Of all the winged creatures on the surface of Caelereth, none is so mystical, beautiful, or wondrous as the Bird of Flames, the legendary Phoenix. This awe inspiring bird is rarely seen, and very little is known about its origins. Some strongly believe that it is a God's pet, let loose on the world now and again, to give the people a glimpse of a Gods' powers. Others swear by the fact that the Phoenix is, itself a God, the incarnation of Foiros, bringing peace to the righteous and swift retribution to the evil and corrupt. Still others say it is not more then a near extinct animal, no different from a swan or dove. Whatever the case, the Phoenix is the rise of many tales and poems, and the few people that claim to  have caught a glimpse of this extraordinary bird, seem to be blessed living long and prosperous lives, or cursed, and soon find horrific ways to die. Some pass it off a coincidence, but...

Image Description. The most mystical and most beautiful of all winged beasts - the Phoenix. Picture drawn by Enayla.

Appearance. The Phoenix is breathtaking to say the least. Its large size only enhances its beauty, as it soars and dives in the sky. Its feathers are composed entirely of fire; its tail feathers orange and deep yellow, and its body mostly dark orange, red and crimson. Other then the feathers of fire, the Phoenix has other defining features. The huge talons are razor sharp and could easily skewer several men. They are quite comparable to the front legs of the Griffon, only they are in the more traditional place of birds. The talons themselves are about a half-foot long, three curved claws in front, and one larger jagged claw in the back. Another defining feature of the Bird of Flames is its head. The long and slender beak looks very traditional to most large birds, but its eyes are a much different story. They are deep set and shine of an intelligence that is undeniable, which is truly remarkable. There is no doubt that the majestic beast has hidden origins, an even more mysterious present, and a shrouded future.

Special Abilities. The Phoenix, despite its undeniable beauty, has a host of extraordinary abilities that make even the strongest of skeptics take note. The first and most obvious is its ability to control the amount of heat its own fiery body gives off. It can singe your sword to your face at great distances, or allow you to pet its great feathers without so much as heat blister! As a branch of this ability, the Phoenix can also propel huge streams of fire by bringing the large wings together.

Another maybe less known ability of the Bird of Flames is its shrilling call. The Phoenix can shriek to the point that anything around it is brought to tears and can't hear clearly of days, or even weeks.

Lastly, the most amazing ability, is more of a myth then fact. This is because no one has ever seen a Phoenix die. The tale goes that when this wondrous bird comes to death, it turns to ash. The ash then ignites in golden fire, and the Phoenix is revived in its own sacred fire. To this end, the Phoenix is an immortal, never really dying, just reviving from its own remains. While this belief is widely held, no really evidence has been brought forward to prove the claim of immortality.

Territory. The Phoenix knows no borders and calls no one-place home. It lives all over Aér'aí'chán, as reported sightings have come from Cyhalloi all the way to Aeruillin. How any thing can be seen in so many places, so few times, only adds to its mystic and splendor.

Habitat/Behaviour. The sky is the only place that a Phoenix is comfortable in. It may occasionally land, to take a break, or to view the area at ground level, but it seems happiest when its great wings are spread, and it is diving and soaring in the clouds. That’s about all that is known about this creature's unique habits. The sky is were it loves to be, the heaves are it's domain.

Image Description. A fire spell inspired by the mythical beast of the phoenix. Picture from the game Mystical Empire, used with friendly permission, drawn by Quellion.

Diet. No one can say for sure what it is that a Phoenix sustains its self on, although as with every other aspect of its existence, there are many speculations. Some say that it feeds on smaller birds, and even larger ones, like the Gryph or the Griffon. Some go even so far as to say that the Phoenix eats dragons, as dragon corpses have been found striped of all flesh. Others say that it eats fire, noting the fact that the bird's self is composed of flames. Still others say that it feeds of the kind and pure thoughts of the people of Aér'aí'chán, as it brings joy into their lives. As with all other aspects of the Phoenix's existence, nonoe of these theories can be proved, nor disproved.

Mating. Again only ideas can be put forward on the mating habits of the Phoenix. If you believe it to be a God, then how does a God mate? If you believe it to be a bird, then the female Phoenix would make a nest and lay eggs. If you believe the Phoenix is an immortal being then it is all alone. No matter what you hold true, one will never find out the truth.

Myth/Lore. As you may have gathered, nothing about the Phoenix is known for sure, the only thing that the people have to go on are tales and myths. Though many would argue that theses poems and stories are only fiction, made for the purposes of entertaining young and old, all myths and legends are based on truth. In fact the Phoenix is such a well know and respected creature that The House of Eithar, in the old Voldarian Ruling Council took it as their house crest. The following is a poem that talks about the true origins of the Phoenix: