Kenku
"Cursed to take, forgotten by the cycle"
History
The Kenku are a tragic reminder of hubris, cursed by Ythara, Goddess of the Cycle and Malakar, God of Death. Once humans part of a great city in the SaltMarsh, they grew too arrogant in their aspirations, attempting to usurp the divine and escape the natural cycle of life and death. In response, the gods punished them, granting them the very thing they desired: a detachment from the cycle of nature itself, while the city was smitten and consumed by it.
Now, the Kenku embody greed and selfishness, finding it natural to take without giving. Their physical forms reflect their curse, adorned with carrion-like features—heads resembling ravens, talons for hands, and some even bearing wings. This grotesque transformation serves as a constant reminder of their folly.
Upon death, the Kenku face a grim fate. Nature itself rejects their remains; no animals or plants will feed upon their corpses, and it is said that their souls do not ascend to the Ethereal Plane or the Hall of the Dead. Instead, they linger, trapped and lost within this realm, forever bound to the consequences of their arrogance and the cycle they sought to escape. When originally cursed, Ythara also took their ability to speak any known language so they would be forced to live with beasts, forever removed from society. But Vaelora, Goddess of Fate took mercy on them after her ascencion, declaring no Kin's fate should be decided for them by a God, and so gave the gift of language unto the Kenku again.
Now
The Kenku are largely shunned and scorned, viewed with disdain for both their innate selfishness and the fear surrounding their curse. Most of them linger in the ruins of Saltmarsh, searching for a way to escape their fate or seeking a deeper purpose in their existence. At least, that’s what they tell themselves as they rummage through the swamp in search of trinkets and baubles to sell or add to their collections.
Those Kenku who manage to leave Saltmarsh do so driven by a restless desire for greater meaning or untold treasures, as they are rarely satisfied with what they possess. Their insatiable greed often leads them on perilous adventures, ever in pursuit of something more—whether it be wealth, wisdom, or the elusive chance to break free from the chains of their curse.
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