Homebrew Accorbinid Species Details

The Accorbinid whom had joined us on our travels was rather... charismatic. "Don't trust the crow, he always lies.", we'd say to each and every innkeeper we came across. Every time we'd ask him as to why he was so deceptive; he'd only answer something akin to 'The bird who lies for his flock is wise'. It was an old Accorbinid proverb, he'd say, and, surprisingly, I always trusted him on that. That 'proverb' of his, however, always seemed to be unfinished. We only got to find out whatever that last, unmentioned part was when we visited his old Flock and he had told them that he had seen a great black dragon nearby. There was no great black dragon nearby, and once they had found out, they pecked out his eyes and cawed out in disjointed, mocking unison, 'The bird who lies FOR his flock is wise, but the bird who lies TO his flock must die!'

- Kapten Wellfiller, Paladin

 

Emerging from dark forests, fetid wastes, and twisting spires, the Accorbinid  look like tall, lithe, and monochromatic corvids or vultures, save for their long, dragging tails and lack of wings. The only sparks of color on their unadorned bodies are their brilliant eyes within the sockets of their hard and keratinous mask-like faces, which sparkle with many hues varying from bird to bird. Descended from mindless creature uplifted by their own god, The Corvilord, Accorbinids seek knowledge throughout their lives and are incredibly curious. Not only that, but each Accorbinid shares a powerful bond with their Flock, be it blood or adoptive, and their excellent memories are even brighter when reminiscing on their Flockmates. However, those outside of their Flock often distrust and beware them, and Accorbinids feel the same way towards outsiders to the Flock.

Flocks

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Accorbinids live within Flocks, which are groups which may range from a group of friends or one family, to massive numbers rivalling guilds and colleges. An Accorbinid is extremely loyal to their flock, and when separated, has an uncanny ability to seek it out and return to it from anywhere, likely owed to their marvelous memories, used to recall the very last place they knew their flock, or members of their flock, had been. 

Smaller Accorbinid Flocks are often nomadic groups of friends, a family, or a group of Accorbinids who had splintered from their original, larger Flock, perhaps to find adventure or experience nature or gain more knowledge, or even to find suitable mates, as is common with the ever-hopeful 'bachelor/bachelorette' Flocks, who scour the land looking for other small Flocks or a larger Flock for the sole purpose of the pursuit of love. As for the small Flocks which aren't quite as nomadic, these may often be found as Accorbinid-owned Flock Inns or Flock-run small businesses, though these are not to be confused with Flock-run small businesses run by a small group of Accorbinids whom consider themselves to be a part of a much larger Flock. As for the sedentary and small Flocks who live farther away from society, these pop up as isolated little cottages or huts, likely tucked far into the wilderness or within the underground of cities.

Larger Accorbinid Flocks may present themselves as entire villages, towns, councils, bureaus, guilds, syndicates, colleges, companies, or cities. Though, when it comes to Accorbinid cities, they’re almost all made up of various different Flocks, with a few highly influential Flocks, and only consider themselves to be one Flock when in dire times or when referring to the cityfolk in their entirety. These larger Flocks, especially the larger, more influential ones within cities, are seen as great containers of generations-old knowledge and wisdom due to the rich memories of their inhabitants, and the tendency of Flocks to spread the word around in themselves about anything and everything that happens. Unfortunately for outsiders, Accorbinid Flocks are extremely protective of their rich histories and are extremely hesitant to give any of it up to those they distrust. Of course, Flock members may be tempted to give up some knowledge in turn for payment, be it in treasure, knowledge, or even sacrifice. Many a tale has been told about parties going out on epic quests to unlock the secrets of the Large Accorbinid Flocks, only to return years later, scarred and worn, to be given what is only a drop from the pool of knowledge the Flock may hold. 

Due to the more communal nature of Flocks, Flock members find it quite rude to buy and sell items from members of your own Flock. Why hide such commodities from your own Flock? In more human terms, it’s the equivalent of asking your roommate to pay you every time they eat from the cupboard because you want to make money off of them.

