The Blue Heron

The Blue Heron was a legendary artifact of mysterious origins that possessed the power to turn humans into bird men of the Malatran Plateau.
==Description==
The Blue Heron was an extraordinary ancient magical item. It was a ceramic statuette of a heron, blue in color and masterfully crafted.
==History==
Thousands of years before the 14 century DR, when the mysterious Ancient Ones inhabited the Malatran Plateau, before the calamity that created the Yaku Plains, a magic-wielding Ancient Nubari named Aarakocra became obsessed with flight. He was a powerful mage and could do many things with spells. However, Aarakocra's true passion was birds. He learned the language that allowed the mage to speak with the birds of Malatra and, eventually, learned to take their shape. He spent his life trying to experience the majestic freedom of flight – something Aarakocra often talked about with the jungle birds. The mage embarked on a quest to gather ancient magics that could allow him to fly.
Aarakocra searched through many ancient sites that were even older than the Ancient Ones, broke taboos, and collected artifacts. He sought the knowledge of flight among the most ancient of korobokuru and among elementals. Eventually, Aarakocra learns the most ancient tongue of the jungle – the language of trees. Conversing with a primordial oak, the mage learned that what he was searching for was already in his possession – The Blue Heron, an artifact he recovered from an ancient site. The artifact was depleted and possessed nothing but a wisp of magic.
The magic man was overjoyed and returned home, hoping to tap into The Blue Heron's magic. But he still knew little of the item's magic and had to discover a way to activate it. Aarakocra spent several generations searching for that magic, prolonging his natural life far beyond that of other Nubari. Subsequently, he became consumed by despair. When the oak revealed to the mage that The Blue Heron would always find a way for those who truly wanted to soar.
Accompanied by his great-grandchildren, who were in love with the skies, Aarakocra decided to end his life by jumping off the Forbidden Mountains, achieving flight even if it would end in death. Atop the highest peak, The Blue Heron suddenly spoke to the mage in his mind as his hands turned into wings and skin grew feathers. Aarakocra was transformed into a bird-man and soared as high as he could. Unfortunately, his old heart could not handle the stress and excitement, and he fell to the ground, dead.
Aarakocra's dying words were: "Weep not for me, for I have lived more in the past few moments than in my whole life before. Never have I been so alive." His death inspired the mage's family and his tribe to use The Blue Heron and gain flight. Such was the beginning of the Aarakocra tribe of the Malatran Plateau that inhabited the Forbidden Mountains.
==Appendix==
===References===
Category:Ceramic items
Category:Artifacts
Category:Magic items
Category:Nubari items
Category:Aarakocra items
Category:Legendary items
Category:Items from Kara-Tur
Category:Items from Malatra
Category:Items from the Malatran Plateau
Category:Items from Toril