Screeching Wing

The Screeching Wing was a small band of kir-lanan that laired at the Wailing Cliff, in the Deep Wastes. They were led by a powerful kir-lanan half-dragon called Phaikkul.

Organization
The group was led by Phaikkul, an imposing kir-lanan who would use subtle instruction and occasionally direct intimidation to keep her subordinates in check. Despite the iron-handed rule she kept over her clan, a number of kir-lanan had moved between the Howling Wing and Screeching Wing bands over the years, with both groups operating as a loose collection of followers rather than an unified force.

Ultimately, the Screeching Wing served the shadow dragon Glouroth, who laired near the top of the Wailing Cliff.

Activities
At the instruction of the shadow dragon, Glouroth, the Screeching Wing was responsible for extracting tribute from travelers of the Deep Wastes who sought to pass the Wailing Cliff. Any creatures that approached the top of the cliff and rung the large bell would be greeted by Phaikkul and her wing. Depending on the composition of the party approaching, the Screeching Wing would generally let Underdark dwellers pass in exchange for goods or coins worth at least 20 gp for each traveler.

Although most of the valuables the Screeching Wing collected from travelers were supposed to go to Glouroth, there were a few objects that they kept for themselves and Phaikkul hid in their cave.

Drow were exempt from this toll owing to a pact that Glouroth had with the dark elves of Maerimydra.

Tactics
Although Phaikkul kept her wing under tight control, if situations turned dire then she was not above abandoning them to shelter with her father. In this eventuality, the rest of the Screeching Wing would scatter throughout the cavern.

Base of operations
For the most part, the Screeching Wing laired in the cave just below Glouroth's in the Wailing Cliff, where they could react to any intruders who attempted to descend from the top.

Possessions
Each member of the Screeching Wing carried a unique magical item and some potions of inflict serious wounds.

In addition, within the Screeching Wing cave were stored a number of items and treasure skimmed from Glouroth's tributes. This included a cache filled with platinum, gold, and numerous pieces of jewellery.

Relationships

 * Glouroth: The Screeching Wing was subservient to the shadow dragon and would give the majority of the goods they retrieved from travelers to Glouroth. Their leader's heritage meant the Screeching Wing had a greater affinity to Glouroth.


 * Howling Wing: Since the division between Ghindul and Phaikkul, the two groups could barely co-exist. However, over the years membership had fluctuated between the two.


 * Drow: A pact enforced by Glouroth meant that the Screeching Wing were amicable with any drow that passed through their territory. The kir-lanan even knew a Maerimydran code phrase in case the drow needed their help.

History
At some point after 1358 DR, a group of kir-lanan came to the Wailing Cliff and fell into the service of Glouroth, a shadow dragon who laired there. Over the years, the kir-lanan operated as enforcers for Glouroth and offered up their gains to the dragon. Soon however, a brief dalliance with Glouroth caused a divide among the kir-lanan when his daughter, Phaikkul, was born. The kir-lanan of the Wailing Cliff split into two groups, the Howling Wing and the Screeching Wing, led by Ghindul and Phaikkul, respectively. Occasionally individual kir-lanan would shift between the two groups through the years.

By 1372 DR, these groups had settled into an uneasy relationship, with neither inclined to help out the other in battles. Although Phaikkul was arguably the more powerful leader, the natural suspicion of outsiders (even half-breeds) harbored by the kir-lanan meant that Ghindul's Howling Wing remained the larger of the two bands.

Members

 * Phaikkul

Appearances

 * City of the Spider Queen