Aarakocra

Aarakocra (
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Description
Aarakocra resembled humanoid birds. The average specimen stood about tall and had a wingspan of. Halfway along the edge of each wing was a hand with three human-sized fingers and an opposable thumb. An elongated fourth finger extended the length of the wing and locked in place during flight. The hands could not grasp while flying, but they were nearly as useful as human hands when an aarakocra was perched and its wings were folded back.

Their powerful legs ended in four sharp talons that could unlock and fold back to reveal another pair of functional hands. These humanoids had hollow, fragile bones. Their faces combined the features of both parrots and eagles. They had gray-black beaks and black eyes. Plumage color varied, but males generally had red, orange, and yellow coloration, while females tended towards brown and gray.

Personality
Aarakocra were generally peaceful creatures who cherished their solitude. They were known to be extremely claustrophobic, often refusing to enter caves or other enclosed spaces.

Male aarakocra tended to have very short tempers and had been known to fly into fits of rage when a perceived wrong occurred. They also were notorious romantic flirts, regardless of whether or not they were married.

Combat
Since aarakocra avoided melee combat when possible, their combat tactics revolved around attacking opponents from above. Javelins were the weapon of choice for many aarakocra, so much so that they developed their own unique type of javelin called a flight lance. A single aarakocra could comfortably carry up to six javelins at a time, stored in a special sheathe that was strapped to its body. Other weapons used by aarakocra included darts and daggers. Their sharp talons and beaks were effective weapons as well. Occasionally they wore studded leather, but they never used shields.

Society
On Toril, aarakocra lived atop the highest mountain peaks in small tribes that shared a communal nest and controlled hunting territories of about 100 square miles (260 square kilometers). Any animals in this territory were considered fair game, including the domesticated livestock of other races, and most male aarakocra spent their days hunting. The eldest male served as leader, assisted by the tribe's shaman. Meanwhile, female aarakocra crafted the tribe's tools and weapons.

Aarakocra were also one of the major races on the inner planet Coliar. On that planet, it was the females who were always chosen as leaders, as society deemed them far more controlled emotionally. These aarakocra females were chosen by democratic elections, and each ruled over one of over 100 extended families. Males were not forbidden from running for office, but society was strongly against their election, and as of the late 14 century DR, no male had ruled for over 1,000 years. Male aarakocra from other worlds sometimes took offense at this societal trend.

Religion
Aarakocra of Toril almost all worshiped Aerdrie Faenya. She appeared to them as a giant white bird.

The small number of aarakocra living in the North mainly worshiped Syranita as their goddess but also paid homage to Akadi, Remnis of the giant eagles, and Stronmaus of the giants, in addition to Aerdrie Faenya.

Relations
Many aarakocra tribes avoided contact with other species, and many individuals rarely, if ever, left their home territory. The aarakocra had strong ties with the avariels as they shared the same patron deity and had the same respect for nature.

Aarakocra understood and spoke common, but when they spoke it, they punctuated their speech with caws, whistles, and other bird-like sounds.

Known Settlements
Their settlements often took the form of large nests woven from vines which were open to the sky. Aarakocra were an immigrant race to Faerûn from Maztica. Known aarakocra settlements in Faerûn were:
 * The Star Mounts in the High Forest. This tribe was almost totally slain by the green dragon Elaacrimalicros.
 * The Storm Horns in Cormyr.
 * The Cloven Mountains in the Vilhon Reach.
 * The Mistcliffs in Chult.
 * The Adder Hills in Chessenta.
 * The monastery Kir Sabal in Chult.

As of the, the last settlement of aarakocra in the High Forest was the Last Aerie, on the slopes of the southernmost Star Mounts, near the headwaters of the Unicorn Run.

History
Following the fall of their empires to the first Flight of Dragons around, the surviving members of the avian creator race known as the aearee (primarily the subgroup known as the Aearee-Krocaa) fled to Anchorome, where their further exploits went largely undocumented by Faerûnian historians. The only thing known was that at some point after their arrival there, the aearee either created or devolved into the aarakocra, who then move south into Maztica.

In, following generations of travel between Maztica and the islands of the Trackless Sea, the first aarakocra colonists successfully crossed to northern Faerûn.

In, the last aarakocra living in the Riders to the Sky Mountains were killed by Chessentan mercenaries, who hunted them to extinction for sport.

In the 1360s DR, there were five aarakocra settlements on the Star Mounts when the green dragon Elaacrimalicros attacked, killing over 120 aarakokra and leaving their homes completely uninhabitable. The survivors scattered across the North, many swearing revenge&mdash;such as the Nest of Retribution in the Lost Peaks. Forty-seven survivors came together for shelter at the source of the Unicorn Run in a new settlememt known as Khle'cayre.

Uses
A Netherese archwizard discovered that the feathers and other body parts of an aarakocra could be used as components in the brewing of a potion of extra-healing.

Notable Aarakocra

 * Alekra Donakkis, leader of the largest family of aarakocra on Coliar.
 * Asharra, a druid who led the community of Kir Sabal in the late 15 century DR.
 * Chancellor Jarnathan, a member of the Absolution Council of Revel's End in the late 1490s DR.
 * Kazra, an aarakocra taken prisoner by the Feathergale Knights in the late 15 century DR.
 * Wuorlah, an old shaman and leader of Khle'cayre in the mid-to-late 14 century DR.