Cliff Rukh

The Cliff Rukh is an extremely large bird of prey that likes to nest in the crags of high mountains. While they are most often found within the mountain ranges where they nest, they will sometimes venture into other types of terrain that are nearby.

Until the Rhona performed the Ritual of Estrousal, the only place where Cliff Rukhs could be found was on the more remote mountains of the islands surrounding Cyradon. A side effect of the Ritual restored those long lost eggs to life, and quickly brought not only the eggs, but the newborn hatchlings to maturity as well. Thus there are now dozens of these large airborne predators soaring across the sky.

These birds have a 10' wingspan and a body that is generally about 4' in length. The average Cliff Rukh is amazingly strong for its size and can easily lift prey weighing up to 50 lbs, meaning that it is capable of carrying off small children when hungry. The Cliff Rukh is not above stealing food from other Rukh, or attacking other animals in order to steal their food. Normally, there will be only one Cliff Rukh within a given 50 mile radius. However, the sudden birthing caused by the Ritual has left the skies above Cyradon teeming with dozens of these creatures, all of which are ravenous.

#4300 Cyradon, page 157