The Weekly Offworlder

Owls of Veratar

Of all the flying creatures of Rynaga, owls have proved to be the most endearing and useful to its peoples. In fact almost every family keeps owls for messaging, scouting, fishing, hunting, playing or even protection. They've become extensions of the family structure to a great degree. Here are some of the most common breeds found throughout the land of Veratar:

Glade Owl – Glade owls are known for their distinctive screeching, which takes place for an hour every day around dusk. They're white with grey spots and have a tuft on their heads that makes it look as if they have a single horn. These owls live on fish and tiny carapid.

Silentwood Owl – This abundant species comes in many colors and sizes. However, all have small manes and ear tufts resembling small horns. Silentwood owls mate for life and hunt in pairs. Because they hunt in teams of two, they are emboldened to attack larger prey at times, bringing down smaller deer with ease.

Ocean Owl – Ocean owls stand about three feet tall and have a wing span that reaches 10 - 12 feet, making them one of the largest owl species known. They're usually white with blue pinions and green eyes. While ocean owls are rarely tamed, they're quite friendly. They've been known to land on traveling ships to rest their weary wings.

Trinket Owl – The most commonly kept owl, trinket owls are trained messengers. While these playful little owls measure out at 1 foot tall when fully grown and have a wingspan of under 4 feet, they are one of the most durable creatures in Veratar. With the help of air currents high up in the atmosphere they have been known to travel great distances in a small amount of time. trinket owls are also adept at swimming and traversing storms.


Lylean Owl – Thus, hunters and wood keepers of the land use lylean owls for tracking down prey and scouting. This is mostly due to their solid build and almost non-existent need for sleep. Lylean owls have a keen sense of their surroundings and are able to sense danger from afar, another trait that comes in handy for their handlers.

I grew up seeing images of owls in National Geographic magazine and on TV during Nature documentaries on PBS. The great impression these creatures left on me as an Earth child has not waned in recent years.

-Safe travels!