Giant Grosbeak

Giant Grosbeak
The giant grosbeak rarely sings in captivity. Dynastic collectors launch expeditions dedicated to listening for its beautiful call in its natural habitat. The birds’ plumage varies, from black and white with striking splashes of red on the breast and wings, to bright blues, soft roses, and sunny yellows. Those who keep them in menageries do so for their beauty more than the hope of their song, though they spend fortunes on their aviaries, just in case.

Giant grosbeaks stand about three feet tall. Their size prevents them from fling long distances, but they can take to the air for short periods. The mysterious birds are native to the Blessed Isle and other temperate locales. Travelers near An-Teng and Goldenseal record sightings in their journals, and one merchant in Jibei claims to possess a mated pair, though none have ever seen them. Whether the hatchlings he sells are truly from a captive pair or stolen from a wild grosbeak’s nest is a matter of debate among his rivals.

The grosbeak’s song can sway even the hardest heart. Musicians try to capture its essence in their compositions, but no imitation comes close. Grosbeaks form bonds with those they trust who allow them to fly free, making them good familiars.

Essence: 2; Willpower: 3; Join Battle: 3 dice
Personal Motes: 20
Health Levels: −0/−1x3/−2x3/−4/Incap.
Intimacies: Defiing: “Life is music and harmony.”;
Major: “For every melody, there are countless possible harmonies.”; Minor: The Open Sky (Longing)
Actions: Fly: 4 dice; Read Intentions: 7 dice; Senses: 4 (see Keen Hearing) dice; Sing: 12 dice
Appearance 4, Resolve 2, Guile 2

COMBAT
Attack (Peck): 3 dice (Damage 8)
Combat Movement: 5 dice
Evasion 1, Parry 1
Soak/Hardness: 4/0

SPECIAL ABILITIES
Warning Song (Latent): The grosbeak’s master learns the meaning of its different tones, and teaches it new songs that convey simple messages. “Danger” isa common one. Some trainers teach the birds different songs to associate with specific people, letting them know when someone is approaching.

MERITS
Keen Hearing: Double 9s on all hearing-based Perception rolls.

SOCIAL CHARMS
Ancient Lullaby (10m, 1wp; Simple; One scene, Perilous; Essence 2): The grosbeak’s song resembles a lullaby from the target’s childhood, tiring him or — if he’s already asleep — driving him deeper into slumber. Make an inspire roll with its Sing pool. If successful, its target’s Defenses suffer a cumulative −1 for each round the bird sings. A target that’s already asleep remains so for the duration; sufficient stimulus, such as a slap to the face or a noise loud enough to drown out the song, prompts a (Perception + Resistance) roll opposed by the grosbeak’s Sing pool. Taking decisive damage automatically wakes a character.
Aria of the Steadfast Friend (8m; Simple; One scene; Essence 2): The grosbeak’s song gladdens a listener’s heart in times of sorrow, settles her fears, or helps her plant her feet and be brave in the presence of oncoming enemies. The target gains +1 to her Resolve for the duration, as long as she can still hear the song.
Heartstrings Resonance (10m, 1wp; Simple; One scene; Essence 3): The grosbeak sings a battle hymn that urges someone on, a ballad that reminds him of his fist love, or his enemy’s anthem that stirs him to rage. After at least eight total hours listening to a particular song, it can activate this Charm to choose a target and sing the melody at will, or a trainer’s signal. Anyone who can hear the song gains +2 successes on an instill or inspire action against the target when leveraging one of her Ties that they know and evoking the song’s emotion. The grosbeak knows a maximum of three such songs at a time. If it learns a new one, the oldest one fades from memory.

Storyteller Tactics
Giant grosbeaks are remarkably intelligent, capable of human empathy. Though they don’t understand human speech, they glean emotions from voices and body language, rolling Read Intentions often to discern a speaker’s Ties. It may sing songs that shore up those feelings, or attempt to change them. Grosbeaks have saved friendships others deemed irreparably broken, simply seeking to soothe their masters’ hurts, or caused full-blown enmity between rivals at a canny master’s order.

A grosbeak can only have one song Charm active at a time. It’s a peaceful animal by nature and never initiates combat. Threatened, it flies to safety; cornered, it fights only to escape. A giant grosbeak is a 3-dot Familiar.