KESTREL

“You humans have fancied us a race of greedy birdmen, trading with or waging secret war on the rest of Kirrac as the mood takes us. Do you realize, human, that we, the kestrel, are a race that lives among the humans and other races without the bulk of the population ever being aware of our presence. We are not magical creatures with an obsession for treasure and the arcane. We are the servants of Casoar. Yes we are guilty of using our skills to annoy and inconvenience the “walkers.” What you don’t know is that despite the claims of the other “grounded” races, the kestrel are the true masters of this world. We are the greatest race on this planet.

“We were birthed by Casoar to be children of the regents. We are spirits of the air. Kestrels are blessed with flight, the power to take wing and soar on the breeze, to look down on the sad faces of the other less fortunate races. It is so obvious; surely you must agree that the kestrel is the greatest race on this world.

“Our eyes are keener than those of the elves. Our ears can hear sounds that even a muirhaut could not hear. Our beaks are far sharper than even the teeth of the lacertilians. We have six appendages and no need of a shell. We can fly. Powers be, human, we can fly. No other race on this world can fly.

“Yes, the giakahn have their great tarns to ride into the sky, the elves have their clunky flying trees, the templars of Eabilus and of Lythia each have their fragile flying craft and clumsy mechanical wings to lift them into the sky, and of course we mustn’t forget the humans and their outrageously silly balloons, but only the kestrel can truly fly.

“The “walkers” all think that theirs is the greatest race. Do they not see that they are crippled? Grounded as they are, I can see that they are boring, depressed dimwits. And dwarves, what are they all about? Such poor creatures, buried alive in the earth. It is so sad...”

––Brakk, splendid traveler of paths unknown.

The kestrel are a race of sentient avians who inhabit complex cliff-face, city-caverns. The kestrel are a secretive and reclusive race, living apart from the other races, yet infiltrating their civilizations. As a race they have a strong love of freedom. This love results from the airborne lifestyle of the kestrel. Despite this they find the urban lifestyle to be fascinating and comfortable, and do not suffer from the strong claustrophobia one might expect from an avian race in such urban conditions.

Personality: Kestrel are the most unpredictable, disrespectful, and secretive people among the common races. Kestrel follow their whims. They are a race of individualists first and last. They value their own liberty but do not strive to protect others’ freedom. Kestrel avoid authority, resent restrictions, and challenge tradition. The kestrel do not intentionally disrupt organizations as part of a campaign of anarchy, but they are known to annoy and inconvenience the other races for their own enjoyment.

Physical Description: The kestrel is a bird-like humanoid, which has both wings and arms. Kestrel typically stand from a little over 4 feet to 5½ feet tall and weigh from 65 to 120 pounds, with hens noticeably taller and heavier than cocks. Typically kestrel resemble any of the birds in the raptor family; hawks, eagles, and falcons, and their coloration is similar. All kestrel have a crest of feathers at their crown. This crest varies in size from almost imperceptable to very large. A kestrels crest is the surest indication of its true mood.

Kestrel generally wear loose fitting clothing, consisting of cloaks, robes, and togas. They are fond of jewelry and sparkling gems, and adorn themselves with such whenever possible.

Kestrel have relatively short life spans, achieving majority at about 20 and rarely living beyond 150 years.

Relations: Kestrel readily mix with each other, but rarely do they mix with members of other races. They have a well-earned reputation for deceit and misdirection. Among the other races, kestrel are known as tricksters, gypsies, and thieves. Dwarves and kestrel have battled below the ground for centuries and much mistrust can be found between them. Giakahn and kestrel warred viciously, before the kestrel were forced from the lands of Drythlor. Kestrel do not get along with the elves due to the elves views regarding the kestrels Regent, Casoar. The rest of the races the kestrel have little use for, though they do find humans and muirhauts to be great fun.

Alignment: Kestrel inherit a tendency toward chaos from Casoar, and like him they favor neither good nor evil.

