Mime-Walker/Aradonian

Other Names

Aradonian Lokra

Summary

Native to the region of Aradon on the North Eastern coastline of East Felsaed, the Aradonian Mime-Walker is one of many ground-dwelling birds that make up the family known as Mime-Walkers. These curious beasts earn their name from their bizarrely intricate jerking movements that many compare to the performances of East Felsaed's mimes, however despite substantial research into the topic there is currently no widely accepted consensus on why they do this.
Many larger members of the Mime-Walker family are used as mounts across Felsaed, however due to the smaller size of the Aradonian variety only the largest and most stocky members of the species are used in so much as a limited adult-mount capacity. Instead the smaller cousins to Felsaed's mounts are most often domesticated to pull the smaller ploughing devices on farms, draw small carts alone, work together to hall larger vehicles or to serve as training mounts for Felsaedan children, a role they excel in due to their friendly and gentle demeanor.

Description

The Aradonian Mime-Walker is a small member of the Mime-Walker family, a group of tall, usually flightless birds with thick, puffy feathers and a long, slightly hooked beak. The Aradonian species, despite its lower stature when compared with its relatives, it is still quite tall as females stand between 1.8-2 metres from toe-tip to the bottom of it's crest, while males can stand as tall as 2.4 metres. The birds coloration is an orange/yellow that is nearly identical to the grasslands of their home that is broken by a cream-white on their undersides and faces. The creatures beaks are a pale yellow-brown, and during the summer the larger males develop an orange-red crest.
Most of the bird's extraordinary height consists of their long legs that are longer bellow the knees than they are above. The animal's upper legs are muscular and covered in the same puffy white fur-like feathers of their undersides, optimized to provide them with the power to run for extended periods of time. Their lower legs on the other hand are relatively thin and long allowing them to be moved easily due to the reduced weight while granting the creature great speed due to their extended gait. These legs end in a foot that consists of three long, splayed toes that face forward, offering the birds greater balance while moving on only two legs.
The animal's body is long and thin when compared with most flightless birds, however it is still visibly round, looking like an elongated oval leaning skyward as it reaches the creatures stocky neck. The bird's back curves downward as it reaches its short triangular tail that is white in coloration. The Mime-Walker's neck is short and muscular by the standard of birds, more comparable to a bovine or horse and covered in yellow-orange feathers across the back, while the front of the neck connects the white of the underside with its face, forming a long unbroken line.
The Aradonian Mime-Walker's face is long and ends in a large lightly curved beak. The creatures upper beak fits neatly over the lower beak, and both sides have long serrations facing away from the beak in opposite directions, allowing the bird to easily cut and grind the grasses it consumes. The beast's eyes are located on either side of its head allowing it to view the open savannah around it for predators while it feeds, and seem oddly cunning for a grazing creature. Indeed they are known to be quite intelligent.
Even wild birds have friendly personalities when approached carefully, allowing even larger sentient species to approach them if they do so slowly while remaining well within the animal's vision. They are co-operative by nature, travelling in large family bands both in the wild and in captivity. These birds blend in well amongst the tall grasses of Aradon, but can be spotted by watching for the light bobbing motions they make when traversing the wide savannah of their home.
When domesticated they are quite affectionate toward their master and anyone else they perceive as a member of their familial herd. They are known to bob excitedly when they see their avian and sentient friends, moving their heads up and down or side to side seemingly at random, often with enough gusto to move their entire bodies. When the affection is returned they are known to snuggle their heads into their masters shoulders while making a series of sounds somewhere between coos and chirps, which is considered to be a sign of great trust.
Like most varieties of Mime-Walkers the Aradonian Mime-Walker is fiercely loyal and protective in regards to their masters, so much so a particularly strong and loyal member of their species is considered more valuable than its weight in gold. They do not flinch when loud noises such as those produced by a firing blast rod are heard near by, and like their cousins these weapons can often be fired over the creature's head without spooking them. Some are even brave enough to fight vastly more powerful predators (such as Tiorathan Sea-cats) at their owners side and are willing to lay down their lives for the sake of their master.
These birds can be trained to trust their master in all things, and will even allow them to interact with their young. This behavior is similar to domesticated mammals, with the Mime-Walker even becoming eager for their offspring to meet their master. These bonds run so deeply that Mime-Walkers separated from their master become depressed, and if they find their master dead they will defend the body until they starve. It is rare for a Mime-walker to live for any extended period of time after they learn of their masters death as they stop accepting food once they learn of this fate, however if their master shows particular trust towards a second person the bird may learn to trust them as well, even going as far as to protect them the same way they protected their master.

Uses and Relevance

The Aradonian Mime-Walker, also referred to by its older name of Aradonian Lokra in Felsaed, is a versatile animal suited to a number of light labor tasks, and coordinated enough to accept heavier burdens as a group. They serve as light beasts of burden that help plough the fields, draw small carts or work together to pull passengers on a carriage. They have even been used to defend shepherds flocks from predators. However due to their gentle and forgiving nature they are most well known for their status as ideal training mounts for children, especially for those who will eventually work with their larger relatives.

History

The Arodinian Mime-Walker has lived alongside the Ja'goroan for as long as the race has existed in the birds home region, and has been domesticated for almost as long.

Size

1.8-2.4m

Animal Family

Avians

Diet

Wild Grasses

Preferred Biomes

Grassland

Regions of Habitation

Native: Aradon (North-East Felsaed) Introduced: Wider East Felsaed Domesticated: East Felsaed