Night Ravens

One of the First Three Non-Human Races.Quiet beats of dark-feathered wings, carrying tidings from the gods. Night Ravens are avian Quasi-Humans, looking like Humans but with large black wings that allow them to fly, glowing red eyes that can see beyond the limits of sight, and an affinity to nocturnal magic.
== Legend ==
Oft-invoked as a threat to unruly children refusing to sleep at night, Night Ravens feature in many a story of abduction from above. Legendary for their ability to fly in near silence, they are often said to grab rebellious children who fail to come home when the sun sets, though naturally these tales rarely go into what is done with the absconded youths.Other accounts tell of winged saviors finding lost children and leading them back to civilization, or descending upon injured travelers in remote areas and tending to their wounds until they are fit to be on their way once more. Sometimes this aid requires a sacrifice of some sort, agreed upon or otherwise, but just as often it was given for free.
Even older mention of Night Ravens appears in the form of ancient mythology which speaks of winged messengers who deliver decrees from the heavenly realm, announcing judgement of wrong-doings or commanding a change in behavior to appease the gods. And rarer still, it is said that warriors who died in nighttime battles were escorted to the Eternal Halls by these dark-winged guides. It is unknown if this is due to early interaction between Humanity and Night Ravens or simply a coincidental similarity due to the usage of wings to represent a spiritual nature.
Night Ravens are mentioned in the legends of other countries as well, and one of the most unflattering is their position in Eireann mythology from Grand Breteyne. There they are claimed to be the embodied form of deceased Human souls, who died in a violent or tragic manner, often with elements of an unfulfilled life goal or an unsatisfied romantic attraction. These Ghost Birds were claimed to be able to scream with magical power, strong enough to tear the soul right out of the body of any witnesses who hear it. This is entirely mythical and simply one of the many ways in which the Non-Human Races are depicted as monstrous and evil in Brettish mythology.
And finally, the Hellenic League has an archetypal story about Night Ravens in the form of sailor-tempting Enchanters that perch on rocks alongside ocean passes. They were most often described as women with dark (or sometimes white) wings, though oddly enough they were often described as having only the head of a Human with the rest of their body being entirely avian. Their singing was said to be so enrapturous that ship crews would jump off their boats and be drowned in the water, giving up their souls which these Enchanters would dine upon. Since Night Raven singing does not have any influential properties too it, and most Humans would agree does not sound particularly good, this has been entirely dismissed as a potential misattributed story describing an as-yet-unknown Race of Spirits.
== Description ==
Night Ravens display a considerable range of appearance based upon their ethnicity, but the uniting features are that of a Human with large wings emerging from their shoulder blades, a feathered tail protruding down their backs, and avian lower legs ending in a bird-like foot. They are often shorter than Humans, and their weights are low even for their height, due to lower bone density. 
The most striking feature of Night Ravens is of course their large black wings, having a wingspan just over twice their height. This size is required to provide lift to allow them to fly. When tucked behind their backs, a Night Raven's wings are small enough to not add significant height or width to their profiles, but are still very noticeable, unless being magically hidden.
Much more easily hid by clothing are the avian lower legs ending in an anisodactyl foot, i.e. with three scale-topped toes splaying forward and one digit (called a 'hallux') in the back. These digits are very flexible and have the same gripping strength as their hands, making them good at holding onto objects or perching atop ledges, branches, or uneven surfaces. These avian legs begin at different points along the otherwise Human leg depending on the ethnicity of the Night Raven, and sport a ring of feathers the same color as their wings to obscure the point where smooth Human-like skin transitions to firm avian skin.
While most Night Ravens have black feathers, there are plenty that sport a brown coloration instead, or some combination of the two. This often runs in the family and there is a bit of a stigma about Night Ravens with brown feathers, as they (or perhaps their ancestors) appear to be so poor that they must 'bathe in the mud,' an old flock superstition not backed up by biology. Some Night Ravens (especially Jackdaws) start off their lives with brown feathers as youths and their feathers darken as they mature.
== Ethnicities ==
Just as the corvus family of avians from which the Night Ravens take their name have many subspecies, so too do the Night Ravens have their ethnicities with physical and mental differences.
