Kenku (winged)

Kenkus were a race of winged avian humanoids.

History
A number of flying kenkus, alongside gargoyles, were attendants to the one who waits in the Nine Hells. In the Year of the Prince, 1357 DR, when the Great Door appeared in the Hells, the gargoyles and kenkus flew through ahead of their master. The kenkus emerged first in a pit outside Waterdeep, and attacked Kyriani Agrivar, Onyx the Invincible, Parwyyd Hanifar, and Dunstanny; Onyx kept them occupied while the other dealt with the Door. One hurled a lightning spell at him. While Kyriani was separated into Cybriana and Kilili, Kilili flew amongst the kenkus. The exit of the Door was then redirected to the skies over Waterdeep, and the kenkus and gargoyles were met in battle by Vajra Valmeyjar and Timoth Eyesbright, before the City Guard and Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun arrived to defend the city. Later, when the exit of the gate was restored to its original location, the same flying creatures assaulted Cybriana, Onyx, Parwyyd Hanifar, and Dunstanny again, before they ended the threat of the Great Door and the one who waits.

Society
Quorlinn was worshiped by the kenku as a patron and creator deity.

Background
The kenku appears to be loosely based on the tengu of Japanese legend. That is, Oriental Adventures (3rd edition) states that the tengu is also known as a "kenku".

Two different versions of the kenku have been presented throughout the history of Dungeons & Dragons. A wingless kenku appeared in Monster Manual III (3.5 edition) and Monster Manual 2 (4th edition). However, this is a very different creature from the winged kenku originally presented in Fiend Folio (1st edition) and Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (2nd edition). It is therefore assumed that these are two distinct types of creature.

This article presents the winged kenku of earlier editions.

Monster Manual III page 87 and Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide page 96 state that the wingless kenkus hailed from Kara-Tur, where the tengu was originally presented and culturally fitting, suggesting that the kenku descended from the tengu.