Tarkan

Tarkan — Classified as a Medium Threat and belonging to the reptile species, the Tarkan are large, pterodactyl-like flying creatures native exclusively to the Plagued Zone, their dark brown bodies streaked with green mossy lines and cracks that reflect their deep biological integration with the corrupted, toxic environment they call home — different breeds display varying patterns and color combinations, but all share the same long slender wings and beefy, powerful build. The Tarkan are so thoroughly adapted to the Plagued Zone's toxic atmosphere that they breathe it fluently and naturally, but this adaptation comes at a serious cost: when removed from the plagued air of their home region, Tarkans struggle to breathe, making them creatures that are fundamentally tethered to the corrupted environment that shaped them. They are herbivores, feeding off the plagued plants of their home zone, and in terms of temperament they are naturally passive and pack-oriented — content to live alongside their own kind without aggression unless provoked, at which point they become highly dangerous. Their intelligence sits roughly at the level of a horse, but notably, Tarkans possess the ability to understand emotion, which likely plays a significant role in how The Virethorian Empire has managed to tame and work with them so effectively. The Virethorians have elevated Tarkan domestication into a sophisticated military and transportation technology — carefully engineering jet engines, saddles, weapons mounts, and breathing apparatus directly onto the creatures, merging living biology with mechanical engineering to create the Tarkan Jet, a hybrid aerial vehicle that serves the empire in battle, transport, and as a weapons platform, representing one of the most unique and formidable military assets in all of Baroque.