Alabaster Seabird
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These seabirds were prominent in Anthos, and mainly people wanted to get these birds. Their large body makes them great messenger birds, as they can go through most conditions and be just fine. Again, the Alabaster Seabird is a very large and very old, seafaring bird. Weighing in at an average of 30 pounds, and equipped with a stunning 17-foot wingspan, it is easily one of the largest flighted birds in the world. Since they have such large wings this makes them unable to fly very fast, but they normally don't flap their wings but rather glide on them. Its beak is quite unusual. It is blunt and thick, with growths on the inside of the bill that form pseudo-teeth. Though it's wingspan is wide, its legs are short, stubby things with webbed feet, for paddling in the open ocean. Its feathers bear a notable oily coat that allows it to safely dive into the water for brief periods of time. They live for about 10 years in the wild, but can easily live to 30 in captivity. Since these birds live for a long time they have been known to be very intelligent creatures as they get older, and are seen as some of the most intelligent birds out there.
These seabirds are amazingly intelligent, insofar as a bird can go. Though they have no proper sense of smell, it often can identify one from another easily with their eyes alone. Another thing of note is that they are quite noisome. They tend to squawk regularly, especially at new things. It can become nearly unbearable for new trainers to handle.
Contents
Creation/Origin
Alabaster seabirds were native to Anthos, once the descendants got their they tamed them and used them as messenger birds. When the descendants were forced to move to Athera, the birds came with them and the process repeated to Vailor.
Behavior
Despite their size and intelligence these seabirds, weirdly enough, are cowards. Mostly because, this is because it is absolutely useless in combat, it's barbed beak good is mainly good for catching fish. Another reason, however, is its personality. The Alabaster Seabird is often called the High Elf of birds. Put simply, they loathe new things. Even whilst possessing profound intelligence for a bird, the alabaster seabird is hindered by a remarkable and utter lack of curiosity concerning anything and everything that doesn't, at some point, involve a fish.
It is for this reason that training an adult seabird is an impossible task. An adult seabird, if approached with food, fish, or otherwise, will invariably refuse the meal, even if on the brink of death from starvation. A hatchling, however, is remarkably easy to train, even for novice falconers. Once it pieces together that finding a certain person will reward it with fish, the training process becomes naturally easy, and it can make it an ideal bird for sending messages between two people, so long as the falconer has fish, naturally.
While smart for a bird, it is unfortunately not smart enough to understand a brief description of a person, and normally will have to be shown the person first before it can actually fit them to a name. Creating a roost for a bird is easy, so long as you have the room to create a nest for him. Alabaster seabirds will attempt to create a nest, it's natural behavior causes them to want to make their own nest, for their family, instead of already having one prematurely made.
As you might expect, the seabird is very clearly a waterfowl made for hunting fish in the ocean. Having quite the keen eyesight, the alabaster seabird typically hunts by spotting fish near the ocean's surface whilst in the air, tucking itself into a dive and crashes into it, using it's pseudo-teeth to grip the prey as it plunges headfirst into the water. Seeing the sight is quite amazing, as they dive down at incredible speeds, faster than the fish's reaction, they catch their prey.
Alabaster Seabirds may hunt in the ocean but are known for making their nests far inland, typically in sheer areas, such as mountains and cliffs. Nonexistent Biologists theorize that the thin air in these precarious places is why the Seabird's wingspan is so long. They lay their eggs on these rocky slopes as well, to improve their offspring's chances of survival on their first flight. Nests made by the alabaster seabird are unmistakable from afar, as they are quite massive, and require very specific conditions in which they can be built.
Seabirds will nest every summer when the mountains are the warmest. Mates are typically met while hunting. Once a suitable one is found, they will travel back to the nest for mating. Per their rather unchanging attitude, Seabirds mate for life and will repeat this process together every summer, in the same nest they made, for the rest of their lives.
Types
- Alabaster Seabird
Abilities
Seabirds, unlike most other birds, have next to no sense of smell. Instead of sniffing their recipient out whilst delivering messages, the alabaster seabird will typically resort to using their profoundly good memory and sight to identify a recipient by face. It can be ordered to look for a specific person in a specific area, and if this person and the place he is located coincide, it can search that area for the person.
Use of Magic
None
Weaknesses
- Traps
- New items they have never seen before
- Bad senses
Redlines
- None
Mechanics
N/A
