Veskari

**Behavior** | Territorial and Predatory

## Introduction to the Veskari

The **Veskari**, "Windborn," are the inhabitants of *Zalakriva* in the *Takatoriv* Range. They are a race anthropomorphic avians closely resembling golden eagles. Their origins have scant to no evidence due to difficulty collecting any ancient treasures that are most likely hidden below centuries of snow and ice, regardless they have found myriads inscriptions written on cave walls in early dialects that would later become the *Natarizalak.* With little information they simply believed to have been born of the wind, as adequately represented in the meaning of **Veskari**. But such belief only falls into conclusions of belief.

The **Veskari** are a non-hybrid race due to their singular similarity to golden eagles. Many of the traits gained from golden eagles are compromised between anthropomorphic traits. These traits vary in the amount of compromise, the most prevalent example of this is the anatomical structure of the **Veskari** wing. The wing composes of a split carpometacarpus, the bone used to form the actual wing. This split is provides the index finger that the **Veskari** use in conjunction with their developed thumb. Beyond that there are a myriad of compromised traits from anatomical to genetic, and even psychological.

## The Origins of the Veskari

With insufficient physical evidence of any sort of predecessor race or any kind of outward spread there has been little to nothing that suggests that the **Veskari** have not been in the *Takatoriv Range* to begin with. The only evidence they could find was very old inscriptions on the walls of some valleys or in some old glacial caves. These inscriptions are very old dialects that would later become the *Natarizalak.* These date back to around the Neolithic times and could only be assumed to have been used as identification for hunting grounds or as an identification of a home. Many of these old inscriptions became names of the regions and the towns they hold. *Veshazia* for example was a large hunting ground being that it consisted primarily of forest on the valley floor. What is most confusing, however, was how the **Veskari** became scattered and isolated from each other. In some old inscriptions there was what was described as the "Grand Shock" or *Krivekri*, which destroyed all of the ancient establishments, burying them under both stone from landslides and ice from avalanches. During this near cataclysmic event, one can assume, surviving groups were displaced into separate valleys, thus leading to the development of the *Eleven City-States.* Beyond those few records there is no more, unless the old ruins would be excavated from beneath the stone and ice.

From a more religious aspect in their idea of their fruition, they commonly take the meaning of their race's name into account. **Veskari**, meaning "Windborn" was taken as a solid belief since they seemed to be well made to take use of the wind, especially in their flight capabilities. Beyond that they almost seemed to have been made perfectly to match the *Takatoriv Range's* challenges, but they fully recognize wind is what aids their survival bringing well needed rain. On the other side the believe the wind can be as relentless as it is graceful, bringing storms of great power, causing precarious situations. With this they at a early stage understood weather and its actions, but also the concept of universal balance. Summers are bountiful, however, Winters are demanding. This is the basic idea behind said universal balance.

## Anatomical Characteristics

### Skeletal System

Most anatomically compromised bones are those that differ greatly from each other, in this case there are seven. The seven compromised are the skull, vertebrae column, sternum (keel), ribs, arms (wings), legs, and feet (talons). The compromise can vary between the dimensions of the appropriating bone or the location of specific bones. One very important overall characteristic of the anatomical structure is that the majority of the bones are pneumatized or hollow, decreasing the overall weight of the structure, but also making them fairly brittle without reinforcements.

To begin with the skull is compromised in the location of certain pieces and dimensions. The front portion of the skull resembles predominately eagle-like structure being that it composes of a hooked beak, the forward nasal cavity, and the long mandible (lower jaw) that runs to the masseter (pivot point) near the location of the vertebrae connection point, What differs is the dimension of the cranium, primarily it is larger in the back of the skull and slightly higher in general. Another difference is the location of the vertebrae connection, which is much closer to the masseter. One minor difference also is that the is that the eyes sockes are panned to place the eyes in a way to provide binocular vision.

From the skull the vertebral column continues down the body, the basis is that its overall structure is anthropomorphic, thus allowing for a straight poster. The adaptions, however, are that the overall vertebrae are less thick but also longer. This increases their average height to more than the anthropomorphic average. An addition to the vertebral column is found in the caudal (tail) vertebrae, the vertebrae that forms the tail of most animals. Another notable feature is the cervical (neck) vertebrae hold a slightly larger portion of the vertebral column, creating a slightly longer neck.

In the torso region there is two large parts that form the torso, the sternum (keel) and the ribs. There is a large contrast between these two features shown in a negative correlation of dimensions, as one increases in size the other shrinks. In the mater, birds in general have a sternum of such great size that it forms a keel, a large almost breastplate-like feature with a sharp protruding edge. Seeing as how the Veskari compromise between the keel and the normal anthropomorphic rib size one can assume that they meet somewhere at the midway proportion. A smaller bird-like keel, with a smaller than anthropomorphic rib cage attached to it and reinforced with an uncinate progression (barbs that connect ribs) to give the ribs more structural integrity.

