Assassin Birds

"You do not know song. The tenar sings and it means more than the lyre of any god."

— Maede

Once living in the forests around the Meleatte River, now local only to the Ranad Mountains, the assassin bird, otherwise known as the silent bird, is a fast, deadly quiet species capable of hearing the slightest noise from a great distance away. It never makes a sound and thus it's cry is never heard though supposedly, according to the Aradin who refer to the bird as tenar, the call heralds the coming of a great champion.

Appearance

Assassin birds are medium sized with long necks ending in spear-like yellow beaks. Their talons are sharp and can extend far forwards to grab prey. In color, they are almost entirely black say for their white chests and a fan of red and purple plumage atop their heads which can be hidden if necessary/ Females of the species lack this plumage.

Properties

Thanks to the smoothness of their feathers, which are compact and streamlined for speed, assassin birds are almost entirely silent when flying. The only indication of its presence is often a sudden black shape that, in itself, is almost invisible thanks to the incredible speed at which they fly. These factors, on their own, contribute to keen hunting abilities. Their capable predatory skills, however, are further enhanced by their impeccable hearing. Assassin birds, while waiting for a target, will conceal their plumage with their wings, along with their bright beaks, and listen intently. The slightest noise allows them to pinpoint the location of prey, following the discovery of which, they will swoop.
When swooping, assassin birds point their bodies downward and make themselves as straight as possible in order to gather speed. When their target is close enough, they extend their wings to slow them and reach forward with their long legs, grasping their prey in their talons. Such prey typically consists only of smaller animals such as mice, scorpions, frogs, lizards, sartans and snakes. Their plumage, whilst a disadvantage to stealth, is used to attract females.The size at which they can puff their chests indicates the strength of their lungs and muscles and thus their desirability as a potential mate.
The call of the assassin bird is famed on account of its rarity; their penchant for extreme silence means they hardly ever make a sound. Even in pain or near death, they make no noise. In fact, the sheer unlikeliness of hearing the call has fostered some debate over whether or not the assassin bird even has one, though there are those who swear to its existence.

Significance

Once, the species lived in the forests around the Meleatte River where the city of Thripia now stands. However, the expansion of the settlement drove it from its habitat. Their impressive hunting abilities have resulted in members of their species being highly valued as trained birds of prey, particularly by Aradin tribes in the Ranad Mountains; in Thripia, they are extremely expensive which is owed to their rarity. The legendary status of the assassin bird's vocalizations has also bred many legends regarding their supposedly magical effects. The Aradin supposed that the cry of the tenar signaled the presence of a legendary leader, one who would only appear once in a thousand years. Supposedly, an assasssin bird gave its call when Lordun was made the first War Guide. Thripians often speculate that the assassin bird's cry brings disasters such as droughts or locust plagues.

Lifespan

Unknown