Creature Feature: Dragonhawks

Following on from the Windryder post from a couple of weeks ago, heres a closer look at the gigantic birds they use as mounts.

Dragonhawks

These huge birds are native to the Continent of Alyeska, there are very few sightings of them outside the Continent. In addition their remains, both fossilized and recent, have only been found in Alyeska which makes them amongst the oldest known species to inhibit the Frozen North.

They call the Bastion Peaks and the other lofty heights of the Central Highlands their home, a place that has resisted the encroachment of Man. The only harmonic relationship they have with another species is that they have with the Windryders, an almost symbiotic relationship as many have commented on. A Windryder and their mount bond at an early age during a ritual thats called 'The Choosing', a young Windryder must go alone and unarmed into a Dragonhawk nest. There the Windryder must then present themselves, if the Windryder has a dark mark on their heart then the Dragonhawk mother will be openly hostile and the Windryder could face exile from their tribe. Though if the Windryder proves to be good of heart then the Dragonhawk mother will, warily, let them approach the nest. Then the Windryder must settle down next to the nest and wait, eventually one of the younglings will choose the Windryder and the bonding process begins. Though if one of the younglings from the nest choose the Windryder after the sun has risen four times, then the Windryder must find another nest.

Only a portion of the Dragonhawk population serve as companions and mounts to Windryders, the rest are for all intents and purpose 'wild'. Wild or 'tamed' alike they are still big birds and tend to require bigger prey to feed upon like elks, goats, bison and, much to the ire of farmers, livestock. For the larger prey a Dragonhawk tends to pick it up with its claws and then drop the unfortunate meal from a great height, though this tends to be with cattle sized prey that could give the Dragonhawk problems whilst in the air.

Man is the Dragonhawk's only real predator, the wealthy tend to pay large sums of money to acquire Dragonhawk eggs. The pirate gangs that plague the Bastion Peaks try to capture hatchlings with the intention of clipping their wings and forcing to fight one another. The Windryders tend to deal very harshly with poachers attempting to do either.

Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8(A), Spirit d12, Strength d12+7, Vigor d10 
Skills: Fighting d8, Intimidation d10, Notice d8
Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 14
Special Abilities:
*Claws/Beak: Str+d8.
*Fearless: When defending their nest, they are immune to Fear and Intimidation, and never need to make morale checks.
*Flight: Dragonhawks have a Flying Pace of 20”, with an Acceleration of 5".
*Large: Opponents get a +2 to attack rolls.
*Size+7: Dragonhawks are huge creatures with wingspans over 120'.
*Slow: Dragonhawks move at a normal Pace 6 on the ground, but can’t run.
*Snatch: If the dragonhawk gets a raise on its Fighting roll when Swooping against a Target Size +3 or smaller, it snatches up the victim and flies off with it.
*Swoop: If the dragonhawk can fly at least 12” in a straight line before attacking, it gains +2 to its attack and damage for this action, but its Parry is reduced by -2 until its next action when performing the swoop.

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There is now an Events Page on the blog listing forthcoming events that Utherwald will have a presence at, also we like to announce that we'll most likely be attending ExiliCon in Cambridge on July 11th.