Mage Finder Finch

Mage finders are a special sub-species of the southern slope finch, bred by the Thrainish Inquisition to assist in hunting magic users.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Mage finders often fall into rigidly hierarchical social structures when allowed to form their own colonies. This tendency is exploited by the Inquisition, who has the handlers of the finches step in as the socially dominant figure for individuals or, in some instances, entire colonies.

Domestication

The mage finder finch is commonly know to be a domesticated sub-species of the much more common southern slope finch. For several centuries, the propensity for southern slope finches to seek out those gifted in the arcane arts was know, to the point where many mages saw it as a sign of prestige. It was a group of researchers from the Thrainish Inquisition that first experimented with selectively breeding this trait to be more potent, and useful for hunting down rouge magic users, resulting in the mage finder finch in use today.
In addition to the increased perception within the species, the domestication team also focused on narrowing the variance of colors that the finches feathers display, settling on the black, silver and green plumage currently sported, though occasional individuals still display the gold and white common amongst their wild cousins.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

The mage finder finch is used exclusively by the Thrainish Inquisition in hunting suspects, or heretics know, or suspected to be practiced in the arcane arts.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Mage finders are rarely seen in the wild, with the few that do stray outside of their inquisition handlers control tending to assimilate back into the native populations of south slope finches. Trained finches might be found anywhere that the Thrainish Inquisition is active.

Average Intelligence

Mage finders have shown a higher than standard intelligence when compared to similarly related species. This attribute has been sharpened through selective breeding campaigns by some members of the inquisition. The most intelligent mage finders are said to nearly surpass the cognitive faculties of the average human toddler.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Mage finders, and to a lesser degree their wild cousins, southern slope finches have a natural disposition to gather in areas of increased magical activity. This may mean either in areas dense in magical energy, or near beings capable of performing magic. Their instinct is paired with a natural sensory ability that allows them to detect magic with a higher sensitivity and range than most crafted spells.

Lifespan

20-25 years

Average Height

4 inches

Average Length

5 inches

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

The average size for a finch, mage finders sport a primarily black head and belly, with a pine green back, tail and wings. A silvery, almost metallic plumage separates the two colors, as well as forming a 'collar' on their throat. Their beak is most often a jet black, though a few rarer specimens are a silvery-white.

Geographic Distribution

• Tarminas
• Thrain
• Westen