Kenku
Feathered folk who resemble ravens, kenku are blessed with keen observation and supernaturally accurate memories. None of them can remember the origin of the first kenku, however, and they often joke that there are as many kenku origin stories as there are kenku. Some of them paint their genesis as a curse, being a flightless bird people doomed to mimic other people’s creations. Other kenku recite cryptic but beautiful poems about their advent being a blessed event in which they were sent into the multiverse to observe and catalog its many wonders.
Whatever their true origin, kenku are most often found in the Shadowfell and the Material Plane, and they tend to have the coloration typical of ravens.
- Ability Score Increase. When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one score by 2 and increase a different score by 1, or increase three different scores by 1. You can't raise any of your scores above 20.
- Age. Kenku have shorter lifespans than humans. They reach maturity at about 12 years old and can live to 60.
- Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.
- Size. Your size is Small or Medium.
- Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet.
- Expert Duplication. When you copy writing or craftwork produced by yourself or someone else, you have advantage on any ability checks you make to produce an exact duplicate.
- Kenku Recall. Thanks to your supernaturally good memory, you have proficiency in two skills of your choice.
- Moreover, when you make an ability check using any skill in which you have proficiency, you can give yourself advantage on the check before rolling the d20. You can give yourself advantage in this way a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
- Mimicry. You can accurately mimic sounds you have heard, including voices. A creature that hears the sounds you make can tell they are imitations only with a successful Wisdom (Insight) check against a DC of 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier.
- Languages. Your character can speak, read, and write Common and one other language, but can only speak through mimicry.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Kenku resemble small raven folk with black iridescent feathers and large beaks. Some believe that long ago they had wings and the ability to fly, but now they are wingless and have taloned hands with three fingers and a thumb, as well as taloned feet. Their eyes can be black or brown, and their talons can be any shade between white and black. Kenku can be from 3-5.5ft tall, and weigh from 50-120lbs.
Genetics and Reproduction
Kenku are only compatible with other kenku, aarakocra, and owlins. The offspring favors the mother.
Growth Rate & Stages
They only lay one egg at a time. Once laid, the egg gestates for six months before hatching. Kenku reach adulthood at 16 and can live to be 100.
Ecology and Habitats
In the Shadowfell, kenku often act as guides in exchange for conversation and speech. They live in family units or small flocks, often sharing a single housing unit between multiple families. In the material plane, they often maintain this housing style, but rather than being guides often seek out newcomers and strangers to learn ever more phrases and words. Kenku can adapt to live in any realistically habitable environment.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Kenku are very resourceful and can make a meal out of just about anything, from scraps in a dumpster to fine dining, very little dissuades their palette.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Kenku live in multi-family homes out of a need to stay together. They use this to quickly share new knowledge and expand their ability to speak. Often hierarchies form where the eldest, and thus most knowledgeable, advises the group’s decisions.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Kenku often take onamonapia, adjective, or two-part names. Kenku do not have gendered names.
Name Examples: Snips Whittle, ‘Tck Brittlebeak, Quiet-lee Ka’Tsh
Beauty Ideals
Kenku value conversationalism over all else. Eloquence and good use of speech are very attractive characteristics for kenku.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
All Kenku can understand and write common, and can understand one other language, but can only speak using mimicry. They have an especially hard time with the silent language of the Kor. When conversing mentally, kenku can speak common easily and fluently.
Common Taboos
Keeping someone's secrets is considered taboo, because new phrases are meant to be shared among the flock.
History
Since losing the ability to easily communicate, the Kenku have found it very difficult to maintain their history, especially post-sleep.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Most other races consider kenku to be sneaky or otherwise untrustworthy, viewing them as always trying to take something, be it gold or secrets. Kenku have a disdain for the Kor due to the line slingers of the Shadowfell almost never engaging in audible conversation with them.
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