Aarakocra

Civilization and Culture

Major Organizations

The falcon and hawk Aarakocra head the Paladin Order of Amun-Ra which runs the city of Mistmire.

Beauty Ideals

A sign of beauty is full, smooth, and healthy feathers, especially in the wings and on the head.

Gender Ideals

Males are brightly colored, with feathers of red, orange, or yellow. Females have more subdued colors, usually brown or gray.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Nowhere are the Aarakocra more comfortable than in the sky. They can spend hours in the air, and some go as long as days, locking their wings in place and letting the thermals hold them aloft. In battle, they prove dynamic and acrobatic fliers, moving with remarkable speed and grace, diving to lash opponents with weapons or talons before turning and flying away.
Many Aarakocra punctuate their speech with chirps, sounds they use to convey emphasis and to shade meaning, much as a human might through facial expressions and gestures. An Aarakocra might become frustrated with people who fail to pick up on the nuances; an Aarakocra’s threat might be taken as a jest and vice versa.
The idea of ownership baffles most Aarakocra. After all, who owns the sky? Even when explained to them, they initially find the notion of ownership mystifying. As a result, Aarakocra who have little interaction with other people might be a nuisance as they drop from the sky to snatch livestock or plunder harvests for fruits and grains. Shiny, glittering objects catch their eyes.
They find it hard not to pluck the treasure and bring it back to their settlement to beautify it. An Aarakocra who spends years among other races can learn to inhibit these impulses.

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

The resemblance of Aarakocra to birds isn’t limited to physical features. Aarakocra display many of the same mannerisms as ordinary birds. They are fastidious about their plumage, frequently tending their feathers, cleaning and scratching away any tiny passengers they might have picked up. When they deign to descend from the sky, they often do so near pools where they can catch fish and bathe themselves.

Common Taboos

Confinement terrifies the Aarakocra. To be grounded, trapped underground, or imprisoned by the cold, unyielding earth is a torment few Aarakocra can withstand. Even when perched on a high branch, they appear alert, with eyes moving and bodies ready to take flight.

Historical Figures

The first ruler of the Mortal Kingdom was an macaw Aarakocra woman named Amyra Lasslo.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Aarakocra enjoy peace and solitude. Most of them have little interest in dealing with other peoples and less interest in spending time on the ground. For this reason, it takes an exceptional circumstance for an Aarakocra to leave his or her tribe and undertake the adventurer’s life. Neither treasure nor glory is enough to lure them from their tribes; a dire threat to their people, a mission of vengeance, or a catastrophe typically lies at the heart of the Aarakocra adventurer’s chosen path.