Roc [Al-Qadim]

Wings and back are usually green or gold, females have snowy breasts, and beaks range from ivory to brass. Wing-tip edges mark the species, matched by the males' crests: crimson for the common roc, azure for the great roc, jet for the two-headed roc. Pure white, black or red rocs are near-legendary. A common roc is about 60 feet long with a 120-foot span; a great roc reaches 120 feet with a 270-foot span. The two-headed roc is common-sized, but its two smarter, evil heads are unmistakable. Clever rocs talk in a roc tongue and the common trade tongue of the desert lands, and can convey orders to lesser rocs.

Rocs fight to eat or to guard nests, and a full one usually avoids an equal or stronger foe. They hunt from 300 to 500 feet, with eyes that see through dust storms, sea spray, low fog and shallow water.

All species dive with claws, seize the prey (65% chance to pin the arms, stopping spellcasting) and fly home, biting as needed. A sudden swoop gives -5 on surprise, but not on repeat passes. Common and two-headed rocs claw for 3d6, and two hits give a 95% chance to lift prey up to size Huge (25 feet). Great rocs claw for 4d6, lifting a Large or smaller victim with either claw at will, and have a 95% chance to lift a Gigantic one with both claws.

A captive that fights back is bitten for 4d6. A roc holds on until it loses 25% of its starting hit points, then a morale check decides whether it flees. It prefers the bigger target (the camel, not its rider), and any roc can grab a pair standing no more than 10 feet apart; a two-headed roc can split its bites or its claws between two such targets.

Great and two-headed rocs fight cleverly, scattering shepherds before eating the flock, and drop boulders as 'nutcrackers' on ships and buildings for 3d10; any struck ship, tower or wall is destroyed unless it saves vs. crushing blow. The two-headed breed drops two per round.

They haunt mountains and remote rocky islands where big prey abounds, such as ranges near the fallen kingdoms and a large southern island. Nests of branches and whole trees top the highest point in a 10-mile-radius territory, so nests stand 20 or more miles apart. Each defends its ground against other rocs (mates excepted) and large fliers such as dragons.

A nest has a 15% chance of young: on 1d100, 01-50 means 1d4+1 eggs and 51-00 means 1d4+1 hatchlings (4 HD, AC 10, no attacks). Parents defend them to the death (morale fearless, 18) at +1 to attack, and at six months the young gain adult statistics. Rocs eat shortly after sunrise, at noon and an hour ahead of sunset, plus midafternoon when feeding chicks. Prey is ground in a stone-filled gizzard and coughed up for the young; raise dead chances are unaffected, but recovery is long and unpleasant.

Great rocs treat humanoids haughtily and tire of them fast. Two-headed rocs are sly and might aid villainy that promises many dead herd beasts. Treasure is just glitter to rocs: male two-headed rocs decorate nests to win mates, preferring a gaudy cheap stone to a dull costly one, while the others leave pack-animal leftovers (tack, silks, rugs, garments, spices, perfume, camel bells, now and then a gem or ingot) strewn like trash.

They are hard to rear, though adventurers have raised chicks and sorcerers have bound rocs magically; a doubtful legend says a jann tribe near a great mountain range rides them. Ashore they hunt giants, camels, elephants, ankhegs and purple worms, and rarely ignore an unprotected human. At sea they snatch sharks, dolphins and elephant seals osprey-fashion; great rocs take whales, sea serpents, giant squid and kraken and attack ships, and paired common rocs may tackle a ship or dragon.

Eggs sell as curiosities and components for magical oils and potions. Common eggs are ivory, great roc eggs dappled turquoise and indigo, two-headed roc eggs jet black. A common egg brings 2d6 x 100 gp, a two-headed roc's double that, and a great roc's 2d6 x 400 gp. Chilled eggs never hatch but still sell as curiosities.