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Playing a Kenku

Kenku are a species of humanoid birds, sometimes called the birdfolk. Feathered wings sprout from their backs, giving them the ability to fly. Most kenku make their home in the cold open plains and mountains of the far north, and few talk about their history or origin to outsiders. Still, kenku can often be seen along the cities, towns, and villages of the Green Sea, although rarely do any cross the mountains to the western coast of Taelgar.

Creating Your Kenku Character

Kenku appearances are as varied as kinds of birds, although most resemble humanoid ravens, hawks, owls, or eagles.

Kenku Names

Basic Traits

Creature Type: Humanoid
Size: Your size is Medium.
Speed: 30 feet
Age: Kenku mature and age at the same rate as humans.
Languages: You may select four Languages during character creation, which likely include Common and Kenku or another language reflecting your homeland. Like all characters, you may choose to replace one of these language proficiencies with a tool proficiency.

Kenku Traits

As a Kenku, you have these special traits.

Flight

You have a Fly Speed equal to your Speed. You cannot use this trait if your Speed is reduced by an effect related to the weight you are carrying, such as wearing armor for which you don’t meet the strength requirement, or dragging weight in excess of your carrying capacity.

Fortified Mind

You have Resistance to Psychic Damage.

Vocal Mimicry

You have unusual control over the timbre and character of your voice. You can change the sound of your voice, making yourself sound like someone different, though you have no special ability to mimic specific voices. You can also mimic natural sounds, such as bird calls, animal noises, rustling leaves, or thunder.

Disguised Form

When you reach character level 5, you can transform yourself with a Bonus Action, selecting one of the options below (choose the option each time you transform). The transformation lasts for a number of hours equal to your Proficiency Bonus, unless you choose to end it early (no action required). Once you transform, you can’t do so again until you finish a Long Rest.

Here are the transformation options:

Masked Mind. While the transformation lasts, you cannot be targeted by divination magic, or perceived through magical scrying sensors.

Masked Body.* You transform your appearance. You decide what you look like, including your height, weight, facial features, hair length, coloration, and distinguishing characteristics, if any. You can make yourself appear as a member of another race, though none of your statistics change. You also can’t appear as a creature of a different size than you, and your basic shape stays the same; if you’re bipedal, you can’t use this spell to become quadrupedal, for instance. You can reshape or hide your wings.

You have proficiency in your choice of one of the following skills: Deception, Stealth, Sleight of Hand, or Performance.

You have Advantage on saving throws to avoid or end the Charmed condition, and against the Detect Thoughts spell or similar effects. Creatures cannot speak to you using Telepathy unless you allow it.