ECOLOGY

Environment any forests (First World)
Organization solitary, pair, or jape (3–20)
Treasure standard

Mockingfey are regarded as entertainment by locals and nuisances by visitors, who are the usual butt of the creatures' pranks. The pint-sized fey often congregate in large colonies called japes or mockingdells, inhabiting the trees near a commonly traversed path or meadow. When an intelligent creature enters the grove, one of the bird-sprites flies down to perch on the traveler's shoulder or some nearby vantage. It then promptly shifts shape to become a perfect, miniature doppelganger of the creature in question, proceeding to cavort and imitate the newcomer in a most convincing and unflattering manner, mimicking the creature's tone but chattering only gibberish. This gibberish is not solely for comic effect, as while mockingfey are eager (if distractible) students in most matters, they refuse to use verbal language of any sort, believing that words unnecessarily constrain the things they describe. Instead, they communicate through gestures, pantomime, and elaborate dances. Those who think them mere beasts, however, are quickly set straight, as enemies of mockingfey are confronted with disorienting magic and the mockingfey's capricious allies.

While many people find mockingfeys' antics irritating, the little creatures are surprisingly useful allies, with a loyal, friendly nature toward those who treat them well, and an insatiable curiosity that makes them surprisingly well informed about their surroundings.

Those illusionists and other spellcasters who seek such puckish familiars (and take the Improved Familiar feat) often find them worth the resulting hassle–if just barely.

A typical mockingfey is 8 inches tall and weighs 2 pounds.