Kenku

Kenku are a race of flightless avian humanoids. They tend to be selfish and secretive in nature and are often engaged in plots to acquire wealth and power. They operate in small gangs and often live in large human cities, especially in southern lands, where they work as spies, assassins, or thieves.
Although they evolve from avians, kenku have no wings or capacity for flight. This is due to their former master finding out of their greed. Instead, they have 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 are bare and scaled like a bird's. They most resembled ravens. Kenku tend to be slightly smaller than the average human, standing at around 5 feet (1.5 meters). Because they have partially hollow bones, they ware lighter than most creatures their height, averaging only 75 pounds (34 kilograms). They are therefore not as strong, but they are more agile and dexterous. They typically wear nondescript brown robes, under which they conceal tools and weaponry.
Kenku are by habit secretive, self-seeking, and cunning creatures. They tend to adopt neutral or unaligned views and behaviors; the majority are evil, but true neutral and good kenku can be found among them. They are opportunistic and unscrupulous, not stopping at illegal or immoral acts. Although they are selfish, kenku actually operate surprisingly well together and with allies. A kenku is most effective when aided or aiding an ally. A kenku fight well alongside allies, and not just with others of its kind. They are most dangerous when aided or when flanking a foe with an ally. Kenku sneaks and assassins backstabs their victims this way. Kenku can be vicious in a fight but are cowardly by nature. They will usually flee the moment a battle turns in their opponent's favor, and even surrender if it means staying alive.
Kenku often uses saps, short swords, or shortbows in combat, others wielded clubs, daggers, slings, and even spiked chains. But even when disarmed, they will also slash opponents with their claws. Kenku typically wear leather armor, though a warrior might choose a chain shirt or buckler. A kenku can accurately mimic all kinds of noises, voices, and accents. A gifted kenku mimic can fool a foe into believing they have heard a voice they were well familiar with. Kenku have an innate skill in the arts of stealth.
Kenku live in close-knit gangs, family groups, or clans, commonly called "flocks". These flocks are distrusting of outsiders, even of other kenku. They establish aeries or nests, usually hidden and often near large cities or at least in civilized lands. Kenku have their own language, but typically speak Common.
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 make their way on their own or formed partnerships with other creatures who needed their services.
These kenku gangs make their homes in the cities, where they loiter in dark alleys or roam the streets together. Thanks to their skills and habits and lack of scruples, they flourish in the criminal underbelly, hatching schemes to get rich and strong. They can operate all kinds of illicit enterprises, but prefer confidence tricks and scheming. Violence is rarely their first choice. They hoard their stolen, shiny gold.
Typical kenku ruffians are unsophisticate warriors who depend on numbers to overwhelm a foe. A true kenku warrior cultivates a martial art in which they flitter here and there, apparently at random, but striking quickly. They also make brutal attacks against those they have the advantage over. Serving as assassins and spies, kenku sneaks are often rogues who especially depend on stealth and cooperation, and on acting first. Some can disappear amongst their fellows, before they will resurface and strike again. Some dedicat themselves to the path of assassin. Leading them on heists and raids, the ringleader of a kenku gang is a capable brawler who could urge his kind to press an attack, to move and scatter, or flee when a fight goes against them.
Kenku have a magical tradition employing air magic and glowing feathers of force to hinder and harm. Unlike other kenku, they can even fly for short time, with their arts. They prefer the safety of height. It is rare to spot a kenku cleric, but the few among them usually follows gods of secrecy.
Some kenku dedicated themselves to the path of assassin. The kenku assassin combined the warrior's martial art and the wing mage's feathers, together with a poisoned blade. Some kenku served the demon lord Pazuzu, patron of evil flying things.