Kenku
A race as equally feared as they are unassuming, with potential so great and spectacular, yet can just as easily fall below the threshold of animalistic, containing minds so sharp and superior to others, but without the means to access their infinite knowledge alone. Standing on average at 5'0" and weighing 75lbs, one would be forgiven for wondering how such a race could exist. The Kenku are in themselves a paradox, occupying both ends of the spectrum in determining the sapience of a race, completely contradicting all theories on what makes a species capable of higher thought. They are devoid of personality, absent of any creative thought, and lacking any sort of apparent conception of their own existence. In short, they are anything but intelligent, with thought patterns analogous to their common bird kin in the wilds, possessing no understood level of discernible sentience in any capacity. And yet they can be found replicating the abilities of masterwork craftsmen, drafting inconceivable theories and developing unforeseen practices in all fields, conceptualizing and visualizing abstractions even the more advanced IAs and philosophers have difficulty imagining.
None of this should be possible given the current perception of perspicacity, baffling the minds of all who interact with a "smart" Kenku, demonstrating uncanny feats they have no right to be performing on a daily basis only to revert to their usual brainless selves immediately after. The bird-people are known to be dexterous mimics, copying movements and mannerisms down to the specific muscle tensions, boasting unnatural observation skills that are unrivaled, this ability going so far as to be able to repeat vocalization they have seen simply by studying throat activity. Remove this, and all you are left with is a maladjusted Kenku squawking about homosexuals. This outward behavior is what earned them their reputation for being dim-witted and daft, though if closely monitored, one will come to understand that they perhaps bear the most prospective capacity for higher functions than practically every other race. In addition to being immaculate imitators, they also have the innate ability to retain every single piece of information presented to them, from sound, sight, to smell, all is remembered for several years to come.
However, all of this hidden knowledge is inaccessible for most of their life should they live among other races, unable to communicate effectively or comprehend the social patterns and processes of anyone but other Kenku. Should they find themselves around other of their kind for an extended period of time, then they suddenly turn from completely harmless to one of the most potentially dangerous entities ever. Kenku can translate their inner thoughts and memories into muscle spasms, which other Kenku can translate, interpret, and compare to their own musings. If one were to allow this recursive cycle to repeat for several years, both Kenku will cease to be individuals, rather their intelligence will be joined as a single unit, combining their minuscule brain functions into a greater mind capable of slighter more than if they were alone. Their abilities as a whole component will only increase as more Kenku are added to their collective hive mind, able to not only remember a library's worth of information, but also process it like any other race; a feature they sorely lack if separated. With time, they can surpass the mental prowess of even the most capable of creatures, acting and thinking in unison as they link together their minds into a singular consciousness. Needless to say, they can be quite the asset if permitted to fester, but can be as great of an enemy if their motives oppose yours.
As a Meridii species, Astralshaper initially dismissed their existence entirely, unable to detect any thoughts behind individual Kenku. That was until a cult of over three thousand Kenku rose to power at the outer edges of her fledgling empire, completely overwhelming the combined force of her brilliant cabinet, devising counters and solutions to every problem the Meridian presented in a matter of minutes. They were bested due to their lacking support, but the event made an impression upon Astralshaper, where she then experimented with the idea of Kenku "think tanks" in the future. From then on, Kenku contributed to society on several occasions as hired scientists, engineers, and alchemists that consistently broke through the boundaries of what was thought to be impossible in all fields of magic. If part of a lesser consciousness however, they are clearly not quite as capable or bright, though can still be fairly useful as functioning members of society so long as they maintain proximity to their unit. Kenku as a whole prefer the unity of well-structured Houses that allow them to carve their place under a rigid set of rules to guide them, often aligning with Monolith and Melide due to them usually meeting said criteria. Depending on their unit's cohesiveness is what occupations they would prefer, though on average enjoy mentally stimulating labor such as that with all fields of research and development, philosophy, engineering, alchemy, and big-data analysis. Kenku have suffered from a lacking genetic pool due to the cramped living condition imposed by the Evening Star, consolidating their previously many subspecies into a mere two. These two subspecies are physically identical, though mentally posses two very opposing ideologies on mind-melding. They are:
None of this should be possible given the current perception of perspicacity, baffling the minds of all who interact with a "smart" Kenku, demonstrating uncanny feats they have no right to be performing on a daily basis only to revert to their usual brainless selves immediately after. The bird-people are known to be dexterous mimics, copying movements and mannerisms down to the specific muscle tensions, boasting unnatural observation skills that are unrivaled, this ability going so far as to be able to repeat vocalization they have seen simply by studying throat activity. Remove this, and all you are left with is a maladjusted Kenku squawking about homosexuals. This outward behavior is what earned them their reputation for being dim-witted and daft, though if closely monitored, one will come to understand that they perhaps bear the most prospective capacity for higher functions than practically every other race. In addition to being immaculate imitators, they also have the innate ability to retain every single piece of information presented to them, from sound, sight, to smell, all is remembered for several years to come.
