Masters of the Winged Word
"He who controls the message, controls the saga."
The Aerie Sovereignty was born from a communications blackout. During the War of the Howling Dark (c. 150 AH), a blizzard of unprecedented scale and magical disruption grounded all Sky-Speak Parrots for a month. Kingdoms were isolated, armies marched blindly, and chaos reigned. In the aftermath, a cabal of rogue Ljósalfar (Elf) Giants, master falconers and wind-callers, saw the vulnerability. They retreated to the highest, most inaccessible peaks of the Cloud-Spine Mountains and began their work. They wouldn't just use the @Sky-Speak Parrot; they would master them.
The Sovereignty is a secretive meritocracy where status is measured by one's bond with the avian world.
The Wind-Talkers: The ruling class of @Elf Giant who possess an innate, magical affinity for avians. They can understand the complex language of the parrots, interpreting subtle nuances and even mood that are lost in simple message recitation.
The Talon-Bonded: Lítillfólk who live their entire lives alongside the parrots. They are the trainers, healers, and nurturers. A Talon-Bonded's entire family line might be dedicated to the care of a single, ancient parrot matriarch.
The Aerie of Echoes: Their capital is not a city of stone, but a vast, natural amphitheater of interconnected mountain peaks and suspended rope bridges, housing thousands of nesting parrots. The air is filled with a constant, intelligent cacophony.
The Sovereignty's power is not in armies, but in information. They maintain a facade of strict neutrality, selling their messenger services to all. But behind this facade, they are the realm's ultimate information brokers.
The Unspoken Edit: While a parrot will always recite the sender's exact words, a Wind-Talker can, through subtle magical suggestion and conditioning, influence a parrot's timing, route, and demeanor. A message of war can be delayed just long enough for an ally to prepare. A message of peace can be sent via a parrot that appears panicked, undermining its content.
The Feathered Spy Network: The parrots are unparalleled observers. They see army movements, resource convoys, and secret meetings. This intelligence is the Sovereignty's most valuable currency, which they sell to the highest bidder or use to manipulate events from the shadows.
The Ultimate Sanction: The Silent Wing. The most feared punishment the Sovereignty can levy is to cut a settlement or nation off from all parrot communication. To be placed under the "Silent Wing" is to be rendered deaf, dumb, and blind in a world of frost and danger, a sentence that can cripple a nation without a single blow being struck.
Publicly, they are the essential, neutral messengers of Niflheimar, a utility as vital as warmth. Privately, every Jarl and Overseer knows that crossing the Wind-Talkers is to risk having your own words turned against you and your kingdom plunged into informational darkness. They are the silent partners in every war, the unseen guests at every negotiation, and the true masters of the narrative that shapes the world. They do not rule land, but they rule the flow of knowledge, and in a world of ice and isolation, that is the greatest power of all.