Flash Crows
Flash Crows aren't just another bird, they're an elemental force! They look like an hawk crossed with a raven but they're built to tangle with dragons and ships. Your little dinky run abouts prow to stern don't equal their wing spans and they've got claws like great swords! We're lucky though they're wicked smart and speak our lingo. So while they might be able to pull our ships out of the sky, they mostly don't though will charge you a tax if you're dumb enough to come near their eerie. Convincing a Flash Crow to escort you is tough but it can be done, they're picky in who they work with and each one has a different taste. They like music a lot that much I know, and know the value of coin. I do know that they hold grudges like no other, if your a sailor and you piss of a Flash Crow well you better not go near their territory ever again. If your a captain and you make that kind of enemy, you might as well retire. The Flash Crows will bring storms on you, they'll bring misery to your ship and crew and if you don't get the message then one dark night you'll wander out to check up on your ship, and then you'll be gone with only the faint whistle of feathers. Flash Crows have some sorta religion, some belief about those who are unfit to lead taking up space in the sky, as I don't speak bird I don't know the full details but it's something they don't stomach. The reason Flash Crows are important though is they can chase away storms and even if a storm gets the better of em they can help you ride it out. Lightning proof and with enough mass to push through gusts, in the gloom you can see electricity dancing on their feathers it's like a beacon when your out there, they can guide you through and keep you out the worst. I'm told they can hear lightning, not thunder, but the sparks and lightning that's not fired yet that horrible copper sting you can about taste, they hear it like we hear the creak of the ship and rustle of wind.
Basic Information
Anatomy
These vast creatures have the look of Raptor like birds but are closer in social structure and demeanour to Corvids. They are vast flying creatures and use elements of magic to help them stay aloft, much as dragons do. They are notable in that their feathers are highly conductive, their quills are highly prized by inventors who experiment with electricity and smiths sometimes use them in forging steel, finding that the blades become unnaturally strong.
The Flash Crows are imposing creatures and while limited by their form are completely intelligent, able to engage with other races in Reef. They have never mastered true speech, though are reasonable mimics so can engage in simple exchanges.
Flash Crows can send out electrical discharges, and this is most often connected to making there wings 'Flash' in part how they get their name.
Ecology and Habitats
They have specific Eeries these collections of birds are very well hidden, no one knows the extent of these eeries but most appear to be built into the tunnels beneath the Isle of Rasht, or in the high tops of The Skyreach forest. These tend to be collections of up to 50 birds.
The birds tend to spend many hours sedate and almost in state of suspended animation to conserve their energy. Many only wake when a big storm rolls in so they can pull in the lightning to fuel themselves.
They do eat on occasion but are only carnivores, for them eating is an event and they tend to only eat what they've hunted. This helps them grow their feathers and is especially important for the young.
Dietary Needs and Habits
The Flash Crows are nearly entirely supported by electrical forces, this energy promotes chemical changes in their bodies. As biological batteries they slowly wind down the power they collect from lightning and charged winds as they consume this energy.
They do need water and meats to help them be physically fit but this is not the source of their daily energy, and only the young regularly eat.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
The Flash Crows can detect electromagnetic fields and can also generate them. This power is used in every part of their lives, what little they make is from ferrous metals teased into shape, they watch storms and can even somewhat affect those with a lot of charge, and finally they use it to communicate. Their language is almost entirely silent to others and uses subtle interactions to convey a lot of information. This requires them to be relatively close so for longer distance communication they do screech or use flashes of lightning.
Origin/Ancestry
Joined Reef in last 500 years from a visited world
Geographic Distribution
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