Kenku

In ancient times, kenku were black-winged angels—ambassadors who served the Raven Queen as her emissaries of death. Their voices were once heard across entire planes, calling the dead to the Raven Queen’s embrace. The kenku likewise served as her loyal warriors, and even saved her from a near-fatal encounter with the Betrayer God known as Tharizdun.

Though the kenku saved the Raven Queen from oblivion, all of her black-winged emissaries were consumed by Tharizdun’s infinite void. For long years, the kenku were thought to have been annihilated, and it was only when Tharizdun was defeated and chained by the god Ioun that they were freed.

When the gods sealed themselves behind the Divine Gate, the Raven Queen realized what her emissaries had sacrificed to save her. Though the kenku survived oblivion, they returned as mortals, stripped of all the divine gifts their god had bestowed on them: their voices, their wings, and all memories of their past existence. Bearing Tharizdun’s curse of oblivion, the kenku were reduced to squat beings that could speak only by mimicking the words of others.

Kenku exist across Listerra in small numbers. Considered by most to be monsters, they keep to themselves as a result, always longing for something they can neither ask for nor explain. Something in a kenku’s mind stirs when it looks to the sky and see birds flying freely—an ancient longing, and a memory trapped within oblivion.

**Roleplaying a Kenku**

If you’re playing a kenku, constant attempts to mimic voices can come across as confusing or irritating rather than entertaining. You can just as easily describe the sounds your character makes and what they mean. Be clear about your character’s intentions unless you’re deliberately aiming for inscrutable or mysterious.

You might say, “Snapper makes the noise of a hammer slowly and rhythmically tapping a stone to show how bored he is. He plays with his dagger and studies the monk sitting at the bar.” Creating a vocabulary of noises for the other players to decode might sound like fun, but it can prove distracting and could slow down the game.

## Kenku Names

Kenku names are drawn from a staggering variety of noises and phrases. Kenku names tend to break down into three categories that make no distinction between male and female names.

Kenku thugs, warriors, and toughs adopt noises made by weapons, such as the clang of a mace against armor or the sound made by a breaking bone. Non-kenku refer to the kenku by describing this noise. Sample names include Smasher, Clanger, Slicer, and Basher.

Kenku thieves, con artists, and burglars adopt animal noises, typically those common in urban settings. In this manner, kenku can call out to each other while those who overhear them mistake them for common animals. Non-kenku use names that refer to the sound made or the animal a kenku mimics, such as Rat Scratch, Whistler, Mouser, and Growler.

Some kenku are law-abiding and pursue legitimate trades. These kenku adopt noises made as part of their craft. A sailor duplicates the sound of a fluttering sail, while a smith mimics the clanging of a hammer on metal. Non-kenku describe these folk by their trade sounds, such as Sail Snap, Hammerer, and Cutter.

## Kenku Traits

A kenku character has the following racial traits.

***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.

***Age.*** Kenku have shorter lifespans than humans. They reach maturity at about 12 years old and can live to 60.

***Alignment.*** Kenku are chaotic creatures, rarely making enduring commitments, and they care mostly for preserving their own hides. They are generally chaotic neutral in outlook.

***Size.*** Kenku are around 5 feet tall and weigh between 90 and 120 pounds. Your size is Medium. Here’s how to determine your height and weight randomly, starting with rolling a size modifier:

Size modifier = 2d8

Height = 4 feet + 4 inches + your size modifier in inches

Weight in pounds = 50 + (1d6 × your size modifier)

***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

***Expert Forgery.*** You can duplicate other creatures’ handwriting and craftwork. You have advantage on all checks made to produce forgeries or duplicates of existing objects.

***Kenku Training.*** You are proficient in your choice of two of the following skills: Acrobatics, Deception, Stealth, and Sleight of Hand.

***Mimicry.*** You can mimic sounds you have heard, including voices. A creature that hears the sounds you make can tell they are imitations with a successful Wisdom (Insight) check contested by your Charisma (Deception) check.

***Languages.*** You can read and write Auran and Common, but you can speak only by using your Mimicry trait.