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| Emre | Kingfisher | Skyfisher | ’Wari | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Climate/Terrain: | Tropical, subtropical, and temperate/Plain | Tropical, subtropical, and temperate/Plain, forest, and hill | Tropical, subtropical, and temperate/Mountain and hill | Tropical, subtropical, and temperate/Plain |
| Frequency: | Rare | Uncommon | Uncommon | Rare |
| Organization: | Flock | Flock | Flock | Flock |
| Activity Cycle: | Day | Day | Any | Day |
| Diet: | Herbivore | Carnivore | Carnivore | Herbivore |
| Intelligence: | Animal (1) | Animal (1) | High (13-14) | Animal (1) |
| Treasure: | Nil | Q | L,M,N,Q | Nil |
| Alignment: | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| No. Appearing: | 2-20 | 4-24 | 1-20 | 6-60 |
| Armor Class: | 7 | 5 | 3 | 6 |
| Movement: | 18, Fl 24 (C) | 1, Fl 36 (C) | 3, Fl 24 (C) | 15 |
| Hit Dice: | 3 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| THAC0: | 17 | 19 | 17 | 17 |
| No. of Attacks: | 1 | 1 | 1 or 2 | 2 or 1 |
| Damage/Attack: | 1-4 or 2-8 | 1-4 | 3-11 or 1-6/1-6 | 1-2/1-4 or 3-12 |
| Special Attacks: | Nil | Nil | Dive/Drop | Trample |
| Special Defenses: | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Magic Resistance: | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Size: | M (6’ tall) | M (4-5’ tall) | S (3-4’ tall) | M (6’ tall) |
| Morale: | Unsteady (7) | Unsteady (7) | Average (9) | Unsteady (7) |
| XP Value: | 120 | 35 | 270 | 65 |
Among Krynn’s rich variety of bird life are the ostrich-like emre, the ominous kingfisher, the intelligent skyfisher, and the foraging ’wari.
Both the emre and ’wari are ground-dwelling birds, though the emre can become airborne for up to one turn. The emre has a plump body covered with white feathers, a long neck, bulging blue eyes, and thick, clawed feet. The ’wari is a bulkier version of the emre, with bronze, gold, or blue feathers. The kingfisher has a crested head, short legs, and a long, pointed bill; it is deep blue or bluish gray with a white chest. The skyfisher looks like a cross between a giant bat and a vulture, black or gray in color, with long, dangling legs and a sharp beak.
Combat: The emre, kingfisher, and ’wari are all relatively harmless. Each can make beak attacks, and the emre and ’wari can strike with their clawed feet. When spooked by loud noises or the odor of blood, ’waries can stampede. Those caught in the path of stampeding ’wari suffer 3d4 points of damage per round.
The skyfisher is the most dangerous of these birds. It can attack with either its beak or talons, but not both in the same round. It can dive for its first attack, gaining a +2 bonus to its attack roll and doubling the damage inflicted. Each time the skyfisher hits with its claws, the victim must roll a Dexterity check to try to avoid the bird’s grip. If the victim fails the check, he is carried aloft for 1d4 rounds and then dropped. Damage from the fall is 1d6 points for each round aloft. A skyfisher drops its prey if it receives 10 points of damage. It cannot lift prey in excess of 200 pounds.
Habitat/Society: All of these birds live in flocks. They lay 2d4 eggs once a year. The emre and ’wari range over a few square miles, while the migratory kingfishers and skyfishers range over much larger areas. The intelligent skyfishers collect a variety of shiny treasure items. Kingfishers prefer gems.
Ecology: Emre and ’wari forage for insects, grams, and small rodents. These birds are favorite prey for wolves and other meateaters (’wari are so dumb that they allow wolves to mingle among them). Kingfishers spear fish with their beaks, while skyfishers eat rabbits and other small mammals. Primitive tribes domesticate emre as mounts. Many cultures believe skyfishers are omens of war and death.
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