Aarakocra

## Ecology & Information

### Typical physical characteristics

Aarakocra resemble humanoid birds. The average specimen stands about 5 to 6-1/2 feet tall and has a wingspan of 20 feet. They have black eyes, gray beaks, and from a distance they resemble lanky disheveled vultures. Male aarakocra weigh around 100 pounds, while females average 85 pounds. Halfway along the edge of each wing is a hand with three human-sized fingers and an opposable thumb. An elongated fourth finger extends the length of the wing and locks in place during flight. While flying they can use their feet as hands, but while walking, they use their wing‐hands to carry weapons or equipment. These humanoids have hollow, fragile bones. Plumage color varies, but males generally have red ,orange, and yellow coloration, while females tend towards brown and gray.

### Personality

These bird‐people can spend hours riding the wind currents of the mountains, soaring in the olive‐tinged Athasian sky. While traveling, aarakocra prefer to fly high above to get a good view all-around of their location and detect any threats well in advance. When they stop to rest, they tend to perch on high peaks or tall buildings. Enclosed spaces threaten the aarakocra, who have a racial fear of being anywhere they cannot stretch their wings. This
claustrophobia affects their behavior. Unless it is absolutely necessary, no aarakocra will enter a cave or enclosed building, or even a narrow canyon.

### Relations

Aarakocra zealously defend their homeland. They are distrustful of strangers that venture onto their lands. Many of the southern tribes exact tolls on all caravans passing through their lands, sometimes kidnapping scouts or lone riders until tribute is paid. Tribute can take the form of livestock or shiny objects, which aarakocra covet. Some evil tribes may attack caravans without provocation. Aarakocra have great confidence and pride in their ability to fly, but have little empathy for land–bound races.

### Environment

**Aarakocra** inhabit high mountains, typically tribes restrict activity to the Jagged Cliffs region. Most Aarakocran communities are small nomadic tribes. Some prey on caravans, while others build isolated aeries high in the mountains. The least xenophobic aarakocra generally come from Winter Nest, in the White Mountains, a tribe allied with the city‐ state of Kurn. Of all the human communities, only Kurn builds perches especially made for Aarakocra to rest and do business. In contrast, king Daskinor of Eldaarich has ordered the capture and extermination of all Aarakocra. Other human communities tolerate Aarakocran characters but do not welcome them. Merchants will do business with Aarakocra as long as they remain on foot. Most land‐bound creatures are suspicious of strange creatures that fly over their herds or lands unannounced, and Templar's, even in Kurn, have standing orders to attack creatures that fly over the city walls without permission.

### Alignment

**Aarakocra** tend to follow the alignment of the leader of their tribe.

### Magic

Most Aarakocran tribes shun wizardly magic, but a few evil tribes have defilers, and one prominent good‐aligned tribe, Winter’s Nest, has several preservers.

### Psionics

Aarakocra are as familiar with psionics as other races of the tablelands. They particularly excel in the psychoportation discipline. In spite of their low strength and constitutions, they excel as psychic warriors, often using ranged touch powers from above to terrifying effect.

### Religion

Aarakocran shamans are usually air clerics, sometimes sun clerics, and occasionally druids. Most rituals of Aarakocran society involve the summoning of an air elemental, or Hraak’thunn in Auran (although an aarakocra would call their language Silvaarak, and not Auran). Summoned air elementals are often used in an important ritual, the Hunt. The Aarakocran coming of age ceremony involves hunting the great beasts found in the Silt Sea.

### Language & Names

Athasian **Aarakocra** speak Auran. Aarakocra have no written language of their own, though some of the more sophisticated tribes have borrowed alphabets from their land‐bound neighbors. Regardless of the language spoken, aarakocra do not possess lips, and therefore cannot even approximate the ‘m’, ‘b’ or ‘p’ sounds. They have difficulty also with their ‘f’s and ‘v’s, and tend to pronounce these as ‘th’ sounds.

Male Names: Akthag, Awnunaak, Cawthra, Driikaak, Gazziija, Kraah, Krekkekelar, Nakaaka, Thraka.

Female Names: Arraako, Kariko, Kekko, Lisako, Troho.

## Racial Traits

### Ability Scores

Aarakocra gain +2 to Dexterity, and +1 to Wisdom.

### Speed

Aarakocra have a land speed of 25 Feet, and have a Fly speed of 30 feet.

### Keen Senses

You have proficiency in the Perception skill and may double your proficiency bonus on any skill check that involves sight.

### Low‐Light Vision

Aarakocra can see twice as far as a human in moonlight and similar conditions of poor illumination, retaining the ability to distinguish color and detail.

### Child of the High Mountain

Aarakocra have advantage on saving throws against lightning and thunder damage, as well as against spells or powers that manipulate air, such as gust of wind, wind wall, or an air elemental's whirlwind power.

### Wings

An aarakocra's impressive wingspan allows them to fly at great speeds, but they may not hover. In order to fly, an aarakocra must have a minimum of 10 feet of open space on either side of them and 30 feet of open space above, below them or any combination (taking off from a ledge 15 feet above the ground and 15 feet below the ceiling is appropriate). An aarakocra who has been restrained, either by a spell, net, lasso, grapple or other effect may not fly. An aarakocra is also prevented from flying while wearing heavy armor or while carrying a heavy load.

* *(At 5th level, your fly speed increases to 50 feet.)*

### Dive Attack

An aarakocra who flies at least 30 feet during a round, and has descended at least 20 feet at the end of that movement, deals one additional die of damage with the first melee attack made during that round.

### Talons

Aarakocra possess powerful talons on their feet. They may choose to deal 1d4 slashing damage with their unarmed attacks instead of the normal 1 point of bludgeoning damage. Aarakocra monks and those trained in similar forms of unarmed combat, deal unarmed damage as their class indicates, but may choose to deal either bludgeoning or slashing damage with each unarmed attack.

### Languages

You can speak, read and write both 'Common' and 'Auran'.