Lore
Among the wind-cut terraces and cliff aeries of Saṃsāra’s highlands, falconers learned that mastery of the sky was not earned through force, but through trust sanctified by faith. Taweez 864 of the Skybound Oath was first prepared by Ruqyah practitioners who observed that raptors responded not only to training, but to the spiritual composure of their handler. This Taweez binds sacred verses of guardianship and obedience into a form light enough for the wrist or the bird’s jess, translating faith into clarity of command. It is considered a rite-of-passage charm, worn when a falconer first swears to protect their bird as an equal partner rather than a tool.
Stats
• Tier: 1
• Rarity: Common
• Slot: Wrist (Bracer/Glove) or Companion Slot (Leg-Jess)
• Material: Sanctified vellum, braided silk cord, polished bone bead
• Weight: Negligible
• Durability: Low–Moderate (protected against weather while worn)
Skills Gained While Openly Worn
• Falconry Handling (Tier 1): +2 to animal-handling actions involving birds of prey
• Aerial Awareness: The avatar gains improved judgment of distance, height, and wind when acting in elevated terrain or open sky
Passive Magics
• Ruqyah of the Shared Horizon: The falcon and handler remain calm under stress; fear or panic affecting one is subtly dampened in the other
• Featherlight Bond: The presence of the bird never causes fatigue or strain, regardless of duration perched
• Watcher’s Warmth: The Taweez grows faintly warm when the bonded bird detects danger or unfamiliar movement nearby
Activable Magics
• Verse of the Keen Wing: By reciting a short Ruqyah line, the handler may briefly align senses with the bird for up to 30 seconds, gaining heightened perception of motion and threat direction
• Call of the Faithful Return: Once per rest, the handler may speak a sanctified command; the bird will break distraction or fear to return immediately to the handler’s side, even through light obstruction
Tags
Taweez, Ruqyah, Falconry, Tier-1, Common, Companion-Bond, Faith, Avian, Scouting, Perception, Protective, Sacred-Verses, Sky-Bound, Vigilance, Wind-Touched, Aerial-Discipline, Handler-Ritual, Sky-Ward, Winged-Trust, Companion-Focus, Elevated-Terrain, Calm-Authority, Watchful, Flight-Guidance, Bond-Sanctified, Wind-Aligned
Ways to Obtain the Item
• Falconer’s First Binding:
Most Tier-1 falconers receive this Taweez during a formal bonding rite between avatar and bird. A Ruqyah-speaker recites verses while the raptor is hooded, and the Taweez is tied for the first time to the glove or leg-jess. This method emphasizes faith and responsibility rather than commerce; the item is earned through patience, calm handling, and demonstrated care for the bird.
• Shrine of the Sky-Path:
High places sacred to wind and watchfulness—cliffside shrines, tower-tops, or suspended walkways—often maintain a small stock of falconry Taweez. These are crafted by bone-scribes who specialize in avian charms. Acquisition usually requires a short prayer, a donation, or assisting the shrine with scouting duties.
• Guild Apprenticeship Reward:
Falconer guilds and scouting orders in Saṃsāra commonly issue this Taweez to apprentices after their first successful long-range scouting flight or messenger run. It is treated as a mark of trust, not a luxury item.
• Field Recovery:
Occasionally found on the remains of fallen scouts or embedded in abandoned bird perches along ancient watch routes. These Taweez often need re-inking or re-binding before their Ruqyah verses fully respond again.
Types of Shops, Sales Practices, and Costs
The Aviary Reliquary (Urban High Districts)
These shops specialize in sacred animal equipment: hoods, jesses, whistles, and faith-bound charms. Birds are always present, and transactions are quiet and ritualized.
• Buying/Selling:
The shopkeeper insists the buyer present their raptor. The Taweez is briefly placed near the bird’s breast; if the verses settle and the bird remains calm, the sale proceeds. Shops will buy back undamaged Taweez, but only if the saffron ink is intact and the bone shows no stress fractures.
• Cost:
28–40 gold, reflecting city markup and quality assurance.
Traveling Ruqyah Falconers (Rural Routes & Mountain Passes)
These itinerant traders move between rookeries, monasteries, and frontier towns. Their inventory is small but deeply personal.
• Buying/Selling:
Prices are flexible. Stories of successful flights, warnings about aerial hazards, or maps of safe thermals can reduce cost. They willingly buy used Taweez for refurbishment or reuse of the bone.
• Cost:
18–25 gold, sometimes reduced with barter or service.
Scout & Pathfinder Outfitters (Frontier Towns)
Practical suppliers catering to messengers, watchkeepers, and exploration teams.
