Kenku
Kenku have many myths about why they act like they do but simply they have an alien mindset. Kenku live in Murders, hundreds of individuals. These murders are nomadic, but they tend to hang around forests and highlands. Unlike the Aarakora they lost their flight abilities long ago. If they even had flight in their evolutionary development. Some city states allow a murder to live in them, others shun them. They usually keep to themselves since they are difficult to communicate with.
Kenku mimicry is part of the make up of their minds, however murders that may meet from different parts of the world with very different sounds can still communicate, and in a few days will be using a mixture of sounds and noises from both murders. this leads most sages to believe Kenku have another deeper non-verbal language they use and can re order their mimic language.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Avaians with long beaks, digigrid legs, humanoid arms, opposed thumbs. Solid bones and incapable of flight.
Genetics and Reproduction
Females lay eggs, usually 3 in a clutch. Most females can lay one clutch each year. Eggs hatch in 5 weeks. Young Kenku can walk within a few hours.
Growth Rate & Stages
At age 3 they loose their grey down feathers as their black feathers come in. At age 5 their mimic ability comes in, and at age 12 they are fully adult.
Ecology and Habitats
Kenku can be found in mostly temperate locations and in other climes in cities. They dislike arid locations and and prefer wetter climes.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Kenku are omnivores but prefer small raw sources of meat such as insects, invertebrates, amphibians and small fish. They will eat nuts, berries, grains raw or cooked.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Kenku are born and raised by a mated pair until about age 8. Kenku live in extended families and associates called murders. A murder is usually 100 to 200 individuals. If an area has multiple murders there may be territorial gang disputes or they may align in some sort of confederation. If acrimonious with each other they will avoid each other unless necessary and be insular. If there is a confederation murders may have various core leaders and the lower ranking members who may swap between murders. In either case the murder is lead by an elder who is the cleverest and most cunning of the group and has lead them to treasure and food reliably. Kenku are short lived and Elders usually lead for no more than 6 years before they die of old age or are deposed.
Facial characteristics
Kenku are usually plumed all in black, and may have dark grey feathers around their beaks. Their exposed skin can range from orange to black. Their eyes are usually yellow to dark brown. Their beaks are narrow and their ears are covered by feathers.
Average Intelligence
Kenku intelligence is probably the same as a human but it is just different. Kenku are mimics and can copy sounds perfectly, and copy language, symbols or images when drawing. It is unclear if they are literate, it appears they may be able to read languages but it is hard to tell. They can be trained and will copy movements and skills if shown. Their ability to observe and quickly learns shows they have very high intelligence. It is believed they have mimetic memory and can have perfect recollection which allows their mimicry of sounds, voices, and tones. They however never alter what they hear. They mix and match these into their own way of communicating what they are thinking.
Kenku are often partners to other beings that have use of them and reward them for their talents. A Kenku could copy a book of magic perfectly, but may not have any idea what it is copying. However some individuals have learned magic, so there is some level of comprehension there.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Normal human range of sight, hearing, smell.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Most Kenku identify themselves with a series of noises. Could be any mixture of natural, artificial originating sounds.
Average Technological Level
Kenku left alone with a device will play with it until they can deduce what it does. If shown step by step methods to use the device they will repeat those steps exactly the same way each time. They lack a larger schema for putting ideas together to make complex inventions. They adapt to what ever technology around them. They have been seen using cyphers, magic items, and casting spells so it is not clear how they conceive of these concepts.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Kenku mimicry - different murders may create their own system of vocal communication using local sounds or transmit codes for specific messages. If they spend enough time with other kenku they will learn their system of mimicry too.
Kenku sublingual language - kenku have a secret sublingual language that they communicate with using body movements, hand gestures, feather flexes, head cocks, blinks, and beak clacks. This roots their context of the sounds they make. They also dance in a way that also communicates these in a sort of grammar. This is how two sets of kenku can learn each other's noises and the uses the same language. They learn this language in the first 5 years of their life and is how they communicate with their parents.
Kenku comprehension. Kenku can comprehend other creatures languages, especially if they grew up around them, and are more than intelligent enough to learn new languages. They can not speak these languages but will come upon a comprehension of that language. They may respond with noises to indicate their understanding.
Common Etiquette Rules
Kenku have different behaviors in various social situations within the murder, at dinner times the oldest members eat first, when they are full the younger members can eat what is left. Parents will eat and then regurgitate their meals in the mouths of their children under 5.
Common Dress Code
Kenku do not like wearing pants, they prefer robes and tunics. they prefer dark colors and avoid shiny buttons or affects unless secured to their person, it is distracting to other members of the murder.
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Kenku are usually shunned and have a hard time conversing with other beings so they are very much apart from other groups other than kenku.
Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
Kenku are fascinated with other birds and their flight abilities. When a Kenku dies they are given a pair of wings. No one other than the Kenku understand this tradition. They will leave the body up in a tree, and then forget about it.
Common Taboos
Dancing with other beings. The Kenku dances are forbidden to perform outside of the murders. Those that break this taboo are often killed.
History
It is not clear where Kenku came from. It is known that scholars have determined that Kenku split up into various murders and some followed the elves, some followed the Soki, and some followed the Ayorhah. They are nomadic and do not keep records of themselves.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Kenku are an oddity and known to frequently be involved in criminal activities. However some murders are also retained by nobles as messengers since they will repeat a message without flaw. Those that don't live in a city are usually nomads that wonder and scavenge ruins, steal from isolated houses or towns, and waylay travelers. They have not been observed to make any dwellings, clothing or items of their own, they use what they find and will have a mishmash of other cultures bits and bobs.
Origin
unknown
Lifespan
50 years
Average Height
5'-0"
Average Weight
90 lb to 120 lb
Average Physique
Kenku have solid bones and musculature built for surface walking, so there is some debate if they ever had flight ability. They have average strength.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
The bodies of Kenku have black and dark grey feathers. their wrists and from their knees down lack feathers and this scan ranges from orange to black. They have claws that are usually black. They may have scales that are the same color as the rest of their skin.
Comments