dragon-magic-oef

STRATEGIES
AND TACTICS
Huitzils are curious animals that prefer observation
to combat. Easily distracted and insatiably
nosy, huitzils often wander into civilized areas
to investigate and lay claim to any small object left
unattended. Like other birds, huitzils flee if pursued
by humans or other larger animals, but most return
to their exploration once they believe it is safe to do
so. Small flocks of huitzils have been known to do
slight structural damage when panicked or scared,
but for the most part, they simply sit back and watch.
If directly attacked, a huitzil makes every attempt
to flee to safety, only lashing out with its talons as a
means to dissuade pursuit. In the rare cases of huitzil
attacks, most victims are found to have provoked or
antagonized the creature in some way.
Huitzil
CHAPTER 4
DRACONIC
BEASTS
SAMPLE ENCOUNTER
Huitzils prefer to stay far away from conflict while
still getting a good glimpse of any valuables left
unattended.
The Great Huitzil Caper (EL 2): A trio of huitzils
work together to steal a shiny bauble from any travelers
foolish enough to set up camp within their
territory. Two huitzils attack a tent or other stationary
object (such as a wagon or crate), squawking loudly
and thrashing about to draw the attention of camp
members. When the travelers move to investigate, a
third huitzil dashes in and whisks away a trinket or
shiny object, and then all three flee to safety to ogle
their new prize.
ECOLOGY
Like other drakken, huitzils have draconic blood that
has been diluted to the point where they are merely normal
Illus. by J. Zhange
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HUITZIL LORE
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (nature) can learn more
about huitzils. When a character makes a skill check, the following
lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs.
Knowledge (nature)
DC Result
11 Huitzils are flying animals with draconic blood far back
in their ancestry, capable of amazing feats of flight.
16 Huitzils are notoriously curious and have a penchant
for theft, making it a bad idea to leave objects unattended
when huitzil are known to be nearby.
21 Domesticated huitzils can be trained to take advantage
of their love of shiny trinkets and are often kept by
thieves that use the animals to retrieve hard-to-reach
items.
26 Some wizards use huitzils as familiars, relying on the
creatures’ quickness to deliver touch spells.
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animals with draconic features. No other drakken
more closely resembles a dragon than the huitzil,
which scholars believe resulted from the pairing of a
bat or bird with an ancient dragon. Huitzils are mostly harmless,
if a bit annoying for lazy travelers who do not keep a neat
camp, as their insatiable curiosity usually leads to the theft of
anything left unattended. Like raccoons and crows, they favor
shiny objects that can be carried off with ease. Additionally,
huitzil males try to steal such items to prove their worthiness
as mates, establishing alpha status by bringing back bigger
and better treasures. After a successful theft, a male huitzil
usually stands atop its prize and squawks loudly, flapping its
wings to attract potential mates to see the object.
Huitzils are social creatures that travel in flocks of up to one
hundred. Powerful and maneuverable fliers, they typically
subsist on fruits that grow high in tall trees or, on occasion,
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