03-30-2011, 09:42 AM
aaand late, but re: crows/ravens, Inferni has an NPCr raven named Marlowe that joined the clan because he wanted an easy way to get food. He's not a pet, but he hangs out in the area and will occasionally do stuff like act as a spy/messenger for the leadership.
Ravens are remarkably intelligent birds, but I've always played as if they do not automatically know high-speech. Marlowe learned it by studying wolves, and if your character went about befriending a raven (and/or stealing a hatchling from a clutch, which would be reasonable this time of year) you'd be able to raise it to learn that. However, you'd also need to teach it how to be a bird, which is where any books on falconry could come in handy. A lot of people have started owning ravens at pets, so you'll probably find good information online as well.
Ravens are remarkably intelligent birds, but I've always played as if they do not automatically know high-speech. Marlowe learned it by studying wolves, and if your character went about befriending a raven (and/or stealing a hatchling from a clutch, which would be reasonable this time of year) you'd be able to raise it to learn that. However, you'd also need to teach it how to be a bird, which is where any books on falconry could come in handy. A lot of people have started owning ravens at pets, so you'll probably find good information online as well.