Aarakocra
Aarakocra, sometimes known as Aven, are an avian people that reside within Aurelle, the Elemental Plane of Air. They appear not dissimilar to large birds, standing from 4-5 feet tall. They are a nomadic people, living on cloud-like islands in Aurelle and subsisting off of beasts such as hippogriffs and pegasi for food and materials.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Aarakocra appear physically similar to birds, though much larger than non-sapient species of birds and with an additional pair of arms with four fingers, including opposable thumbs. For nearly every type of bird that exists in Dulūn, there is an Aarakocra counterpart, with appearance generally dependent on the appearance of the bird which the aarakocra is related to.
Growth Rate & Stages
An aarakocra's lifespan generally depends on the lifespan of their avian counterpart - a cockatoo aarakocra may life 40-60 years, while a peregrine falcon aarakocra may only live up to 10 years, an elf owl aarakocra may live as little as 5 years, or an albatross aarakocra could live upwards of 50 years.
Ecology and Habitats
The native habitat of aarakocra is Aurelle, an endless expanse of air and wind interrupted by occasional cloud-like "islands", the only locations upon which one can stand or rest. The plane is inhabited primarily by elementals, with a handful of other creatures such as hippogriffs, pegasi, rocs, arrowhawks, and a few more. The smallest living creatures within Aurelle are air mephits, small elementals able to obtain energy through the movement of the wind alone. Larger creatures such as pegasi and hippogriffs are able to obtain energy by feeding on these mephits, who have done the work of converting the wind into consumable energy. These beasts are fed on by larger ones, such as rocs and arrowhawks, though animals of both of those categories are also hunted by aarakocra.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Aarakocra are native to Aurelle, a vast expanse of only wind and other creatures. As such, they mainly subsist off of the meat of non-sapient animals of Aurelle, including hippogriffs, pegasi, and arrowhawks. Aarakocra have thus learned to be rather skilled hunters, with tribe leaders of aarakocra communities tending to be the best hunters of their communities. Through some interaction with creatures of the material plane that have found their way into Aurelle by accident, or through the efforts of aarakocra who have journeyed into the material plane and managed to find their way back in, some aarakocra communities have limited access to some types of vegetation, including Tillandsias and some types of moss, plants able to survive off of the moisture in the air. In communities with such access, these plants are sacred and often only handled by dedicated holy people, who are responsible for the care of the plant and rationing of its use.
Behaviour
Aarakocra are naturally a nomadic people, as the number of threats surrounding them in the form of air elementals that can, in some cases, form out of nowhere, force them to live a lifestyle that allows them to pick up and leave at any point. Most aarakocra are used to the open and endless skies of Aurelle, and many tend to have a fear of small, enclosed spaces.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Aarakocra live in close-knit tribal communities in Aurelle, and those who leave their tribe often take the surname of their clan when introducing themselves to others outside of their communities - within their tribes, however, there is generally not a need to specify surnames. As for given names, aarakocra tend to have one- or two- syllable names with sounds such as /k/, /l/, /g/, /d/, /v/, /n/, /p/, /s/, and /z/, following a CV or CVC syllable pattern, with emphasis almost always put on the second syllable if there is one. Aarakocra names tend to be gender neutral. Some examples include: Daz, Nok, Vek, Palgok, Vanok, Legav, Ven, or Sedal.
Lifespan
Varies (see Growth Rate & Stages)
Average Height
4-5 ft.
Geographic Distribution
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