Talrathi Quills

Talrathi quills- Beautiful, huge, and near-impossible to break. A sign of status for the filthy rich, but don't let a Talrathi see you using one.

Appearance-

Talrathi Quills are large feathers taken from the wings of a Talrathi. Most are vivid and can be any colour of the rainbow, with an attractive iridescent sheen, and they are covered in miniscule, razor-sharp spines that dig deep into any flesh they touch.

Source-

Very few Talrathi would give up their feathers without a tremendous fight. Because of this, most Talrathi Quills are harvested from corpses - though Talrathi are rarely killed purely for their feathers, some people are willing to take advantage of already-dead Talrathi and strip their wings.
Battlefields with Talrathi casualties often end in desperate soldiers doing exactly this, in the hopes of selling the feathers and living a better life. Merchants then buy their spoils at a fraction of what they sell them for, forcing the soldiers to collect more feathers, starting the cycle again.

Rarity-

Talrathi quills are extremely rare, as retribution follows anyone who has or sells one, and they are very dangerous to harvest. They are sold at extravagant prices by merchants, and are seen as a symbol of huge wealth and power- to not only buy the quill, but to protect oneself against vengeful Talrathi that would try to kill you.
Finding a merchant that sells Talrathi quills is difficult, too- merchants are unlikely to advertise them. After all, Talrathi are easy to spot, but Talrathi sympathizers are trickier, and they wouldn't want knowledge of their wares getting into the public eye. Proof of a buyers good intentions and wealth are needed before a purchase can be made, and buying through a trusted servant is recommended in case things go sour.

Properties-

Magical-

Talrathi quills have no inherent magical abilities, but qualify as organic material from an ancient creature- making them very receptive to charms and potentially extremely powerful. However, most charmers and enchanters are not adept enough to handle the quills to their fullest potential, and even less would willingly do it, not wanting that kind of power falling into the wrong hands or seeing the collection of quills as cruel. Most owners of Talrathi quills have little idea what they have bought, only seeing them as a symbol of power and wealth or an exotic writing tool to show off.

Mundane-

Talrathi quills are very strong, and primaries even more so due to their bone-like center. Breaking one is quite difficult, and breaking one on accident is near impossible.
Despite being removed from their host, Talrathi quills retain their spines, and will leave deep scars on any ungloved hand. Brushing them the wrong way is strongly unadvisable- the scratches leave deep, peculiar scars, and you don’t want a Talrathi recognizing them.

Variants-

Talrathi quills are valued on size, beauty, and type of feather. There are three main size variants, and two breed and color variants. Most are available from merchants, but primaries are harder to get a hold of.

Coverts-

The soft, small feathers at the top of the wing. Largely worthless compared to the other two variants, but they still cost a pretty penny. They retain most of the colour of primaries and secondaries, but lack their lustre, and they can sometimes appear dull compared to other feather types.
They can't be used as quills due to their size and fragility, so they are used instead as decoration, or to line the boxes of other displayed valuables. Few things scream 'rich' more than a Talrathi quill laying in a bed of Talrathi coverts and down.

Secondaries-

Much more valuable than coverts, as they are larger, stronger, and usually more beautiful. This variant is the most often used as actual quills, rather than just things to keep in a glass case. They are around the same size as primaries, but one main thing sets them apart...

Primaries-

...The talons. Only the primary feathers of a Talrathi possess the iconic clawed tips, and that is why they outstrip any other feather in price and prestige. They look far more fearsome that the other variants, and are instantly recognizable as Talrathi quills. They also hold the most value to Talrathi, however, so owning one puts at the top of their list of hated people. On account of the massive talon sticking out of them, they aren't often used as quills, and their spines are even more deadly than other variants.

Rogues vs Nesters-

Talrathi Quills can come in any colour of the rainbow, but each feather's range depends on whether it belonged to a Nesting or a Rogue Talrathi. Rogue Talrathi adapt more naturally coloured feathers to blend in with their environment, and so their feathers come in tawny, greyish, or sandy, with rare dots of colour here and there. Most buyers, due to the feathers vivid colours and patterns, see nesting Talrathi quills as more beautiful, but some prefer Rogue quills, saying that they look more intimidating and less gaudy.

Stigma and Consequence-

Talrathi feathers carry a great significance in their culture, and using them as an exotic writing tool is a terrible insult to them. Owning a Talrathi quill makes you an instant target, whether or not you were actually the one who killed them.
Despite this, and perhaps because of it, Talrathi quills are the mark of the extremely wealthy and elite. Black market trade is the only place they can be bought, and they sell at extremely high prices.
Most citizens of Nevia find owning a quill awe-inspiring, but some regard it with disgust. The split tends to be whether they see Talrathi as sentient beings, or as exotic animals that can be exploited for their products. Not all black market sellers are of the second opinion, making acquiring a Talrathi quill even harder- Only one person needs to tell before the information is leaked and you become hated by all Talrathi.

Mythology-

Talrathi quills show up in numerous myths and legends, most often as a classic artifact that the hero must steal to pass a test or trial. Unsurprisingly, Talrathi aren't too happy about these stories, but they don't have the power to do much about it on a wide level, save for glaring at anyone who tells the story.