Aerions

A humanoid race of Calamia the Aerions are what appear to be a form of bird and man combined. No one really knows where these beings originated, but it is said that they are the children of Osiridan, Lord of the Skies.

An Aerions entire body is covered in feathers ranging in just about any pattern, hue and style similar to any other bird species. Feathers play an important factor in the lives of Aerions, especially for males to attract mates. Male Aerions tend to be brighter and have more decorative plumage than the females. Though they tend to have darker or paler, less vibrant coloration than the males the female Aerions are still quite striking. Feathers do not last forever so the current ones are replaced regularly once or twice a year with new ones. This period is called molting, and Aerions often use their soft shed feathers for trade or reuse.

Appearance wise the Aerions have the facial structure of a bird of prey, with hooked beaks that show they are an omnivorous species, their diets consisting of fruits, nuts and other animals, mainly fish and small prey. Their bills are hard and sharp, being used to crush their food or tear it apart, and also as a defensive weapon if need be. Despite speaking through a beak the Aerions speak common and speak it well. Aerions have no nose structure, they breath through two nostrils situated near the base of the top mandible of their bills.

Their eyes are large but constructed more like a humans, with eyes in the front of their skulls and eyelids. An Aerions eyes can be any shade imaginable, from the deepest black to the palest white, though they always have black pupils. They have excellent vision during both day and night. Aerions also lack the externally visible part of the ear that most humanoids have, their ear is simply a tube on the right and left side of the skull that leads to the eardrum, and is hidden under a light covering of feathers.

Physically the Aerions are constructed like a man, walking upright on their lower legs and have arms that end in hands with fingers. Each finger is tipped with a long strong black talon, and their hands are feathered, thus why warrior types are usually seen wearing gauntlets. Their wings are separate from their arms, coming out of their back, and vary in width and height. At the end of their tailbone, just above the buttocks, their tail plumage sticks out, varying in width, length and style. On average an Aerions tail is three feet or longer.

Aerions bodies are slim yet extremely well muscled, for it takes a great deal of strength and coordination to take flight. Male Aerions tend to be larger, with wider thicker torsos and thicker limbs. Their lower legs are quite different than a man’s, their thighs similar to their human cousins, but built for strength and endurance. Their thighs are well muscled and feathered, but just below the knee their feathers stop and the lower leg is scaly and thin, though far from frail. Unlike their human cousins the Aerions have four toes, the first three toes facing forward and the fourth toe facing backward, each toe long and thick. This helps them keep their balance and also for grasping. Each toe is tipped with a long deadly talon. An Aerion can range from 4’ 5”(shortest) in height to 5’ 7”(tallest) the females being smaller than the males.

Although they mate similar to humanoids, the Aerion females lay eggs, usually one egg, though in some rare cases two, even more rare two chicks born from one egg. They incubate these eggs just like any other bird species, the incubation period lasting twelve to fourteen months, and once hatched their children are dependent on them for sustenance. Aerion children are fully capable of eating solid foods from birth, though usually small or mashed up portions. Because the Aerion females do not produce milk for their young they have no breasts, just a feathered torso like a male Aerion, but slimmer and less bulky than the male torso. Although Aerions are born differently than most humanoids they have about the same lifespan as their human cousins, the oldest living to be about one hundred twenty years.

Aerions are a social race, living together in small clans in the mountains or dense tropical forests, and/or also living in the huge Aerion citadels of Mishuta, located in the northern Shanar Mountains, and Aivengar, located in the South East Shanar Mountains. These citadels are high in the mountains, both carved from the tall mountain peaks. The citadels are accessible by one mountain route for trade; otherwise they are only accessible by flight. The Aerions are typically a peaceful race, yet are fierce and dangerous warriors. They do not tend to trust outsiders openly, specifically humans and kojintora, though they do have relations with both nations. Aerions have simple relations with the dwarves and elves, and are quite fond of halflings and their neighbors the gnomes. They hate most demons and dark denizens of Calamia, specifically trolls, orcs, goblins, kobolds and especially drow. Many Aerions will be seen living in company of raptors, typically hawks, eagles, falcons, etc, these animals making themselves at home in Aerion settlements and cities. Gryphons are also known to live with the Aerions as well. Scouts often have a small raptor companion, for Aerions are able to communicate with their fellow birds through telepathy. Despite that fact the Aerions are not a highly magical race, though the Aerions do have magic users, but are typically spells allocated with their profession. Clerics, shamans, druids, rangers, warriors, paladins, arcane duelists, and alchemists are all common classes for Aerions.