Simurgh

A simurgh has a human face, male or female, on the body of a giant eagle feathered in metallic orange. Two pairs of golden wings rise from its back, and its tail opens into a fan to shame any peacock. It speaks the tongues of all birds and air creatures, wind spirits and air elementals among them, plus the trade tongue of the desert lands.

Though it eagerly aids lawful good beings and befriends all good creatures, the simurgh is a pacifist that rarely fights, even to save a life. Once per round, at will and at 10th level, it can use know alignment, infravision, detect invisibility, speak with animals or monsters (limited to birds and avian beings) and shape change (into a human or small bird only).

Its best defense is its tail. Unfurling it takes a round; then the feathers swirl with rainbow patterns that dazzle allies and enemies alike. Each round, everyone within 50 feet must save vs. spell or stand entranced, and the trance lasts for as long as it lasts plus another 1d4+1 rounds after the fan closes. Holding the display takes almost no concentration, and it usually covers the bird's escape.

Cornered, it strikes twice a round with razor-edged metallic wings for 2d8 points each. Its talons are for carrying good creatures to safety, never for fighting.

About 65% are female, and they live alone, but around 70% of the time one travels with a court of admiring birds: songbirds, hawks, eagles and vultures, giant eagles or condors, even a roc. These courts keep well away from people.

They mate roughly every six years, and only then keep a lair, a remote mountain cave where both parents tend 1-3 helpless young. Guarding them are 1-2 rocs and 3-12 giant eagles. The young have half their parents' Hit Dice, no attack but their tails, and +3 on saves against tail hypnosis; the parents split up when the young reach about 2-3 years. Simurghs keep no treasure.

Hunters in the mountains prize their tails. A golden tail feather given freely, sometimes called a piece of the sun, sheds continual light and can entrance anyone within 50 feet, owner included, though viewers save vs. spell at +3. It is needed to brew a potion of rainbow hues or make a robe of scintillating colors, and can be used to write scrolls of hypnotic pattern, color spray, rainbow pattern, prismatic wall, prismatic spray and prismatic sphere.