• Buying/Selling:
Sold as standard companion-support gear. Transactions are quick; authenticity is checked with a basic Mind’s Eye lens. They buy Taweez at reduced value for resale or redistribution.
• Cost:
22–30 gold.
Sky Monasteries & Cliff Shrines (Sacred Locations)
Not true shops, but exchange sites rooted in faith.
• Buying/Selling:
The item is received in exchange for a donation, vow of care toward the bird, or completion of a sky-watch duty. Items are never resold for profit here.
• Cost:
15–20 gold equivalent as a suggested offering.
Black-Ridge Perch Markets (Unsafe Zones)
Rare but present in lawless high places where scouts and smugglers operate.
• Buying/Selling:
Transactions are discreet and purely transactional. These Taweez often lack full blessing or have weakened verses.
• Cost:
35–45 gold due to scarcity and risk, with lower reliability.
Across Saṃsāra, this Taweez is considered an essential but humble tool—priced for accessibility, respected for its spiritual role, and valued more for the bond it reinforces than its monetary worth.
The Sky-Bound Bond: Roleplay Use Across Environments
High Cliffs, Peaks, and Open Skies
Defense:
In exposed heights where wind, vertigo, and unseen aerial threats dominate, the Taweez is a stabilizing presence. The falconer roleplays quiet recitation under their breath, fingers resting on the charm as the bird perches calmly despite roaring gusts. The Taweez acts as reassurance; the bird does not panic at sudden updrafts or spectral disturbances, giving early warning through posture changes or a sharp turn of the head. Defense here is anticipation—seeing danger before it reaches striking distance.
Offense:
From altitude, offense is about precision rather than aggression. The falconer releases the bird with a whispered verse, trusting the Taweez to keep the raptor focused. The attack is a guided strike: marking a target, distracting an enemy, or harrying a spirit long enough for allies to act. The Taweez’s roleplay emphasis is faith-driven confidence—launching the bird without hesitation, believing the verses will carry it safely through hostile air.
Forests, Jungles, and Broken Ruins
Defense:
In dense terrain where sightlines are short and ambushes common, the Taweez allows the falconer to rely on vertical awareness. The bird circles above the canopy or ruined arches, and the falconer interprets subtle changes in flight as warnings. Defense becomes patience—holding position, trusting the bird’s guidance rather than rushing forward blindly.
Offense:
Offensively, the falconer uses the bird to flush enemies from cover. A short prayer precedes release, and the bird dives low, forcing hidden threats to reveal themselves. The Taweez is not portrayed as controlling the bird, but aligning intent—falcon and falconer acting as one will rather than master and tool.
Urban Districts and Industrial Cities
Defense:
In crowded streets and vertical cityscapes, the Taweez supports vigilance. The bird perches openly, unafraid of noise or steam, serving as a visible deterrent. The falconer roleplays calm authority—those with ill intent hesitate under the bird’s steady gaze. Defense here is presence; the charm reinforces the falconer’s composure amid chaos.
Offense:
Urban offense is subtle. The falconer may send the bird ahead to tail a suspect across rooftops or alleys. The Taweez’s verses are quietly reaffirmed before release, emphasizing trust that the bird will not be distracted by crowds or false targets. The strike is informational—pinpointing escape routes, dropped objects, or hidden allies.
Subterranean Caverns and Dark Megacities
Defense:
Underground, flight is dangerous and spiritually oppressive. The Taweez becomes a comfort object for both bird and falconer. Defense is slow movement, frequent pauses, and soft recitation to keep the raptor calm. The falconer roleplays heightened empathy—feeling the bird’s unease through the charm and adjusting tactics accordingly.
Offense:
Offensive use is restrained. The bird is sent only short distances, often to mark threats rather than engage them. The Taweez supports faith-based courage: acting despite claustrophobia and darkness, trusting that even here the verses still carry meaning.
Open Plains, Deserts, and Coastal Expanse
Defense:
In wide-open environments, defense comes from distance. The bird scouts far ahead, and the falconer trusts the Taweez to keep the bond intact over long separations. The roleplay emphasizes solitude and reliance—accepting that the bird may be the only early warning in an endless horizon.
Offense:
Offense is pursuit. The falconer releases the bird to harry fleeing targets or mark threats from afar. The Taweez is touched before the release, grounding the action in faith rather than aggression. The strike is clean, purposeful, and restrained, reinforcing the idea that the bird is an extension of vigilance, not cruelty.
Across all environments, the Taweez’s roleplay core is trust: faith in the verses, faith in the bird, and faith in restraint. Defense is awareness and calm; offense is guidance and timing rather than brute force.