One of the largest, most noticeable features are the **Veskaries'** wings. They very closely represent their eagle counterpart, however, there is a small anthropomorphic influence being the development of an index finger and a thumb. The rest of the hand could not be developed due to their involvement in the structure of the wing by their implementation into the carpometacarpus, the combination of the carpals (the wrist) and the metacarpals (knuckles). The result being a slightly shorter overall wing-length yet at the gain of ergonomic capabilities. These phalanges, however, are not at the end of the arm since the wing continues on from the carpometacarpus meaning that they are about halfway down the wing.

Finally the leg and foot structure. In simple terms this structure would be referred to as digit-grade or the equivalent to walking on toes. However, the birds digit-grade structure was meant to support frontward weight due to their posture. In this scenario the **Veskaries'**digit-grade structure has been adapted to their anthropomorphic posture meaning that the femur is longer than usual for a bird in order to place the tibia and fibula further behind the creature in order to compensate for the center of mass. From the tibia and fibula the leg continues to form the tarsometatarsus, the combination of the tarsal (ankle) and the metatarsal (foot bones). Then at the bottom of the tarsometatarsus the digits or toes are placed. This digits form talons and are arranged in an anisodactyl formation, three phalanges in front, and one in the back.

### Muscular System

There is no remarkable differences in muscular composistion besides the muscles that are formed around the keel, and the other avian components. The muscles found around the keel weigh around less than 25% of **Veskaries'**weight while in flight. These muscles, the breast and pectoral muscles, compensate for that weight in pure strength by propelling a **Veskari** in flight. Another powerful muscle, that weighs under 35% percent of the body weight combined with the pectorals, is the supracoracoideus (muscle underneath the pectorals). This muscle helps with **Veskari** flight, as it is used to pull up the wing post of a stroke.

As for the more minor muscles, there are skin muscles used to adjust feathers so that a **Veskari** can manuever easier in flight. The pygostyle muscle in the tail also helps with flight control, by operating the movement of the tail feathers and the tail itself.

### Integumentary System

A very minor, yet notable part of the **Veskari** are the scales on its two wing phalanges and their feet. There are three different scales differing in purpose, they are the cancella, scutella, and scutes scales. The cancella are small scales used to harden the skin. The scutella are scales slightly smaller than the scutes and are used to cover the cuadal (below) portion metatarsus (mid-foot) . The scutes are the largest scales covering the anterior (forward) portion as well as the dorsal (back) portion of the digits (toes).

The more noticable part of the integumentary system is the beak. The beak consists of the two skeletal projections that form its base, yet the beak itself is made from keratin (the material found in scales), forming an epidermis called the rhamphotheca.

### Respiratory System

The **Veskari** respiratory is that of one very similar to a bird's respiratory system. They have no diaphragm to force air in out of the lungs, thus the oxygen is channeled by a series of air sacks which act as propellant to form a kind of constant current. The intake of this system begins from the nares of the beak, however, it should be known that there is no distinguishable intake because as an intake is taking place an exhale is happening at the same time. This means that they are always in a state of exhaling, being that is also a constant flow there is no noticable breaths beside air calmly drifting in and out of the respiratory system. As this is a current the gas exhange is further more efficent with none of the old carbon dioxide rich air blending with the new oxygen rich air, this means that the partial pressure of the system is equivalant to the exterior enviroment. Meaning that they have no diffulty breathing at differing heights, as the air intake automatically adjusts to the air pressure of the enviroment.

### Circulatory System

The circulatory system is very similar to its anthropomorphic counterpart, however, the prime difference lies in the contents of the blood. As a result they have a larger amount of hemoglobin (the protien for carrying oxygen in the body) in their bloodstream, this primarily an adaption taken from living at high altitudes with less avaliable oxygen. This has no adverse effect at lower altitudes only meaning they have improved oxygen intake for their bloodstream, not requiring as much as normal anthropomorphic creatures.

### Digestive System

The digestive system of a **Veskari** is similar to the anthropomorphic system, besides two factors. The most notable difference is the fact that when food is digested it is not always grinded due to the nature of having a beak rather than a jaw with teeth. Since the food could be all kinds of sizes and shapes, at the bottom of the esophagus there is a crop where food temporarily held so that it can flow with regulation through the rest of the digestive tract. From the crop the food will go to a gizzard which is a muscled stomach that grinds down food, from there it is similar to an anthropomorpic digestive system.