Virgil's Vervel

Curse. Virgil’s Vervel is one of the thirteen unique Graven Rings. Like the others in the set, it bears a terrible curse.   This ring is cursed. This fact is not revealed by the detect magic or identify spells. Attuning to the Vervel curses you until special removal requirements are met. While cursed, the ring cannot be unattuned. If you attempt to discard it, it reappears in your pocket until the curse is broken or you die.   All birds regard you as an enemy. Birds always know it is you, no matter the disguise or transformation, and are unaffected by invisibility when tracking you. When outside, each hour you attract 1d4 hawks that stalk from a distance, circling or perching nearby. They disperse only after you remain indoors for one full hour. What counts as indoors is at the GM’s discretion.   If you attack or cast a spell while the hawks are present, they immediately descend and attack you.   Removal Requirements. To remove the curse, you must summon and defeat the spirit of Virgil and his kettle of ghostly hawks. This ritual must be done outdoors during a moonless night. The process requires you to dig a shallow grave, bury a dead bird, and wait one hour. When the hour passes, Virgil and the kettle appear.   Virgil uses the statistics of a griffon. The kettle consists of 2d6 blood hawks. Virgil and the blood hawks are considered undead and are immune to turning. Any living hawks already following you join the attack.   Once Virgil and the kettle are defeated, a remove curse spell will free you from the Vervel. However, if not cast within the hour, the curse returns and the hawks begin to gather again.   Animals may know how to break the curse. Using speak with animals while cursed can sometimes reveal clues on how to summon or defeat Virgil.   History. Virgil was Master Graven’s favored hawk. His trainer, a person called Birb, began to suspect that the Gravens had been replaced by shapeshifters. Seeking to expose them, Birb trained Virgil to recognize the real from the false. The impostors discovered Birb’s intent and killed the hawk.   Birb found Virgil’s body days later. They buried the bird beneath the old rookery and kept the Vervel as a token. When the servants gathered for the ceremony that created the Curse Carrier, Birb brought Virgil’s Vervel as the offering.