Perception of Activation:
User’s Perspective (The Avatar):
Sight:
There is no flash or visible surge. Instead, the writing within the Taweez seems momentarily sharper in the mind’s eye, as if each line of script settles into perfect alignment. The surrounding world feels steadier, edges less chaotic, as though distance and height are easier to judge.
Sound:
Ambient noise dulls slightly. Wind, wingbeats, and distant movement remain audible, but sudden or jarring sounds lose their sharpness. The world feels quieter without becoming silent.
Touch:
The Taweez grows gently warm against the skin, not hot, but reassuring—like a hand resting briefly over the heart. If a bird is perched, its weight feels more evenly balanced, and the arm holding it steadies.
Smell:
A faint, clean scent emerges—dry leather, sun-warmed parchment, and open air. It is subtle and fades quickly, leaving no lingering perfume.
Taste:
A mild dryness touches the tongue, similar to breathing high-altitude air. It passes within moments and leaves the mouth clear.
Extra-Sensory Perceptions:
The avatar experiences a quiet internal alignment. Doubt recedes slightly, replaced by calm certainty. The bond with the bird feels clearer—emotional cues arrive without confusion, as if intention travels a shorter distance than before.
Observer’s Perspective:
Sight:
To others, the Taweez does not glow or change visibly. The most noticeable effect is the avatar’s posture: shoulders relax, movements become more deliberate, and the bird appears unusually composed.
Sound:
No audible activation occurs. Observers may notice the bird becoming quieter or more focused, responding to subtle cues with surprising precision.
Touch (Perceived Indirectly):
Those close by may feel a slight easing of tension in the air, as if a moment of calm has settled over the immediate space.
Extra-Sensory Impressions:
Sensitive observers may sense a soft spiritual gravity—neither oppressive nor radiant, but grounded. The avatar feels “anchored,” harder to unsettle emotionally or spiritually.
Positives:
• Induces calm, steady focus rather than excitement or aggression.
• Strengthens trust and responsiveness between avatar and avian companion.
• Reduces distraction from environmental stressors such as height, wind, or crowd noise.
• Encourages deliberate, faithful action instead of hesitation.
Negatives:
• Lack of spectacle can cause uncertainty; the user may question whether activation occurred.
• The calming effect may slightly blunt urgency, making sudden, reckless reactions harder.
• Emotional feedback from the bird becomes more pronounced; distress or injury is felt more deeply by the avatar.
Rite of the Wing-Bound Verse
Materials Needed:
• Sanctified vellum: Thin parchment prepared from treated hide, dried in open air and lightly cured with salt and ash.
• Umber prayer ink: Ink made from soot, gall, and trace saffron, mixed during early morning wind.
• Soft leather wrap: Plain, undyed leather cut into a narrow strip, flexible and free of metal fasteners.
• Binding cord: Natural fiber cord or silk thread, braided by hand.
• Bird-blessing token: A naturally shed feather from a raptor or a small fragment of sanctified bone, never taken by force.
• Clean water: Drawn from a high place or an open sky source, not stagnant.
Tools Required:
• Calligrapher’s stylus or fine reed pen.
• Flat writing board or stone surface.
• Leatherworking awl.
• Small drying rack or hanging frame.
• Shallow bowl for ink and water mixing.
Skill Requirements:
• Calligraphy or Inscription (Basic): Ability to write compact, consistent sacred script without error.
• Ritual Practice (Basic): Familiarity with recitation, intention setting, and maintaining focus during prayer-work.
• Leatherworking (Basic): Cutting, wrapping, and tying leather without damaging parchment.
• Animal Handling or Falconry (Basic): Understanding respectful treatment of avian symbols and materials.
Crafting Steps:
- Preparing the Vellum
Lay the vellum flat on the writing surface. Lightly dampen it with clean water and allow it to rest until supple but not wet. This prepares it to receive ink without bleeding. - Inscribing the Verses
Using the stylus and umber ink, inscribe compact lines of protective and guidance verses. The writing should be dense but orderly, leaving no large gaps. As each line is written, softly recite the verse to align intention with motion. Any hesitation or error requires starting over with fresh vellum. - Folding the Charm
Once the ink has fully dried, fold the vellum inward upon itself multiple times, always folding toward the written face. Each fold is accompanied by a quiet breath and moment of stillness, sealing the verses inward. - Wrapping the Leather
Place the folded vellum inside the leather strip. Wrap it snugly, ensuring even pressure without creasing the parchment. Use the awl only if necessary to guide the wrap—never puncture the vellum itself. - Binding the Cord
Tie the leather wrap closed using the binding cord. The knot should be simple and secure, with no decorative excess. The bird-blessing token is threaded into the cord or tied adjacent to the knot as a symbol of the falconer’s bond. - Setting the Charm
Hang the finished Taweez in open air for several hours, preferably where wind can pass over it. During this time, perform a final recitation, asking for steadiness, clarity, and trust rather than power or dominance. - Final Attunement
Before first use, hold the Taweez while calm and focused. If intended for use with a bird, allow the avian companion to perch nearby or observe. The item is considered complete once it feels balanced in the hand—neither heavy nor weightless.
