Aarakocra

Aarakocra, or bird-people, were a race of avian humanoids. Aarakocras resembled humanoid birds. The average specimen stood about 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall and had a wingspan of 20 feet (6.1 meters). Halfway along the edge of each wing was a hand with three human-sized fingers and an opposable thumb. An elongated fourth finger extended the length of the wing and locked in place during flight. The hands could not grasp while flying, but they were nearly as useful as human hands when an aarakocra was perched and its wings were folded back.
Their powerful legs ended in four sharp talons that could unlock and fold back to reveal another pair of functional hands. These humanoids had hollow, fragile bones. Their faces combined the features of both parrots and eagles. They had gray-black beaks and black eyes. Plumage color varied, but males generally had red, orange, and yellow coloration, while females tended towards brown and gray.
Aarakocras were generally peaceful creatures who cherished their solitude. They were known to be extremely claustrophobic. Male aarakocras tended to have very short tempers and had been known to fly into fits of rage when a perceived wrong occurred. They also were notorious romantic flirts, regardless of whether or not they were married.
Since aarakocras avoided melee combat when possible, their combat tactics revolved around attacking opponents from above. Javelins were the weapon of choice for many aarakocras, so much so that they developed their own unique type of javelin called a flight lance. A single aarakocra could comfortably carry up to six javelins at a time, stored in a special sheathe that was strapped to its body. Other weapons used by aarakocras included darts and daggers. Their sharp talons and beaks were effective weapons as well. Occasionally they wore studded leather, but they never used shields.

Society

On Toril, aarakocras live atop the highest mountain peaks in small tribes that controlled hunting territories and shared a communal nest. The eldest serves as leader, assisted by the tribe's shaman. They are exclusive to Xedaris, and are mainly confined to the tallest mountains of the Brambled Peaks. Many aarakocra tribes avoided contact with other species, and many individuals rarely, if ever, left their home territory. Aarakocra understood and spoke common, but when they spoke it, they punctuated their speech with caws, whistles, and other bird-like sounds.
Life as an aarakocra is mostly spent hunting or making tools and weapons. While not every male aarakocra is expected to snatch up the tribe’s meals on a daily basis, those who don’t better have good reasons why not. Children and the extremely old are excused from this duty. As a young aarakocra nears maturity, his elders teach him to hunt for himself. If he shows a great reverence for the sky and his prey, he may be steered into a career as a cleric.
Tribal life is everything to most aarakocra. The tribe shares a large, roofless communal nest made of thick vines woven together into a gigantic bowl. The eldest member of the tribe, whether male or female, leads the tribe with the help of the tribal shaman (cleric). Away from the tribe, aarakocra are aloof, whether singly or in a group. They are extremely claustrophobic and refuse to enter any enclosed area unless there is no other choice. To them, being trapped in a room with no way to reach the sky is akin to death.
Aarakocra of Toril worshipped primarily Syranita and Aerdrie Faenya, though they had little time for religion.
The first Aarakocra were discovered towards the end of the first age, and their origin is unknown. They are a non-literary society, and thus do not record their history any further back then a few generations, and even then it is simply through word of mouth.

General Information

Size

Medium

Type

Humanoid (Minor Race)

Average Lifespan

65 years

Homeland

The Mountain Peaks of Auxis

Languages

Common, Auran

Deities

Syranita

Appearance

Average Height

5ft

Average Wingspan

20ft

Average Weight

90lb

An Aarakocra Hunter