Homebrew Corvid Kenku Species Details

"'Screech know what human want' it spoke with the voice of the world around it. Typical for its race to speak in mimicry, but I still could not wrap my mind around it. Kenku most commonly resemble our raven or crow. But Screech stood in front of me, blue feathers shining and blue eyes piercing through me. 'Is human scared of Screech?' It cocked its head at me. 'No' I replied. 'I've just never seen anything like Screech before'"

-Volo's Lost Notes

Bound By The Same Curse

When the kenku betrayed their now-forgotten master, they were banished to the material plane. They were stripped of their wings, their creativity, their voice. Along the crow or raven kenku were the less common corvid kenku. Kenku who resemble magpies or jays began turning up on the material plane around the same time as their raven and crow cousins. They tend to fair much better in society, as their rarity and bright feathers make them desirable performers and entertainers.

Naturally Charming

Their cousins may stay in the bleakest, darkest parts of society, but the corvid kenku enjoy being in the spotlight. They have used their mimicry to develop their talents for dance, story-telling, or acting. They are also prized craftsman, using their bright feathers as ornaments in their work. As long as someone else does it first, the corvid kenku are more than happy to copy.

Tricky To The Trusting

Corvid kenku may fair better than their raven and crow cousins in society, but that does not mean they don't share the same deceitful habits. Corvid kenku are just as filthy of plagurists, stealers of coin, and hopeless of minions as their cousins. Their desire of flight often pushes them to the same destructive crowd and they make just as dangerous theives and liars as any kenku can be.

Corvid Kenku Names

Corvid kenku share a similar naming convention to their regular kenku cousins. Many will take sounds they heard and adapt that to be their name. However, rather than sounds of screeching animals or tools hitting metal, corvid kenku typically have more melodic names. A lute playing corvid kenku may call themself by their favorite chord, a dancer by the sound of their shoes hitting stone, a singer by a whistle of their tune, or a poet by their favorite phrase. Non-kenku would recognize them by humanized versions like "Lute Strum", "Dancer's Tap", "Bird Whistle", or "Sonnet  Words".

Corvid Kenku Traits

Your corvid kenku character has the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1.

Age

Corvid kenku have shorter lifespans than humans. They reach maturity at about 12 years old and can live to 60.

Alignment

Through charm and deceit, the corvid kenku may appear to be a loyal and trustworthy companion, but they are just as chaotic and self preserving as their raven or crow cousins. Many corvid kenku are still chaotic neutral. 

Size

Corvid kenku are a bit smaller than regular kenku. Usually ranging from 4-5 feet tall and weigh between 80 and 110 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Expert Forgery

You can duplicate other creatures’ handwriting and craftwork. You have advantage on all checks made to produce forgeries or duplicates of existing objects. In addition, you can also mimic a performance you have seen. You have advantage on the check to duplicate the previous performance. 

Kenku Training

You are proficient in your choice of two of the following skills: Acrobatics, Deception, Stealth, and Sleight of Hand.

Corvid Kenku's Specialty

In addition to your kenku skills, you are proficient in the Performance skill.

Mimicry

You can mimic sounds you have heard, including voices. A creature that hears the sounds you make can tell they are imitations with a successful Wisdom (Insight) check opposed by your Charisma (Deception) check.

Languages

You can read and write Common and Auran, but you can speak only by using your Mimicry trait.