Verse That Learned Sky
In the first age before the counting of islands, when the winds still chose their own names and the birds had not yet learned fear of stone, there lived a watcher whose name is broken in all tongues. Some call him Ashal, others write it as Ish-Ral, and still others insist the sound was never meant for mouths at all. He dwelled where the land thinned and the sky pressed close, a place of ledges and open air where the world seemed unfinished. It is said he watched not to hunt, but to listen, for the sky spoke before it roared.
This watcher carried no blade. He carried no crown. His hands were stained only with ink and dust. When he wished to mark the passing of days, he did not carve stone but folded skin upon skin, writing words so tightly that even the wind could not steal them. These words were not commands. They were acknowledgments. They named what already was.
In those days, the spirits of height were restless. They drifted between breath and silence, striking down the unwary birds who flew too boldly, who mistook the open sky for permission. Falcons fell from clear air with no wound upon them, their wings unbroken, their eyes clouded as if they had seen too much all at once. The watcher saw this and grieved, for the birds were the first to know when the world shifted, and without them, the land would be blind.
So the watcher listened longer. He listened until the wind slowed around him. He listened until even his own heart softened its beating. And in that stillness, he heard the verses that do not echo. They were not shouted. They were not sung. They were simply present, like gravity before falling.
He wrote them small. So small that a careless glance would miss them entirely. He folded them inward so that they would not boast. He wrapped them in plain hide, because finery attracts envy, and envy attracts ruin. When he tied the cord, he did not knot it tight. He left room for breath.
When the charm was finished, it did not shine. It did not hum. It did not warm or chill the air. It only waited.
The watcher gave the charm to a falcon whose feathers had turned pale from surviving the thin places. The bird did not resist it. The bird did not rejoice. It simply accepted the weight, and in doing so, became lighter. Where once it hesitated at the edge of unseen currents, now it passed through them as if they were known. The spirits of height recoiled, not in pain, but in recognition, as if reminded of an old agreement.
Word spread badly, as all old words do. Some said the watcher had chained the sky. Others said he had stolen a prayer meant for the dead. Many came to him asking for power. He gave them nothing. Those who stayed long enough learned why.
A ruler of stone cities came with banners snapping in forced wind. He demanded a charm that would make his war-birds strike unseen and return unscathed. The watcher gave him a folded vellum without ink. The ruler laughed, tied it to his hawk, and sent it screaming into the heights. The bird did not return. The ruler left in silence.
Later came a child whose bird had been taken by the dark air near the cliffs. The child did not ask for revenge. Only for a way to know when the sky was unsafe. The watcher rewrote the verses, smaller still, and bound them gently. The child returned years later, older, carrying the charm worn smooth. The bird still flew.
In the last telling, which is the most damaged of all, the watcher himself vanished. Some say he stepped into the open air carrying no charm at all. Others say he folded the last verses into his own breath and became part of the wind’s remembering. What remains is the object, remade again and again by hands that only half understand it.
Those who misuse it find it grows heavy. Those who trust it too much lose the bird. Those who treat it as a reminder rather than a shield find that the sky, strangely, begins to answer them back.
And so the tale ends, as all such tales do, incomplete, folded inward, waiting to be carried without being shown.
Moral of the Story:
Faith does not command the sky; it teaches one how to move within it without being broken.
Suggested conversions to other systems:
—
Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)
Name: Taweez 944 of the Sky-Bound Oath
Item Type: Protective Charm (Ruqyah Taweez)
Rarity: Common
Worn/Attached: Wrist (falconer’s bracer/glove) or fastened to a raptor’s leg-jess
Weight: Negligible
Sanity: 0/1 SAN (first time the investigator “links vision” through the bird; the mind rejects the split-sense briefly)
Activation Time: A short recitation (about one combat round) unless otherwise noted
Core Effects (while worn/attached):
• Avian Communion: +20% to Animal Handling (or equivalent social handling of trained raptors). If you use Charm/Intimidate with the bird as a “presence,” you may instead gain +10% (Keeper’s call).
• Sky-Path Reading: +10% Navigate when following or predicting a raptor’s flight line to choose the safer route through hazardous terrain.
