The Jeweled Hawk

History and Legends
The islands are full of birds of prey such as eagles, owls, buzzards, and falcons. In particular, there are several species a little larger than most hawks but a little smaller than most eagles, uncreatively called hawk-eagles.

Among the naturalists and foresters who know the secret language of animals, the hawk-eagles are known for their pride and vanity, and none of them more than the Jeweled Hawk of Puthawanan. The Jeweled Hawk inhabits the mountains of northern Puthawanan. He can take the form of a massive hawk-eagle the size of a nipa hut, a handsome gentleman dressed in the finest and gaudiest fashions of the islands, or a hawk-man who is a little of both (but still lavishly adorned). His outfits are impeccable, but his jewelry is particularly famous, for the families of hawk-folk jewelers who live in his courtly manse are the most famous among all the islands.Although the mountains of Puthawanan are best known for their iron deposits, the Jeweled Hawk controls several gold, silver, and copper mines among the mountains, trading some of their output for jewels mined elsewhere in the archipelago. The Hawk takes the finest pieces for his own collection, gives some as gifts to his best friends and family, and sells the rest.

While the Jeweled Hawk is certainly a spirit, it would probably help if someone could figure out what exactly the Jeweled Hawk is the spirit of. Several callers he has received have asked him about the details, but he inevitably changes the subject to something more interesting, like hunting or art, claiming that he “doesn’t like to chit-chat about work.” Many loremasters opine that the Hawk’s most likely spheres of influence are mines, mountains, beauty, and the hunt, but you needn’t be a loremaster to make those guesses.

The truth is a little more complicated. One might accurately describe the Jeweled Hawk as the spirit of wealth; but he’s more specifically the spirit of pecuniary privilege, of the affluent and luxurious lifestyle divorced from responsibility to or respect for anyone less fortunate. For all his wit, the Hawk remains only dimly cognizant of his true purview. If he found out, if he finally got it, would he still be the same Jeweled Hawk?

Relationship with the Islanders
The Jeweled Hawk’s most frustrating quality is his prejudice against the poor, especially those who work the land. He has a healthy respect for miners, but he views himself as literally and figuratively above those who get their hands dirty working the soil and raising livestock. Legend has it that his disdain originated long before anyone’s grandparents were alive, when a chicken farmer borrowed his favorite ruby necklace for a party, but lost it before they were able to give it back to him.

Since then, he has thought nothing of swooping down on a farm, taking whatever livestock or crops he wants, and absconding. Sometimes, if the farmers flatter him, he’ll leave them with some gold or gems which, while impressive, cannot be eaten (or sold without starting an economic incident).

Normally, islanders would rely on clerics or babaylan to intercede with a spirit like the Hawk, but as he has no formally defined priesthood or even standard means of intercession, there is no opportunity. If adventurers make the arduous trek up the mountain to speak to him, he’ll probably take them hunting in the mountain forests, feed them a fancy banquet which he takes as an opportunity to tell stories about himself, and send them on their way in the morning with a couple of party favors.

At least, that’s what happens to the ones we hear about, who don’t press the subject of his spiritual responsibilities. The adventurers who do, we aren’t so sure about … but some say they’re still lost in the mines under the Hawk’s manor.

Important Festivals
The most important festival of the year is the Party in the Sky. This is an exclusive gala which the Jeweled Hawk throws for datu, spirits, the richest merchants, and other elites from all across the islands. The party goes on at his manor in the mountains, and everyone who thinks themself to be fashionable and needs everyone else to know it makes sure they’ll be there.

The main attraction at the Party in the Sky is, of course, the Hawk himself; but many of the rich and famous nobles and spirits assemble or commission entirely new outfits for the Party every year. The party always has a theme—something vague and inspiring, such as “sunlight” or “flowers” or “money”—and the Hawk judges which outfit (besides his own) best represents that theme every year. The winner receives a spectacular piece of magically enchanted jewelry, which they will no doubt talk about at every opportunity for the rest of their life.

There have been several well-publicized attempts to rob the Party in the Sky, but to date, none of them have been successful. The Hawk’s devoted guards inevitably catch the thieves, then fly them out over the ocean and drop them from high enough up that they have ample time to contemplate their misdeeds on their way down.