Peacock

Peacocks were a species of bird found in the Realms.

"...After all, a peacock was merely a pigeon with the right feathers added to its tail."

- Ulia Mannicci, the First Lady of Sumbria

Description
The shrieks of these birds sounded vaguely human-like.

History
Several decades prior to 1368 DR, an eccentric nobleman by the name of Lord Ceraut imported a small flock of peacocks to his estate in Furthinghome. As his estate fell into disrepair the peacocks made their way out into the countryside, until by 1368 DR they had grown to a large population that was breeding unrestrained. The peacocks continued to remain by 1372 DR and by that point had become so prominent that Furthinghome earned the alias "City of the Peacock."

In the mid–14 century DR, Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue sold individual peacock feathers for one gold piece each.

In the late-15 century DR, the Outer City of Baldur's Gate had a burgeoning peacock-breeding industry. Around that time the Helm and Cloak served peacock meat.

Homelands
Peacocks were one of the many species of bird kept within the fortress Sarahin's Garden of Delights. In Maztica, peacocks could be found in Payit. In Kara-tur, peacocks could be found throughout tropical forest regions and within the Valley of Wings.

Beyond the Prime Material plane, peacocks could be found in Siamorphe's divine realm in the House of the Triad.

Usages
Peacocks were one of the many exotic animals transported by caravans across the Endless Wastes.

In the town of Yhep, the attendants of the Open Oyster inn were known to fan patrons with peacock feathers.

Rumors & Legends
In the land of Kara-Tur, peacocks were often associated with foretelling the future. Some primitive tribes in Kara-Tur believed that there existed a mystic link between peacocks and some species of fish that were also associated with fortune telling.

Trivia

 * One of the three gates of the city of Dihliz was known as the Peacock Gate.
 * Peacocks were one of the many forms that gendruwo were capable of shapeshifting into.
 * The sultan of Sudolphoor had a summer home known as the Peacock House, named for the peacocks that he kept within its garden.
 * Members of the Pantheists across the Golden Gulf frequently referred to the citizens of the Pearl Cities as "peacocks" for their ostentatious clothes.
 * In the land of Zakhara, the spirits of some deceased took the form of spectral peacocks.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Assassin Mountain &bull; Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus
 * Novels
 * Viperhand &bull; Evermeet: Island of Elves &bull; Elfshadow &bull; Elfsong &bull; Star of Cursrah &bull; The Council of Blades &bull; The Sapphire Crescent &bull; The Best of the Realms III
 * Azure Bonds &bull; Cormyr: A Novel &bull; Dangerous Games &bull; The Council of Blades &bull; The Halls of Stormweather &bull; Timeless
 * Video Games
 * Baldur's Gate III
 * Baldur's Gate III
 * Baldur's Gate III