Kenku

Kenku were a race of flightless avian humanoids. They tended to be selfish and secretive in nature and were often engaged in plots to acquire wealth and power. They operated in small gangs and often lived in large human cities, especially in southern Faerûn, where they worked as spies, assassins, or thieves.

Description

Kenku had no wings nor the capacity for flight. This is a punishment levelled against the race by the head of the In'qwane Pantheon, Ukhozi, due to their greed. Instead, they had arms in place of wings and bird-like talons for hands and feet. They retained bird-like features, however, with black and beady eyes and a long dark-hued beak. Head and torso were covered with soft feathers, a dark russet-brown color, while their scrawny limbs were bare and scaled like a bird's. They most resembled ravens.
Kenku tended to be smaller than the average human, standing between 4 and 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 meters). Because they had partially hollow bones, they were lighter than most creatures their height, averaging only 75 pounds (34 kilograms). They were therefore not as strong, but they were more agile and dexterous.
Kenku were by habit secretive, self-seeking, and cunning creatures. They tended to adopt neutral or unaligned views and behaviors; the majority were evil, but true neutral and good kenku could be found among them. They were opportunistic and unscrupulous, not stopping at illegal or immoral acts.
A kenku could accurately mimic all kinds of noises, voices, and accents. A gifted kenku mimic could fool a foe into believing they had heard a voice they were well familiar with. Kenku had an innate skill in the arts of stealth.
Although they were selfish, kenku actually operated surprisingly well together and with allies. A kenku was most effective when aided or aiding an ally.

A kenku thief

Society

Kenku lived in close-knit gangs, family groups, or clans, commonly called "flocks". These flocks were distrusting of outsiders, even of other kenku. They established aeries or nests, usually hidden and often near large cities or at least in civilized lands.
After hatching from their eggs, kenku remained in their home-nests with their families. Once they reached adulthood at age nine, they left their nests forever. Unwilling to travel alone, most soon banded together with other young adult kenku of similar habits for mutual protection and profit, forming new flocks. A few made their way on their own or formed partnerships with other creatures who needed their services.
These kenku gangs made their homes in the cities, where they loitered in dark alleys or roamed the streets together. Thanks to their skills and habits and lack of scruples, they flourished in the criminal underbelly, hatching schemes to get rich and strong. They could operate all kinds of illicit enterprises, but preferred confidence tricks and scheming. Violence was rarely their first choice. They hoarded their stolen, shiny gold. Kenku, in gangs or alone, were usually hired as thieves or thugs, even as assassins and spies.
Typical kenku ruffians were unsophisticated warriors who depended on numbers to overwhelm a foe. A true kenku warrior cultivated a martial art in which they flitted here and there, apparently at random, but striking quickly as they did. They also made brutal attacks against those they had the advantage over.
Serving as assassins and spies, kenku sneaks were often rogues who especially depended on stealth and cooperation, and on acting first. Some could disappear amongst their fellows, before they would resurface and strike again. Some dedicated themselves to the path of assassin.
Leading them on heists and raids, the ringleader of a kenku gang was a capable brawler who could urge his kind to press an attack, to move and scatter, or flee when a fight went against them.

Combat

A kenku fought well alongside allies, and not just with others of its kind. They were most dangerous when aided or when flanking a foe with an ally. Kenku sneaks and assassins backstabbed their victims this way. Kenku could be vicious in a fight but were cowardly by nature. They would usually flee the moment a battle turned in their opponent's favor, and even surrender if it meant staying alive.
Kenku often used short swords or shortbows in combat, others wielded clubs, daggers, slings, and even spiked chains. But even when disarmed, they would also slash opponents with their claws. Kenku typically wore leather armor, though a warrior might choose a chain shirt or buckler.

Player Race Features

• Ability Scores. Choose any +2; choose any other +1.
• Size. Your size is Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race.
• Speed. 30 feet.
• Expert Duplication. When you copy writing or craftwork produced by yourself or someone else, you have advantage on any ability checks you make to produce an exact duplicate.
• Kenku Recall. Thanks to your supernaturally good memory, you have proficiency in two skills of your choice. Moreover, when you make an ability check using any skill in which you have proficiency, you can give yourself advantage on the check before rolling the d20. You can give yourself advantage in this way a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
• Mimicry. You can accurately mimic sounds you have heard, including voices. A creature that hears the sounds you make can tell they are imitations only with a successful Wisdom (Insight) check against a DC of 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier.
• Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and In'qwanan.