=== Ravens ===
Ravens are the nominate ethnicity for Night Ravens, the subtype from which the entire Race gets its name. They are the largest of Night Raven ethnicities, but are still a little smaller than Humans with an average height of 5'3" (160 cm) for males, 5' (152 cm) for females. In addition to being larger than the other subtypes, they tend to have a more muscular build as well. Ravens are the stereotypical black-feathered Night Ravens and males have black beards as well, a feature no other ethnicity of Night Raven displays. Ravens tend to have dark brown eyes, with a few sporting blue eyes. Raven legs sport the shortest avian segment of all Night Ravens, with their ring of feathers starting at mid-shin, leaving them with Human-like calf muscles before their avian lower legs begin. 
A group of Ravens is referred to as a 'Conspiracy' largely because they are not overly social compared to other ethnicities. They tend to stick to nuclear family arrangements, living in the mountains or rural areas away from large cities. As such, seeing a considerable number of Ravens in town is a rarity and the initial assumption by the townsfolk tends to be that they are up to something unsavory, rightly or wrongly. 
One common feature of Ravens is that they tend to think more about the future than most other Night Ravens, keeping supplies or food or money stashed in hiding places as a rainy day fund for an emergency. 
=== Magpies ===
Magpies are by far the most intelligent of Night Ravens, possessing a shocking degree of mental alacrity and problem-solving skills. They are the second smallest of Night Ravens, only larger than the diminutive Jackdaws, with an average height of 4'8" (142 cm) for males, 4'6" (137 cm) for females. Unlike all other Night Raven ethnicities, Magpies possess white coloration on their feathers, displaying bright colors on the outermost feathers of their wings as well as a stripe along the base of the wings by their shoulder blades. Their black feathers frequently sport a green or violet sheen when seen in the light. They also exhibit stark white hair as often as they do black, and uniquely can possess red-orange eyes in addition to blue and black ones. Magpie avian legs begin just beneath the knee, with their ring of feathers starting approximately 3/4 inch (2 cm) down from the kneecap.
On top of being intelligent, Magpies keep very elaborate social rituals regarding courtship and the burial of their dead. It is said that a Magpie male with a wife must be a genius indeed, in order to navigate the precise formalities and complex customs in order to marry. And many of them can be found employed as undertakers and morticians due to the respect they demonstrate to the deceased. As well, Magpies highly prize cleanliness and compete with Burrowers for work as maids or caretakers in larger cities.
A group of Magpies is called a 'Mischief' and this title is almost certainly tied to the habit of juveniles forming gangs in cities. While they usually limit their criminality to misdemeanors and petty theft, working together to distract and rob people of their shiny goods, some of them do go on to join more organized criminal enterprises if unable to find a path out of such a life.
=== Crows ===
Crows are the most gregarious and outgoing of Night Ravens, as well as the second largest ethnicity at an average height of 4'11" (150 cm) for males and 4'8" (142 cm) for females. They share much of their look with Ravens aside from being slightly shorter, with black feathers and hair, but like Magpies they do possess a green or purple subtle sheen to their feathers. And in addition to the usual brown and blue eyes, there are also a fair many Crows who sport yellow eyes. Crows' avian legs begin a bit beneath the knee, the top of their transitory ring of feathers sitting about 2 inches (5 cm) below the kneecap.
A group of Crows is called a 'Murder,' though this is seemingly very ironic when one spends time around Crows rather than dealing with myths about them. They live in large communal family homes in villages and towns with many other Crows, and are well-known for their uproarious winter celebrations involving much drinking, singing, and dancing. Crows are not just friendly among their own but also the most charismatic of Night Ravens regarding relationships with other Races as well. Even before the Edict of Unification there were many accounts of Crows befriending Dragon Daughters and Wolfen along with making friends with Human children living close to the woods. 