As for buying and selling in-between different Flocks? Completely acceptable. Buying and selling book to and from those who are not even a part of your own Flock? Well, it depends. If an Accorbinid is selling books, they should be careful! A few minor books or scrolls of Accorbinid knowledge can be seen as worth gold, but entire history books and other major sources of knowledge? Why, those are worth far more than gold may account for! At the least, it’s courtesy to one’s own Flock to make such knowledge much, MUCH harder to get than a simple transaction. It’s even worse to have such accounts stolen, because it not only means that an incredibly precious object has been taken, but the Accorbinid who was in charge of it would surely be punished direly if they do not get it back in time or at all.

A Flock is not exclusive to Accorbinids. Perhaps one Accorbinid was abandoned as a hatchling, left to die, only to be saved by a group of non-Accorbinid Adventurers. This adopted little Accorbinid will grow to have an extremely strong bond with their adoptive family, on parr with the bonds they would have had if they grew up in a flock of their own kind. In other cases, an Accorbinid abandoned by their original Flock may find a new Flock, Accorbinid or not, and bond with them instead. Sometimes, an Accorbinid whom travels along with what was supposed to be a mere group of fellow Adventurers on a simple quest, finds this new group to their liking, and may refer to this new motley band as their new Flock, or may start considering them as a part of their old Flock. The trust of an Accorbinid runs deep, and to be called a Flockmate by one should be considered a great honor, and breaking this trust is truly despicable.

In other situations, Accorbinids have adopted non-Accorbinids into their Flocks. These ‘Unbeaked’ Flockmates tend to be distrusted or mistaken for outsiders by outside Flocks, so a token of trust from the adoptive Flock will often be a large feather of their own to be worn by the Unbeaked to signify their status as a part of a Flock. Accorbinids within non-Accorbinid groups they have deemed their ‘Flock’ will gift their Flockmates their feathers as well, to show that they are a Flock.

Unbeaked Kenku and Aarakocra are seen as a sort of ‘grey area’, oddly enough. There’s also some linguistic debate over these races and Tortles, since Kenku, Aarakocra, and Tortles all have beaks, so calling them ‘Unbeaked’ makes very little sense. Nevertheless, the name sticks.

One philosophical question has often bothered the minds of Accorbinids and the Accorbinid-infatuated alike. What is worse? To be born without a true Flock, or to be abandoned by the one which an Accorbinid has spent most of their life within? To be abandoned by one's own Flock is seen as a fate worse than death, and many Accorbinid have taken death over being left behind. The surefire way to spot an abandoned Accorbinid, is to search for the bird with the lightless, lifeless eyes, unkempt feathers, and little to no willpower within their daily lives. Another surefire way to spot one, is to find the bird burning down the homes of those who dared to abandon them with a quiet rage roiling like boiling acid behind their teary eyes. To find those who had never found a Flock of their own, look for the dried, tiny bones scattered on the ground.

Flocks are incredibly loyal, but this does not count for all members. Some Accorbinids betray their Flocks, for a myriad of reasons from good to evil, but the guilt of the action will almost always run deep, and for those within Accorbinid Flocks, the consequences are dire. The best a betrayer may hope for is a brutal beating or public mockery, hopefully with their eyes and tongues still intact. 

Knowledge Held Sacred

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To an Accorbinid, knowledge isn't just knowledge. Knowledge is the meaning of life, the ultimate pursuit of any good Accorbinid. Truly, an Accorbinid with little knowledge may barely be an Accorbinid at all! While on their travels, Accorbinids may be dutiful memorizers, writing down notes and frequently reminding themselves of every little object, point, or event of interest they may come across, always with the intent of gathering knowledge for what could be a variety of purposes. Once the Accorbinid returns from their journeys, they may spend hours relaying details to the rest of their Flock.

Due to this sharing of knowledge within one’s own Flock, privacy is seen as quite rude and suspicious. Diaries kept away from one’s own Flockmates are selfish acts, and insisting on working privately and not sharing one’s own knowledge is also not very nice. Of course, when one is not with their Flock, private diaries and work environments are perfectly acceptable, and expected! The Accorbinid will just have to make sure to share the details once they get back to their Flock.

