Homebrew Blood Kenku Species Details
When we entered the room, our patron was on the floor, bleeding. He gurgled his last breath and died. Only then did we notice from the shadows the dark feathered intruder. Wiping the blood from its beak, it intoned "No, please, I will give you anything!" in the voice of our leader. And then, after a pause, in a much deeper and more menacing voice "Klaxkor of Gordoth sends their regards." And finally, just before melting back into the shadows, and in the same voice, "Goodbye."
Like their normal Kenku brethren, Blood Kenku are haunted by an ancient crime that robbed them of their wings, they wander the world as vagabonds and burglars who live at the edge of human society. Blood Kenku are feared far and wide by those who know of them, and for the right price in gold or arcane loot to their masters, they can be of use to those seeking assassins or thieves.
An Ancient Curse
The kenku once served a mysterious, powerful entity on another plane of existence. Some believe they were minions of Grazz’t, while others say that they were scouts and explorers for the Wind Dukes of Aaqa. Whatever the truth, according to legend, the kenku betrayed their master. Unable to resist the lure of a beautiful sparkling treasure, the kenku plotted to steal the item and escape to the Material Plane.
Unfortunately for the kenku, their master discovered their plan before they could enact it. Enraged, the entity imposed three dreadful curses upon them. First, the kenku’s beloved wings withered and fell away from their bodies, leaving them bound to the earth. Second, because their ingenuity and skill had turned toward scheming against their patron, the spark of creativity was torn from their souls. Finally, to ensure that the kenku could never divulge any secrets, their master took away their voices. Once the entity was satisfied that they had been sufficiently punished, the kenku were set loose on the Material Plane.
Since then, the kenku have wandered the world. They settle in places that accept them, usually bleak cities that have fallen on hard times and are overrun with crime.
Blood Kenku have an even worse fate, however. They have been captured and trained, much as pit fighting dogs, to obey masters who send them out as treacherous mercenaries. In exchange for their acceptance, the Blood Kenku believes, they must carry out the bidding of these masters.
Dreams of Flight
Above all else, kenku wish to regain their ability to fly. Every kenku is born with a desire to take to the air, and those who learn spellcasting do so in hope of mastering spells that will allow them to fly. Rumors of magic items such as flying carpets, brooms capable of flight, and similar objects provoke a great desire for the kenku to acquire the items for themselves.
Despite their lack of wings, kenku love dwelling in towers and other tall structures. They seek out ruins that reach to the sky, though they lack the motivation and creativity to make repairs or fortify such places. Even so, their light weight and size allow them to dwell in rickety structures that would collapse beneath a human or an orc.
Some thieves’ guilds use kenku as lookouts and messengers. The kenku dwell in the tallest buildings and towers the guild controls, allowing them to lurk in the highest levels and to keep watch on the city below.
Blood Kenku are especially vicious when sent to eliminate those with the power of flight. Magic users are dealt with harshly, but it is not unheard of for a Blood Kenku to remove the feathers of an Aarakocra one by one, then tearing their wings off before finishing them. Blood Kenku sometimes do this for free.
Deadly Mimics
As a result of their lack of creativity, kenku function comfortably as minions of a powerful master. Flock leaders enforce discipline and minimize conflicts, but they fail at effective planning or crafting long-term schemes.
Through torturous training, Blood Kenku have been saddled with an even more terrible curse than their standard siblings: they may only speak the words of those they have killed. Since Blood Kenku are trained as assassins, they typically do not fraternize with those they kill. This results in a vocabulary mostly of screams and curses, plus the gibbering begging of those they assassinate, which are predominantly soft, weak, royals who would beg for mercy. They also have a smattering of names of loved ones the dead leave behind.
During their training, there are several phrases they are taught by their terrible masters, typically highly intelligent orcs, goblins, or trolls; but in rare cases, a dark wizard. These phrases can include:
Make peace with your god
You will die now
Tell me your secret if you want to live
[Name of trainer or patron] sends their regards
Goodbye
Hello
I've lost my way, can you help me? (this in the voice of a small child, probably weeping as they, too, were captured)
or any other phrase (such as an entry password, or other calling cards if desired) that their master imprints on them. Their master(s) can give them new phrases at any time.
Effective Killers
Blood Kenku are kept solitary, and do not work well with others. However, they can keep to themselves in pursuit of their quarry.
Like their kenku relatives, Blood Kenku cannot create new things, but have a talent for learning and memorizing details. However, this is translated into an ability to quickly memorize and repeat movements relating to battle, including weapons proficiencies and martial arts moves.
One advantage that a Blood Kenku has is that their master can have them ask a pointed question of their victims. The main purpose is to obtain some piece of obscure knowledge before their victim's demise. This can be a piece of political intrigue, the passphrase to a warded door, or even an entire spell recitation. The Blood Kenku does not need to know the language to repeat it. However, the victim must die for the Blood Kenku to remember it.
