Thunderbird

The Thunderbird was a beast of phenomenal power created by Ashalla. She was a gargantuan bird with the wind in her voice, thunder in her wings and lightning in her feathers. She lorded over the Great Hooflands from her roost on Mount Chop. She was mated to the Phoenix and gave birth to the pyrgerakia. She was killed in battle against Azadine.

## Appearance

The Thunderbird is a gargantuan bird, rivalling the largest of the mega-fauna roaming the Great Hooflands in size. Her feathers are midnight blue, save for two long cosmetic azure feathers which trail behind her eyes. Lightning crackles across her feathers. Her talons and beak are strong and sharp. Her eyes glow white-blue, like lightning.

## Abilities

The Thunderbird's wing-beats create powerful thunder. When hunting, this thunder is used to stun prey. Thunder heralds the Thunderbird's approach.

The Thunderbird's body is electrified. Electrical arcs constantly crackle between her feathers and the surrounding environment. When hunting, this electricity is channelled through her talons or beak to electrocute her prey, swiftly incapacitating and killing even large creatures. The Thunderbird is unharmed by lightning, the electricity instead accumulating in her feathers before discharging.

The Thunderbird's voice carries the force of a powerful gale. She is loud when she speaks and can blow over things which aren't too heavy or rooted to the ground, although this ability is less potent than her thunder and lightning.

The Thunderbird has a strong affinity for storms. She knows when storms are coming and can ride the wind of a storm to aid her own flight.

The Thunderbird has a beak and talons which are very strong and sharp.

The Thunderbird's feathers burn with blinding bright light if set on fire.

The Thunderbird possesses only bestial intelligence. Her instincts are that of an apex predator. She also has a nesting instinct, because she is an egg-layer and can lay fertile eggs after mating with another legendary avian.

## History

The Thunderbird was created by Ashalla during the Age of Monsters to compete with the mega-fauna created by Kirron in the Great Hooflands. She established her nest on Mount Chop, overlooking the northern part of the Great Hooflands. Within this nest is the Box of Orchestration, which she was commanded to guard by Ashalla.

It was not long after that the Phoenix arrived at Mount Chop and the Thunderbird challenges him to a territorial battle. The Phoenix was victorious, gaining the Thunderbird's admiration and respect, feelings the Phoenix already had towards the Thunderbird. They courted then mated, producing a clutch of eggs. While these eggs were being incubated, the Phoenix was called away by his master. The Thunderbird raised these offspring, pyrgerakia, until they were old enough to spread across Atokhekwoi. Around this time Ashalla returned to take the Box of Orchestration away and also to bless the pyrgerakia.

Over the many years which followed, the Phoenix returned to the Thunderbird's nest and they produced more offspring. When the armies of Desolation marched against Galbar, Ashalla called the Thunderbird to fly south to confront them. She battled against Azadine and her reaper spawn, and although she killed Azadine the Thunderbird was mortally wounded and died. Her death was mourned by the Phoenix, who cremated her body. Some of her feathers were scattered into the wind.

## References

1. ↑ Ashalla creates the Thunderbird - https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/4869528
2. ↑ The Phoenix and Thunderbird meet - https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/4871342
3. ↑ The Thunderbird raises the pyrgerakia and is visited by Ashalla. - https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/4877203
4. ↑ The Thunderbird is called by Ashalla to fly south - https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/4973732
5. ↑ The Thunderbird fights Azadine and they kill each other - https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5043085
6. ↑ The Phoenix cremates the Thunderbird - https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5043276