not get along, but the fact that a dragonlike creature filled this niche regardless does make one wonder.
The drachicks origin is heavily disputed, here is one of the most popular theories around their creation.

During the height of the magocracy in the Era or Witchcraft, both dragons and giants were let loose on the world by many sides of the warring mages. From this time came a longstanding rivalry between dragons and giants which often competed for similar habitats. It is unknown how it happened, but old stories tell of giants capable of witchcraft rivaling the innate sense of magic dragons have. The absence of dragons in Razorcrest paired with the dragonlike birds in their place is fertile ground for speculation of many sorts. In the end only the ghosts of the magewar fallout can conclusively tell what happened.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Drachicks are quadrupedal, winged birds, which resemble miniature feathered dragons. They have four clawed bird legs, and two strong feathered wings, but lack the characteristic dragon tail. Their head is more resembling of a bird, having lost a dragons teeth in favor of a beak. Their feathering is generally muted browns, blacks and peppered whites in drachick hens, while drachick roosters often have colorful plumage instead. On top of their head sits a usually deep blue comb, which in some breeds can also display other colors. As a general rule, the comb (and wattles below it) are brighter in males and muted in females.

Genetics and Reproduction

Drachicks reproduce via eggs. The hen, once fertilized via the cloaca, lays a clutch of up to ten eggs at a time before becoming broody. The hen then broods the clutch for a month, during which the chicks develop in the egg. Once ready, the chicks will roar within their eggs, alerting their mother, who will peck open the eggs, which are too thick to be opened by the chicks.

Growth Rate & Stages

Drachicks grow fast after hatching, doubling their size within the first fortnight and reaching their full size in only two to three months depending on food availability. The mind of the drachicks matures more slowly and they become truly adolescent after about one year. The chick can reproduce as early as two years after hatching, but generally does not immediately if the parents generation is still around. Only drachick roosters maintain the ability to roar into maturity. Once grown hens shriek instead, which can be used to differentiate the two sexes.

Ecology and Habitats

Drachicks are adapted for life within the mountains. They can breathe fine even at high altitudes and their short term flight enables them to reach many areas of the mountains in search for food. Their ability to imitate a dragons roar is often used to scare off predators.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Drachicks are omnivores. While their main diet is plants, Drachicks will hunt smaller mammals up to juvenile mountain goats, if the opportunity presents itself.

Biological Cycle

Their thick feathers enable the drachick to stay active even throughout the winter, though the lower food supply often means that drachicks do not lay during this time of the year.

Behaviour

Drachicks are highly territorial beings, with even the hens aggresively defending what their group considers home turf. If no dangers presents itself for extended periods of time, roosters will attack other males to keep their position in the pecking order, or to establish it.

Additional Information

Domestication

Most living drachicks are kept as livestock by Giants living in the mountains. The giants feed and shelter the bird-beasts in exchange for their eggs which weigh about 3 kg each and eventually for their meat and feathers. Domesticated drachicks often are larger than their wild counterparts, often weighing in at over 400 kg. Drachick roosters are bred as guard animals also, which viciously defend their nests and the nearby Giant home.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

To the benefit of the rest of Noria, Drachicks are restricted to the mountain valleys in the Razorcrest mountains.

Average Intelligence

Unlike dragons, drachicks are generally rather unintelligent beings. They operate mostly on instinct, opportunistically hunting things that are small enough for them to take down, but generally foraging for food. The one things drachicks seem to actively hate is the arcane. It is unknown where this sometimes unhealthy hatred comes from, but drachick roosters especially will attack magical things with a rage and aggressiveness that is sometimes detrimental to their own health.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Drachicks, much like dragons, have an innate sense of magic in addition to their normal senses of sight, smell, hearing, taste etc. They can detect the use of magic from several kilometers away and detect inherently magical beings and items, even if they are actively being obscured.

Lifespan

20 years

Average Height

2.6 m

Average Weight

300 kg

Average Length

3.4 m

Average Physique

Drachicks are relatively light for their size, but deceptively nimble and strong. Their clawed feet are strong enough to pierce hide and leather and dent metal. Grown drachicks are capable of short flights, but cannot stay in the air for longer than a minute.

Geographic Distribution

• Razorcrest Mountains