Buy me a coffeeUndead Parrot
“Squawk of the Dead: Unleash the bone-chilling terror with the Undead Parrot, a feathered fiend that echoes haunting melodies from beyond the grave!”
Appearance: The Undead Parrot is a ghastly specter of its former self, its once-vibrant plumage now replaced with ethereal feathers that emit a haunting, ghostly glow. Its beady eyes glow with an eerie, unnatural light, and its skeletal frame seems to defy the laws of nature. The air around the Undead Parrot is filled with a sense of dread as it flutters on tattered wings, creating an unsettling image that blends the macabre with the remnants of its once-colorful existence.
Behavior: This avian apparition possesses a twisted mimicry of its former lively self. The Undead Parrot maintains a malevolent intelligence, luring unsuspecting victims with ghostly imitations of cheerful squawks and phrases from its previous life. However, beneath this facade lies a dark desire to torment the living, as it takes pleasure in spreading a sense of foreboding and despair through its chilling echoes.
Habitat: The Undead Parrot is drawn to places steeped in death and decay, making its nest in forgotten graveyards, haunted shipwrecks, or atop cursed pirate treasure. It shuns the daylight, preferring the shadows where its eerie presence can go unnoticed until it chooses to reveal itself in a haunting display.
Modus Operandi: This spectral parrot relies on its deceptive charm, approaching the living with a seemingly innocent demeanor before unleashing its ghastly squawks that resonate with an otherworldly echo. It uses its ghostly wings to glide through the air, appearing and disappearing at will, creating an unsettling sense of uncertainty in those who cross its path. Victims who fall prey to its unnerving cries are said to be marked by an omen of impending doom.
Motivation: The Undead Parrot is driven by a supernatural compulsion to perpetuate a sense of fear and unease. Some believe it carries the curse of a long-lost pirate crew seeking revenge, while others speculate it is an embodiment of unsettled spirits who met an untimely demise. Whatever the origin, its motivation lies in the perpetuation of dread, with each haunting squawk serving as a harbinger of impending doom for those who dare to listen.
The rotting remains of a parrot sits on the skeleton’s shoulder, its colorful feathers turned to gray and black.
Originally Posted by Shade of the En World forums.
Undead parrots often accompany undead pirates. Occasionally tropical necromancers craft them as servants as well.
They are 2 to 3 feet tall and weigh around 2 to 2-1/2 pounds.
| Parrot, undead | |
| Tiny undead | |
| Hit Dice | 1d12 (6 hp) |
| Initiative | +2 |
| Speed | 5 ft. (1 square) |
| Armor Class | 14 (+2 size, +2 Dexterity), touch 14, flat-footed 12 |
| Base Attack/Grapple | +0/–1 |
| Attack | Claws +4 melee (1d2–5) |
| Full Attack | Claws +4 melee (1d2–5) |
| Space/Reach | 5 ft./5 ft. |
| Special Attacks | Attach |
| Special Qualities | Damage reduction 2/magic or silver, Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to electricity and turning |
| Saves | Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +4 |
| Abilities | Strength 1, Dexterity 15, Constitution 10, Intelligence -, Wisdom 14, Charisma 6 |
| Skills | Jump +22 |
| Feats | Weapon Finesse (B) |
| Environment | Any land and underground |
| Organization | Solitary |
| Challenge Rating | 1/2 |
| Treasure | None |
| Alignment | Always neutral |
| Advancement | None |
| Level Adjustment | – |
COMBAT
Unable to Fly on its rotted wings, and an undead parrot simply leaps at victims, attempting to latch on with its claws. Should it miss, it slowly reorients itself, then repeats the attack incessantly.
Attach (Ex): If it hits with its claws attack, it digs in and latches onto the opponent’s body. An attached undead parrot is effectively grappling its prey. The undead parrot loses its Dexterity bonus to AC and has an AC of 12, but holds on with great tenacity. they have a +12 racial bonus on grapple checks (already figured into the Base Attack/Grapple entry above).
Each round that it remains attached, it automatically succeeds on a bite attack, dealing 1d2 points of damage.
An attached undead parrot can be struck with a weapon or grappled itself. To remove an attached undead parrot through grappling, the opponent must achieve a pin against the undead parrot.
Skills: It has a +20 racial bonus on Jump checks. It uses its Dexterity modifier instead of its Strength modifier on Jump checks.
Originally appeared in Imagine Magazine #26 (1985)