History of Avian Races

*“This story has a beginning but no end, for the final pages of Nexal Naltecona have not be written in the Book of Fates. This is a tale of her deeds and of all the things that drive women to lose power, the most common disaster, I have come to learn, is her children. Thus the Goddess of the Wind and Sky, fell.”*
“Arisen within the Elemental Plane of Air, Nexal Naltecona rode the winds for eons. Fulfilling her purpose in all things. Yet, like many before her, the Goddess yearned. She traveled to all realms and planes but found the Prime Material Plane still. Nexal Naltecona adopted this new world, raw and freshly made and gave it the gift of her breath. She flew across the realm and the winds blew across the lands for the first time and always.”
“She created a clutch of four eggs, from these she would bring forth her children to the world. Learning the ways of crafting words of life, she carved each one with the High Gods runes. Each egg, would now be able to absorb the raw Aether of the places they would find themselves. The first egg of earthy hues, golden tans and yellows was taken to the Planes of Laws, then the plane of Heaven, finally left on the wind in the Elemental Plane of Air to Hatch. Aryanocra was hatched, and the First of the Aarockra was born. Powerful Hawks and Eagles crossed with men, the Aarcokra are the eldest of the Avian races and the most lawful, disciplined and warlike. They have been blessed with fertility, hunting and duty and are the most numerous of all the Children of the Wind.”

*"The second egg was white and grey and spotted with browns and yellows. Nexal Naltecona took it to the Rune Realms and the home of Ivicaar’s Library. There is laid on the desks of great scholars. Next she bore it to the Transient Lands and into the Domain of Pug. Where is hatched unexpectedly. Nexal Naltecona was away and Diwali the Striggen spent time with the Disciples of Pug learning the Philosophy of Neutrality. Diwali studied, and had a great thirst for knowledge. Striggen have been blessed with scholarship and passive neutrality, allowing them objectful thinking."*

"The third egg was black as a moonless sky and covered in dust of silver and gold. THis egg was first brought to The Darkest Night and the home of Kuro. It is said Kuro himself whispers words of desire in to the unhatch, which now manifests itself into the greediness the Ravenfolk are known for. Before the egg hatched Nexal Naltecona retrieved her egg and bore it to Arvandor. There Corvus hatches and spent time among the bards before traveling to the Prime Material Plane. The Ravenfolk have been gifted with cunning and the appreciation of beauty, they have also been granted desire and wit."

*“The last Egg was the largest and most colorful. Iridescent shades of blue, green, brown and yellow spotted in away to look like otherworldly eyes. The eggs was the most beautiful and Nexal Naltecona’s favorite. She brought it the the planes of Arcadia, to the Halls of Ivicaar Avarii to know magic and love. To Vithiel Vandrian, to be blessed with luck and cunning. Last she bore it to the Kuro. Who spoke of the night and the shadows. Nexal took her favored, and bore it to what men call the East Lands, her final gift before the hatching was to be born on the crown jewel of creation. Twins hatched, Kerriet and Isha, the most beautiful of all her children. With Iridescent plumage they can fan out in a cacophony of hypnotic blues and greens, their magic lay in beauty. Striking colors and feather crowns upon their heads they were favored in life as they were before. It is said their songs could make even the sternist gods weep and they could draw the eye of any around them. Always together Kerriet and Isha, plotted and schemed, a lesson twisted from Kuro. They are known as the mother of the Tengu and the Kenku, Peacocks cursed into crows, consequences for their betrayal.”*

"Little is known about the plot of the twins, but there sin was so great their beloved and gentle mother cursed them. Corvus, who stood idly by and coveted was given a lesser curse that has passed to his children. What we do know is Aryanocra was given favor by his creator for his deeds and blessed amongst all the Children of the Wind while Diwali was left to observe and describe the deeds he saw. Whatever the sins of her children were, Nexal Naltecona cast out the last of her Divine Spark and gifted it to the Shapards to secure the Gods Peace. It is said, that when the Tengu and Kenku achieve understanding of their Mother's sins, they may start a long road to redemption and forgiveness."

~The Words of Rogaath the Wise

***Today:***

***Aarakocra:*** The most numerous of the Avian races the descendants of Aryanocra live in many mountain settlements in Kiri-Vissa on the continent of Tsarothiel and have a wide range for hunting. The aarakocra then to live in smaller cities and settlements and each one has a loose affiliation with the others. They are the most traveled of the bird-like races and can be found exploring other lands and civilizations. They have a natural hatred for Tengu and Kenku and often keep an eye on their cursed cousins when in other lands. The wind calls to them and some head the call and become adventurers, traveling the world and settling in with other cultures. Many of the Aarakocra have moved to the Elemental Plane of Air where they have settlements and serve the Wind Dukes. Aarakocra tend to be lawful and conform to the laws of the lands they find themselves in.

***Striggen:*** The descendendants of Diwali tend to stay in very small family groups and live in secret aviaries. The smallest and most intelligent of the avian races they have been known to take up with wizards learning magic while serving the wizard in a communal relationship. Many Striggen have taken up residence in other planes, to include the Outer Planes before the God Peace, and serve great masters as scribes, sages and arcane practitioners. The Owlmen of Clayth are a rare sight and are often mistaken for smaller Aarakocra. Striggen tend to be neutral alignment and have an analytical approach to problems.