However, all of this hidden knowledge is inaccessible for most of their life should they live among other races, unable to communicate effectively or comprehend the social patterns and processes of anyone but other Kenku. Should they find themselves around other of their kind for an extended period of time, then they suddenly turn from completely harmless to one of the most potentially dangerous entities ever. Kenku can translate their inner thoughts and memories into muscle spasms, which other Kenku can translate, interpret, and compare to their own musings. If one were to allow this recursive cycle to repeat for several years, both Kenku will cease to be individuals, rather their intelligence will be joined as a single unit, combining their minuscule brain functions into a greater mind capable of slighter more than if they were alone. Their abilities as a whole component will only increase as more Kenku are added to their collective hive mind, able to not only remember a library's worth of information, but also process it like any other race; a feature they sorely lack if separated. With time, they can surpass the mental prowess of even the most capable of creatures, acting and thinking in unison as they link together their minds into a singular consciousness. Needless to say, they can be quite the asset if permitted to fester, but can be as great of an enemy if their motives oppose yours.
As a Meridii species, Astralshaper initially dismissed their existence entirely, unable to detect any thoughts behind individual Kenku. That was until a cult of over three thousand Kenku rose to power at the outer edges of her fledgling empire, completely overwhelming the combined force of her brilliant cabinet, devising counters and solutions to every problem the Meridian presented in a matter of minutes. They were bested due to their lacking support, but the event made an impression upon Astralshaper, where she then experimented with the idea of Kenku "think tanks" in the future. From then on, Kenku contributed to society on several occasions as hired scientists, engineers, and alchemists that consistently broke through the boundaries of what was thought to be impossible in all fields of magic. If part of a lesser consciousness however, they are clearly not quite as capable or bright, though can still be fairly useful as functioning members of society so long as they maintain proximity to their unit. Kenku as a whole prefer the unity of well-structured Houses that allow them to carve their place under a rigid set of rules to guide them, often aligning with Monolith and Melide due to them usually meeting said criteria. Depending on their unit's cohesiveness is what occupations they would prefer, though on average enjoy mentally stimulating labor such as that with all fields of research and development, philosophy, engineering, alchemy, and big-data analysis. Kenku have suffered from a lacking genetic pool due to the cramped living condition imposed by the Evening Star, consolidating their previously many subspecies into a mere two. These two subspecies are physically identical, though mentally posses two very opposing ideologies on mind-melding. They are:
Craft
Craft Kenku are wired to coalesce with units based on the idea of physical replication, able to mimic and innovate bodily labor overtime with practice. They are completely incompatible with Process Kenku, and cannot be apart of the same unit.Process
Process Kenku are wired to coalesce with units based on higher thought, able to formulate and express ideas far larger in scope than an individual can comprehend, capable of retaining complex neural connections that allow for advanced mental processing, hence their name. They are completely incompatible with Craft Kenku, and cannot be apart of the same unit.
Scientific Name
Meta Untyro
Lifespan
60 years
Average Height
5'0"
Average Weight
75lbs
Related Ethnicities
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