This undying curiosity and need for more and more knowledge has led to reckless actions in the past. An Accorbinid may experiment with the effects of fire magic on a certain new plant they have found, only to burn down an entire forest. An Accorbinid may wish to test how easy it is to steal from a certain noble, only to find that they have suddenly entrenched themselves and their whole flock into a massive, escalating war. There are also many tales of certain Accorbinids wishing to test the security systems of prisons and dungeons, not out of any malicious means, but out of wondering how the whole thing ticks, and how fallible it may be. These extra-reckless 'freelance security inspectors' often end up imprisoned or dead.

This emphasis on the importance of knowledge stems from an ancient need for survival. The olden days of the Accorbinid often had them facing challenges they couldn't outpower on their own, so in order to avoid or defeat these dangers, knowledge was extremely crucial. Really, this goes the same for many other races, it just so happens that Accorbinids take this to an extreme degree.

Knowledge is also a popular way to blackmail a Flock. Did a Flock just offer up some very precious knowledge after you did something for them? Just threaten to share this knowledge with the whole world, and they may be begging at your feet that they’d do anything to prevent that! Just be careful… that nasty behavior may surely end up with your plans stopped by a hired band of Adventurers.

Grudges Running Deep

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 To anger an Accorbinid is to not only anger one permanently, but it is to also anger an entire Flock for generations. Smaller mistakes such as stealing their food, or pranking them, will likely leave the singular Accorbinid mad for a long while, but larger aggravations such as attacking one or stealing precious valuables from one will cause the entire Flock to remember your name in a very negative light for generations. They may send in assassins, or hecklers, or thieves for years and years, though only larger Flocks tend to have the resources for vengeance and the longevity to keep it going for that long. Small Flocks ARE able to attack interlopers, but this may often consist of attacks from the whole Flock itself rather than pieces of it or hired mercenaries. If your party consistently gets attacked by Accorbinid bandits or bounty hunters, you may want to question past the obvious answers of general thievery and begin asking the party about who has ever gravely angered an Accorbinid Flock. Of course, these grudges CAN be attoned for, but this may require accomplishing grand quests and tasks for the Flock one has drawn the ire of.

Their pettiness has oft led to museums erected in Accorbinid cities dedicated to grudges, though considering these museums are mostly owned by one Flock, grudges against other Flocks from that one Flock also tend to make their way into the exhibits.

Distrust as a Norm

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 Accorbinid history is rife with betrayals, espionage, and backstabbing, as is normal with any long history. As such, anyone who is not a part of one’s own Flock is to be distrusted by default. It’s perfectly acceptable to keep secrets from and speak carefully around those who are not Flockmates, and it’s very expected to hold a deep distrust at all times.

If someone were to have an Accorbinid within their party, they’d be likely to find that all the notes and work the Accorbinid had been writing down the whole journey are keenly guarded by their feathery friend, wherein even the most minor of details are very difficult to obtain from them. The Accorbinid won't necessarily be unkind or callous towards them, they'll still tell jokes, play games, and speak with them, it's just that they'll be the ones asking the questions here.

As for Accorbinid settlements, non-Flockmate visitors are watched with keen eyes and tightly shut beaks, the residents often waiting impatiently for the less-than-welcome visitors to leave so that they may feel free to gab and share with one another again without fear of letting slip knowledge to outsiders. After all, who’s to say that little mention about your second cousin in-law’s birdseed allergy wouldn’t be used against your Flock later?

There are multiple tales about Flock settlements being driven mad because the outsiders wouldn’t leave, and the residents grew far too anxious and fidgety from the inability to safely share their thoughts, even to the point where they began to pay the outsiders to try and convince them to leave, or sending them off on wild goose chases to get rid of them long enough for the poor Accorbinids to finally be able to vent out their minds for a while. Or even, stories of these towns paying more outsiders to get rid of the outsiders already in the settlement, only to find that the new outsiders they paid to get rid of the old ones wouldn’t leave! At this point, many Accorbinid Flocks would’ve considered conspiracy, or even murder. So, it’s well-advised that travelers don’t meander too long with the Flocks, or at least promise to plug their ears while they’re there.

This xenophobic attitude towards any and all outsiders has also lead to many overzealous flocks desperately going out to hide away from the rest of society in mountain peaks and lonely bogs, only to find that the danger there far exceeds what they were expecting. Adventurers may thus also find themselves busy with quests involving rescuing these Flocks from the troubles they’ve found themselves in.