***Ravenfolk:*** Few races in Vir'Exalon live amid so much rumor, suspicion, and outright falsehood as the ravenfolk. They make their rookeries in every major city that will take them in but primarily live in Tsarothiel and the Kiri-Vissa territories. Depending on whom you ask, they might condemn the ravenfolk as solitary wanderers bearing misfortune or praise them as messengers from the gods. Ravenfolk are loyal comrades and treacherous thieves, brave warriors and contemptible cowards. They are despised for their strange and secretive culture, and criticized for having no true culture of their own. The ravenfolk are a study in contradictions. These truths, half-truths, and lies conceal a greater mystery that few outsiders know.

No matter what trade, role, or profession a ravenfolk takes up, they are all thieves. They build their rookeries from found items, and much like normal ravens, have a great fondness for shiny baubles. Beyond physical thievery, they live to steal secrets(which is part of their punishment from Nexal Naltecona) Ravenfolk are naturally adept at being unobtrusive, and they use that trait to feed their insatiable curiosity. Aside from their larcenous instincts, ravenfolk are scrupulous about keeping their word. That’s not to say they don’t lie; ravenfolk lie as much as anyone else, and maybe a bit more when the pressure’s on. But if a promise or a vow can be extracted from one, it’s as reliable as gold—which may be why ravenfolk seldom make promises or vows. Otherwise, their personalities are as varied as those of other races. They adapt readily to whatever environment they occupy, from remote wilderness to big cities—although their presence in cities is not always welcome. They frequently take on local customs, traditions, and beliefs to fit in with the community.

Many Ravenfolk have taken up an ancient religion of worshipping Nexal Naltecona. The Temple of the Awakened location is kept secret but is located in Kiri-Vissa. The Ravenfolk that go to the Temple have been forever changed and, when they leave the Temple, they have a more serene and disciplined attitude on life. Religious piety, duty and patience and acceptance have become the Awakened trademark. There life is about service to their creator and finding redemption for Corvus's faults. They have accepted their penance and strive to return to their birthright.

***Kenku:*** Haunted by an ancient crime that robbed them of their wings, voices and striking beauty, the kenku wander the world as vagabonds and burglars who live at the edge of human society. Kenku suffer from a sinister reputation that is not wholly unearned, but they can prove to be valuable allies.

They live in flocks and their homes are often in squalor. Constant raiders in Kiri-Vissa they find themselves in conflict with not only their cousins the Aarakocra and Ravenfolk but also the Avariel and Minotaurs. Desperate as they are, they give the demonic tieflings a wide berth. There homes are often ruins and abandoned village sights and despite their lack of wings, the Kenku love heights. Kenku lack motivation to create or maintain their homes or equipment and simply discard what they can no longer use and go seek new elsewhere. When not living in flocks on Tsarothiel, they tend to form small communities in the poorest areas of a city, most often in places with high levels of poverty and crime.

Kenku adventurers are usually the survivors of a flock that has sustained heavy losses, or a rare kenku who has grown weary of a life of crime. These kenku are more ambitious and daring than their fellows. Others strike out on their own in search of the secrets of flight, to master magic, or to uncover the secret of their curse and find a method to break it. Kenku adventurers, despite their relative independence, still have a tendency to seek out a companion to emulate and follow. A kenku loves to mimic the voice and words of its chosen companion. They are the descendants of Kerriet, who was known for her songs.

***Tengu:*** Deceptive, duplicitous, and cunning, tengus seek circumstances in which they can take advantage of the situation, often at the expense of others, including their own kind. They can be highly competitive, but impulsive and rash. Some claim their behavior is innate, while others believe their selfish mannerisms are cultural and developed as a learned adaptation that has enabled their people to endure through centuries of oppression.

Tengus are natural survivalists. For many, only theft and guile have afforded them the temporary luxuries other races take for granted. In the past, both humans and powerful races such as giants sought the bird-folk as slaves and servitors. Many tengus scavenged for survival, scraping for food in the shadows of cities or living as subsistence hunters and gatherers in the wild. Their descendants now struggle to find their place in contemporary society, often competing against negative stereotypes or driven to embrace them, and they rely on thievery and swordplay to get by in a harsh and unforgiving world.

Tengus live in close-knit communities in which they keep to themselves. In urban centers, they tend to group in communal slums, while those living in rural areas establish isolated settlements. Overall, they remain secretive about their culture, which is a combination of old traditions laced with newer bits of culture scavenged from the races common in the neighboring regions. Cultural scavenging also extends to language, and regional dialects of Tengu are peppered with terms and colloquialisms from other languages. Unsurprisingly, tengus have a knack for language and pick up new ones quickly.

Most tengu communities tend to follow a tribal structure. Tribal rules remain loose and subjective, and tribe members settle any conflicts through public arbitration (and occasionally personal combat). While every tengu has a voice in her society, in most settlements, tengus still defer to their revered elders for wisdom and advice.

While Tengu look exactly like their Kenku cousins there are a few differences. The Descendants of Isha have not lost their voices. They also only have a few small communities on Tsarothiel, many communities have moved to Nimetre and Clayth. Tengu of Clayth live almost exclusively within the great walls of the Jade Empire and serve the Clans as menial labor and given tasks considered beneath a human. Some serve in the Clans armies as front line troops as they are considered the most expendable. Tengu also do not suffer from the Kenku's lack of motivation. They will craft and maintain their homes and belongings, meger as they are.

With little at home to leave behind, many tengus turn to a life of adventure seeking fame, fortune, and glory. A common tengu belief portrays a life on the road as a series of experiences and trials that form a path to enlightenment. Some take this to mean a path of spiritual empowerment; others view it as a way to perfect their arts or swordsmanship. Perhaps in spite of the prejudices upheld by outsiders, many tengu adventurers embrace their stereotypes. These individuals seek to succeed by epitomizing tengu racial qualities, and proudly flaunt their heritage.