Predation
Named after Anzú, a feathered demon in ancient Mesopotamian mythology, these large oviraptors resemble giant, demonic birds. They grow up to 10 feet (3 m) tall and 11 feet (3.5 m) long, and can weigh as much as 660 pounds (300 kg). They have long tails, with feathers on their arms and tail, toothless beaks, and tall crests on top of their skull.
Largely herd animals, anzus mostly eat vegetation, small animals, and eggs. They communicate with each other (and sometimes with humans) via the tall bony crest upon their heads.
Scientific Name: Anzu wyliei
Common Name: Anzu, zuzu, Hell's chicken
Motive: Defense, protection, socialization
Environment: Natural habitat is humid, swampy floodplains along the Western Inland Seaway.
Domesticated anzus can be found anywhere there are humans.
Health: 21
Damage Inflicted: Moderate wound (4 points)
Movement: Long
Modifications: Speed defense as level 8 due to speed
Upgrades: Realizing that anzus are social and communicative creatures by nature, scientists began to experiment with "group" upgrades. The entire herd is given the same upgrade, perhaps one that lets them communicate over longer distances or one that allows a trainer to send mental images directly to the whole group at once. This makes them useful in remote attacks, "suicide" missions, and search-and-rescue.
Combat: An anzu uses its large, curved claws to slice and grab prey. They typically work in herds of two or three, with one attempting to distract prey while the others attack.
Interaction: Anzus have a language that is a combination of sounds, gestures, and the movements of their head crests. They are curious and smart, and left to their own devices, tend to explore rather than attack.
Use: The PCs are suddenly bombarded by a herd of anzus, which begin attacking under the direction of someone the characters can't see.
Loot: Long claws and brightly colored feathers that are coveted for use in various weapons, clothing, and jewelry.
GM Intrusion: An anzu is curious about one of the PCs' pieces of equipment and begins to peck at it, maybe even calling over the rest of its herd to check it out.