The Immortal Naturalist's Guide to Cryptic Creatures: The Elephant Bird

This post is part of the Immortal Naturalist's Guide series. The explanation for that series can be found in this post.

    Standing forty feet tall and spending its days roaming the hills of the Crusty Mountains is the Elephant Bird, one of the most voracious creatures in the world. The Elephant Bird spends its days roaming the mountains, consuming all of the fruit and foliage that seems even remotely edible. It eats more than even a creature of its size ought to, even, but it does not seem to be harmed by this constant eating. Eating is what this beast does best, however. It uses its trunk to grab and shovel food into its mouth as it walks through the hills and cliffs of the Crusty Mountains. The Elephant Bird never sleeps, only eats, and spends most of its time in the densest forests where the trees are even taller than the bird. Following its trail is difficult due to the dense forest it sticks to and the rugged mountain terrain, and the creature is quick to run away with its long legs.

    Although the creature's tusks look like they would make formidable melee weapons, they are actually used to generate magical beams of energy which the Elephant Bird Fires at aggressors. The few times I saw the creature use its magical defenses, its targets underwent strange, horrific changes that left them dead instantly. It is, however, easy to avoid the notice of such a large creature, and it does not seem to give much mind to what goes in its mouth, so I suspect that the Elephant Bird could be easily captured or given a massive dose of sleeping potion for up-close study. 

    Given their magical nature, I have reason to believe that the Elephant Bird's tusks would regrow if removed, and while it would not be able to use its magic until then, the creature is large and powerful enough to defend itself in the mean time. The tusks, in turn, ought to maintain some of their magical properties after harvest, and could be carved into powerful weapons. I know of precious few craftspeople with the skill to work such a material without having the effect turn on them, but they would charge a hefty fee.