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The Agavod (Aves Passeriformes Agavodidae) is the common name for the large bird of prey which is the symbol of Hoontz. Agavod's historic range is all of Edevane. In the years leading up to the Great War, the Agavod had become rare due to widespread hunting. But by the time of the arrival of the Unplugged Hive, pupulations had rebounded.
Agavod are typically a dark brown, and occasionally black. Their beak, talons and eyes are a striking golden color.
Diet and Societal Significance
Agavod feed primarily on small rodents. While, presumably, in ancient times, they forraged everywhere, since the rise of more modern civilization, Agavod have increasingly gravitated to towns and cities, where they keep the rat and mouse population in check. For this reason, Agavod are considered good luck, but are also largely responsible for disease control.
During the brief period in the 2040s (CR) when hunting Agavod became popular in the city of Kopel and surrounding countryside, the rise of the rat population was immediate and meteoric. As the fad reached its height among the wealthiest Kopelites, the poorer class, and especially rural farmers, were subjected to a flood of rats which destroyed large portions of the nation's crops and livestock. So many farmers died of rodent-borne illnesses - later termed the Agavodian Plague - that it was another decade before the famine was brought under control.
Political Significance
The Agavod has been part of the coat of arms and other symbols of the City-State of Hoontz since ancient times. It is a powerful symbol of safety, the protection of the Spirits, and, by extension, the protection of the government. It appears on banners of Hoontz dated as early as 1650 CR, but was likely used even earlier. It became the central symbol on the official flag of Hoontz by law in 1908 CR.
The flag of Hoontz features a black agavod soaring over a snowy mountain range. The sky is golden and the mountains are red. (The image included in this article is an initial sketch, presented to the Council of Hoontz as part of the design process, and is on display to this day in the Council Chambers.)
During the Great War between Hoontz and Kopel (2108 - 2117), the battle flag of Hoontz featured the Agavod clutching a rat in its talons, a reference to the Agavodian Plague of the 2040s, and a very uncharitable reference to the Kopelite people themselves. This flag has since been designated as a hate symbol, and displaying it in either country (except in certain academic works) can result in severe legal penalties.
As a result it was many years before the Agavod regained its modern popularity as a symbol of peace, health, and protection. Now that the Kopelites and Hoon are close allies, these past unpleasantnesses are mostly forgotten.
Black Market Trade
One bizarre quirk of the Agavod's physiology is that within hours of its death, the feathers and beak begin to break down and disintegrate. Thus, a preserved Agavod feather or beak are typically only possible when the bird is hunted and immediately preserved in an airtight manner. This has led to extremely high costs associated with collecting these artifacts, and preserving them in the field immediately after a specimen is obtained. The study of why this breakdown happens is still something of a mystery, due to the difficulty of obtaining samples on which to experiment.
Although the Agavodian Plague presents the most obvious example of why this is a terrible idea, hunting Adavod remains popular among the very wealthy. (Although, notable, not in Kopel!) Preserved agavod feathers are worn on the lapel by the very wealthy simply to demonstrate that they are very wealthy. Thus, it is considered good luck to give an Agavod feather as a gift when someone moves into a new home.
Most regions have very strict laws against hunting Agavod, but the reality is that a gift of a few feathers often suffices to get officials to look the other way, and allow a claim that one simply happened to stumble upon a recently deceased specimen.
The beak, in particular, tends to be extremely expensive, since each bird – obviously – has only one, and removing it and preserving it quickly upon the demise of its owner is a tricky, messy business.