All that Glitters is Theirs

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Accorbinids have quite the penchant towards shiny, shimmering objects. No matter how expensive or valuable, Accorbinids can barely resist the allure of a sparkling, shining jewel, especially when enchanted, or even better, when it has a most rich history behind it! While they’re not uncontrollable kleptomaniacs, and most cases of theft are from the particularly impulsive or young, Accorbinids still are very fascinated by and drawn to all that glimmers and gleams. This has lead to some troubles. An Accorbinid in a jewelry shop is often targeted by those wishing to sell their wares, so it’s quite common to see a price for the treasures suddenly hiked up by quite the large amount when they know a Flock is nearby, since an Accorbinid is less likely to be a stingy customer when lured by emeralds, rubies, and gold galore. In far more unfortunate situations, an Accorbinid may be the first in the party to die by touching a cursed jewel, or taking “just one” coin from a dragon’s hoard. So, keep in mind that when looking to acquire knowledge from a Flock, glimmering gems and sparkling necklaces make it especially easier to get them talking. Especially necklaces with little shiny bits and bobs on them, which Accorbinids love to fidget with using their claws and beaks.

Do take note, however, that one should offer jewels which complement the eyes of an Accorbinid! While Accorbinids love all things shiny to decorate their bodies and homes with, they still understand the value of matching colors in fashion. Since their eyes are the only spots on their bodies gleaming with color, Accorbinid fashion and jewelry centers around complementing them. Give Amber jewels to an Accorbinid with blue eyes, and you’ll be more likely to get a stern lecture about fashion and common sense in design rather than the knowledge or wares you may have been looking for.

Mischief and Pranks

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If there’s one thing Accorbinids are known for, it’s their penchant for pranks and games.

Accorbinids are playful and curious souls at heart, and pranks are just the way to let that heart shine through. If you have an Accorbinid in your party, be not surprised if you find your shoelaces untied every morning, or your purse hidden in a different location every time you wake. It’s not necessarily meanspirited, but if it were meanspirited, expect to find no shoes nor purse at all. These pranks can happen for a number or reasons, such as the Accorbinid finding it thrilling, fun, or funny. They may also occur because the Accorbinid wishes to know what would happen if they did, wanted to know the reactions on the victims faces. They may also do it in order to cause a distraction to steal some items or to get back at someone.

Accorbinids also loves jokes, games, and puzzles, though many of their jokes rely on tricking someone in some way or annoying them for a reaction. For example, ‘Have you heard about updog?’ Is a VERY good example of an Accorbinid-style jest.

Sometimes, these pranks get taken too far, and a tired party member or companion will do something rather dire to end the agony of constant updog jokes and missing purses. After this, the whole party may get a whole Flock after them and have to go on the run, depending on what was done to stop the mischief.

Notably, this trickery tends to be far rarer within one's flock, and in some circumstances is taboo. As such, if the Accorbinid in your party considers you a Flockmate, or at least very close to them, these pranks generally won't happen. They will still, however, keep their aforementioned love for jokes, games, and puzzles. Nonetheless, they may still like to prank those from outside of your party, even if they are close to you, so you may want to keep a close eye on your feathery friend to make sure they don't get themselves into trouble with their antics if a visitor happens to come by and stay a while.

 Daily Life

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The daily life of an Accorbinid varies greatly from culture to culture, but what they all have in common is talking, and talking a lot. In order to maximize knowledge gain and spread, Accorbinids are some of the chattiest folks one can meet. When within their flock, they talk about what they've seen recently and reminding themselves about what has happened years ago, likely mixed in with an overall conversation of planning for the future. When amongst strangers, these strangers may find themselves very bothered by what can be, according to some stories, hundreds of questions per hour. If not questions, then requests or offers, jokes, debates, or even the rare tidbit of information absentmindedly passing their beak. In fact, it's a known trick in some areas to get an Accorbinid drunk enough to the point of not minding their words and waiting for any potentially useful information to spill out of them. Multiple journeys have first begun with an Accorbinid drunkenly rolling on the tavern floor squawking about when they let loose some particularly interesting facts, perhaps about recent goblin marauder problems or a trove of treasure they may have seen.

