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Lore Wiki » Epic Weeks » Epic Week 2023 » Research Library » Struth

The Struth are a race of flightless, bipedal bird-people, native to the Struthian Isle. They have strong migratory instincts, which has led many of them to become travelers and adventurers.

Moa is the best known Struth on the RPR.

A family of Struth people walking over the water on the rainbow bridge. There are two mothers, and one child. One of the mothers holds the hand of the chick, while the other waves at someone not visible in the panel as if glad to see them.

Physical appearance

Struth are humanoids. Their appearance can vary somewhat, but they typically have a crest of feathers on their head in place of hair. They have vestigial "wing" feathers coming from the backs of their arms. They are flightless, walking on strong bird-legs. Some Struth have an actual beak, while others have more human mouths but exhibit "beaky" noses or chins. Their feathers can be a variety of colors. Some have taloned fingers.

Life cycle & reproduction

The Struth are not mammals, and lay eggs to reproduce. Their reproductive cycle is inextricably linked with the Struthian Isle, and eggs laid in other locations almost never hatch.

The Struth say that they were once regular birds, but the magic of the Struthian Isle transformed them into the people that they are now.

This has led to a rumor that when the Struth lay eggs on the mainland, if they do hatch, they are more likely to be regular birds than they are to be Struth.

Struth often feel the urge to migrate, and will travel the mainland until they are ready to start a family.

Life expectancy

Struth people have a typical life expectancy of 75 to 80 years, but in rare cases, some have been known to live to 200 and beyond. Which individuals will be long-lived can often be predicted by examining Struth eggs "under the pink light of sunset" and looking for an oily sheen on the shell. Struth children who hatch from these eggs are very likely to be robustly healthy, strong and long-lived, and the Struth believe this is a mark of the Genres giving a special blessing to that child.

The oldest known Struth, Apteribis may be over 400 years old. Oral history holds that Apteribis’ egg was exceptionally shiny and beautiful.

Trivia

  • The name Struth comes from the RL taxonomy family Struthionidae, a group of flightless birds containing extant ostriches and a number of extinct relatives.

Gallery

A struthian man with the typical feathers in place of hair, and wing feathers coming from his arms. He is walking down a cobblestone alley, carrying a bindle over his shoulder, looking a little dejected. A family of Struth people walking over the water on the rainbow bridge. There are two mothers, and one child. One of the mothers holds the hand of the chick, while the other waves at someone not visible in the panel as if glad to see them. Bird feet walking on a dusty plain. Moa has brown skin, age-lines on her face, a green dress and orange sash, both with geometric patterns on them. There are wing-feathers lining her arms, her nose has a "beaky" hook to it, her hair is actually a crown of reddish-brown feathers, and she has skinny bird legs. She is almost always pictured with a massive amount of inventory slung over her back, demonstrating that despite her apparent age and the skinniness of her legs, she has enormous strength. Apteribis the Struth sage, Moa, and the Elven scientist gaze at one of the prisms that is being repaired. They are on a beach, with palm trees waving in the breeze and surf lapping up the sandy shore.

Lore Wiki » Epic Weeks » Epic Week 2023 » Research Library » Struth