Curseling Raven

"Every now and then I get some overzealous villager trying to kill me. A few curses from my feathered friend always sends the poor sods packing."
—Anonymous witch

The Curseling Raven, also called the Hexspite Raven or Witchcrow, is a species of corvid that dwells in the most dreary places on Haven. Known for its ability to cast a myriad of curses and hexes on those who spite them, the Curseling Raven is one of the most feared birds on Haven for its innate magical power. Some practitioners of magic, particularly those who dabble in darker arts, value the Curseling Raven as a familiar due to their intelligence and casting abilities.

Characteristics

Appearance

The Curseling Raven closely resembles other species of ravens, though it is considerably larger, being closer in size to vultures. Their bodies are covered in jet-black feathers, which shimmer like mirrors when casting one of their curses. Their hooked beaks and sharp talons allow them to easily peck and get at the juiciest morsels when scavenging a carcass, though they are also used for cracking open nuts and fruits. They also have much larger wings than other corvids, letting them soar for long distances in search of food or nesting sites. Their eyes shine with pale light, piercing through the darkness and letting them easily spot threats or potential meals.

Biology

Curseling Ravens passively gather magical energy around them, storing it in their bodies like other magically-sensitive beings. However, the ravens use it far more discreetly than most other magical creatures, casting curses and hexes instead of blasts of magic. At first, the afflicted will not realize they have been cursed, but they will eventually realize that something is wrong. Their bodies may become wracked with aches and pains, foods they eat may turn rotten at the touch, or they may find their friends and allies turning against them. The most powerful curses often result in the victim dying within a few days of being cursed, usually from heinous accidents.

As omnivores, Curseling Ravens will feed on just about anything from fruits, nuts, and grains to small mammals, reptiles, insects, and smaller birds. However, they do seem to prefer the taste of carrion, crowding around carasses when the opportunity presents itself. A group of Curseling Ravens can pick the corpse of an elk clean within an hour, leaving behind nothing but bleached bones. Travelers often use these bones as markers, letting others know that they are wandering into raven territory and should be careful.

Curseling Ravens mate for life, with the females laying their eggs at the beginning of autumn. The eggs hatch around a month later, with the newborn ravens spending the first few years of their lives with their parents. It is in this stage of life that they learn from their mother how to cast curses, though they often use this newfound ability to play pranks on their siblings. Once the young reach maturity, they leave the nest and search for others of their kind to form new covens, continuing the cycle.

Behavior

Unlike other corvids, who travel in large flocks, Curseling Ravens prefer to stay in small, tight-knit groups of no larger than seven individual birds, which are often referred to as covens. Curseling Raven covens typically inhabit dark coniferous forests, though some groups prefer to nest at graveyards. Graveyard covens are viewed with heavy superstition by most, the ravens intently watching any who enter their domain. Gravekeepers working in graveyards inhabited by Curseling Ravens sometimes find the birds following them home, leaving small bones by their windows or at their doors.

Curseling Ravens are some of the smartest birds on Haven, showing exceptional problem-solving and communication skills. This intelligence, combined with their magical abilities, has led some to believe that the ravens are sapient beings. However, this claim is hotly disputed due to the fact that Curseling Ravens do not seem to be able to choose specific curses at will, seemingly casting them at random. But they do know when someone has slighted them, singling them out as the target of their hatred.

Despite their reputation, Curseling Ravens are actually quite loyal and gentle to those they deem as friends. Mages who employ them as familiars will sometimes find their ravens bringing them gifts, usually old coins or shiny rocks. However, they are incredibly spiteful beings, holding grudges for years against those who have harmed them or their friends. Those who have earned the ire of a Curseling Raven rarely come out unscathed, and even then they may have nightmares lasting for months or develop a fear of birds as a result.

Curseling Ravens and People

The Curseling Raven is a rightly feared bird, especially by those living near their nesting sites. Superstitious peasants often leave offerings of food in the hopes that the ravens will leave them alone, with some being so desperate that they offer up their friends or family members. The birds happily accept these offerings, sometimes even going as far as to claim whole villages for themselves. Most communities claimed by Curseling Ravens begrudgingly accept their situation and try to live on as normal, though some take it a bit too far, forming cults that worship the ravens in an attempt to appease them.

Mages are a bit more accepting of Curseling Ravens than most, though they are keenly aware of the power the birds wield. Magic users who specialize in curses often seek the birds out to bind them as familiars, though this is a perilous task as attempting to bind one raven tends to attract the wrath of the entire coven. However, a mage who successfully completes the binding process will find themselves with one of the most potent and loyal familiars around, their own curses augmented and enhanced by the raven’s natural magic. Mages with Curseling Ravens as familiars are viewed with great fear and respect by their colleagues, knowing that they’re just one curse away from a horrifying end.

Notable Individuals

TBA