Building the parrot of doom!

[Mr.MeowMeowmers]

Hellau, Hellau!

So, i need some ideas for an awesome item!
One of our players picked up an cursed parrot. Well..it's more of a living doll, then an actual parrot. It started with the parrot flying in weird motions around the player and the words " arrr, mighty pirate!". After a failed will-check, the parrot is now stuck to the shoulder of the player.

Most of the stuff, the parrot is doing is either blowing up his spells, cursing other people or trying to mindcontrol the person hes sitting on. Everytime you destroy the parrot or throw it away, it simply pops up back on your shoulder. But if you destroy it, it's a little bigger then before and seems to move more fluently ( it was a broken parrot doll in the beginning, now its a little better)

any cool ideas for this little annoying birds?

Feel free to post what ever crazy or mean ideas you've got on your mind!

[Brookshw]

I'd highly recommend reading Kaveman's campaign log, not only is it fantastic but there is one heck of an amazing parrot!

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=247997

[Rabidmuskrat]

Yeah, but this parrot is a bit different. That one was a plot hook generator as much as anything else and I'm relatively sure that if the players had chosen to ignore it, it would only have featured again if the DM remembered it.

This parrot on the other hand seems to be well and truly cursed. It cannot be ignored because it is constantly trying to f*** with you and it doesn't so much generate plot hooks as much as it is one itself that demands attention.

I do like the idea that the parrot is both good and bad, however. The "arrr, mighty pirate!" phrase makes me think that the parrot is trying to make the character a pirate, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing. A suggestion, if I may be so bold as to steer your campaign in a whole new direction, once the player fails a few will saves against being dominated in a row, take him apart from the others and tell him that if he wants, he can 'submit' to the parrot. Not his character, the player. He would then get to keep control of the character once the parrot has taken control and perhaps gain a few bonuses and things, but in exchange he must then roleplay a different (pirate obsessed) character while dominated. He can still resist the domination and play his old character, but he then plays as if he has the Split Personality flaw.

[Deffers]

I'd still suggest reading about the Dread Parrot Roberts. If nothing else, "cracker bitch" is an amazing parrot cuss word of endearment that could be used.

[Bulhakov]

I like the idea for the parrot actually not disturbing the player but granting magical bonuses if the character acts like a pirate stereotype (requires appropriate roleplaying from the player), some examples:
- charisma bonus when talking like a pirate
- perception bonuses when wearing an eye-patch
- improved spellcasting when drunk on rum
- amazing dexterity when swinging from ropes

I'd do away with the mind control, instead used more standard methods of persuasion:
- ear, eye, nose pecking
- constant singing
- swallowing/hiding small magic items
- screaming out the character's secret intentions at the worst possible moment

As with any cursed item, it's a plot hook waiting to happen with a whole adventure focused on removing the curse (e.g. reuniting the parrot with the bones of its former owner).