Homebrew Avali Species Details

"Don't touch my feathers or I'll show you how vicious I can be."

Physical Description

Avali tend to have four ears, both furry and containing scales and feathers in choice places. They have an extended range of ‘hair’ on their heads, ranging from long and spiky or short and feathery. They form a type of ‘mane’ along the backs of their heads. They have patches of colors that is akin to skin color that’s between 2 to 8 different tones, usually in a design covering the feathers and the fur itself.

Avali have raptor-like legs and feet with reptilian scales along the front of their feet. Their hands consist of two fingers and a thumb with claws at the end of the hands and feet. Their entire body structure is raptor-like, with tails of either a chimera or lion with ends being a large feather rather than fur. The base of the tail has a drape of feathers leading up to the back. The arms also have feathers. Their eyes are trapezoidal in shape rather than ovular and tend to be nothing but a pupil with an iris rim and a film covering the eyes for protection, as they don’t blink. Their eyes are wide, increasing their field of view but lack focus. Their head structure is a furry, raptor-like lizard type that is more rounded than the raptors that are known. They tend to have clothing made of a type of nanofiber, in which their clothing also acts as a sort of armor. The type varies in shapes and sizes, usually being bell-shaped overcoats and tundra/Indian style drapes.

History

The Avali are descended from roaming ambush predators. Working in packs and planning hunts led to improved cognitive abilities, ultimately leading to the development of society and tool use, eventually becoming nomadic hunters, a state they existed in for a very long time due stagnant societal progression.

Society

Evolved from relatively small and flimsy pack hunters, that later formed nomadic tribes, Avali society displays a strong tiered hierarchy; at the lowest order, packs of 3-6 individuals, bonded from a young age. While the individual pack members often have a range of skills, the pack tends to become specialized towards certain tasks which becomes their role in a tribe. Pack members are rarely genetically relatives, but nonetheless, those raised together form extremely close bonds; most packs then go on to form their own internal memetic cues which, in tandem with their incredible auditory processing, enables them to process information and exchange ideas extremely quickly.

The loss of a long-term pack member is extremely crippling to a group's performance; as is isolation from their pack. Replacement of pack members is possible, but unusual, given that surrogate packs lack the initial bonds and memetics of the previous group, and pack fragments of correct age and temperament to fill the gap are rare.

Names

Avali names have a tribal sound with many vowels.

Male: Eikuli, Marado, Ikbho, Kuzckoo

Female: Ali, Naako, Hadaga

Age

Avali reach maturity at the age 18. Compared to humans, avali usually live longer, up to around 120 years old, due to their smaller stature and unique biology.

Alignment

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

Size

Avali are, on average, 3 to 3 and a half feet tall, and about 4 feet from head to tail feather, and weigh about 30 pounds. Your size is Small.

Base Height	Height Modifier	Base Weight	Weight Modifier
3′ 0″	+2d6	85 lbs.	× 1d4 lb.

Avali Traits

Feathered humanoid descended from powerful ambush predators

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 2 and your Wisdom score increases by 1.

Darkvision

You can see in dim light out to 60 feet as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You cannot discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Glide

As long as you are conscious you have resistance against bludgeoning damage caused by falling.

Ambushing Instincts

You are proficient in the Stealth skill. In addition, you can take the dash action as a bonus action.

Bite

In place of an unarmed strike you can bite a creature within 5 feet of you, which deals 1d6 piercing damage plus your Strength or Dexterity modifier on a successful hit. You are considered proficient in this attack.

Keen Ears

Whenever you make a Wisdom (Perception) check that relies on hearing, you are considered proficient in the Perception skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.

Near Sighted

You have disadvantage on all Wisdom (Perception) checks involving sight.

Languages

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