Post by Senior Pheonix on Jun 3, 2011 22:59:27 GMT -5
The Guardians
The simourvs are a native species to Pohono. They are large avian creatures, the smallest of which is the same size as a small whale or elephant. The plumage of simourvs often resemble the feather patterns of birds, and the social hierarchy of simourvs is constructed around the different color classes seen in simourv feathers. Simourvs have vaguely canine shaped heads, as their beaks resemble the muzzles of hyenas. They have large ears, feathered bodies, and four bird-like feet. Simourvs have two sets of horns, a smaller set in the front and a larger set in the back. The second set of horns are sometimes straight, but they also may curve. They have large feathered tails that are shaped like that of a bushbaby’s tail. Simourvs have hollow bones, and they are capable of flying long distances.
Able to communicate telepathically, simourvs usually communicate only to their own kind. They are also empathetic both to other creatures and also to the environment, the land they so fiercely protect. Even though simourvs fight valiantly for the protection of the land, they do not believe in needless bloodshed. Simourvs are omnivores, and they eat the giant nuts that are native to both the Northern and Southern continents of Pohono. They will also eat meat, either livestock or the meat of their normal enemies and prey the xymokoxi. Simourvs instinctually hate xymokoxi, and they will kill the lizards without much sympathy. Despite being extremely intelligent, simourvs have to constantly fight their animalistic instincts and feral tendencies. Simourvs have a natural sense of the natural order, especially their own order. They are in tune with the world around them, and simourvs are capable of understanding aspects of their world almost as through diffusion.
Once they reach sexual maturity, female simourvs rise into mating flights. Mature male simourvs chase the female in the air in order to win her affection and the chance to mate with her. The flight ends when the female is caught by one of the males, either by her choice or through his force. Female simourvs rise about one or two years, and green simourvs tend to rise more than their larger gray and tawny counterparts. Rainbow simourvs rarely rise, although they may rise every three or four years. Female simourvs reach sexual maturity and begin to rise at different times. Male simourvs reach sexual maturity at two years. The riders of the simourvs feel the affect of their simourvs’ lust, and the riders will seek out sexual situations, especially with the subject of their simourvs’ lust during flights. Sometimes a rider may favor a substitute. Because of the genetic organization of simourvs, inbreeding has little to no effect on their health, and it is not uncommon for family members to fly and breed with each other.
Because of the social hierarchy of simourvs, only grays and tawnies clutch. While Northern tawny simourvs will clutch every time they rise, but the Southern tawnies do not always clutch. Tawnies in the south will not clutch if there are multiple grays of clutching age in the Eyrie. Gray simourvs clutch between 10 – 28 eggs per clutch. Tawnies only have clutches of 1-3 eggs. Simourv eggs are brightly colored, which is part of the reason the species is struggling to survive. Xymokoxi enjoy the taste of simourv egg. While guesses as to color can be made based upon size, otherwise it is impossible to tell what color simourv will emerge from what egg based on appearance. Only gray eggs have a visible difference, as they are metallic. Eggs are laid two months after a simourv flight, and they hatch two months later.