Passive Magics:
• Vigilant Sentinel: If a spirit, unseen entity, or magically concealed presence enters within 30 feet, roll POW vs. POW (or POW vs. a fixed difficulty set by the Keeper). On a success, the wearer gets an immediate “warning impression” (unease, pressure in the sternum, heat in the charm). This does not reveal exact location—only that something is within range.
• Ruqyah of the Unbound Wing: The bonded bird ignores the first penalty level the Keeper would normally assign for “thin air,” oppressive spiritual miasma, or minor haunting pressure (fatigue/hesitation/flight reluctance).
• Weightless Grace: No fatigue checks are required to keep the raptor perched for extended time; if a STR/CON-style roll would be called for, treat it as an automatic success.
Activable Magics:
• Verse of the Piercing Gaze (1/day): Recite and focus; make a POW roll. On success, you may perceive through the bird’s senses for up to 1 minute. While linked, gain +20% Spot Hidden for detecting traps, wards, and “oddities” in the environment; additionally, you can distinguish “unnatural” presences as a faint color-shift/afterimage (Keeper describes). On failure, you still link but suffer a penalty die on your next skill roll due to disorientation.
• Command of the Zephyr’s Breath (1/day): Recite a single line and gesture toward the target. The bird’s next strike or harassment pass against a spirit/corrupted entity gains +1d6 damage (treat as a holy/radiant quality; if your table separates types, it counts as effective vs. spirits). If used purely for pursuit rather than attack, grant the bird a decisive burst: the target suffers a penalty die on a Chase roll this round (Keeper’s call for system-specific chase handling).
Complications / Limits:
• Split-Sense Strain: While using Piercing Gaze, actions taken by the wearer that require precise coordination (lockpicking, firing a gun, driving) are at a penalty die unless the wearer spends a full round doing nothing but focusing.
• Bright, crowded, or echoing environments can muddy the link; the Keeper may reduce the duration to 30 seconds if conditions are chaotic.
—
Blades in the Dark
Name: Taweez 944 of the Sky-Path Covenant
Type: Fine Special Gear (Common)
Load: 1
Usage: Worn on wrist/bracer or attached to a raptor’s jess
Arcane Quality: Subtle Ruqyah script (quiet, no spectacle)
Passive Benefits:
• Avian Communion: When you Command or Consort with your raptor, take +1d. If you’re using the bird to create a distraction, mislead a patrol, or flush prey, you also gain increased effect (standard → great) once per score.
• Vigilant Sentinel: When an unseen, ghostly, or concealed threat enters close range, you may ask the GM one immediate question: “Is there an unseen presence here?” The answer is honest, but not detailed. If the threat is especially potent, the GM may require you to Resist (Resolve) to keep your composure.
Abilities (Activable Magics):
• Verse of the Piercing Gaze (1/score): Spend 1 stress to see through your bird’s eyes for one minute. While linked, you gain potency on Survey or Study to locate traps, wards, hidden routes, or ghostly signatures. If you push it while under fire or chaos, the GM may start a 4-segment clock: “Split-Sense Overwhelm.” When it fills, you’re disoriented (level 2 harm: “Reeling Senses”) until you take a moment to recover.
• Command of the Zephyr’s Breath (1/score): Spend 1 stress to unleash a sanctified burst of speed through the bird. Choose one:
- Pursuit: gain +1 effect on a chase-related action (Prowl/Skirmish/Survey depending on fiction) as the bird forces the target off-balance.
- Strike: the bird’s first hit against a spirit/corrupted foe gains increased effect (standard → great) and leaves a visible “holy trace” that can serve as an advantage for an ally’s next action.
Additional Notes:
• Ruqyah of the Unbound Wing: Your bird ignores minor supernatural “weather” penalties (thin air, oppressive miasma) unless the GM deems the environment extreme; in that case, it reduces effect by one step instead of negating it.
• Weightless Grace: You can keep the bird perched and ready without incurring extra load or fatigue consequences.
—
Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition, current)
Name: Taweez 944 of the Falconer’s Ruqyah
Wondrous Item, common (requires attunement by a creature proficient with Animal Handling or trained with a raptor companion)
Slot: Worn (wrist charm) or attached to a willing raptor’s leg-jess
Weight: Negligible
While attuned and the taweez is worn/attached:
• Avian Communion: You gain a +2 bonus to Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks made to direct, calm, or coordinate with raptors (hawks, falcons, eagles, similar birds at the DM’s discretion).
• Sky-Path Tracking: You have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks made to navigate hazardous natural terrain if your raptor is actively scouting overhead or perched and alert.
Passive Magics:
• Vigilant Sentinel: While your raptor is perched on you (or within 30 feet if attached to it), you can’t be surprised by creatures that are Invisible, on the Ethereal Plane, or otherwise concealed by magical means, unless they are also hidden from divination (DM’s discretion). You still must perceive them normally once combat begins, but you get the warning in time to react.
