Caladrius

### Summary

Sacred white birds who can absord all diseases to heal someone and restore them to perfect health.

**Caladrius** (pl. **Caladrii**) is a race of bird-like monsters that are raised and trained by the Catholic Church to act as healers for exorcists who require immediate treatment.

## Overview

The **caladrius**, according to Roman mythology, is a snow-white bird that lives in the king's house. It is said to be able to take the sickness into itself and then fly away, dispersing the sickness and healing both itself and the sick person.

The caladrius legend formed part of medieval bestiary materials, which typically provided a Christian moralization for the animals they discussed.

## Summary

Caladrii are monsters in the form of white birds that are bred and trained by the Catholic Church, specifically by the Vatican, to act as emergency healers for high-ranked exorcists in dire need of immediate treatment.

No one truly knows when they were created or who created them, though the medieval bestiary where they were first mentioned dated their creation back to the days of ancient Rome. In addition, due to their healing powers, many believed them to have a connection to the phoenixes in Greek mythology and with the medicine god Vejovis, the Roman counterpart of the Greek god Ascelpius.

When the Roman Empire began to crumble and Christianity started to gain more and more power and influence, both in the mundane world and in the supernatural world, one of the earliest popes decided to employ the caladrii into their services, using their power to heal exorcists in critical need of treatment.

By the 14th-century, the majority of religious institutions within the Christian Faction already had several caladrii within their keep. As the centuries went on, the monarchy began to weaken, caladrii began to lose their natural habitats in the castles and palaces where the royalty lived, and they began to inhabit hallowed grounds, especially in churches and monasteries.

## Appearance

Caladrius appear as a small white bird that is only slightly larger than the average dove. It is described as looking like a hawk with elongated tail feathers which swipe the floor wherever it walks. The sounds a caladrius makes is stated to be like a scratched blackboard.

## Characteristics

Caladrii are a type of bird monsters from Roman mythology known for inhabiting the houses and palaces of royalty, though many also choose to inhabit hallowed grounds, with Catholic churches being the most prominent one. They often travel from one place to another, exchanging nests and eggs and mates with other caladrii, though when it dies, it will use all of its remaining magical power to teleport itself back into its original nest to die, before its body slowly disintegrates into fine chalk-like powder.

They are known for their powerful healing powers, which allow them to reduce all the diseases, injuries, and even curses of others before absorbing them into themselves and flying off into the sun, where all the absorbed curses and diseases are destroyed and itself is healed into its optimal health. However, if the patient's time is over, the caladrius will refuse to look into their eyes, as it knows there is nothing it can do to save them. Because of its healing powers, caladrii are considered by many to be similar to phoenixes.

Unlike their supposed "cousins", they aren't arrogant creatures who pride themselves above gods and men. Because of that, many healers and medicinal gods from across the supernatural world prefer them much more, as they aren't "arrogant pricks". The largest nest of caladrii outside of the Vatican is on Mount Olympus, in the courtyard of the royal infirmary where they are treated by Asclepius' two daughters, Aceso - Goddess of the Healing Process, and Aegle - Goddess of Good Health.

The average lifespan of a caladrius vary from 350 to 500 years, and as time goes on, its body becomes more fragile and their healing powers weaken to the point where at the end of its days, They also mate for life and only go into heat once every decade and stop entirely when they are above 200 years old, which in addition to their naturally low birth-rate, make them a rare species even among the rare monsters.

## Population

Caladrii are extremely rare monsters and have been considered an endangered species since the late 14th-century. Because of this, there have been many legislations created in order to protect it from extinction, mostly by the Vatican, who employ its service to heal their exorcists, and by the Twelve Olympians, who lead the Greco-Roman Mythology that they originated from.

According to Xenovia, only large and influential churches within the Catholic Church have caladrii of their own, as well as the needed equipment to properly take care of them.

## Trivia

* For unknown reasons, they extremely hate ducks.
* Its meat is extremely poisonous and tastes like rotten human flesh.
* While they are herbivores, the liver of those diagnosed with jaundice is the caladrii's favorite.
* Caladrius' egg shells are powerful ingredients used in Healing Magic.
* No one knows who created the first caladrius, with theories ranging from the Moirai to Zeus to Apollo and/or Asclepius.
* It has been depicted in art as many different birds, such as swans, doves, herons, plovers, seagulls...
* Due to its association with Jesus Christ in the medieval period, it has been used as an anti-semitic symbol by describing how, because the jews didn't believe, the Caladrius (Jesus) turned its face from them and toward the gentiles instead, taking away and carrying their sins.