Skycre
Skycres are the native scavengers of Malakath. They are noted for their horrifically ugly appearances and the general stench of death that follows them wherever they go. They congregate in flocks called griefs around any festering or fresh kill they can find. They get the majority of their meals for free and are known for hanging around the lairs and territories of Moriteres to pick at the carcasses they leave behind. Their sense of smell is so great that they can smell festering flesh from miles away.
Skycres are covered in toxin-filled spines and wiry hair that is more often than not stained in blood and viscera. A set of bony plates lines their spine while their head is crowned in small horns. Their forelimbs end in very large, recurved talons that are nimble enough to manipulate objects and strong enough to carry heavy loads. Their wings are broad, flat, and longish - enabling them to soar and glide for hours with little effort. Griefs of them have been seen lazily circling the skies on warm updrafts between valleys. Their tails are bald, like a rats, and prehensile - they primarily use them for balance when on land and for extra security when perched up high. You may catch a skycre carrying something with its tail while aloft.
Do not trust a growing grief. When congregated in numbers, skycres have been known to flock on a living target and viciously tear it apart. Just because they can. They have a habit of perching out of range and watching the progress of their target for hours on end, the resulting madness of their quarry has been given the name "grief sickness" across Malakath.
Not much is known about skycres so far as their breeding or husbandry culture goes. They keep roosts in the higher elevations within large dens or caves, and have even been found sleeping in underground Moritere tunnels. No one has actually ever seen a baby skycres and no one knows if they give live birth or lay eggs. They have been found across all manner of biomes and regions of Malakath, save the very cold and snowy heights of the mountains. Skycres can be found active during all times of the day, in darkness and in light.
Fully-grown skycres are large enough and strong enough to easily grab an adult human (or two) and carry them off. They have been known to grab smaller creatures and fly them to great heights, just to drop them to their deaths for a quick and easy meal if nothing easier presents itself.
Attributes:
- Spines cover their body that ooze toxins that can debilitate smaller creatures
- Horned heads
- Plated spines
- Bald, prehensile tails
- Broad, flat, long wings meant for climbing to great heights, carrying weight, and gliding effortlessly
- Recurved talons on all four limbs
- Strong, sharp beaks meant for crunching bone and ripping flesh
- Keen eyes
- Exceptionally superior sense of smell
- Overwhelming, rancid stench
Weaknesses:
- Terrified of fire
- Slow flyers, easy to track
- Vulnerable bodies - they have no protection aside from their spines and talons
- Rather stupid in general, easy to outwit
- Slow reflexes
- No known hierarchy - they will scrap with one another over a carcass to feed
- Will readily kill and eat one another if their numbers grow too great
Useful Information:
- Skycre spines and toxins have been collected by locals and used for lacing weapons and making poisons
- Skycre talons and skulls are a collectable commodity
- Skycre feathers make superb fletching for arrows
- Skycre griefs are seen as bad omens and readily avoided
- Many have tried to tame skycres, but have found them to be too dumb to train