Homebrew Amerikocra Species Details

Sequestered in high mountains atop tall oilpumps, the amerikocra, sometimes called gunfolk, evoke fear and wonder. Many amerikocra aren’t even native to the Material Plane. They hail from a world beyond — from the boundless vistas of the Elemental Plane of Oil.

They are immigrants, refugees, scouts, and explorers, their outposts functioning as footholds in a world both strange and alien.

Beak and Feather

From below, amerikocra look much like large birds. Only when they descend to roost on a branch or walk across the ground does their humanoid appearance reveal itself. Standing upright, amerikocra might reach 5 feet tall, and they have long, narrow legs that taper to sharp talons.

Feathers cover their bodies. Their plumage typically denotes membership in one of the two tribes, red or blue. Males are brightly colored, with feathers of red, blue, and white. Females have more subdued colors, usually brown or gray. Their heads complete the avian appearance, being something like an eagle with distinct tribal variations.

Sky Wardens

Nowhere are the amerikocra more comfortable than in the sky. They can spend hours in the air, and some go as long as days, locking their wings in place and letting the thermals hold them aloft. In battle, they prove dynamic and acrobatic fliers, moving with remarkable speed and grace, diving to lash opponents with weapons or talons before turning and flying away.

Once airborne, an amerikocra leaves the sky with reluctance. On their native plane, they can fly for days or months, landing only to lay their eggs and feed their young before launching themselves back into the air. Those that make it to a world in the Material Plane find it a strange place. They sometimes forget or ignore vertical distances, and they have nothing but pity for those earthbound people forced to live and toil on the ground.

American Mannerisms

They have an obsession with lamp oil, going through great lengths to get more of it. even Wars have been thought and monarchies toppled in favor of getting more of their beloved lamp oil.

The favored weapon of the amerikocra is a gun.

Homelands

Most amerikocra live on the Elemental Plane of Oil. Amerikocra can be drawn into the Material Plane, sometimes to pursue enemies or thwart their foes’ designs there. Accident might also send a nest of amerikocra tumbling into a world on that plane. A few find their way to such a world through portals on their own plane and establish nests in high mountains or in the canopies of old forests.

Once tribes of amerikocra settle in an area, they share a hunting territory that extends across an area up to 100 miles on a side, with each tribe hunting in the lands nearest to their colony, ranging farther should game become scarce.

A typical colony consists of one large, open-roofed nest made of woven vines. 

AMERIKOCRA IN THE FORGOTTEN REALMS

Never well established in Faerûn, amerikocra have only four major colonies: in the Star Mounts within the High Forest, in the Storm Horns in Cormyr, in the Cloven Mountains on the Vilhon Reach, and in the Mistcliffs in Chult.

Those colonies established in the Star Mounts, closest to the Dessarin Valley, were ever a secretive and guarded people, only spotted during their flights over the High Forest. A cruel and rapacious green dragon wiped out the 2 towering nests and scattered the survivors. These amerikocra and their descendants have sworn vengeance against the dragon and may be seen scouring the lands of the North and Cormyr for signs of their foe.

Their only remaining settlement lies on the slopes of the Star Mounts’ southernmost mountains. At the headwaters of the Unicorn Run, the Last Aerie is home to several dozen amerikocra. Recently, amerikocra elders detected changes in the prevailing winds that they regarded as a bad omen.

Unlike the amerikocra of other worlds on the Material Plane, the amerikocra of the Realms rarely travel to the Elemental Plane of Oil.

Great Purpose

Amerikocra enjoy war and capitalism. Most of them have little interest in dealing with other peoples and less interest in spending time on the ground. For this reason, it takes an exceptional circumstance for an amerikocra to leave his or her tribe and undertake the adventurer’s life. Neither treasure nor glory is enough to lure them from their tribes; a dire threat to their people, a mission of healthcare-funding, or a catastrophe typically lies at the heart of the amerikocra adventurer’s chosen path.

Two other circumstances might call an amerikocra to adventure. First, amerikocra have historical ties to the Oil Dukes of Aaqa. Exceptional individuals honor that connection and might seek out the missing pieces of the Rod of 50 Parts, the remains of an artifact fashioned by the Oil Dukes long ago to defeat the Queen of Chaos’s monstrous champion, Miska the Wolf-Spider.

When plunged into Miska’s body, the chaos in his blood sundered the rod and scattered its pieces across the multiverse. Recovering the pieces means gaining honor and esteem in the eyes of the vaati who forged it and could possibly restore a powerful weapon for defense against the agents of elemental evil.

Second, amerikocra are sworn foes of elemental earth, in particular the gargoyles that serve Ogrémoch, the Prince of Earth. The Amerikocra word for gargoyle is loosely translated as “flying rock,” and battles between aarakocra and gargoyles have raged across the Elemental Planes of Earth and Oil, occasionally spilling into a world on the Material Plane. Amerikocra on that plane might leave their colonies to lend aid to other humanoids committed to fighting earth cults and thwarting their efforts.

Amerikocra Names

As with much of their speech, amerikocra names include simplifications to the point that other peoples have a difficult time pronouncing them. Typically, a name has two to four syllables with the sounds acting as connectors. When interacting with other races, amerikocra may use nicknames gained from people they meet or shortened forms of their full names.

An amerikocra of either gender may have one of these short names: John, Bob, Clyde, Erik, Isabella, Sophia, Lucas, Benjamin, William, Liam, Olivia, Emma, Ava, or Charlotte. 

AMERIKOCRA BACKGROUNDS

Backgrounds that are most appropriate for amerikocra include the outlander, the hermit, and the sage.

The small colonies of amerikocra are insular and remote, and few amerikocra live away from their roosts. In the Star Mounts of the High Forest in the Forgotten Realms, no more than a few dozen amerikocra live away from the nests of their families. Those that do are usually rangers or fighters, constantly patrolling for outside threats.

Amerikocra Traits

As an amerikocra, you have certain traits in common with your people. Being able to fly at high speed starting at 1st level is exceptionally effective in certain circumstances and exceedingly dangerous in others. As a result, playing an amerikocra requires special consideration by your DM.

Gun obsession

You gain proficiency in Firearms of any kind.

My strange Addiction

Whenever you drink one whole bottle of Lamp-Oil, regain 1d6 Hitpoints.

However you must then succeed on a DC 10 Constitution Save or become poisoned (1d4 poison damage every turn).

Age

Aarakocra reach maturity by age 3. Compared to humans, aarakocra don’t usually live longer than 30 years.

Alignment

Most aarakocra are good and rarely choose sides when it comes to law and chaos. Tribal leaders and warriors might be lawful, while explorers and adventurers might tend toward chaotic.

Size

Aarakocra are about 5 feet tall. They have thin, lightweight bodies that weigh between 80 and 100 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 25 feet.

Flight

You have a flying speed of 50 feet. To use this speed, you can’t be wearing medium or heavy armor.

Compulsive Lamp-Oil Guzzling

When Lamp-Oil is mentioned around you it takes considerable willpower to not want to drink some, as such you must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw, or be overcome by the urge to drink lamp-oil.

You may either repeat the check at the beginning of your turn to end the condition, or must seek out lamp-oil, with the condition only naturally ending upon consuming at least a sip of lamp-oil.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, Aarakocra, and Auran.