Shithead

"Shithead" is an undead bird that terrorized Fresh Cut Grass before Campaign 3, so named by Fresh Cut Grass because "it shits on my head whenever it sees me".

Description
The bird is large, mangy, and greasy, and it is missing some of its feathers in patches. It has a long, hooked, scarred beak and a cloudy eye. It is described as an "awkward" creature. Shithead is undead. It is of an unidentifiable type of scavenging bird, such as a vulture, and it is not a hawk.

It has a "horrifying" cry and makes guttural calls. When spoken to using Speak with Animals, its voice sounds like that of a heavy smoker.

Fresh Cut Grass, who is terrified of him, described it as having "hate in his eyes". He has no particular reason for targeting Fresh Cut Grass, simply feeling that Fresh Cut Grass has "something" about them that compels Shithead to want to ruin their life.

Before Campaign 3
The bird was apparently living in Bassuras in the Hellcatch Valley region of Marquet in 843 PD, shortly before Campaign 3. Fresh Cut Grass claimed that it chased him around at all hours of the day, and he named the bird "Shithead" because "it shits on my head whenever it sees me". He eventually believed that the bird hated him and wanted him dead or humiliated. This led to Fresh Cut Grass developing a general dislike of and anxiety around all birds, which Ashton Greymoore was aware of.

Campaign 3: Bells Hells
During a night watch in Bassuras, Fresh Cut Grass grew anxious about a hawk roosting nearby. They woke Chetney Pock O'Pea to investigate and confided in him about Shithead. Chetney urged them to share this with the rest of Bells Hells, believing the group would empathize. Still, he agreed not to tell anyone else and promised to protect Fresh Cut Grass from Shithead. Fresh Cut Grass later feared that Shithead followed them while traveling to Jrusar by skyship. They also found Pâté de Rolo's new winged familiar form creepy and unsettling because it reminded them of Shithead.

When the party arrived at the Aydinlan Seminary in Yios, Shithead was on the roof directly above the main entrance. Noticing Fresh Cut Grass, it swooped down to attack him. It ignored Chetney's attempts to speak to it and successfully defecated on Fresh Cut Grass's head. Shithead was quickly subdued, possibly killed, by Fearne Calloway's Ice Knife. When it began to recover from its injuries, Chetney and Fearne restrained it. Fresh Cut Grass spoke to Shithead using Speak with Animals, learning that Shithead had no special reason to target Fresh Cut Grass but regardless felt compelled to do so. It then escaped and flew away. Despite Shithead's explanations, Fresh Cut Grass, who previously believed that it may have been a prank by the Division of Public Benefit, felt that Shithead represented their guilt over past wrongs.

Abilities

 * Fly speed: 60 feet
 * Defecate: Shithead poops on a creature's head, dealing 1 poison damage. The target must make a Constitution saving throw, with no effect on a success.
 * Shithead's undead nature allows it to recover from grievous, possibly fatal, injury.

Behind the scenes
Shithead was initially developed out of a rejected familiar Sam Riegel developed for Fresh Cut Grass. During character art development, Sam was asked if his character had any accessories or companions to be added into the portrait. He initially said no, then changed his mind because he thought it might be fun to have a familiar after spending both Campaign 1 and Campaign 2 deriding other players' familiars and animals companions. He chose a bird and named it Shithead, but once the bird was designed, he changed his mind (as he still hated familiars). He showed the design to Matt and asked him to find another way to incorporate the concept.

Appearances and mentions

 * Campaign 3: Bells Hells

Quotations

 * Fresh Cut Grass: "What do you want with me? Who are you? Who sent you? What do you know about me?" Shithead: "I don't know, there's just something about you I have to ruin."