Askari (Bird Familiars)
by Marc Saindon"The swahili name for the red-billed oxpecker is Askari wa kifaru (the rhino's guard)" Oxpecker
With lineages or "races" such as Giff (Hippofolk) and Loxodon (Elephant-folk) a possibility in an African fantasy setting is that it would make sense that the oxpecker (called "Askari" in-game to both keep the Swahili vibe going and to prevent immature comments), as a bird, would be as omnipresent in some communities as our smartphones. Many would be semi-domesticated, and a lot would get upgraded as Familiars or animal companions by the appropriate classes (Wizards, Sorcerers, Rangers, Druids). Rakastas would perhaps be the exception to this practice, as feline instincts and a bird's danger sense would be ill-matched, but the practice could extend to Tangorian Humans as well. As messengers, they could reduce the problems of mountain travel.
A bit of the idea here is also to contrast the Serpent Peninsula (Small Humans train Large animals) with Large humanoids training small animals.
(Image from: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/9e/d3/c3/9ed3c3fc850a5fcebf0239d86b2ef9bb.jpg)