Homebrew Fyrbird Species Details

Fyrbirds are a rare race of fiery, phoenix-like nature. They are very adaptable, and tend to live in small families, isolated from others of their kind.

Glittering Feathers

With their glowing eyes and glittering plumage, fyrbirds appear almost angelic to humans and many other races. They are slightly taller than humans on average, ranging from just under 6 feet tall to just over 7 feet. They are more slender than humans, weighing only 100 to 145 pounds. Males and female are practically indistinguishable, and many do not distinguish their gender at all, remaining genderless for everything except courtship.

Fyrbirds appear similar to the aarakocra, with feathered bodies and bird-like scaled legs. Their arms appear more like wings with claw-like hands on the ends. However, after generations of living on the ground, their feathers are not very aerodynamic and they fly at a snail's pace. They have bird-like heads with hooked beaks. They have charcoal gray beaks, legs, and claws, and their feathers range through all the colors of fire, usually glittering oranges, yellows and reds, while some have patches of white and blue. Very rarely, chicks hatch with fully white or blue feathers. While fyrbirds regard the so-called ruskivay chicks as blessed, they often do not survive to adulthood, as white and blue Fyrbird feathers contain high quantities of magic and are often used for spells or rituals. 

Fyrbirds can live well over 400 years, giving them a broad perspective on events that might trouble the shorter-lived races more deeply. They are more often amused than excited, and tend to be highly curious of the world around them. When pursuing a goal, however, whether adventuring on a mission or learning a new skill or art, fyrbirds can be focused and relentless. They are slow to make friends and enemies, and even slower to forget them. 

 

Fyrbird Traits

Your fyrbird character has a variety of natural abilities, the result of their fiery heritage.

Glowing Feathers

Fyrbirds have brilliant red-glow (or occasionally blue or white) feathers that can glow on command. 

Flight

Fyrbirds have large, swooping wings with claws on the ends instead of arms and hands. This allows them to take flight and soar in the sky. However, after generations on the ground, their plumage have grown far less aerodynamic, giving them horribly slow flight. Because of this, they usually remain on the ground, only flying when they need to get a better view or when they need to get away from something on the ground.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 2.

Age

Fyrbirds reach physical maturity at the same time as a human, but they reach full mental maturity at around the age of 50. They can also live for upwards of 400 years. 

Size

Fyrbirds range from under 5 to over 6 feet tall and have slender builds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

Accustomed to twilit forests and the night sky, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Fyre Feathers

You have advantage on saving throws against being grappled, and resistance to being burned.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and two languages of your choice. Fyrbirds live in very small communities that speak whatever languages the surrounding creatures speak.