Kestrel Lands: Kestrel make their homes in hilly, mountainous areas riddled with caves. They live underground but get more fresh air than dwarves do, enjoying the natural living world on the surface whenever they can. Their homes are well hidden, by both clever construction and limited access from the ground.

The largest settlements of kestrel are in the lands around Borlill, an area of land that the kestrel refer to as “the nest,” here is the one place that kestrel are comfortable living in close proximity to the other races.

Kestrel have no great nations, or mighty empires. They tend to gather in small villages of 12 to 100 adults.

Those kestrel that leave “the nest” tend to wander the land living by their wits. Kestrel who settle in other lands are commonly tutors, sages, and spies.

Regents: Kestrel are the chosen race of Casoar and thus, even today, all kestrel are still aligned with Casoar. Those kestrel that bear the baenrahl of any other Regent are sought out and rescued from their fate by specially trained kestrel known as kenku. The kestrel give Casoar a central place in their worship. He is the only Urathear who the kestrel recognize, all others are considered to be imposters and challengers to the throne of Casoar.

Language: Kestrel do not speak: although they may give out bird-like squawks. All kestrel have a limited form of telepathy. They communicate to each other by broadcasting their thoughts. They cannot read another’s thoughts so this is strictly a one-way communication unless the other responds. The kestrel typically learn other languages, including obscure ones, so that they can understand the responses that they get from other race. Despite learning these languages a kestrel vocal cords are not designed to allow vocal communication, though some kestrel are known to be able to make five or ten sounds that resemble speech, and can easily whistle a tune. Most of the kestrel vocal communication is a bunch of bird-like squawks and calls; these are gibberish. The kestrel use a variant of the common alphabet for their written communication.

Names: Kestrel take but a single name amongst their own kind. Amongst the other race a kestrel may or may not use an alias.

Male Names: Addrannyn, Aetheobryn, Blen, Caraec, Caroc, Carynvan, Daegwyn, Gonry, Laen, Radd, Rellyn, Rhodry, Rhyc, Ridd, Seonnyn, Sur, Teocyn, Tynnyn, Yran, Yrollyn

Female Names: Alwlonna, Claniver, Cludda, Clyngwen, Cwcla, Deadda, Dolla, Dyra, Gwonoic, Jaena, Jeana, Lill, Lingwen, Liryan, Mearyan, Merabrylla, Myngwen, Nwlonna, Sydda, Syna

Adventurers: Kestrel adventurers are the most cunning, deceitful, and secretive members of a cunning, deceitful, and secretive race. Kestrel adventurers enjoy exploring the world, conducting business, and pulling pranks to see how others react. They are inquisitive and love to discover things through personal experience. At times they can even be a bit reckless.

KESTREL RACIAL TRAITS

• +2 Charisma, -2 Constitution. Kestrel have light fragile bones, but they are charming and perceptive, with a knack for saying what another wants to hear.
• Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, kestrel have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Kestrel base speed is 20 feet.
• Kestrel can fly at a speed of 90 feet if carrying no more than a medium load. Kestrel can fly as adroitly as a small bird, and thus, have an average maneuverability. Kestrel can use the run action while flying, provided they fly in a straight line.
• Dive Attack: Creatures that can fly can make dive attacks. A dive attack works just like a charge, but the diving kestrel must move a minimum of 30 feet. The kestrel can make only claw attacks, but these deal double damage.
• +2 race bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks. A kestrels senses of sight and hearing are so keen that little escapes their notice.
• +3 damage from bludgeoning weapons. Kestrel have hallow bones to reduce their weight for flight. These bones break easily and because of this they suffer additional damage from all bludgeoning attacks.
• Automatic Language: Common. Possible Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic). See other race lists for common languages or Speak Language skill for a more comprehensive list. Kestrel are nosy and curious and thus can learn any language found in an area.
• Favored Class: Rogue. The natural charm of the kestrel lends itself well to the profession of rogue. When determining whether a multiclass kestrel suffers an XP penalty, his rogue level does not count.