Adult Female
Name: unnamed
Species: Vogelhond
Birthday: Monday, November 16, 2015
Owner: zylle
Element: Neutral 
Vogelhonds have been domesticated for many centuries in Alveus. Once revered as imperial guardians, now they are a common site in households as pets or work animals, gifted with both an agreeable nature and the ability to sense magic as a dog would smells. They are much like large hounds in build, sturdy and fleet, able to easily keep up with a horse over short journeys. They generally eat meat but may take grain and vegetables if meat is scarce, and don't need to eat often. Alveans claim that a vogelhond is the best animal to have at your side when travelling through unknown lands, for they can easily defend themselves and their owner using strong bills and powerful claws. Magi from the west used to take vogelhonds with them during trips to the wilds of Foenara, Taggelisk, and Tetzcotal, all the more so for their help in finding new magical discoveries. Vogelhonds don't seem to mind noxious magic, even in quantities that would normally make non-magical animals nervous.
Vogelhonds are bred in Alveus as companion animals to hunters and wealthy dignitaries alike, popular for their intelligence and friendliness. Though their sense of smell is poor compared to dogs, they have an extra sense that allows them to detect the presence of magic. They are precise enough in this ability to hunt even in the magic-riddled lands still damaged from the magewars, and are essential in efforts to restore these regions. This power can be used in a variety of ways. During the magewars and shortly after, vogelhonds were bred to search out magi among the Alvean states, but since then, they have been used more often to search for magical creatures in places so disturbed that regular dogs become disoriented. Sometimes landowners will use a vogelhond to determine areas of magical contamination, and then cordon those off from their main estate. Because these bird-dogs can distinguish between many different types of magics, Alveans concerned with restoring contaminated areas take vogelhonds with them to determine what sort of magic is infecting an area, which will determine how they deal with it.
Sprite art: Tekla (adult) | Description: PKGriffin