Tarmachan

The tarmachan is a bird native to the Catfolk desert kingdom of Lurus , to the east of Westlo. It is renowned as a very fine-tasting creature, but Catfolk tradition forbids the eating of it except on special occasions. It is farmed, or rather bred, in small numbers, and must be caught by Catfolk hunters - the catching of the fowl by outsiders except in extreme circumstances (likelihood of starvation, compulsion by authority) is a serious breach of the law.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Tarmachan are plump fowl, with meaty breasts and thighs. The males have a bright yellow and orange plumage, while the females are a light, yellowish brown with faint brown spots. The females are slightly larger than the males.
Tarmachan are capable of flight, but they nest on the ground and have no natural predators other than the catfolk themselves.

Genetics and Reproduction

It has long been noted that tarmachan appear to enjoy sexual intercourse, which is unheard of in birds. Females and males alike will take any opportunity to mate. This may be related to the fact that, again unusually, they produce only a dozen or so eggs a year, meaning that this increased sexual activity does not in fact result in more young.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Known as 'the most delicious bird in the world', tarmachan are in great demand on the dinner tables of the cognoscenti. However, there is a strong taboo in Lurus against the eating of the fowl, except on significant occasions. Among such occasions are:

• A coronation of a new king or queen
• The winning of a war
• A particularly favoured guest takes his or her leave
• The coming-of-age of a son or daughter

All adult catfolk have eaten the tarmachan on at least one occasion.
The animal is tended and herded rather than farmed, and only a small number are exported for consumption in other countries. As a result, the the price is extremely high, with reports of a brace of tarmachan fetching a price of 500GP, or an average annual salary in Westlo.

Scientific Name

Lagopus tarmachan lurusensia

Conservation Status

The tarmachan is a curious species, seeming not just to prefer the arid, high semi-desert grassland of Lurus, but to be quite unable to live outside it. Specimens who have been taken to more fertile areas have eaten themselves to death within days of arriving. More intensive breeding techniques also fail spectacularly, as the tarmachan will take any opportunity to mate without noticeably increasing the fertility of the females. As a result, the number of tarmachan remains relatively static, and confined to one region. The Catfolk of Lurus do not regularly hunt them, and the number exported is extremely low.