Rocs are gargantuan birds of prey that inhabit the highest mountains in warm and subtropical regions.
Description
Rocs are massive avians with feathers that are normally either dark brown or golden in color, although rare black, red, or white rocs are sometimes reported.[3]
From the head to the base of the tail, rocs are a minimum of 30 ft (9.1 m) long, and as much as 60 ft (18 m). Their wingspans are a staggering 80‒200 ft (24‒61 m),[1][3] and rocs weigh some 8,000 lb (3,600 kg).[3] Some rocs possess an over 200‑foot (61‑meter) wingspan, and dwarf all but the oldest dragons.[1]
Behavior
Rocs are massive birds of prey that are known to carry off very large prey, including cattle and horses,[3] elephants,[1][3] whales,[1] and even giants.[1] They typically live in warmer, mountainous regions, and dwell far apart from each other to avoid straining the supply of prey. Rocs hunt in a territory of about 10 mi (16,000 m) around their nest.[3]
Rocs are known to attack airships.[4]
Ecology
The lair of a roc is a vast nest of trees, branches, and the like. Its treasure is strewn about, for the creatures do not value treasure.[1][3]
Rocs are usually solitary, but are sometimes found in mated pairs.[3] Roc eggs are larger than a human.[1] Individual rocs can live for centuries.[1]
Rocs are sometimes tamed by cloud, storm, or sun giants.[1][5] Sun giants also use rocs as mounts.[6] However, giants are also often potential prey for wild rocs.[1] Asperi ("wind horses") dislike rocs.[7]
Lands
Rocs mainly dwell on the continents of Xen'drik and Argonnessen.[8][9] Their size, predatory nature, and flight capability make them one of the few threats to airships who venture into the continent of Xen'drik.[8]
On Xen'drik, rocs nest amidst the high branches of the Abandoned Orrery and jealously guard their eggs from predators or others who might threaten their eggs.[10]
Notable Rocs
- Kraa'ark Lors, a powerful awakened roc with control of storms who seeks to annihilate Stormreach.[11]
- On the continent of Argonnessen, dragon sorcerers fed a roc arcane power to create a spellwarped roc, before setting it loose in the Vast.[9] Several other spellwarped rocs exist in the vicinity of the Caged City of Vreen in the Vast.[12]
Appendix
See Also
External links
- Roc article at the Forgotten Realms Wiki, a wiki for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins (2014). Monster Manual (5th Edition). (Wizards of the Coast), p. 260. ISBN 978-0786965614.
- ↑ Mike Mearls, Stephen Schubert, and James Wyatt (2008). Monster Manual (4th edition). (Wizards of the Coast), p. 220. ISBN 0-7869-4852-3.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 215. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
- ↑ Keith Baker (2004/07/19). Heroic Journeys. Dragonshards. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2016/11/01. Retrieved on 2021/07/22.
- ↑ Keith Baker, Jason Bulmahn, & Amber Scott (2006). Secrets of Xen'drik. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 60. ISBN 0-7869-3916-8.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, Steve Winter, and Edward Bonny (September 2002). Monster Manual II. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 111. ISBN 0-7869-2873-5.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, Steve Winter, and Edward Bonny (September 2002). Monster Manual II. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 25. ISBN 0-7869-2873-5.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Keith Baker, Jason Bulmahn, & Amber Scott (2006). Secrets of Xen'drik. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 128. ISBN 0-7869-3916-8.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Keith Baker, Scott Fitzgerald Gray, Nicolas Logue, & Amber Scott (2007). Dragons of Eberron. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 67. ISBN 0-7869-4154-5.
- ↑ Keith Baker, Jason Bulmahn, & Amber Scott (2006). Secrets of Xen'drik. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 138. ISBN 0-7869-3916-8.
- ↑ Keith Baker, Nicolas Logue, James Desborough, C.A. Suleiman (2008). City of Stormreach. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 128. ISBN 0-7869-4803-5.
- ↑ Scott Fitzgerald Gray & Nicolas Logue (October 2007). “Lethal Locations: Dragons of Eberron”. In Chris Youngs ed. Dragon #360 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 29.