Homebrew Awakened Vulture Species Details

Created by awakening a normal vulture through magical means, an awakened vulture is often more intelligent than other awakened animals.

Beak and Feather

Vultures have a heavy body, a hunched-over stance, and their feathers often appear shaggy and looser than other birds. They are generally, but not always, a dull brown or black over the body. One characteristic of many vultures is their bald head and sometimes bald throat. Vultures have a strong, hooked beak to help them tear open carcasses. Their wings are very broad compared to other birds.

Animal Origins

The most characteristic behavior of vultures is their soaring behavior. Vultures take advantage of thermal currents by flying into the rising air, spreading their wings and soaring to great heights without beating their wings. Once in the air, they can spot carrion with their very good eye-sight, although some species use a well-developed sense of smell.

Once awakened, vultures tend to be quiet and observant, with a strong attention to detail. Many become sages, their keen intellect and preference for solitude lending to a life of study.

Avian Mannerisms

Awakened vultures display many of the same mannerisms as ordinary birds. They are fastidious about their plumage, frequently tending their feathers, cleaning and scratching away any tiny passengers they might have picked up.

Like other birdfolk, awakened vultures often punctuate their speech with chirps, sounds they use to convey emphasis and to shade meaning, much as a human might through facial expressions and gestures. An awakened vulture might become frustrated with people who fail to pick up on the nuances.

Vultures are almost exclusively carrion eaters. They usually feed in large groups, often with other vulture species and other carrion eaters. Once awakened, they prefer to eat in solitude, away from the squabbling of their unawakened brethren, and will often develop a preference for eating away from others, as well as a sense of defensiveness over their food.

The Search for Purpose

Like many other awakened animals, awakened vultures remember their life before they were given the gift of intelligence. The contrast between an animal existence and the heightened intelligence that vultures often experience in their awakening causes them to ponder their place in the world. Many will choose to travel the world, often learning as much as they can about the history and mysteries of the world in the search for a place of belonging that few evern ultimately find.

Awakened Vulture Names

With no culture to call their own, awakened vultures choose many names. Many choose to take names associated with death, decay or darkness, or else simply dark objects or materials.

An awakened vulture of either gender may have one of these names: Bones, Carrion, Dank, Ebony, Entropy, Graves, Obsidian, Rot, Sanguine, Tibia.

AWAKENED VULTURE BACKGROUNDS

Backgrounds that are most appropriate for awakened vultures include the outlander, the hermit, and the sage.

 

Awakened Vulture Traits

As an awakened vulture, you have certain traits in common with your unawakened brethren. Being able to fly at high speed starting at 1st level is exceptionally effective in certain circumstances and exceedingly dangerous in others. As a result, playing an awakened vulture requires special consideration by your DM.

Ability Score Increase

Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.

Age

Awakened vultures reach maturity by age 3. Vultures don’t usually live longer than 10-30 years, depending on breed.

Alignment

Most awakened vultures are neutral.

Size

A vulture is between 3 and 4 feet long and 25-30lb in weight, with a wingspan of about 9 feet. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 10 feet.

Flight

You have a flying speed of 50 feet. To use this speed, you can’t be wearing medium or heavy armor.

Beak

Your beak is a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Languages

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

Keen Senses

You have proficiency in the Perception skill.

Avian Form

Your avian form is unsuited to larger weaponry. You attack with disadvantage when making attacks with two-handed weapons, and armour tailored to fit your animal body costs twice as much.