Aven

There is a surprising idea among some scholars that avens are more closely related to the saurian group of beastfolk than they might first appear. Both groups lay eggs and there are apparently some commonalities between their hip bones that differentiate them from the other beastfolk races as well as most humanoids. They are sometimes called beakys or, most insultingly, gliders. Aven stand roughly five to six feet high, but their feathers hide that they tend to be much slimmer and lighter than a human of comparable height. They are fully feathered, save their legs below the knee, which end in semi grasping claws. Their feathers come in a dazzling array of colors and patterns, similar to almost any true bird. Aven arms end in hands with three fingers and a thumb, but their forearms also have extended feathers they can use to glide reasonably well. They have mouths in place of beaks, yet are surprisingly articulate considering their lack of lips or teeth. Their native language, Sky Fae, is a derivative of Sylvan which shares a good deal of its structures with the elvish dialects, but is the most disparate from the languages in its family. Aven also frequently have a particular gift for picking up other languages, as well as mocking sounds they hear in general. This has blossomed into a cultural emphasis on polyglotism and has resulted in avens making very popular translators and interpreters. Another of their strongest features is superior vision, often surpassing any other sentient race. Many aven can see minute details at significant distances. Aven are longer lived than many races, often living for a century or more, though almost never exceeding 150 years of age. Avens traditionally live in tree canopy villages with their homes built amongst the branches. They extend ropes between the structures which their clawed feet can grasp, allowing them to walk from tree to tree. Syridian aven fled the continent well before the fall of the Sunwood, and those native to the Miridian Mountains left around the same time as the dwarves. These events result in the primary bastion for their race now being the Forest of Aeria. They share the forest with the elves in relative harmony, though the long lived elves may look down on the aven like they do the rest of the mortal races. Aven also have a particular love for astronomy, with their star charts being highly coveted by ship’s captains and researchers.