Red Reaver

Its stooped stance evoking a gorilla-like frame, this massive beast has six tiny eyes and atrophied wings.   Slow-witted but having a dangerous temper, red reavers are violent forces of nature. While red reavers don’t seek out fights, their territorial nature and tendency to misinterpret others’ actions make approaching one an exceedingly dangerous proposition. Despite this, they are easily distracted by beauty, becoming pacified by musical performances of sufficient quality.   Standing over 9 feet tall and weighing in excess of 4,000 pounds, they are solitary and savage predators. Red Reavers are gifted with immense strength, and despite the size of their tiny wings, they are capable of flight, leading most people to believe that the ability is supernatural. Red reavers actively avoid forming groups or communities with their own kind, and perhaps only tolerate the presence of other reavers when it is time to mate. Some sages claim they are asexual, but it is more likely they are hermaphrodites able to self-fertilize, and reproduce only rarely.   Red Reavers are very territorial, and form a bond with a region it regards as particularly beautiful or compelling. The reaver acts as a warden, rarely straying more than a mile away, and will violently defend the natural area from destructive outside influences. While reavers will generally ignore any people or creatures already residing within their bonded territory, they are automatically suspicious of interlopers. Most residents grow to accept its presence, and some humanoids believe their fierce guardian is a sign of favor from the gods. A Reaver’s bond may last from a few months to as long as 10 years, after which it may wander to a new territory.   Reavers are generally not openly hostile, and only attack if hungry, or if they feel that they or their territory are threatened. Once provoked, a reaver will likely fight until death, or until the threat is neutralized.