"Something like a pheasant, only prettier. A lovely bird. Beautiful plumage."
- —Friar Begel, "My Travels in Kislev"[1a]
Firebirds share their name with the awesome flame-tailed creatures that are messengers of Dazh and are considered to be descended from their mythical cousins. As a result, these gleaming-feathered pheasant-like birds are believed sacred to Dazh, and it is extremely bad luck to harm or kill one, particularly when a priest of Dazh is nearby.[1a]
This superstition has helped these birds survive despite their rather annoying habits. The male firebirds build a bower to attract the females, and to keep it free from snow, they build it from hot coals and embers they collect from campfires.[1a]
Anyone camping in the wild in early spring who leaves their fire pit unattended whilst sleeping will almost certainly wake to find a clutch of firebirds scratching and pecking through the embers, an activity that often leaves nearby equipment the worse for wear.[1a]
Trivia[]
Firebirds are a popular figure in Slavic mythology and fairytales, often seen as both a bleesing and as a harbringer of doom to its captor.