Parrot

Parrots, or "pair-rots", as eloquently put by Volothamp Geddarm, was a collective name giver to a variety of exotic brightly-colored, sometimes talking, birds, native to South Faerûn, Maztica, and as far as Malatra or Kara-Tur.

"But think of the parrot, Gultec. Think of the bright feathers, the strong wings, the sharp, hooked beak, the powerful claws. Think of these things!"

- Zochimaloc, the ruler of Tulom-Itzi

Description
Parrots varied in size but most had brightly-colored plumage, of brilliant greens, reds, golds, and blues, large strong wings, and sharp talons and beaks.

Abilities
Parrots' four-toed claws allowed them to hold and use relatively small or light magic items, such as rings, wands, or other enchanted knickknacks. This, along with their ability to speak or parrot languages, made them a popular creature to be domesticated, trained, or made into a familiar.

Ecology
Maztican parrots counted numerous bright species of birds, abundant in most regions of the continent, including Payit and Palul. Parrots were trained, as well as hunted for their meat and plumage, used in Maztican pluma magic and pluma weaving. Maztican humans used snares to capture birds with their precious feathers undamaged.

Smaller species of yellow-feathered parrots inhabited the hot lands of Thay, nesting around the rivers in willow trees of the First Escarpment. Halruaa was home to several species of parrots, most capable of imitation of human speech, and sometimes even intelligent birds were somewhat common. One notable species had almost floral-patterned plumage of pinks and yellows and was intelligent, sometimes used as messenger birds by the nation's wizards.

Further south, red-plumed parrots could be found on the Malatran Plateau, along with their smaller multi-colored cousins. And the Katakoro Plateau of the Hordelands to the east was home to a species of parrot.

Parrots were among creatures that could be linked with by many wizards and all half-elves as their familiar creature, while pirates of the Nelanther Isles and the Sea of Fallen Stars often trained pet parrots as companions.

Usages
Barbarians of the southern lands sometimes used parrot feathers as decorations. The quills from parrots could also be fashioned into good hairpins, and colorful parrot feathers could be sold as a commodity in the lands where these birds were exotic. Each feather could be valued at one to four silver coins there. Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue sold parrot feathers in its Tailor's Corner section for three silver pieces per feather.

Parrot feathers also could be used in fletching, making good quality arrows.

History
Aliah, the famously beautiful princess of Payit in Maztica, wore a cascading floating cape of blue, green, and red parrot feathers during the marriage ceremony to her half-brother, Xetl. The wedding ended in tragedy, and her death signaled the end of the Golden Age of Payit.

During his venture to Samarach in the, famed author Volothamp Geddarm sought to purchase an exotic creature known as "pair-rots". He was unable to acquire one from the town's markets after being barred entry following a "misunderstanding" over something he called "powdered beard of Elminster". Volo loved the idea of a talking pet and though it would make a grand companion.

Notable Species

 * Macaw, big, bright, and loud parrots found in Dambrath, Calim Empire, and Maztica.
 * Parakeet, small yellow-feathered boisterous bird found in the Malatran Plateau and Zakhara.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Tomb of Annihilation
 * Murder in Baldur's Gate
 * Novels
 * Ironhelm &bull; Viperhand &bull; Feathered Dragon &bull; Red Magic &bull; Escape from Undermountain &bull; The Nether Scroll &bull; Star of Cursrah &bull; The Floodgate
 * The Ring of Winter &bull; Dangerous Games &bull; Black Wolf &bull; The Yellow Silk
 * Video Games
 * Neverwinter Nights: Pirates of the Sword Coast &bull; Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir &bull; Neverwinter Nights: Darkness over Daggerford
 * Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn
 * Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
 * The Courage of a Coward &bull; Masks of the Dohi-ri &bull; Come the Tiger &bull; Once Broken
 * Day of the Saru
 * Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
 * The Courage of a Coward &bull; Masks of the Dohi-ri &bull; Come the Tiger &bull; Once Broken
 * Day of the Saru
 * Day of the Saru