#btw i know i got another anon about ilya but i'm waiting until i can draw the visual anon supplied... it was fun

[ranticore]

What is the story behind the swan harpy the people need to know!!!!

he's like... the most favourite of the all-king of a massive coastal and oceanic flock. not the same as the big flock cuinn comes from, this one is mainly represented by herbivorous water birds and shorebirds, who gather in massive numbers all along the very complex northern coast of the continent. they migrate further north to the arctic regions during summer.

he is a tiercel and relatively satisfied with his role. as the favourite of an all-king he basically has a ruling position over the other tiercels of the subordinate kings, and also a ruling position over the subordinate kings - technically he is below them in the hierarchy, but he is aware that in real terms, he can make demands of everyone - including his own all-king, since kings are supposed to fulfil their tiercels' every need - and expect the demands to be followed. in this sort of flock, with potentially thousands of members and various kings all with their own factions jockeying for power, a skilled communicator and diplomat would be necessary to keep things running and prevent the flock from splitting into warring factions. i imagine this swan guy in that role; not in an official capacity, but as a quiet guiding hand behind many political events in the flock, all for its benefit. so then i thought what might change for him if his respected king was replaced suddenly by someone not quite so respectable, and how hard this swan would have to work to keep everything from falling apart.

i wanna think more about different cultural practices vs the eyrie and flock we've already seen the most of (thunder strike's). i did originally think about tiercels who willingly clip their wings as a gesture of dedication and faith in their kings but this doesn't really gel with a migratory lifestyle lol so i can save that for someone else