We can fly! Valkyries of Endless Horizons

[Xeviat]

It's funny the things that get seed your thoughts and get your mind running. Here was mine from a few days ago: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYW5G2kbrKk

So, a very big pair of wings are needed to get something human size/weight into the air. I want Valkyrie, a bird-like race in my setting, to be taller than humans, to make them fit into the "big and strong" image I want them to project. It just works with the name, after all. But, they are birds, so they don't have to weigh as much as us. An average great horned owl is almost 2 feet tall ("long"), but it only weighs about 3 pounds; square-cube law means a 6 foot tall bird could be as light as 81 pounds!

The article that accompanies the youtube video above points out that the man's own muscles could only contribute 5% of the strength needed to generate lift. This means a Valkyrie is going to need tremendously strong pectoral and back muscles. But, weighing in at only 81 pounds means they may lack the leverage needed to truly utilize that strength for anything but flying; pushing against something heavier than you moves you more than the object. Additionally, their feather-lightness would suggest they're inherently fragile, what with hollow bones and all that.

Some of these issues can be solved by making the majority of them gliders; the mythos I have set up for them only requires them to be able to migrate, not be highly maneuverable flyers. Since my world is very magical, perhaps those that learn how to fly learn how to manipulate the air to let them fly. Tossing magic into the mix solves issues, but that always feels like a crutch; coming to grips with that might be something I'll have to do, since magic is a part of the world and should probably exist in one of the elementally attuned races.

Before I continue to ramble, here is the writeup for the Valkyries ...

[Xeviat]

Valkyrie
Winged, tall, feathered. Competitive, impatient, perceptive. The people of the sky, valkyries reside on the mountains of the world, spreading further and thinner than the other races. From there secluded homes, they sell themselves as mercenaries, and their sky cavalry earn much gold in the service of other races. Valkyries are a restless warrior people, and their wings insure that they travel far and wide. Many people believe all valkyries to be female, born from the sky itself; the reality is their males are quite rare and live protected and sheltered lives back home.

Appearance: Valkyries stand between 6 1/2 and 7 1/2 feet tall, weighing only 100 to 150 pounds. Males are considerably smaller, about six inches shorter and as much as twenty pounds lighter. Much of their weight is contained in their wings; when fully stretched, they reach near a twenty foot wingspan for the larger individuals, with some wing feathers reaching four feet in length. They possess long feathers on their wings and on the outer edge of their calves, with short thin feathers covering the rest of their body. Females come in dull colors, while males have brightly colored feathers. They have large eyes and their mouths protrude slightly in a snubbed beak, although skin and small feathers cover all but the beak's edge. Valkyries possess large muscular chests and well developed leg muscles. They still have two arms in addition to their wings, which end in three fingered talons. They walk on their toes, and their hands and feet are featherless and covered with large scales and bare skin.

Personality: Valkyries are highly curious and are naturally fast learners, though they are not known for long memories. They are also highly competitive, both within their own flocks and the community as a whole. Dominant valkyries are typically only able to rule over a small handful of individuals, as valkyries are deeply free spirited and dislike being told what to do. They trust their gut instincts and prefer impromptu decision making to planning. They dislike sitting still, and are far more content when they have something to amuse themselves, be it playing games, solving riddles, racing, or simply sparring. Their fights are mostly display, with threats and posturing to determine who would win, rather than risking actual injury.

Life: Valkyries are carnivorous, and they live off a mixture of livestock and hunted animals. They hatch from eggs, though almost half of all eggs never hatch and those that do are mostly female (nearly 10 to 1). They age quickly at first, having the ability to fly at 3 months and reaching full size in 8 years. They can then live on to approach 100 before they begin to lose feathers and grow old.
Adventurers: Many valkyries can be considered adventurers, from mercenary bands to those that migrate during the spring and autumn. True valkyrie heroes often adventure with something to prove, either to their flock, to their god, or to themselves. Adventuring males are rare, but it can often be a better life than that of an outcast; a sterile male is not afforded the plush life given to producing males.

Holy Valkyrie
Legends say that the valkyries were created by the Air Dragon, Daguil, in the cold southern Shattered Spine Mountains. To this day, for thousands of years, the holy valkyries have migrated to and from their birth place, spending the warm summers in the south while living out the chill winters with their secular cousins on the plateau of the Grand Spire Mountains. Their migration takes about one month, covering nearly five-thousand miles, northward at the start of fall and southward at the start of spring. The holy valkyries make up a small portion of the total valkyrie population, and all valkyrie priests are drawn from their numbers.

Appearance: Holy valkyries tend to be shorter than their cousins, but more of them possess the wing strength for perfect flight, so they tend to be stronger and broader. Females typically have gray feathers (though blacks do show up rarely), and their first three wing feathers on each wing are sky-blue; a male's feathers are bright blue, and shimmer with green in the light. Their short body feathers are thicker and downier, with tufts on their wrists and ankles. They wear wool tunics, with plunging backs to keep their wings free, dyed in blues and greens; long tunics are worn when at home, short ones for traveling.
Their faith requires them to wear little metal (since metal is born from the earth) so their jewelry is made of finely dyed and woven wools and leathers, such as intricate armbands, anklebands, and headbands. This also precludes them from wearing metal armor, and due to their flight restrictions they stick with cloth and leather armors. Holy valkyrie warriors favor the spear and the javelin; these are symbols of Daguil and weapons meant to keep their foes far.