Blood Kenku Adventurers
Blood Kenku can almost never be trusted. At least, not to follow through on anything other than their main task, or to torture and kill a flying creature. However, unless someone gets in their way, they do not murder indiscriminately. Thus on a journey, they can keep to themselves and those around them are safe. Blood Kenku are even known to protect those around them, but only if they believe those people will help them achieve their mission in some way.
Rarely, Blood Kenku are released from their servitude. In these instances, they are without a mission, and depending on their subsequent experience, they may join other kenku flocks, or more likely, become in league with a mercenary guild. At that point, they can choose who they deem their master and mimic their speech. But they will not trust strangers, and will still generally only be able to mimic the words of those recently killed in their presence. Their bloodlust for those who can fly may or may not be quenched, depending on if they have learned and understood the abuse they received from their former masters.
ROLEPLAYING A KENKU
If you’re playing a kenku, constant attempts to mimic noises can come across as confusing or irritating rather than entertaining. You can just as easily describe the sounds your character makes and what they mean. Be clear about your character’s intentions unless you’re deliberately aiming for inscrutable or mysterious.
You might say, “Snapper makes the noise of a hammer slowly and rhythmically tapping a stone to show how bored he is. He plays with his dagger and studies the Lords’ Alliance agent sitting at the bar.” Creating a vocabulary of noises for the other players to decode might sound like fun, but it can prove distracting and could slow down the game.
Blood Kenku Names
Given that kenku can duplicate any sound, their names are drawn from a staggering variety of noises and phrases. Kenku names tend to break down into three categories that make no distinction between male and female names.
Kenku thugs, warriors, and toughs adopt noises made by weapons, such as the clang of a mace against armor or the sound made by a breaking bone. Non-kenku refer to the kenku by describing this noise. Examples of this type of name include Smasher, Clanger, Slicer, and Basher.
Kenku thieves, con artists, and burglars adopt animal noises, typically those common in urban settings. In this manner, kenku can call out to each other while those who overhear them mistake them for common animals. Non-kenku use names that refer to the sound made or the animal a kenku mimics, such as Rat Scratch, Whistler, Mouser, and Growler.
Blood Kenku who regain their sense of self and get away from the influence of their master may become trainers in the martial arts, both with and without weapons. These kenku have names that relate to actions in training, like Bow, Again, No, or even more complex phrases like Return Tomorrow.
Blood Kenku Traits
Your kenku character has the following racial traits.Ability Score Increase
Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Age
Kenku have shorter lifespans than humans. They reach maturity at about 12 years old and can live to 60.
Alignment
Blood Kenku are most often Lawful Evil, due to their exacting focus on their mission, or Chaotic Neutral if they have been released from bondage or have escaped their master and are on the run.
Size
Kenku are around 5 feet tall and weigh between 90 and 120 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Battle Mimicry
Rather than copy handwriting for forgery, Blood Kenku are trained to observe and copy the battle style of their foes, such that they can use their weapons against them.
If a foe successfully hits a Blood Kenku without killing it or knocking it unconscious, the Blood Kenku gains proficiency in that weapon for one minute. If the Blood Kenku defeats an opponent with this new weapon, they can use the next two short or long rests to practice with the weapon to gain permanent proficiency. However, they will only gain half of the benefits of those rests with regards to health, and cannot regain any spell slots or magical class effects during those rests. Magical item refreshes are not affected.
If a Blood Kenku meets a foe with expertise in a weapon or fighting style, they still only gain standard proficiency unless they already have that proficiency. They can then obtain expertise using the next two short or long rests to practice with the weapon to gain permanent expertise. However, they can only regain one hit die of health on any rest, and only one other feature that requires a rest, including magic items.
Speech of the Dead
Through torturous training, Blood Kenku have been saddled with an even more terrible curse than their standard siblings: they may only speak the words of those they have killed. Since Blood Kenku are trained as assassins, they typically do not fraternize with those they kill. This results in a vocabulary mostly of screams and curses, plus the gibbering begging of those they assassinate, which are predominantly soft, weak, royals would beg for mercy. They also have a smattering of names of loved ones the dead leave behind.
During their training, there are several phrases they are taught by their terrible masters, typically highly intelligent orcs, goblins, or trolls; but in rare cases, a dark wizard. These phrases are:
Make peace with your god
You will die now
Tell me the secret
[Name of trainer or patron] sends their regards
Goodbye
Hello
I've lost my way, can you help me? (this in the voice of a small child, probably weeping as they, too, were captured)
Blood Kenku Indoctrination
You are proficient in the following skills: Stealth, Intimidation.
You also know the Minor Illusion cantrip, but it uses one of your feathers as a material component.
Knowledge of the Battle Arts
You have proficiency with one martial weapon and one skill.
Languages
You can read and write Common and Auran, but you can speak only by using your Mimicry trait.
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