Roc [Dark Sun]

These huge eagles have dark brown or grimy white feathers, measure 50 feet long and span up to 100 feet. Their crude language lets a pair alert each other to danger or, more often, to a meal.

Circling at about 3,000 feet, a roc dives silently, imposing -3 on surprise. Each talon deals 3d6; with two hits it carries the victim off 90% of the time, otherwise it usually lets go and tries again. Struggling prey is pecked for 5d6. A seized human, demihuman or humanoid has a 60% chance of both arms pinned, ruling out melee and somatic spells. It drops prey after losing 25% of its hit points, and can grab two targets standing no more than 10 feet apart.

Nests of trees and branches crown the highest reaches of a nearby mountain range, usually 50 or more miles apart. A nest has a 25% chance of 1d3+1 eggs, worth 2d6 x 100 ceramic pieces to rarity dealers or double that to trainers. Rocs defend nests to the death at +1 to attack. Treasure is kill debris, perhaps caravan spices, rugs, perfume or jewels.

Rocs prey on pack insects, shellback lizards and scale-runners, and their spacing keeps them from emptying the land while they check big predators. Feathers are key to flying brooms and wings; one added to a fly spell extends it 1d20 rounds, and a perfect one lets a mage scribing fly scrolls get twice as many spells from the same ink. A slain roc rarely yields more than 1d20 perfect (spotless, undamaged) feathers.

Capture: bait with a staked animal, usually a scale-runner, hide giant nets under sand or magic, and throw them over the diving bird with ballista bolts or spells. Unless the captors are hidden by magic or psionics, the roc rolls surprise normally and, if not surprised, flies away. Its 24 Strength rips an ordinary net 95% of the time, ropes 1 inch or thicker 60%, and an all-cha'thrang net (hard to get in bulk) 40%.

Hatching: an egg needs three months of dry warmth (the DM judges how far along it is). The 5-foot chick, wingspan 13 feet, eats four large beasts daily for a year (careless trainers become meals). One person must feed it and talk to it for hours daily to bond. The bonded bird obeys only that trainer, lets no one ride without the trainer present, and will die defending its owner from six months old.

Taming an adult: it needs 200 pounds of meat a day minimum and eats double if allowed, so overfeed it. One keeper feeding and talking to it through the bars calms it in three months; two more and it accepts that keeper as rider. Adults never bond; friendship is the limit. Its trainer fits a custom saddle strapped under the chest and behind the legs (rider plus cargo, or up to 8 man-sized passengers) and starts with blinders. On the first flight, exemplary care permits a normal animal handling check (bonded riders get a 5-point bonus), worse care up to -10. Failure means an hour of bucking and diving per point missed; a rider who holds on is accepted.

Breaking: saddle a fresh captive and ride it out for 5d6+20 hours, clinging for four, then making an airborne riding check hourly. Animal handling checks start after six hours at -12, improving by 1 per three hours ridden; rolling under the rider's score breaks it. After 15 hours, riders need an hourly Constitution check to stay awake, or are carried home and eaten. Dwarf-human crossbreeds and mantis warriors are exempt, and speaking with animals halves the ride.

Use: two months teach attack on command. In harness its beak attacks are at -4 and the rider can only hang on, so it prefers to grab, climb and drop foes. A lance deals double damage to fliers and large ground foes; crossbows work well from a glide. It carries two 200-pound boulders unhindered, dropping each for 5d10 at -4 to hit. With one rider it hauls 1,000 pounds, or double at speed 36 and maneuverability E, and can be taught to fetch game.