• Ruqyah of the Unbound Wing: Your raptor has advantage on saving throws against being Frightened and against effects that would impose exhaustion from environmental or supernatural pressure (thin air, oppressive miasma, minor haunt).
• Weightless Grace: The raptor’s weight never causes you to become encumbered or suffer penalties from carrying it on your arm/shoulder.
Activable Magics:
• Verse of the Piercing Gaze (1/day): As an action, you recite the verse and choose your raptor. For 1 minute, you can see and hear through the raptor’s senses while it is within 300 feet of you (no action required to maintain, but you are deafened and blinded with regard to your own senses while linked). During this link, the raptor’s vision reveals faint auras: you have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks to notice traps, wards, and hidden creatures/objects. If you take damage while linked, make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or the link ends early.
• Command of the Zephyr’s Breath (1/day): As a bonus action, you speak a word of swiftness. Until the end of the raptor’s next turn, it gains +20 feet flying speed and its first hit against an Undead, Fiend, or creature the DM deems “corrupted” deals an extra 1d6 radiant damage. If it doesn’t attack, it instead leaves a brief “holy wake” that grants advantage to one ally’s next Wisdom (Perception) check to track or locate the pursued target (must be used within 1 minute).
—
Knave (2nd Edition)
Name: Taweez 944 of the Wind-Linked Falcon
Type: Magic Item (Common)
Slot: 1 inventory slot (or worn on wrist; still counts as carried)
Use: Worn on a falconer’s wrist or tied to a raptor’s jess
Passive Magics:
• Avian Communion: Gain advantage on checks to command, soothe, or coordinate with raptors.
• Vigilant Sentinel: If an invisible, spirit, or magically hidden threat enters within near range, the referee gives you an immediate warning sensation (you do not automatically know where).
• Ruqyah of the Unbound Wing: Your raptor ignores minor supernatural terrain penalties (thin air, oppressive mist, faint haunting pressure). In harsher conditions, the penalty is reduced by one step.
• Weightless Grace: Carrying the raptor on your arm never forces a fatigue/strain check and never worsens your travel pace.
Activable Magics:
• Piercing Gaze (1/day): Spend one action reciting the verse. For up to 10 rounds, you may perceive through the raptor’s senses. While linked, you gain advantage on checks to notice traps, wards, hidden paths, and concealed creatures. If you are struck while linked, roll a CON check; on a failure, the link ends and you are momentarily disoriented (disadvantage on your next roll).
• Zephyr Command (1/day): Speak the swiftness word. On the raptor’s next flight or strike, it gains a sudden burst: either it automatically succeeds on one risky maneuver (referee’s call) OR it deals +1d6 radiant damage on its next hit against a spirit/corrupted foe. The burst is obvious as a pale streak in the air, which may draw attention.
—
Fate Core
Name: Taweez 944 of the Sky-Bound Oath
Aspect: Bound by Wing and Verse
This aspect reflects the sacred bond between the avatar and their raptor, forged through Ruqyah and sustained by faith and trust.
Additional Aspects (optional, GM approval):
• Eyes Above, Feet Below
• The Wind Bears Witness
Stunts:
• Avian Communion: Gain +2 when using Empathy, Rapport, or Will to communicate intent, calm, or direct a trained raptor. This may also be used defensively to overcome fear or confusion affecting the bird.
• Vigilant Sentinel: Once per scene, you may declare that your raptor senses an unseen or spiritual threat nearby. Gain a free boost related to awareness or positioning (such as “Warned by the Wing”).
• Sky-Path Reading: Gain +2 to Overcome actions related to navigation, scouting routes, or avoiding hazards when following or interpreting your raptor’s flight.
Extras (Activable Magics):
• Verse of the Piercing Gaze (1/session): You may perceive through your raptor’s senses for a short scene. During this time, you gain +2 to Create Advantage actions involving perception, detection of magical influences, or locating hidden dangers. If you fail a roll during this state, the GM may offer a compel related to disorientation or emotional bleed-through.
• Command of the Zephyr’s Breath (1/session): Invoke this to grant your raptor a burst of sanctified speed. Gain +2 to an attack or overcome action involving the bird against a corrupted or spiritual foe, or create a radiant, faith-marked advantage for an ally.
—
Numenera & Cypher System
Name: Taweez 944 of the Wind-Linked Covenant
Item Level: 4
Type: Artifact (Ruqyah Taweez)
Slot: Worn (wrist) or attached to an avian companion
Constant Effect:
• Avian Communion: The wearer gains an asset on all tasks involving directing, calming, or coordinating with raptors.