Aside from that, Accorbinids spend much of their time hard at work in the name of their Flock. When they are not playing games with their Flockmates, they may be studying, training, or working, though this varies, as some Flocks or individuals may put more importance on free time than others. Though, knowing their curious nature, free time may instead be spent by 'studying for fun'.

Accorbinid couples are typically monogamous, and lifelong, and may come about through a variety of reasons, though an Accorbinid may increase their chances of getting a partner through extravagant clothing, bragging, and song. The bond between Accorbinid lovers is so strong, that it's acceptable for private matters between them to never be shared with the rest of their Flock. These couples will raise an average of one to three hatchlings, who will be primarily raised by their parents for five years before the whole Flock begins to take care of them.

Accorbinids will dine on just about anything, however due to their scavenger tastes, foods like cheeses, yogurts, and fermented meats are especially popular. Some Accorbinids will even dedicate their whole lives to studying cheese.

Accorbinid clothing and architecture follows a similar style, though it once again varies from Flock to Flock. Accorbinids have an eye for for the intricate, complex, and ornate. When it comes to those who can afford it, Accorbinid clothing is vibrant, light and breathable, with shining, twisting, twirling patterns sewn in. Oftentimes sewn into the clothing itself is the jewelry, bent and carefully crafted metal and gems acting like accents and eye-drawing pieces of the whole. Various feathers, from themselves and non-Accorbinid sources are also commonly used.

Accorbinid architecture and decorating also follows this trend, wherein the intricate designs and gems are embedded into walls, and the accents and supports may be mostly made of metal. While a lot of their living space is indoors for extra privacy from outsiders, liberal use of open-air spaces such as high-up porches and platforms are always a welcome sight to an Accorbinid. Unless their Flock is too large for just one home, homes are meant to house the entire Flock, and it's very strange for Flock members to live all in separate houses, at the least if the Flock is divided, a home will always be shared amongst members of the Flock. Accorbinids never live alone.

Within their quarters, Accorbinid flocks often keep hoards or collections of items of interest, being rather avid collectors. One Accorbinid may have an entire shelf of crystals, another may have books or items with a story behind them, and some Accorbinids even house massive collections of vintage toys and merchandise. Either way, they are not minimalist and these avid collectors and room-decorators make it obvious.

While Accorbinids are perfectly comfortable with their living spaces, other races may find them hard to navigate, as due to the climbing prowess and safety when it comes to falling from heights for Accorbinids, their buildings tend to be built more vertically rather than horizontally, with many porches, platforms, and turrets placed throughout. Those bound to the ground may have a difficult time memorizing the twisting and complicated hallways and passages, and may even get dizzy, while an Accorbinid finds navigating such things very easy. Outsiders may not appreciate the clutter and disorganization of Accorbinid cities, having no breaks from shelves filled with trinkets and the opposition to minimalism. An Accorbinid, meanwhile, appreciates the stimuli of all the neat little things to look at and the familiarity of it all. While a human may be used to markets in circles and on the floor level, Accorbinid spaces lack the organization of rows, with many market stalls of theirs accessible only by ladder or tightrope, even while these higher up stores border stalls about equal to an Accorbinid 'street'. Some places are even mostly inaccessible to non-Accorbinids, linked only by tightrope or other atheltic feat requiring passageways.

All of this adds up to Accorbinid settlements being extremely confusing and dizzying for outsiders, looking like cluttered messes made with bird nests, jewelry, vertigo, fever dreams and MC Esher stairs all mixed into one noisy place. It all makes sense to the common Accorbinid, though!

From a distance, Accorbinid dominated settlements may look like groups of confusing treehouses or cliffside huts if small, and massive messes of jumbled architecture, platforms, towers and gargantuan supports built into the side of a spire or mountain if large. This vertical tendency and near-abstract architecture has actually made it very difficult for invading forces to take hold of such settlements, but it's also made it quite easy for those less ground bound to take them over and keep hold of them without much interference from heroic folk without claws to climb with or feathers to slow their falls.

