1987

"It came every night for a month: a small, black bird that emanated evil. From 2 a.m. to 3 a.m., I’d see it on the windowsill. Sometimes it would ‘tap tap tap’ on the glass; other times I would hear it try to open the window or find other ways in. At first, I’d watch it with a flashlight, but its beady eyes were too unsettling. I thought about letting it in once, just to see what it wanted. I tried ignoring it; I even took sleeping pills before bed, hoping to get through its noise. No matter what, I’d wake up exactly when it showed up. Everyone thought it was kind of funny, but they didn’t understand—the thing had a heavy presence and looked in with such hate. Then fall came and I never saw it again."

- Anonymous

DEADLY LULLABIES

It is often said that seeing a bird in the house is a sign of approaching death1, and this is true if the animal in question is a Departure Bird. The Hateful Northern House Wren is a completely black bird with a flat head, raised, short tail, and long, curved beak; it has an extremely long, flexible, strong, forked tongue that can break through skin, muscle, and frail bone. Typically, Departure Birds are small creatures, growing no larger than 4.5 in. long and 0.35 oz. During the spring and summer, they can be found in open woodlands, forested regions, and exposed areas with plenty of grasses shaded by trees.

A Witch’s Curse: Origins of the Hateful House Wrens

Death omens, the color black, and polymorphing have long been associated with witches; the Departure Bird is one creature said to originate from such beings long ago. With the evil antics of Wicks, several average nests full of House Wren eggs were transformed into something dark and horrendous: death birds. With much dancing, singing, and waving of sticks, the Wicks cast a spell, hatching the spellbound youths, aging them quickly, and sending them after their greatest enemies. With a desire for cerebral meat, the aves soared in different directions to carry out their commands. Once satiated, the birds regrouped and paired off; bonded together, they took territory and raised young, but followed their grotesque instincts once each summer on nights brightened by a crescent moon. In autumn, they migrated south to escape cold weather.

Since their spawn, the birds are said to have bred together, exponentially increasing their population; some of these creatures are said to still be controlled by regional Wicks. Before, Wicks may have targeted non-human enemies, though recently they are more likely to be used to dispose of nearby or bothersome humanoid individuals.