• Vigilant Sentinel: The GM should provide an immediate warning sensation when an invisible, spiritual, or extradimensional entity enters short range. This does not identify the threat, only its presence.
• Ruqyah of the Unbound Wing: The avian companion ignores one level of difficulty increase caused by supernatural environments, thin air, or spiritual pressure.
• Weightless Grace: Tasks related to endurance or strain from carrying or perching the bird are eased by one step.
Activated Abilities:
• Piercing Gaze (1/day): For up to 10 minutes, the wearer may perceive through the bird’s senses. While active, perception tasks to detect traps, magical effects, or hidden entities are eased by two steps. While linked, tasks requiring fine coordination are hindered by one step unless the wearer remains still.
• Zephyr Command (1/day): The bird gains a sudden burst of sanctified speed. For one action, it gains an asset on attacks or pursuit tasks and deals +2 radiant damage against spirits or corrupted creatures.
Depletion: 1 in 1d20 (only when an activated ability is used)
—
Pathfinder (2nd Edition)
Name: Taweez 944 of the Falconer’s Verse
Item Level: 4
Rarity: Common
Usage: Worn; Slot wrist or companion attachment
Bulk: Negligible
Traits: Divine, Invested, Magical
Passive Effects:
• Avian Communion: You gain a +1 item bonus to Nature checks to Command an Animal when the animal is a raptor.
• Vigilant Sentinel: While your raptor is perched on you or within 30 feet, you gain a +1 item bonus to Perception checks to notice hidden, invisible, or incorporeal creatures. If such a creature enters range, the GM should prompt a Perception check even if you are not actively Searching.
• Ruqyah of the Unbound Wing: Your raptor gains a +1 status bonus to saves against fear, environmental fatigue, and supernatural pressure effects.
• Weightless Grace: You ignore penalties for holding or carrying your raptor during exploration or travel.
Activated Abilities:
• Verse of the Piercing Gaze (Divine, Divination): Frequency once per day; Activate two actions (command, concentrate). For 1 minute, you may see through your raptor’s eyes as long as it is within 300 feet. During this time, you gain darkvision through the bird and a +2 status bonus to Perception checks to detect traps, wards, or magical auras. If you take damage while linked, attempt a DC 5 flat check or the effect ends.
• Command of the Zephyr’s Breath (Divine, Evocation): Frequency once per day; Activate one action. Until the end of the raptor’s next turn, it gains a +10-foot status bonus to its fly Speed, and its first Strike against an undead, spirit, or corrupted creature deals an additional 1d6 positive damage.
—
Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)
Name: Taweez 944 of the Sky-Path Bond
Type: Magic Item (Common)
Slot: Worn (wrist) or companion attachment
Passive Effects:
• Avian Communion: Gain +2 to Animal Handling (or equivalent) rolls involving raptors.
• Vigilant Sentinel: The wearer gains +2 to Notice rolls to detect invisible, hidden, or spiritual entities while the raptor is nearby. The GM may allow a free Notice roll when such a threat enters close range.
• Ruqyah of the Unbound Wing: The raptor ignores one level of environmental penalty caused by supernatural conditions.
• Weightless Grace: No Fatigue is gained from extended scouting or travel while carrying or perching the bird.
Powers (Activable Magics):
• Piercing Gaze (1/day): As an action, the wearer may perceive through the bird’s senses for up to 5 rounds. During this time, the wearer gains +2 to Notice and Tracking rolls related to traps, magic, or hidden foes. While linked, the wearer suffers −2 to Agility-based rolls due to divided attention.
• Zephyr’s Command (1/day): Activate as a free action. The raptor gains the benefits of the Boost Trait power (Agility) for one round, and its first successful attack against a spirit or corrupted creature deals +1d6 damage, treated as holy or radiant.
—
Shadowrun (Sixth World Edition)
Name: Taweez 944 of the Sky-Bound Oath
Item Type: Magical Focus (Ritual / Companion-Linked Charm)
Availability: 6R
Cost: 3,500¥
Bonding: Requires attunement to both wearer and avian companion
Passive Effects:
• Avian Communion: The wearer gains +2 dice on Animal Handling and Leadership tests made to command, calm, or coordinate with raptors or trained avian companions.
• Vigilant Sentinel: While the bonded bird is within 30 meters, the wearer gains +1 die to Perception tests to detect spirits, invisible entities, or astral disturbances. The GM may allow a Perception test even when the wearer is not actively searching.
• Ruqyah of the Unbound Wing: The avian companion ignores environmental penalties caused by magical background count 1 or less and gains +1 die to resist fear or intimidation effects from spirits.
