Post by Redkitebait on Aug 13, 2015 17:38:09 GMT 1
Species name: Wailing Banshee
Class:
Physical Description:
The mountain banshee (like its smaller cousin, the forest banshee) is highly adapted for flight. Specially developed muscles attached to the breastbone allow for the powerful strokes needed to achieve lift.
Though reptilian in appearance, the banshee has a metabolism that is bird-like, and generates tremendous heat. The banshee has a complex cooling system to keep it from overheating during strenuous flying. The breathing system is central to this cooling. The air inlets, or spiracles, face forward at the front of the chest cavity, like the engine intakes of a jet fighter. Induction of air is controlled by a cartilaginous operculum, or flap-valve. The banshee lung is a bellows like structure, inflated by rib movement, but unlike the lungs of terrestrial animals, it has unidirectional flow, venting aft through gill-like slits.
Each large fore-wing has three Primary Vanes at its tips. These form like the wings of a dragon fly, by the extrusion of a resin into the veins of a flexible membrane, which unfurls then cures in the sun into a rigid transparent vane. These vanes are replaced through molting. The purpose of the vanes is to generate lift and to provide fine control in flight. They are also quite robust structures designed to fold inward if the wingtips hit tree limbs or other obstacles. They have a general wingspan of around 12 metres.
The smaller hind wing, or canard, plays a dual role in Banshee flight. In level flight, when large amounts of power are not required, the creature propels itself with the fore-wing and uses the canard as a tail-plane, for steering. When more power is needed, for take-off and climbing, or escape from an aerial predator such as the leonopteryx, the canard becomes an additional wing, flapping to provide propulsion.
The steering vane under the banshee’s lower jaw and the featherlike fan at the tip of the tail provide additional turning authority for high performance aerobatics. The banshee is highly maneuverable and can dive at speeds close to 140 knots.
Typical Behaviour:
Abilities:
A strong bite, piercing scream attack, sharp foreclaws
Shot Limit: 8
Drawbacks:
They are rather cumbersome on the ground, and have difficulty taking off from a flat area, favourably needing a short drop to gain lift. They are able to fly without one of their wing vanes, but any more than one missing will cause instability in flight. These are frequently moulted and regrown, however.
Their 'air intake' nostrils are a large target for a ranged attacker as it allows for an easy and close access to the heart.
Blind spot:
Training Methods:
Habitat: They are most common around elevated lands with towering cliffs. Most notable rookery of Wailing Banshees is situated at Itchy Armpit.
Diet: Mostly fish and sea birds. They love meat wrapped in scented leaves or pastry as a treat!
Created by: Redkitebait, inspired from James Cameron's Avatar
Sources: www.pandorapedia.com/fauna/mountain/banshee_mountain
Class:
Physical Description:
The mountain banshee (like its smaller cousin, the forest banshee) is highly adapted for flight. Specially developed muscles attached to the breastbone allow for the powerful strokes needed to achieve lift.
Though reptilian in appearance, the banshee has a metabolism that is bird-like, and generates tremendous heat. The banshee has a complex cooling system to keep it from overheating during strenuous flying. The breathing system is central to this cooling. The air inlets, or spiracles, face forward at the front of the chest cavity, like the engine intakes of a jet fighter. Induction of air is controlled by a cartilaginous operculum, or flap-valve. The banshee lung is a bellows like structure, inflated by rib movement, but unlike the lungs of terrestrial animals, it has unidirectional flow, venting aft through gill-like slits.
Each large fore-wing has three Primary Vanes at its tips. These form like the wings of a dragon fly, by the extrusion of a resin into the veins of a flexible membrane, which unfurls then cures in the sun into a rigid transparent vane. These vanes are replaced through molting. The purpose of the vanes is to generate lift and to provide fine control in flight. They are also quite robust structures designed to fold inward if the wingtips hit tree limbs or other obstacles. They have a general wingspan of around 12 metres.
The smaller hind wing, or canard, plays a dual role in Banshee flight. In level flight, when large amounts of power are not required, the creature propels itself with the fore-wing and uses the canard as a tail-plane, for steering. When more power is needed, for take-off and climbing, or escape from an aerial predator such as the leonopteryx, the canard becomes an additional wing, flapping to provide propulsion.
The steering vane under the banshee’s lower jaw and the featherlike fan at the tip of the tail provide additional turning authority for high performance aerobatics. The banshee is highly maneuverable and can dive at speeds close to 140 knots.
Typical Behaviour:
Abilities:
A strong bite, piercing scream attack, sharp foreclaws
Shot Limit: 8
Drawbacks:
They are rather cumbersome on the ground, and have difficulty taking off from a flat area, favourably needing a short drop to gain lift. They are able to fly without one of their wing vanes, but any more than one missing will cause instability in flight. These are frequently moulted and regrown, however.
Their 'air intake' nostrils are a large target for a ranged attacker as it allows for an easy and close access to the heart.
Blind spot:
Training Methods:
Habitat: They are most common around elevated lands with towering cliffs. Most notable rookery of Wailing Banshees is situated at Itchy Armpit.
Diet: Mostly fish and sea birds. They love meat wrapped in scented leaves or pastry as a treat!
Created by: Redkitebait, inspired from James Cameron's Avatar
Sources: www.pandorapedia.com/fauna/mountain/banshee_mountain