Society: Leadership of the holy valkyries comes from their priesthood; the priesthood makes rulings that affect the society as a whole, while leaders of individual families enforce these rules. Much of holy valkyrie life surrounds their migration. They spend the end of spring and all of summer in their southern home. It is here that they raise their children; they lay a single egg just before migrating, ensuring that it hatches in their ancestral home. In the south, their day is dominated by periods of worship; rather than being ritualized, holy valkyries worship in their own personal ways, but flying the chaotic mountain winds is typically seen as the best way to be close to Daguil.
Holy valkyries group together in flocks: groups of females who are all related. Male children are separated from their mothers at the end of summer, and are instead raised by the priesthood; they belong to the entire community, and are considered to be gifts from Daguil. Mating is considered a religious act, and males also serve as priests. Female children who show magical potential are also taken by the priesthood and raised to be priests, though the final decision to become a priest is up to them. Aside from the priesthood, there are no castes within holy valkyrie society; each flock is largely self sufficient, and competition between flocks can be fierce.
When they are in the north for the fall and winter, they keep themselves somewhat separated from the highland valkyries. Their priesthood willingly advises and serves the whole. Particularly pious highland valkyries are allowed to mate with holy males in the winter, but their egg is kept by the priests. You must be born into the holy valkyries. Holy Valkyrie coloration is strongly dominant, so any children born of a highland and a holy parent will have holy colorations.

Names: Holy valkyries have a personal name and a flock name, but they typically use their flock name outside of their flock. Their personal names are typically compound names, describing winds or other weather phenomenon, such as Westwind, Swiftgale, or Springbreeze. When they become settled in a profession, they add a title in front of their name, such as Hunter (food producers), Guardian (warriors), or Hen (child caretakers). Priests and males all have the same family name, Urdaguile (of Daguile); lesser priests are titled 'sister', while elder priests are titled 'mother'; young males are titled 'son', while virile males are titled 'father'.

Adventurers: Holy valkyrie adventurers are rare; their society is very insulated. The majority of their adventurers are priests who are out on self-imposed holy quests. Others are exiled valkyries, who are tasked with performing a quest for Daguil to be let back in. Lastly, some males leave to take on a life of adventure if they dislike the pampered life other males lead.

Highland Valkyrie
When valkyries first had to leave their southern home in search of more space, the highland valkyries were those who chose to not travel back to the south during the summer. They are strong and competitive, with fiercely independent streaks and a tendency for showing off. When they aren't at war, their warriors wander the lands as mercenaries in order to bring wealth back home. Highland valkyries have taken part of almost every war in Krellshah; they are not against fighting each other, so individual bands can often be found on both sides.

Appearance: Highland valkyries are taller than their cousins, though are often far leaner. Females have brown or brick red feathers, while males have bright red feathers; for both genders, their first three wing feathers are violet. They wear short tunics, with the backs exposed for their wings, typically in wools or leathers. Wealthy families are fond of spinning gold and silver thread into their clothes, and they also like flaunting exotic materials like silk and cotton. They have a love of jewelry, favoring bracelets and rings. Others dye their wing feathers with ornate colors. Warriors wear armor made with a patchwork of leather and gleaming plates, and they favor spears and other large two-handed weapons that afford them greater reach. Highland valkyrie mercenaries often wear armor or wield weapons from other cultures, as their travels take them all over the continent.

Society: Highland valkyries have no formal leadership outside of the matriarchs of each flock or the leaders of hunting parties and military flights. The closest thing to a governing body is a council made up of flock matriarchs, but this council is only called together during times of great upheaval that affects the majority of valkyries, such as an invasion or a big enough war that warrants the attention of the entire society. Each flock is as self sufficient as it can be; they possess their own hunters, their own warriors, their own hens, their own weavers, and their own shepherds. Some flocks are so well known for a profession that they train others, or sell their goods, creating some amount of a barter economy. Flocks also trade their males, since it is taboo for a male to be raised by his own family. Males are prized, especially virile males, and they are kept solely by their adopted flock. When the holy valkyries are away during the summer, the majority of highland valkyrie military flights are at home; during the winter, the flights are typically serving as mercenaries for other nations. When highland valkyries show magical prowess, holy valkyries often try to draw them into the priesthood, but most choose to stay and become magi or sorcerers.

Religion: While some highland valkyries are faithful to Daguil, the Air Dragon, they adhere to His tenants far less than their holy valkyrie cousins. They are more likely to worship their ancestors, or the local nature spirits, and rarely possess a formal priesthood. Those that are pious to Daguil often live in resentment of the inborn marks of honor that the holy valkyrie wear in their feather colors.
Names: A highland valkyrie has two names; a personal name and a flock name. Their personal name often includes a variant of the season in which they were born, most often spring or autumn. These names are typically compound names, with an adjective and the season, such as Windyautumn, Peacefulspring, or Noblesummer. They tend to use their flock name with those outside of their flock, and they use their profession as a title before their flock name.

Adventurers: The most common highland valkyrie adventurers are flights, groups of warriors who serve as mercenaries. If a flight suffers a number of casualties, the remaining members may begin adventuring with members of other races as they strive for vengeance. Other valkyrie adventurers are simply wanderers, sating their wanderlust and searching for challenges to overcome. Some males may often turn to a life of adventure, especially if they are not productive mates and thus lose their pampered status.