=== Jackdaws ===
Jackdaws are the smallest of Night Ravens, standing at an average height of only 4'5" (134 cm) for males and 4'2" (127 cm) for females. While they often have black feathers and hair like other Night Ravens, Jackdaws sometimes have gray feathers and some even have white hair like Magpies do. Many go through a brown-feather phase when they're younger, growing out of it by adulthood. Eye coloration for Jackdaws is evenly split between brown, blue, and yellow. Despite (or perhaps due to) being the smallest of Night Ravens, they are easily the most graceful and nimble, capable of aerobatic stunts during flight and showing light-footed swiftness on the ground. Jackdaws have the longest segments of avian legs relative to their body size, and are the only Night Raven ethnicity with their knee being part of their avian-style legs. Their ring of feathers that begin the switch from Human leg to bird one start at the bottoms of their thighs, about 3 inches (8 cm) above the top of the knee.
Perhaps due to being the smallest of Night Ravens, Jackdaws are very sociable among their own kind, but are excessively distrustful of other Night Raven ethnicities. They will usually ostracize Magpies, Ravens, and Crows from their areas if present in greater numbers, or else will be wary and on edge, citing 'obvious suspicious behavior' when queried about their agitation. As such it requires a great deal of effort or extenuating circumstances for another ethnicity of Night Raven to befriend a Jackdaw.
When it comes to other Races or their own folk, Jackdaws are overly friendly and generous. They enjoy engaging readily in gift-giving and sharing of food without regard for reciprocation or expectation. Jackdaws love churches and have taken to Ortueism eagerly with a fairly even spread among the denominations. They form large families with many children, often living together in communal housing much like Crows. 
Unlike Crows however, Jackdaws demonstrate an extreme callousness regarding the sick or injured, with little emphasis placed on healthcare or treatment. If a Jackdaw is not able to heal on his own, it is not infrequent for him to die and be quickly forgotten by his family. Which does make the widely-practiced custom of duels to settle disputes quite dangerous. Male Jackdaws - especially in the older juvenile or young adult age range - will eagerly engage in unarmed fights involving kicking and grappling to resolve issues, an act enjoyed by onlookers as entertainment. This has naturally caused issues when Jackdaws live in Human cities, though the options for medical treatment from other Races more than makes up for run-ins with law enforcement for disturbing the peace.
== Characteristics ==
=== Capabilities ===
With their prominent wings, flight is the most obvious of Night Raven capabilities. They can reach upwards of 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) in altitude given enough of an updraft, and the design of their wings' feathers enables them to dive with remarkably little sound. Additionally, because their capacity for flight is completely natural, there is no magical signature to pick up via arcane detection. This allows them to travel stealthily and without the exhausting need for exerting magical energy to maintain flight.
Aiding their natural penchant for subterfuge, Night Ravens possess an affinity for Night Magic and can study to learn a variety of powers such as sleep inducement, dream manipulation, shadow sight, umbral transport, darkness manifestation, and potentially more esoteric applications. Not all Night Ravens pursue such knowledge as only a small portion of the population takes up the role of apprentice under an Elder Raven. Study of these traditions is solely relegated to oral transmission, as no written record or documentation of Night Magic exists.
Finally, Night Ravens have particularly powerful eyes, able to see in the dark without difficulty. They can discern details at much greater distances than Human eyes, and they are also capable of magical detection. This makes them excellent spotters and observers.
=== Limitations ===
The primary weakness Night Ravens suffer from is a lack of physical sturdiness. Due to their avian nature, their bones are more brittle than a Human's, and while their magical abilities lend themselves to avoiding being seen or targeted, if they do suffer an attack they are significantly less likely to survive it than a Human mage or a member of another Race.
On a more character-focused note, Night Ravens often experience difficulty in becoming invested with the machinations of Humans, such as political turmoil or the state of Human social institutions. This has been theorized to relate to the position of the winged species preferred location- in the sky, far above those who walk on the ground- but it might be something more intangible as well, relating to the very long-term spiritual outlook that underpins Night Raven psychology.
And related to their struggle with emotional investment is a common theme of easy distractibility among Night Ravens. Due to their avian nature, Night Ravens display a subconscious attraction to shiny objects as well as new and unfamiliar items. This can be exhibited as an urge to steal and horde these things on the extreme side, or else to simply touch and examine them on the more mild end. This urge is far more pronounced in young age than it is in older Night Ravens, fading over time. While this does make more likely to participate in hobbies like coin collecting and pursue careers in jewelry, it does also account for the perpetuation of their (possibly deserved) untrustworthy reputation.