Feathery Folklore

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Before the gods, there were the elder evils. And amongst the elder evils, was Rretarelak, the scavenger.

Feeding upon the desecrated works and the destruction left behind by the elder evils, Rretarelak was not destructive in and of themselves; all they did was passively profit off of it.

However, as was what happened, the gods appeared. And, one by one, other elder evils had vanished, leaving not enough to feed Rretarelak.

And so, the scavenger had perished, incorporeal corpse floating through the endless void of the fat realm. Floating through the stars.

Floating towards the world we inhabit.

Lacking a true physical form, and thus no detectable appearance, Rretarelak fell to the world quietly and unknown, upon a continent, essence seeping into the land itself.

Nothing happened.

That was, until, over time, it was revealed what the invisible, untouchable corpse and essence of this Elder Entity had done to the land. The land itself, even, as it eroded, eroded into the shape of Rretarelak, despite Rretarelak being supposedly formless.

The creatures began to twist as they evolved, appearing more avian over time, the visage of crows and vultures. And one of these creatures twisted and shaped by the essence of Rretarelak, were the Faceless. The Faceless were much like the Accorbinids of today, except for the lack of a face, and the lack of a mind. Where a face would be, there was only a black void with two points of color.

And the physical realm was not all that Rretarelak influenced. Formed from the leftover pieces of Rretarelak, the essence that had decayed and flayed off of its corpse on its travel to our world, were the many Accorbinid aspects. These aspects are like gods or powerful spirits to the Accorbinid, each embodying an ‘aspect’ of Accorbinid culture. Sometimes, large enough, or passionate enough Flocks may ‘create’ an aspect of their Flock from their shared bonds, or a unique aspect of the culture of their Flock. These Flock aspects may form warlock pacts with chosen members of the Flock, wherein as long as the chosen upholds their promise to protect and act in the name of their Flock and its traditions, they hold great power in their talons. More powerful aspects not restricted to one Flock may instead use Clerics as their mortal servants, though some will just stick with Warlocks anyways, or a combination of both.

A particularly important aspect to the Accorbinids, one worshipped by a large portion of them, is the Corvilord, the first aspect, aspect of knowledge, and creator of the Accorbinids.

When the Corvilord first formed from the essence of Rretarelak’s mind, his first instinct was to gather worship to keep himself afloat and alive. Wandering the continent of Rretarelak’s fallen form, the Corvilord eventually found his candidates;

The Faceless.

The Corvilord, taking pity on the Faceless, whom had so much potential and yet no minds, decided to take them under his wings. And so, he created faces for them. Each and every Faceless was granted a silver, beaked mask, each unique from the last. Within each mask was a piece of the Corvilord’s mind, the Corvilord’s soul. The knowledge of how to explore, how to be curious, how to be ever in the pursuit of more. And so, with new sapience, the Accorbinids were born.

The Corvilord, while friendly towards other aspects, did not actively involve them in the creation of the Accorbinids, but he did intend for the Accorbinids to eventually find them and let them teach the Accorbinids their wisdoms, their minds and philosophies. Such was the Corvilord, and such is he today, that any knowledge sought from him will not be answered directly, but only hinted towards in quests and queries for his followers to find of their own volition.

Over time, the Accorbinids found the other aspects and learned from them, let them embody parts of their culture.

And then, they spread and explored the rest of the world, sating their curiosity by traveling outside of Rretarelak. Traveling far away from their homeland, many Flocks over the years have begun splitting away from the system of Aspects, have begun worshipping other gods. This, is to be expected, and the Corvilord is ultimately fine with it, seeing it as just more of the curiosity and gathering of knowledge he had intended for them. No Flock is completely alike, after all, and some may behave completely alien to what is expected. Flocks without grudges, Flocks without pranks, Flocks without a want for jewels or treasure. All can be found, and all are as the Corvilord had expected and intended.

Aside from this creation story, the Corvilord is oft described as the following;

 

In his true form, he is a massive being, much like a Quetzacoatlus with the wings, talons, and feathers of a raven, the tail of a raptor and wings upon not only his arms but his legs as well. His four eyes, one pair above his mouth and the other two below, set like bloody rubies in the sockets of his mask-like face. In other forms, he may appear as a raven the size of a roc, or as a floating skull sparsely adorned with feathers, or as a very, VERY old Accorbinid whom bears iridescence on his feathers.

