Rickirr

Female Rickirrukk

History

Domesticated around 2000 BC by herders in what would later become Conmarra Nation, they were originally trained as flock guardians. It is believed that the rickirr were once four foot tall opportunistic predators, using their sharp teeth to eat eggs and small mammals. Pyracani trained the rickirr to attack and kill the humongous insects that plagued their flocks, and used their steel tools to break open the insects so that the rickirr could feed. By 0 CE, Pyracani were riding rickirr for keeping their herds in line, and 742 CE holds the first recorded instance of using the rickirr as a war mount. Since the giant insects they once protected against have long since gone extinct and rickirr feed consists almost totally of stringy jerky and occasional rat treats, rickirr are used only rarely in herding, and are mostly used in rural areas for transport or as pets. That said, they have been used for war as recently as 2499, when a crippled Pyracan frigate sent two rickirr riders through an enemy boarding tube, eviscerating over twenty Hiver-coerced marines before being killed.

Breeding

Breeding of rickirr has become an industry, with regulatory boards imposing standards on specific breeds. Rickirr breeding has gone in five main directions: plumage, temperament, speed, jumping ability and battle readiness. Some breeds exist merely as ornamental creatures for ceremonial guards and dignitaries, with standards not having changed in over six hundred years, while some breeders constantly evolve and stretch the physical limits of the working breeds. Some breeders breed the rickirr as pets, and these can be extremely gentle. Mutts are often found in many rural areas, and can be a mix of any of these features.

Plumage Breeds

Rickirraii

• History: Standardized in 1688 CE as the symbol of the Murrnainn dynasty in Aureus, they epitomized the Murrnainns’ projected image of a sleek combination of beauty and deadliness. While a few bloodlines still keep up the original Rickirraii’s huge toe claw and killer instinct, the vast majority have been bred as harmless status symbols of the wealthy and a source of expensive feather goods since the downfall of the Murrnainns in 1874.
• Description: Sleek and lithe with an energetic demeanor, they stand between six and a half and seven feet tall. Females have black skin and dark metallic purple plumage with black wingtips and tail. Males have black skin with a bright metallic purple head and dark metallic purple body with black wingtips and tail. They have a hooked toe claw on each foot.

Rickirrupp

• History: The symbol of the massive Yir cult of Tuathaill from the late 1500’s until 1931 CE when Wurr Dourragh himself led the campaign to conquer Tuathaill Nation. The conquering force proceeded to destroy all Rickirupps as they converted the population to the Path. According to legend, a lowly zikherd and his pack led twenty Rickirrupps up into the mountains in 1931, where they trained them to capture food. They survived there for twelve years when they were met by a High Pastor of the Supreme One. Praising them for their steadfast nature, he brought the pack down from the mountains and welcomed them into his congregation, using the story of their determination in his sermon a few nights later. Nowadays, Rickirrupps are raised by breeders in Tuathaill as mounts for escorting important individuals, and by a few breeders elsewhere as status symbols or for their feathers.
• Description: Stocky and muscular with narrow heads and an aloof manner, they stand between five and a half and six feet tall. Females have blue skin, a blue-black head with white upright upside-down comma between beak and eye and a blue-black stripe from the top of their bill to the back of their head. One to three small white dots are present near each ear. The blue-black head leads down to a gray-blue chest, and black or gray wings and tail. The males are the same, save for the fact that the blue-black portions are metallic blue and they have a white or metallic blue plume atop their heads.

Temperament Breeds

Rickirrekk

• History: Derived from the Rickirrupp and introduced to the public in 2107 CE by a lios-addicted Tuathaillian in need of money, this dishonorable beginning made their adoption by the public as pets for children a very reluctant one, and the Tuathaillian died in poverty before the breed really caught on. Its steadfast and loyal nature combined with its extreme docility won people over, however. Many wealthy Pyracani children today own Rickirrekks as pets, but many more austere Pyracani consider them frivolous, especially considering they can no longer serve any other purpose than pet.
• Description: Thick and squat with an extremely docile temperament and narrow heads, they stand little more than five feet in height, and are unsuitable for riding. Females have blue skin, with a white, gray or salt-and-pepper bottom of their head, black top, a dark chestnut, sienna, black or blue-black chest, light chestnut, apricot, blue-black or blue-gray body, and a gray or black tail. Male heads are covered in black and white stripes, and the tail has a metallic blue feather.