== Unification Status ==
Of all the Quasi-Human Races, Night Ravens have had the most success in joining Human society. Before the war, Night Ravens enjoyed great demand for their ability to fly, taking jobs that made full use of their mobility. As couriers, package carriers, police lookouts, fire fighters, and door to door peddlers, Night Ravens have often been associated with bringers of bad news or wonderful gifts as a result. They are especially welcome in town watches where their Essence sight makes them invaluable in spotting, preventing, and investigating magical crime.
There is still a considerable amount of superstition regarding the nature of their interaction with the souls of the dead, but some enterprising Night Ravens have taken advantage of this to run funeral homes where they conduct fairly modern ceremonies that are marketed as providing solace to the recently deceased. While some see this as exploitative and morbid, most either firmly welcome the final blessing overseen by a Night Raven or at least see it as a harmless reassurance to the grieving.
On the negative side, Night Ravens share the dubious honor of being equal with Burrowers in terms of suspicion of being more likely to commit criminal acts. The ability to escape a crime scene via the air as well as the poorly understood nature and scope of Night Magic lends to distrust of unknown or transient Night Ravens. And it doesn't help that they possess a natural urge to acquire shiny or intriguing objects. 
Night Ravens are not capable of interbreeding with any other Race, and as such there is very little in the way of Human with Night-Raven relationships. Some Jackdaws get caught up in whimsical flights of fancy and engage in bouts of flirtation with members of other Races, though this rarely leads to anything lasting. Additionally, a few Magpies will seemingly 'practice' their rites of courtship with Human partners when they are younger before growing out of it. 
== Examples of Opinions on Other Races ==
===Humans===
"Humans are as structured and orderly as bees but without the ability to fly, and for that they can be pitied. The mark of Human civilization is borders and bureaucracy, the limits of which serve as a soothing roof which keeps out the sky that brings them such fear. In darkness, Humans stumble about on their feet and flail their hands to find their way. And so they've built schedules and clocks and lamps and technology for their convenience and protection. But the Final Sleep comes for all eventually, and once more Humans stumble and flail in the dark. Is it not the right thing to provide some guidance to a lost neighbor?"
===Wolfen===
"Ever amusing, how the wolf struts around and pretends to be Human. What a poor show, but Humans take to them so readily! They cannot see the difference. And they get food for it, and gifts which sparkle and shine. Perhaps their methods are not as foolish as they first seem. Just don't get near one – or make no remark if you do – those fangs are quick to snap at any who can see through their disguise. Lucky then, that the Humans have allowed them to stop pretending of late..."
=== Half-Horses ===
"What an intriguing contrast of aggressive piety and rambunctious rowdiness, the Steppe Horses possess. They are equally likely to be found praying to the Sky Father as they are to be engaging in a drunken brawl. Which mood they can be found in determines how much entertainment can be had in watching them, but more often than not, actually landing to speak to one invites more trouble than it's worth."
===Dragon Daughters===
"Like Humans, but larger, and with less interest in order and routine. They don't feel the need to fit in as emphatically and as such can be great acquaintances. Their lumbering size ensures that they have many little trinkets which they don't need, and won't even notice the disappearance thereof."
===Fey Cats===
"An interesting lot. They wish to hide much about themselves, but they cannot change their underlying nature. Be careful in your dealings with a Cat; keep your eyes open and be ready to fly if needed."
===Burrowers===
"Amusingly skittish spirits, the Burrowers are. True immortals who only rest rather than Sleep, and yet terrified of nearly everything. If befriended they do make for wonderful companions, as their abilities make them adept at finding so many hidden beauties."
===Sea Hounds===
"Nasty creatures, those sharks. Absurdly territorial of their offshore holdings, to the point of clownish belligerence. The ones who venture on land are more bearable, but only just. Their time underwater has made them develop the habit of looking up, and they can scarcely be snuck up on as such."
=== Flame Maidens ===
"They glimmer brightly and yet bring ruin to a nest! The havoc they wreak in the forests is terrible to behold, and when they flare up their spirits shine so brightly they can be blinding. It is toward no good ends that the Humans tolerate their existence."
Category:Lore
Category:Races