Klaeterhund

-SK-

Klaeterhund are a species of scavenging canine/avian monster that dwell along cliffsides and forested areas.

Physical Description

Biology

Klaeterhund are warm blooded mammals despite their avian features, and usually slightly smaller than the average adult human (5'7-ish)

Habitat

Klaeterhund prefer hot climates but will nest in any any kind of mountainous or cliffside biome. Settling in natural caves when available or otherwise carving out their own. When cliffsides are unavailable they will likely settle in large trees or dig out foxholes in sheltered locations.

Nests often house small family groups of roughly 2-12 depending on space and resources

Klaeterhund territories are usually quite large and often overlap with common travel routes or areas that are good for scavenging such as junkyards, orchards, and farms.

If the area is safe enough and can support it, Klaeterhund nests can be found relatively close to one another and form very crude settlements often reffered to as Roosts.

Diet

The Klae are semi omnivorous, eating whatever they can find at most times. However they prefer foods that are easy to swallow such as meat and soft foods.

Klae will usually either forage or scavenge for food, but those with the strength and skill for it are also capable of hunting small animals such as rodents, lizards, birds, and fish.

Reproduction

Female Klaeterhund give live birth to litters of 1-3 pups on average. Pregnancy lasts for about 7-9 months and they experience heat cycles at monthly intervals.

Pups are born blind and without feathers, looking like lumps of thin fur with patches of skin where their feathers will start to grow as they age. Klae are considered adults at around 25-30 years of age and have a lifespan of roughly 90-120 years.

Usually litters are raised by the entire family group, instead of their parents alone, and are raised with a strong family oriented value set.

Abilities and Magic

Klaeterhund magic is attributed to things like wayfinding, elemental wind magic, and divination. Usually manifesting as physical traits such as aura sensitive eyes, second sets of wings, or especially powerful senses.

Removing said physical traits will probably remove their ability to use said magic. Klae can also develop psychic based abilities such as levitation or telekinesis (as redundant as levitation is on a winged creature) However these abilities take a lot of time and effort to develop. And more often than not, Klae consider them a nuisance and sometimes abandon using them altogether.

Culture

Klaeterhund culture seems to revolve around their collective tendency to scavenge and borrow from other intelligent beings in their territory. A Klae's daily duties usually either involve scavenging, crafting, or foraging. All of which contribute to the collective enrichment of their flock.

They are a very social species among their own kind, showing off their creations and loot to one another either by accessorising themselves or by their practice of presenting gifts to those they are affectionate, loyal, or respectful to.

They are however generally a bit wary of other species (especially humans further from the monster spectrum) as they have in the past, been treated like pests, or unwanted members of society.

Klaeterhund hate wasting items with potential uses and tend to take anything left lying around unnatended. So long as (they think) it wont be missed too badly. Klae nests are often cluttered with collections of items ranging from odd socks and potato sacks to abandoned toys and spare buttons.

Each Klae tends to pick up a "collection" of things they find especially appealing to themselves and usually when introducing themselves they will show off their type of collection. Klae often consider what you own to be a show of who you are.

Giving a Klaeterhund a gift of its favorite type of item is considered very thoughtful gesture.

Aside from this Klae are not especially picky when it comes to resources and tend to have a rather "ill take what I can get" attitude, they also usually dont have a problem with digging through peoples trash to find useful items that have been tossed away.

Klae that live in cities or amongst other species are generally a bit more friendly and often make for reasonably good craftsfolk or simple mechanics such as toymakers or watch fixers. However they usually struggle with the stereotype of being devious theives due to their culture.

To the Klae, innovation, intelligence, and health are considered attractive qualities, while being unkempt, dim witted, and/or lazy are considered unnatractive.