Rickirritt

• History: Derived from the legendary Nuall Rickirroon, this breed was standardized in 2024 CE shortly after a shipment of three hundred of them was brought to Aureus from Nuallainn by traders. Rickirritt enjoy games and puzzles, and are thought to be the most intelligent Rickirr breed. They get depressed if not given a lot of attention and a venue for getting their energy out, and thus make good pets for active Pyracani. As the second most common Rickirr breed, they are relatively inexpensive for most of the rural middle class who have the space to keep them.
• Description: Thin and stringy with a playful temperament and triangular heads, they stand between seven and eight feet in height. Females have brown skin, a fawn, apricot or red-brown head, a tan or brown neck, white or tan spotting on brown shoulders, and tan, brown or red-brown wings with dark brown tips. In males, the head and wingtips are a metallic bronze or copper, and the shoulder spotting can include bright red or orange spots.

Speed Breeds

Rickirrukk

• History: Developed in Ghirr Nation and derived from the now-extinct Rickirrutt, they were the first Rickirr board-standardized breed in 1611 CE, and were bred for long-distance running over the low hills and grasslands of Ghirr. In Rickirr racing, Rickirukks consistently win the six mile and over races, with sustained speeds of up to twenty miles an hour with a rider, and fifty without one. They are by far the most common breed of Rickirr due to their versatility, their hard-working natures and reliability.
• Description: Narrow and gangly with a businesslike air, they stand between six and a half and seven feet, with long, lithe legs. Females have gray skin, tan-brown heads with darker brown streaks behind the eye, brown bodies with a blue, purple or dark red feather, and the same color tail and crest. Males have a metallic blue, purple or dark red head, white chest, and white tail. They have a small hooked toe claw on each foot.

Rickirroon

• History: The gold standard in Rickirr, they have been used by the insular, primitive Nuall to help them chase down game since their introduction in the early 1500’s. They are known for being stubborn and difficult to work with for inexperienced riders, but for those with skill they are an extremely capable breed. Unofficial observations have clocked mounted Rickirroons going over seventy miles an hour in short bursts.
• Description: Stringy and lithe with triangular heads and an aloof personality, they stand between seven and seven and a half feet, with long, sleek legs. Females have brown skin, a gray, blue-gray or black head, a dappled brown or black over white neck and chest, white underside, gray wingtips and tail. Males have metallic silver or platinum heads, wingtips, and tails.

Jumping Breeds

Rickirrict

• History: Originally derived from the Rickirrukk by Dourragh forces in the early 1900’s to navigate uneven terrain during the process of unification, they are a scrappy and driven breed. In the late 2200’s, it was found that their coloration genes allowed for uniform coloration. After that, the number of colors of Rickirrict exploded as breeders tried to come up with the next new color. While there are only eight recognized colors for the breed, at least a dozen others exist. In the 2400’s, Rickirricts began to be bred for their jumping ability, and trainers began to compete in contests for leading their Rickirrict through complex obstacle courses. The record for Rickirrukk jumping is about eight feet vertically, and 28 feet horizontally.
• Description: Well-muscled with massive legs and an aggressive personality, they stand between six and a half and seven feet. Females have gray skin, and are uniformly apricot, fawn, white, black, brown, chestnut, blue-gray or gray. Males have light blue heads, white chests, and a white tail in addition to one of the aforementioned colors. They have a hooked toe claw on each foot.

War Breeds

Rickirriek

• History: Bred from the Rickirraii and recognized in 1761 CE, Conmarra Nation used a force of elite Rickirriek riders called the Riekki to defend its borders against both the Murrnainn empire and later against Dourragh invasion during Bonding. While Conmarra Nation eventually surrendered, the Riekki never lost a battle. As there have been no wars amidst Pyracani since Bonding Day, the Rickirriek has managed to stay alive in ceremonial forces, and later, stationed with Pyracani on Falari ships. After the Horgr Experiment in 2494 CE when the Hivers began taking strategic hostages and forcing others to fight in exchange for the hostages’ release, the military began stationing Rickirriek onboard many ships and ran an ad campaign demonstrating the damage one could do to flesh. This served as an extremely potent deterrent against the boarding of Pyracan ships. There are two strains of Rickirriek, a miniature breed of about five feet tall, unsuitable for riding but suitable for ship combat, and the original extremely large version, some topping eight feet in height.
• Description: Strong and thick with an alert and high-spirited personality, they stand between seven and a half and eight feet tall. Females have black skin, a white body, black wingtips and a white tail with black spotting near the tips. Males sport a metallic purple streak behind each eye, as well as in their wingtips and tail. They have a large, wicked hooked toe claw on each foot.