Kenku

Kenku are a race of flightless avian humanoids. They tended to be selfish and secretive in nature and were often engaged in plots to acquire wealth and power. They operated in small gangs and often lived in large human cities, especially in southern Faerûn, where they worked as spies, assassins, or thieves.

"If you hear a baby crying in an alley, walk the other way. That's my advice to you."

- Endroth Knag, City Watch corporal in Waterdeep

Description
Although they evolved from avians, kenku have no wings or capacity for flight. This is due to their former master finding out of their greed. Instead, they have arms in place of wings and bird-like talons for hands and feet. They retained their bird-like features, however, with black and beady eyes and a long dark-hued beak -- much like a crow or a raven. Their head and torso are covered with soft feathers of black or dark russet-brown colors, while their scrawny limbs were bare and scaled like a bird's. They most resembled ravens.

Kenku tend to be slightly smaller than the average human, standing at around. Because they have partially hollow bones, they are lighter than most creatures their height, averaging only. They are therefore not as strong, but they are more agile and dexterous.

They typically wear nondescript brown robes, under which they conceal tools and weaponry.

Personality
Kenku are by habit secretive, self-seeking, and cunning creatures. They tend to adopt neutral or unaligned views and behaviors; the majority are evil, but true neutral and good Kenku can be found among them. They are opportunistic and unscrupulous, not stopping at illegal or immoral acts.

Although they are selfish, Kenku actually operate surprisingly well together and with allies. A Kenku is most effective when aided or aiding an ally.

Combat
A Kenku fights well alongside any allies, not just with others of its kind. They are most dangerous when aided or when flanking a foe with an ally. Sneaks and assassins backstab their victims this way.

Kenku can be vicious in a fight but are cowardly by nature. They will usually flee the moment a battle turned in their opponent's favor, and even surrender if it means staying alive.

Kenku often use saps, short swords, or shortbows in combat, others wielded clubs, daggers, slings, and even spiked chains. But even when disarmed, they may also slash opponents with their claws. Kenku typically wear leather armor, though a warrior might choose a chain shirt or buckler.

Skills
A Kenku can accurately mimic all kinds of noises, voices, and accents. A gifted Kenku mimic can even fool foes into believing they heard a voice they were well-familiar with.

Kenku have an innate skill in the arts of stealth.

Society
Kenku live in close-knit gangs, family groups, or clans, commonly called "flocks". These flocks are distrusting of outsiders, and even of other Kenku. They establish aeries or nests, usually hidden and often near large cities or at least in civilized lands. Kenku have their own language, but typically use Common (though they cannot speak it).

After hatching from their eggs, Kenku remain in their home-nests with their families. Once they reach adulthood at age nine, they leave their nests forever. Unwilling to travel alone, most band together with other young adult Kenku of similar habits for mutual protection and profit, forming new flocks. A few make their way on their own or form partnerships with other creatures who need their services.

These Kenku gangs make their homes in the cities, where they loiter in dark alleys or roamed the streets together. Thanks to their skills and habits and lack of scruples, they flourish in the criminal underbelly, hatching schemes to get rich and strong. They can operate all kinds of illicit enterprises, but prefer confidence tricks and scheming. Violence is rarely their first choice. They hoard their stolen, shiny gold.

Kenku, in gangs or alone, are usually hired as thieves or thugs, and sometimes as assassins and spies.

Typical Kenku ruffians are unsophisticated warriors who depend on numbers to overwhelm a foe. A true Kenku warrior cultivates a martial art in which they flit here and there, apparently at random, but striking quickly as they do. They also make brutal attacks against those they have the advantage over.

Leading them on heists and raids, the ringleader of a Kenku gang is a capable brawler who can urge their kind to press an attack, to move and scatter, or flee when a fight goes against them.

Kenku have a magical tradition employing air magic and glowing feathers of force to hinder and harm. Unlike other Kenku, they can even fly for short time, with their arts. They prefer the safety of height. It is rare to spot a kenku cleric, but the few among them usually follow gods of secrecy.

Serving as assassins and spies, Kenku sneaks are often rogues who especially depend on stealth and cooperation, and on acting first. Some can disappear amongst their fellows before they resurface and strike again. Those who dedicate themselves to the path of assassin combine the warrior's martial art and the wing mage's feathers, together with a poisoned blade.

Some Kenku serve the demon lord Pazuzu, patron of evil flying things.

History
Kenku originally evolved from avians, though they lost their wings and with it their ability to fly. They are said to be creations of the avian creator race known as the aearee.

Kenku who traced their ancestry back to Kara-Tur settled in southeast Faerûn, in Estagund and the monster-overrun Beastlands of Veldorn, by the 14 century DR.

With the devastation and chaos wrought by the Spellplague after, the Beastlands spread further across the southeast. The Kenku took advantage, gaining notoriety and integrating themselves in every monster-ruled city in the Beastlands, as well as in Estagund and Durpar, by the late 15 century.

Kenku Lands
In the 14th century DR, Kenku could be found lurking in cities throughout southern Faerûn. A large but loosely connected guild of Kenku thieves and assassins was based in Zazesspur, Tethyr, and was called the Daggertalons. Kenku also inhabited Estagund and Veldorn in the Shining Lands of the southeast.

By, Kenku were well-established and populous in the southeast. They were particularly prominent in the cities of the Beastlands, and Estagund. In Tirumala, both Kenku slaves and a Kenku spy network served the rakshasa rulers. In neighboring Durpar, they could be found in Assur, Vaelan, and other locales still held by humans, and made up a significant proportion of the population. Kenku and halfling gangs fought for control of the streets of Vaelan.

The Kenku even established their own domain in the so-called Blackfeather Barrens, the badlands between the monster-ruled realms of the Beastlands. From their hidden rookery, Blackfeather, it was rumored they commanded a secret organization of kenku loyal solely to their own kind, not to the array of different causes kenku served in the surrounding cities. More obviously, those of Blackfeather attacked all trespassers without mercy, making it a place to be feared by all.

Notable Kenku

 * Corvus Nightfeather

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Dungeon #27, "Bride For a Fox" • Waterdeep: Dragon Heist
 * Novels
 * Sandstorm
 * Video Games
 * Neverwinter
 * Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
 * Finding Harmony