• Weightless Grace: Extended use of the bird as a scout does not inflict Fatigue or Physical damage due to strain on the handler.
Activable Effects:
• Verse of the Piercing Gaze (Major Action, 1/scene): The wearer perceives through the bird’s senses for up to 3 combat rounds. During this time, the wearer gains +2 dice to Perception and Assensing tests related to magical effects, wards, or spirits. While linked, the wearer suffers −1 die to Physical actions due to divided focus.
• Command of the Zephyr’s Breath (Minor Action, 1/day): The bird gains +2 meters to movement for one turn, and its next successful attack against a spirit or astral entity deals +2 DV as radiant or holy damage.
Drawback:
• Emotional Feedback: If the bird is injured while an activable effect is active, the wearer must resist 2 Stun damage as sympathetic backlash.
—
Starfinder
Name: Taweez 944 of the Falconer’s Sky-Verse
Item Level: 4
Price: 2,200 credits
Slot: Worn (wrist) or Companion Harness
Bulk: Negligible
Usage: Continuous; some abilities limited use
Passive Effects:
• Avian Communion: Gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Survival, Perception, or Handle Animal checks involving avian companions.
• Vigilant Sentinel: While the bird is perched or within 100 feet, the wearer gains a +1 insight bonus to Perception checks to detect invisible creatures, magical hazards, or incorporeal entities.
• Ruqyah of the Unbound Wing: The bird ignores movement penalties from thin atmosphere, magical turbulence, or supernatural terrain.
• Weightless Grace: The wearer treats the bird as having negligible bulk for encumbrance and fatigue calculations.
Activated Abilities:
• Piercing Gaze (Standard Action, 1/day): For 1 minute, the wearer may see through the bird’s eyes. During this duration, the wearer gains blindsense (magic) 30 feet and a +2 insight bonus to detect traps, wards, and concealed magical effects. If the wearer moves more than half speed, the effect ends.
• Zephyr’s Command (Swift Action, 1/day): The bird gains a +10-foot enhancement bonus to fly speed for one round, and its first attack against undead, extraplanar, or corrupted creatures deals an additional 1d6 radiant damage.
—
Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)
Name: Taweez 944 of the Wind-Witness Covenant
Tech Level: Equivalent TL12 (Spiritual Technology)
Cost: Cr8,000
Encumbrance: 0
Slot: Worn (bracelet) or Companion Attachment
Availability: Restricted (Religious or Scout Networks)
Passive Effects:
• Avian Communion: DM+2 to all Animal Handling or Recon checks involving trained avian companions.
• Vigilant Sentinel: While the bird is nearby, the wearer gains DM+1 to Recon or Sensors checks to detect hidden, cloaked, or incorporeal threats.
• Ruqyah of the Unbound Wing: The bird ignores environmental penalties caused by low pressure, magical radiation, or spiritual contamination zones.
• Weightless Grace: Long-term scouting operations using the bird do not cause Fatigue checks for the handler.
Activated Abilities:
• Piercing Gaze (1/day): For up to 10 minutes, the wearer may observe through the bird’s senses. During this time, Recon checks related to navigation, hazard detection, or ambush avoidance gain DM+2. If the wearer takes damage, the effect ends immediately.
• Zephyr’s Command (1/day): The bird gains a burst of supernatural speed, granting DM+2 to its next attack or harassment action against a spiritual or corrupted target, dealing +1 damage.
—
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition)
Name: Taweez 944 of the Sky-Path Oath
Item Type: Blessed Charm
Rarity: Common
Encumbrance: 0
Availability: Scarce (Religious or Falconer Circles)
Passive Effects:
• Avian Communion: Gain +10 to Animal Care or Animal Training tests involving birds of prey.
• Vigilant Sentinel: While the bird is perched or circling nearby, gain +10 to Perception tests to notice hidden, invisible, or ethereal creatures.
• Ruqyah of the Unbound Wing: The avian companion gains +1 SL to resist Fear or Terror effects originating from Daemonic or Undead sources.
• Weightless Grace: The wearer does not suffer Fatigue from extended travel or watch duties involving the bird.
Activated Blessings:
• Verse of the Piercing Gaze (Once per Session): The wearer may perceive through the bird’s eyes for 1d10 rounds. During this time, all Awareness or Perception tests to detect magic, traps, or ambushes gain +20. If the wearer moves or is struck, test Cool or the effect ends.
• Command of the Zephyr’s Breath (Once per Day): The bird’s next attack against an Undead, Daemonic, or Corrupted creature deals +2 Damage and counts as Magical.
Drawback:
• Shared Burden: If the bird is slain while the Taweez is worn, the wearer gains 1 Corruption Point and suffers −10 to Willpower tests for the remainder of the session.