WeirD&D: Arakocra Reimagined

We began our lives in cages and chains, but I will die on my feet and fighting.

Arakocra are bird-like humanoids, that have their genesis in the alien elemental lords of Air. First born on the arks of the Wind Dukes and their vast Incubation chambers, the Arakocra were made to be servants and warriors. Since then, the Arakocra have split in two between whose who rebelled and found freedom on the material plane and those who remain loyal to their creators.

Winged Watchers

The Arakocra are a crafted race, made by the elemental lords of air. When the Elementals first arrived, they required servants to help anchor them in their new dominion and the Dukes of Aaqa created theirs from the creatures they encountered. Many abominations were birthed in the laboratory-arks of the elementals, but the Arakocra were by far chief among their early experiments. They thrived in the endless storms of the elemental plane and functioned well enough in the other planes. Soon, other Elemental Lords clamored for their own servants and the Dukes of Aaqa grew fat off their sale.

The different breeds of Arakocra have their origin in these commissions, as different elemental lords requested a different base of bird to be used for their servants.

It isn't clear how many generations of bondage the Arakocra had endured before they broke with their masters. Decades of unrest finally culminated with a general uprising that plunged the Elemental Plane of Air into a vicious, short-lived war. Outnumbered and overpowered, the Arakocra rebels fled to the relative safety of the Material Plane. Centuries later, they are now part of it.

Common Arakocra

No longer will we be slaves; never again.

The common Arakocra have spent generations on the Material Plane and become part of the world. They are the descendants of Arakocra who cast off the yoke of the elemental lords and after vicious fighting managed to flee from the Arks of Aaqa.
Common Arakocra are no longer immortal and have lost much of their innate magic. They retain just enough wind-manipulating powers help them fly and nothing else.

Noble Arakocra

Noble Arakocra remained with their creators in the Elemental Plane of Air. More than mortal, the Noble Arakocra are creatures of magic and power, able to bend the winds to their will and summon cutting gales with a gesture.
The Elemental Lords keep their remaining servants under much greater scrutiny, but the Nobles can still be found among every Elemental Court of Air.

Only a foolish child rebels against their parents. Know your place.

by Rock Cafe.info

Even now, the Arakocra are born and made within the incubation chambers. The ones found on the Material Plane are closely guarded secrets and each form the heart of an Arakocra fiefdom. The Arakocra's spread have always been limited by the number of Incubation chambers, made from what they could steal when they fled. These chambers are inferior to those in the Ark and the number of malformed creations that emerge instead of healthy Arakocra are beginning to rise.

Plot Hook

The knowledge of maintaining the Incubation Chambers is failing. The Arakocra could face slow extinction unless the PCs can raid the elemental Duchy of Aaqa for salvage or lore.

Arakocra Culture

The Arakocra still bear the scars from their past, generations later. They are fiercely independent and leaders are watched closely for signs of tyranny. With each new Arakocra born from the vats and bubbling slime of the incubation chambers, the Arakocra have no sense of lineage, bloodline or heritage. Cooperation between individuals and groups are founded on merit and trust, rather then blood.

Wings are the most valuable thing an Arakocra can possess. Wingless Arakocra are the lowest rung in their society, whether by injury or defective incubation, considered to be less than true Arakocra.
The cruelest punishment an Arakocra can receive is to have their wings severed. Death is considered a lesser penalty, and the wingless are sometimes killed after out of misguided mercy if they can't escape.

The incubation chambers are vital to the Arakocra and they trust few to know where they are. Lost or abandoned chambers in either the material or elemental plane are some of the greatest prizes an Arakocra can bring home. To do so wins them glory and wealth for the rest of their lives.
Arakocra fear confinement and do poorly in such spaces. As a result, they operate few mines and have limited access to metal. Anytime they do, it is through the forced labor of the wingless and the practice is excused as vital to provide for the fief, with no irony lost on the Wingless.

Plot Hook

The Ironwing Fief have strayed from the traditional Arakocra ways and begun to take slaves themselves to work the mines and provide the fief with metal. One of the PCs allies or relatives are among the captured..

Feathers from Many Birds

The first to have been created, the most common Arakocra have the head of an eagle with white and brown feathers, but they are not the only kind. Although they share a common form, there are several breeds of Arakocra.
Raven - With black feathers, a black beak and an ability to soar quietly, Raven loathe to be confused with Crow Arakocra.
Hawk - Hawk Arakocra have darker brown feathers than their common counterparts, with a more sharply curved beak and murderously sharp talons.

Arakocra In The World

After their escape, the Arakocra scattered to the wind. Some disappeared while other settled, crafting replacement incubation chambers as best they could.
Most Arakocra fiefs are among the mountains, highlands or mesas - anywhere the Arakocra can fly and use it to their advantage.
Beyond that, free-spirited Arakocra can be found across the world, traveling as the wind does.

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WeirD&D

This article is part of a series where D&D is reimagined with more high strangeness and more of the original science-fantasy themes integrated into the world, while trying to keep everything cohesive enough to still coexist in one world. If you enjoy this, check out the tag WeirD&D to see the rest!
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