Monstrous Race: Aarakocra
Sequestered in high mountains atop tall trees, the aarakocra, sometimes called birdfolk, evoke fear and wonder. Many aarakocra like leaving sequestered lives away from other races as only those that can fly can fully understand their need for freedom and community. From below, aarakocra look much like large birds. Only when they descend to roost on a branch or walk across the ground does their humanoid appearance reveal itself. Standing upright, aarakocra might reach 5 feet tall, and they have long, narrow legs that taper to sharp talons. Feathers cover their bodies. Their plumage typically denotes membership in a tribe. Males are brightly colored, while females have more subdued colors. Their heads complete the avian appearance. There are a couple of variations of the race. The Mainland Aarakocra have a large variety of colors from red, orange, or yellow in their feathers, while females would have brown or gray, their heads having the appearance of eagles with some small variation. The Northern Aarakocra have blue, white, and gray feathers, females having aquamarine and more washed up blue colors, their heads would take the appearance of owls. The Islander Aarakocra has the biggest variation of colors, mostly colored green or red with many different feathers like a true parrot, the females have less color than the males but have a crest on their heads, which are parrot-like in appearance. There might be more variations but they are too small in number. There exist one more main variation but it is considered cursed and not aarakocra anymore (the Kenku). Nowhere are the aarakocra more comfortable than in the sky. They can spend hours in the air, and some go as long as days, locking their wings in place and letting the thermals hold them aloft. In battle, they prove dynamic and acrobatic fliers, moving with remarkable speed and grace, diving to lash opponents with weapons or talons before turning and flying away. Once airborne, an aarakocra leaves the sky with reluctance.
The race dates back to the First Age, The Titan War, when the Titan Caretaker created the Aarakocra. The first variation of the race was much more varied, the legends said that there weren't two aarakocra that looked the same. As the sky wardens of the Caretaker, they were tasked in defending his lands (Lands of the Caretaker) against the forces of the First Gods. Their numbers fell greatly and they were subdued in the Second Age, Godswar, most running away into the mountains or into high trees, far from the conflict. One variation didn't, the Shadow Aarakocra, they decided to join the Godswar but played on both sides. Their greed knew no bounds and they were found out. Some were killed, the rest were cursed by the gods. The latter survived up to today as the Kenku. It is noted that the Aarakocra didn't help the Icons and were enslaved like any other in the Iconian Empire, this was seen by the servants of the gods as redemption in their eyes, especially when they helped stop Vecna as much as they could.
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