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KENKU  
D&D 3rd Edition for DarkSun

A race of greedy hawk-men that trade or wage war on the rest of Athas as the mood takes them, Kenku are a secretive race that lives among the human and demihuman races without the bulk of the population ever being aware of their presence. They are magical creatures with an obsession for treasure and the arcane. They often use their powers to annoy and inconvenience the human and demihuman races.

Personality: Kenku are greedy, manipulative, cunning, and extremely rude.

Physical Description: Kenku are hawk-like humanoids that stand 5 to 5 1/2 feet in height and weigh 100-120 pounds. They have dark-brown plumage and white speckles on their chests. They posses dexterous hands, as well as wings, and have three-toed taloned-feet. Kenku eyes are a brilliant yellow. Kenku cannot verbally communicate. They instead they uses psionics or specially designed tongue-rings which allow them to speak normally with others. They are adept at symbols, sign language, and pantomime. The typical Kenku adventurer dresses in sun-worn, but expensive finery. Kenku can live up to 60 years.

Relations: Kenku may appear to be friendly, helpful, and even generous. They freely give treasure to humans and demihumans, but it is rarely genuine and crumbles into dust. They may offer nonverbal advice to humanoids, but this is carefully designed to mislead. They do not usually kill unless their own lives are threatened by the survival of their foe. All Kenku have well-developed disguise skills, and can sometimes pass for human, although their disguises often have telltale large noses. Kenku sometimes kidnap wealthy nobles as a source of revenue. Domestically raised Kenku are prized as templars, assassins, and court-defilers. Kenku eggs are commonly sold for 50 gp, hatchlings for 80 gp. If a Kenku discovers captive Kenku, it will attempt to secretly rescue the captive and, if possible, kidnap the slave trader or owner.

Alignment: Any Neutral.

Kenku Lands: The treacherous peaks of the Ringing Mountains is where most Kenku call their home, though some inhabit Tyr or Urik, running secret spell-shops and apocatharies.

Religion: Kenku tend to worship the Air element.

Language: Kenku speak avian, the language of sentient-bird creatures.

Names: Kenku names tend to to consist of chirping and squaking sounds.

Male Names: Ack-chak, Charbakk, Chiko-chak, Chi-choka, Kelbik.

Female Names: Chaki, Chi-bi, Falkai, Khadri, Wiki-chi.

Clan & Family Names: Black-feather, Greytalon, Pickle-feather, Silverwing.

Adventurers: Kenku adventurers are individuals that seek the lost mystical artifacts and quick money that can be found while on an adventure. They often hire out their skills to merchant-houses and templar officials acting as spies, scouts, and in-house defilers.

KENKU RACIAL TRAITS

·          Ability Score Bonus: +2 to Dexterity, -2 Charisma.

·          Size: Kenku are Medium-sized.

·          Base Speed: Kenku base speed is 20 feet.

·          Flight Maneuverability: Average.

·          Darkvision: Kenku can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and Kenku can function just fine with no light at all.

·          Racial Bonus--Saving Throws: +2 Will bonus against spells and spell-like effects.

·          Racial Bonus--Skills: +2 racial bonus on Disguise checks.

·          Racial Bonus--Skills: +2 racial bonus on Appraise checks.

·          Automatic Languages: Common and Kenku.

·          Miscellaneous Bonus--Claws: Kenku posses sharp claws that inflict 1d4 points of damage. 

·          Miscellaneous Bonus--Beak: Kenku posses a sharp beak that inflicts 1d6 points of damage. 

·          Miscellaneous Bonus--Improved Armor Class: Because of the Kenku’s dexterous frame, they have a base armor class of 15.

·          Miscellaneous Bonus--Item Of Sand: The Kenku can create 1d4 small or medium-sized items or weapons per day out of common sand. The items last for 1d4 minutes from time of creation, after which they crumble into foul-smelling dust. Weapons and items act as their real counter-parts ( such as a steel sword or a wooden bucket ) but are not enchanted or can they be enchanted in any way, shape or form ( a bone longsword +4 would act a s a bone longsword, an adamant short sword would act as a steel short sword, and a “magically-enchanted ring “, such as a Ring of Featherfall would not grant the user any powers at all ).

·          Miscellaneous Bonus--Shape-shifting: Once per day, a Kenku may shape-shift into any creature size tiny to large, and hold that shape for 1d10 minutes. The Kenku gains no Armor Class, Hit Points, Breath Weapon, or any other  bonus associated with the shape taken.

·          Miscellaneous Bonus--Psionic Powers: Kenku Automatically gain the Contact and Mindlink psionic powers.

·          Miscellaneous Bonus--Scimitar Proficient: All Kenku ( regardless of class ) are proficient in the scimitar. 

·          Miscellaneous Bonus--Create tongue-ring: The Kenku can create a Tongue Ring, which allow them to speak normally with others. The Kenku must be at least 3rd level and have the Craft Wondrous Item feat to use this.

·          Special Attacks/Defenses--Shocking Grasp: At 4th level, the Kenku may cast Shocking Grasp as an equal-level wizard once per day.

·          Special Attacks/Defenses--Magic Missile: At 3rd level, the Kenku may cast Magic Missile  as an equal-level wizard once per day.

·          Favored Class: Preserver, Defiler, Trader, or Rogue.

Created by Alex Rodriguez Frayre
(11-14-00)