The Corvilord appears not to offer service or knowledge to his patrons and priests. What he does instead, is give prompts, tasks, and questions. He does not solve your problems, but he may guide you in potential solutions. He does not directly state your purpose or destiny, but he is always willing to offer quests and adventures which you may embark on without him in journeys of self-actualization. He does not state knowledge, he offers questions never questioned before so that his followers may seek out their answers on their own, and grow from it. In the same vein, Accorbinid priests under his guide do not give straight answers or guides, but further questions and prompts for quests. This... does make the Corvilord a bit of a frustrating deity to work with, but he is very helpful when it comes to hints or finding something to do. 

For example, if you asked the Corvilord why you're being hunted down by Accorbinid bounty hunters, he will not answer the exact answer, but he will ask of you, "Have you been deceptive towards them, or have in any other way provoked their ire?". If you did provoke their ire, then that question is a good reminder as to why they're after you in the first place. If you have not, then that will edge you closer on the path of finding the answer. If you did not draw their ire, then who did, and what's their relation to you?

Other Accorbinid tales and traditions may often follow the themes of knowledge and vengeance. Vengeful spirits are a big thing for them, along with ghosts who steal knowledge and erase history.

Accorbinid funerals are quiet occasions. The dead is not to be touched or moved, and surrounding Accorbinids will theorize on how it occured. Once they come to a conclusion, the dead will be taxidermied or otherwise preserved as a sort of reminder that they existed. Forgetting them and their knowledge is seen as a horrible thing to happen, essentially erasing the Accorbinid themselves. Accorbinid graveyards are more like massive museums, each graveyard exclusive to a particular Flock, and on display are the preserved bodies, works, and knowledge which the Flockmates had achieved in their lives. It is taboo for outsiders to a Flock to visit their graveyard. If a Flock cannot afford a Graveyard, then they will instead have a Gravebook, and within each chapter is a feather of the deceased and their biography, knowledge, and works.

Accorbinid Names

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 Accorbinid names are very hard to pronounce for those without the proper chords for it. Much of their language and names consist of magpie-like warbles, crowing caws or raven-like purrs and clicks. Their names are also quite short, consisting of one to two syllables. Their names are gender neutral, and include Grraekim, Cawgrrin, Rouloi, Rrekaw, and more. However, when outside of their Flock, they will always use a different name than their true name, which usually falls in line with the culture of the outsiders they are with. These undercover names are never solid, and an Accorbinid calling himself Wally around humans may turn to a dwarf and call himself Bardur. 

 

 Accorbinid Clans

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There are four major Accorbinid cultural groups known as Clans, each ruled by a council of the most influential Flocks from each, and each made from schisms in philosophy defining themselves. These Clans' cultures grant their members certain skills and tendencies. These four Clans are known as the Eye, Beak, Talon, and Wing Clans. Not all Flocks follow the Clan system, of course, and are oftentimes entirely independent from it.

 

Accorbinid Traits

Hooked Talons, Generational Knowledge, Vestigial Wings

Ability Score Increase

Due to your life of climbing steep things and maneuvering complex Accorbinid architecture, you are rather dextrous. Your dexterity score increases by 2.

Vestigial Wings

Your vestigial wing feathers on your arms can be flared out whenever you fall to slow your descent and have a gentler landing. You can use your reaction when you fall to make an acrobatics saving throw. A successful save reduces the damage you take by half.

Hooked Talons

Your claws are hooked, perfect for climbing vertical surfaces. Adds a base 20 ft climbing speed.

Generational Knowledge

The knowledge passed down to you through your Flock's beaks has been circulating for centuries, and is as rich and deep as the ocean. Grants a proficiency bonus to the history skill.

Age

Accorbinids generally live to around the age of 120, and mature into adults at 15.

Size

Accorbinids are in the medium range, from about five and a half to six and a half feet tall.

Speed

Accorbinids have a base movement speed of 30 feet.

Language

Accorbinids can speak, read and write Common, Accorbinid, and Aarakocra.