FASA 365 Day 298, Horoc.
Colossal, Regal, Ludicrous Wingspan
A Horoc is a bird of legend, they’re mostly seen via drawings but those that live in the South of Samsut territory see one rarely from time to time, they are assumed to number in the low tens these days. They appear as a colossal cross between a bald eagle and a macaw. The face is that of an eagle, a carnivorous bird of prey, the beak is discreetly serrated for maintaining a strong grip on large, heavy creatures, and its eyes focus more forward than most birds. The bird’s plumage is multi-coloured and brilliant, like that of a parrot, and it features the long tail feathers of a macaw and is capable of mimicking sounds too, though they often sound far more powerful and sinister, instead being used as a fear tactic rather than a lure. Its claws are large enough to rend a beast of burden in two. Its neck is deceptively long and can extend forward that it appears, looking like a vulture when fully extended, helping it reach food on the ground.
Every Horoc that has confirmed sightings are tracked by the Samsut, many are named and their size and other markers of identity are noted. Telling from one Horoc to another is easy as their plumage varies greatly, their size varies greatly too. The largest of recorded Horoc’s is given the name “Grandmother” and features a one-hundred meter wingspan and is often observed far to the south, it travels north into the deserts, hunting Burrowing-Demons and snatching them from the ground when they emerge and carrying them away.
Written by 1879 writer, Dan George