Homebrew Avem Species Details

(plural noun: 'avem', adjective: 'avish')

The Avem are the Terraviran birdfolk descendants of the storied Harpies, who appeared centuries ago in one of the wild magical districts of a ring that has long since crumbled to dust in the Outskirts.  Given the fact that harpies proliferated throughout and still exist in various untamed regions of the world-city, it's theorized that the avem descended from a different but extremely similar species that underwent an evolutionary divergence somewhere down the line.  The avem, much unlike their wild cousins, are a wingless, well-socialized race who have adapted to all walks of life in Terravire, uncommon but far from unencountered.  They're known to be socially outgoing, impulsive, and charming; however, some of that charm is accounted for by their abnormally alluring and malleable voices, which can be used to great effect in influencing people, much like the fey charm of the elves or the magical wiles of the tieflings.  As a result, some people find themselves wary of avem, fearing that listening to them speak will subject them to some kind of subtle, pernicious manipulation.

 

Exotic Allure

Avem are frequently tall, svelte, exotic-looking and eye-catchingly beautiful, facts which have earned them the reductive nickname of 'feathered elves.'  They're graceful, agile and fetching, rarely stout or muscular; and while they don't share the wings of their harpy cousins, they are feathered, with luxurious headfeathers in place of hair and bursts of plumage on their shoulders, necks, chests, hips, thighs and elbows.  Their facial features tend to be sharp and elfin, giving their appearance a strangely angelic (or possibly predatory) quality.  Their arms and legs, though mostly humanoid in shape, are covered in keratinous scales of a darker hue than their skin.  Their feet and fingers are often long, their nails black and sharp.

Their skin can be any of the colors or tones common to other humanoid races-- however, their feathers can be nearly any color imaginable, and are often vivid and intricately patterned.  No two avem's plumage ever look entirely alike.  In addition to this, most avem are born with symmetrical patterns of facial markings, typically around the cheeks, nose, eyes and brow.  These markings, like their feathers, are virtually unique among individuals.  Avem most typically enjoy dressing in bright, saturated colors that match or compliment their feathers.  They enjoy ornate jewelry, soft leather, glossy silks, and garments that alternate between flowing elegantly and hugging their slender forms.

 

Flight of Fancy

Though they aren't nearly so wild and feral as their harpy cousins, avem have a tendency to be impulsive and spontaneous.  They frequently drift between fascinations and pursuits; given that they reach full maturity by 13 and rare is the avem that lives to see 60, this trait is often attributed to their shorter-than-average lifespans-- the avem want to do as much living as possible in the time they have to do so.  This does not mean, however, that an avem can't be depended on.  They are a deeply social race, often profoundly influenced by the feelings and opinions of others, and so many avem will go to great lengths for their close friends and companions, regardless of their myriad personal ambitions.

 

High Places

Avem can be found all throughout Terravire's many districts, with no particular inclination toward any kind or other, with one strong exception: the vast majority of avem feel deep discomfort and mounting anxiety in any setting without an open sky.  Wingless though they are, an atavistic fear of enclosure or confinement makes avem averse to spending long periods of time anywhere the sky can't be clearly seen.  They will also, if given the choice, make their homes or places of business in elevated positions, in towers or along the uppermost tiers of the world-city's walls.

 

Wild at Heart

Avem take up all manner of pursuits throughout their lives, adventuring among them.  The reasons for which they might do so are as varied as the avem themselves-- to prove something to themselves or others, a feeling of being 'called,' a desire for fame or fortune, an overwhelming wanderlust, or simple boredom and restlessness.  Many avem find that the unpredictable, never-the-same-thing-twice nature of adventuring keeps them happily on their toes, and lends itself well to their impuslive personalities.

 

Avem Names

Avem names are bestowed at birth by the birth-giving parent.  However, these names are rarely considered sacrosanct, as it's not at all uncommon for an avem to choose a new name at some point in their life.  The plumage, facial markings, and voices of avem are deeply individual and unique, and so these things are seen as their chief identifiers among their own kind, their names typically being more for the benefit of the other races.  There is also no gender-based dichotomy among avem names, given that the concept of 'gender' is seen as entirely self-determinative in avem society, and many avem will choose to transition or eschew the concept entirely.

Avem names are a sequence of two or three individual syllables, most commonly ending with vowel sounds, chosen and strung together for their phonetical musicality.  Avem family names frequently refer to different types of music or musical terminology, and avem families often simply use the Common language versions of these words among greater Terraviren society, using the avem versions only when speaking their native language among their own kind.

Common Names: Ha-li-ra, Ee-ah-si, Ti-al-oh, Na-lei, Ai-la, Oh-ei, Ah-lei-ah, Vay-li, Sa-ro, Mi-la, Ai-do

Family Names: Sonata, Chorale, Rondo, Aria, Cadenza, Verse, Opera, Ballad, Concerto, Minuet

 

Avem Traits

Your avem character has a variety of natural abilities, thanks to their wild avian ancestry.

Ability Score Increase

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

Age

Avem are fast-growing and short-lived.  They reach full maturity by 13 years, consider 40 to be middle-aged, and by 50 are in their twilight years.

Alignment

Due to their impulsive natures, avem are some form of chaotic more often than not.  This doesn't mean they're consummate law-breakers or ruthlessly self-interested - they live in a society, after all - but it does mean they can be difficult to pin down or predict.  Morally speaking, they can rum the gamut from good to evil, just as anyone can.

Size

Avem range from 5-and-a-half to nearly 7 feet tall and have slender builds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

The wide, avian eyes of the avem are particularly well-suited to nocturnal activity. 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.

Melifluous Voice

One of the most notable features of the avem is their uncommonly beautiful, resonant voices.  The worst among avem singers can still draw a happy crowd, and people of other races frequently find themselves fixated when listening to an avem speak at length, no matter the subject.  You have advantage on any skill roll that involves affecting others with your voice.  This does not apply when specifically attempting to affect another avem, and non-avem who are wary of the avish gift of voice may find themselves negatively inclined toward you if they feel you're trying to use this ability to manipulate them.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Avish.  The written language of the Avem looks more like musical composition than written script, and the spoken language is exquisitely musical.  The same 'word' can mean a sweeping amount of different things, the meaning determined as much by tone and inflection as by the word itself.