Ta'rukahl

From Mizahar Lore

Current revision as of 02:28, 21 September 2022

The Ta'rukahl are among the largest of birds found in Falyndar. They are sometimes called the Falyndarian Moon Eagle by those who are not fluent in Myrian and who have heard stories of these birds. They are quite rare, but valued for their ferocity, tenacity, and their beautiful plumage. They are normally found near central to south Falyndar, along and around the basin and near the broader lakes and swamps, and more rarely still in the more northern parts. They are incredibly difficult to tame, and must be raised as a hatchling in order to do so, by master-level falconers. It's been said that some have risked their life trying to capture some of these birds, and it is harder still to try to get them out of the jungle.

History

Once more populous before the Valterrian, the Ta'rukahl began as dark-plumaged birds, ferocious killers that the Myrians claimed were winged agents of Dira herself. They were close. When Tanroa promoted Leth to serve as a God, the wild one, so fond of the dark killers he influenced, touched them also, giving them the same silver-white feathers that matched the moon rays. This did little to alleviate the stories of their origin - instead, when they illuminated the jungle canopy, catching the stray lights here and there, their eerie light made the Myrians think that they were in fact a separate species, or, perhaps, the souls of the dead birds - until they realized that the only pair of captured, hand-raised Ta'rukahl had become white as well.

The Valterrian devastated the Ta'rukahl population. Generally slow breeders, and hunted by poachers for their feathers, it is only centuries later that they are finally reestablishing their numbers with help from Caiyha and Leth. The Myrians rarely, if ever, hunt Ta'rukahl, considering them a sacred bird that is honored by the Moon God.

Appearance

The Ta'rukahl are large, streamlined silver-white birds with red eyes and red accents on their tail, primary flight feathers, and their slight crests. Their most defining trait is their plumage - in normal light, the feathers have the understated brilliance of a pearl, unique reminders of the nighttime. But it is when the moon comes out and the feathers catch and reflect the light that they become beauty itself - their feathers glow an eerie white, emitting their own reflection of the moonlight. Even the shed feathers will continue to glow for up to five years until they begin to fade. Ta'rukahl are sexually dimorphic not only in size (the male is considerably larger than the female, about about 25% larger) but the male's crest is more prominent than the female of the species as well. The male's wingspan is usually not much larger than 8 feet, and the female's is usually around 6 feet. They have large, black feet and talons, with slightly elongated, hooked beaks meant for tearing and ripping.

Abilities

The Ta'rukahl are swift hunters with sharp beaks and talons. They see well very well in the dark, and prefer to hunt then under the light of Leth. They can see normally during the day, but it is at night that their red eyes work best. Mature male Ta'rukhal can carry riders or light burdens as if they were young wind eagles. Their maximum load capacity full grown cannot exceed two hundred and fifty pounds and allow them to take flight unburdened.

Personalities

Ta'rukahl are not flock birds, but they will share territory with others out of feeding necessities. They are predators through and through, and if hand-raised tend to bond to one falconer and one only, rarely, if ever, accepting another to fly with beyond the one that they have been raised with.

Lifespan

These birds are known to survive when kept by falconers for up to 40 years. Considering the challenges of living in Falyndar, whether or not they reach that age in the wild is another matter.

Ta'rukahl fledge by the time they are two seasons old, though they may remain with their parents for up to one year. This is when the most casualties happen - young birds that are still learning to fly can fall, and be caught by a predator down below. After that first year, they're on their own. They become sexually mature around the age of 5 years old.

Diet

The preferred food of these predators is freshly-killed meat and fish. They will take what they can get, and overall are not picky. Because of their large size, navigating through the thick foliage of the jungle is difficult, and therefore they tend to prefer the wider, more exposed areas... like the Kandukta Basin and very, very rarely the coast, as they do not appreciate being so completely and totally exposed.

Mating

Ta'rukahl usually mate for life. If their partner dies, they will sometimes take another mate, depending on a couple factors, like their age (older birds are less likely to do so) and potentially available mates. These birds usually stay in the same nest that they make with their mate for the duration of their lives. Ta'rukahl tend to nest in trees near and around inland bodies of water, but high enough to stay out of reach of hungry predators like the crocodiles even during the flooding season of summer.

Males usually engage in elaborate aerial courtship performances for the females, involving acrobatics and flight displays. When the male really wants to go the extra mile, he showcases his hunting skills for his potential bride.

Out of character note: On Playing a Ta'rukahl Kelvic: Ta'rukahl are considered rare and dire, and as such are playable as a Kelvic animal by special permission only through the Help Desk.