Revision as of 04:33, 5 May 2024

Origin of the Species

We know that the Komuloi are not of this world originally. They are strongly magical in a way that certainly points to some kind of divine interference and the vast majority respond to divination and abjuration magic like an Elemental native. Asking the Komuloi is a mistake, as their answers have been confusing, conflicting, and in many cases pure fabrication. They are actively hostile to written language and their oral traditions often wander from language to expressions of pure sound and movement that have clearly evolved with repetition.

The elven sage Windarion spent more than a century collecting, disproving, and interleaving the various details of Komuloi into a passably cohesive history. For their efforts they were branded a heretic and forced into hiding to escape "Scattering", a favored execution method among the Komuloi where the condemned is dropped from a great height and ripped limb from limb as they fall.

According to Windarion's codex, the progenitors of the Komuloi were four armed reptilians who developed colorful plumage to attract mates. They were eight hundred pound behemoths but were dwarfed by much larger creatures in their world and lived exclusively on meat as either pack hunters or scavengers, possibly both. These creatures are long extinct but have been given the name Saurans or Sawbeaks in Komuloi stories. The Sauran homeworld was destroyed when the "enemy of Mulo threw a mountain at the world and broke its shell."

Doom of the Saurans

The first name of Mulo was Mulo the Snatcher. In the early stories she is described as spindly and beaked, a bogeyman who steals eggs. She came to the Saurans before their cataclysm, warning them of their fate and offering escape into the endless blue. Most of the Saurans feared and mistrusted her, refusing her offer. Some attacked her and she twisted off their heads and consumed their innards. Mulo told them "I offer death in my left hand and life in my right. Which will you take?"

The Gilded Cage

The endless blue is certainly a reference to the Elemental Plane of Air. Supposedly, Mulo set the surviving Saurans on a collection of eighteen orbiting planetoids of earth and water full of life and growing things, a tiny paradise of strung pearls spinning lazily around the ball of darkness that was Mulo. To protect the Saurans from the drifting elemental nodes, she wrapped the little planets in a grand net of gold. The Komuloi sing of Mulo's love for their songs and their colorful feathers and their graceful dances, but they also sing of her temper and her disgust for imperfection and ugliness. Mulo was praised as savior and cursed as a tyrant, controlling their food and encouraging them to cull the weak and imperfect.

It does not appear that Mulo taught the Kumuloi to fly, only that she enjoyed the sight of it when they first took to the air in little gliding hops. When they showed true flight she claimed to be filled with pride, but she also guestured to the golden net and it became more dense and tangled. At the sight of this the Komuloi knew that the gold was not their protection, but their prison. They realized that they were nothing but a menagerie of interesting pets for a cruel and capricious Goddess.

The Rarefied Conflict

Murdering a God is a task that must be done with care and caution. The Komuloi kept their masks up, smiling and performing for their master as they made their secret plans. They read the signs, they chose the perfect moment and the perfect magic to have the best possible chance to defeat Mulo and win their freedom. But they failed.

Mulo was enraged by their betrayal. This is where Mulo's second title was given, Mulo the Strangler. No longer did she walk among them, listening to their songs and watching them dance. She tightened her cage and commenced to picking them off one by one and squeezing their necks as they danced their final dance. She took her time, confident that they would not escape the golden bars. Thousands upon thousands of discarded corpses piled up but Mulo's furious fire would not be quenched. But fury is not a calculating thing. It is passionate and irrational, and little details can slip past.

It might have been an accident, a lucky chance, but the Komuloi had long wandered from the shadow of Luck. More likely, some among the Komuloi looked upon the carnage of Mulo's fury and saw past the monstrosity of it, past the pain and loss. They looked upon a mountain of corpses and saw each murdered friend as a thin gap in the veil between life and death. They did the unthinkable, gathering up those pinpricks of sorrow and grief and in the shadow of their saviour and their doom they made a new dance, a black dance. Pinholes connected and became ragged tears in the veil until the tears became a portal.

Exodus

Only a desperate few escaped into the Shadowed Lands before Mulo realized what was happening. They had no plan, no hope of survival, no allies in the darkness. They did not even have an idea of what to do when Mulo followed them into the portal. But Mulo did not follow. Perhaps she could not. Perhaps she had escaped those dark spaces herself and dared not return, even to pursue her petulant playthings. Whatever her reasons, she did not give chase.

The Shadowed Lands leave their mark on any who pass through them. The Komuloi are no exception to this. The cruel seed was surely already present in them, predators and carnivores all, but that seed germinated and grew during their time there. They remained as long as they could endure it, but bright colors and sweet melodies are under assault in those places and the Komuloi were forced to find a new home before the Shadowed Lands consumed them completely. The wisest and most skilled arcanists among them tore free new pieces of reality, places hidden from their pursuer where they could hope to remain safe.

The Survivors

The name Komuloi has been translated as either "the survivors of Mulo's wrath" or "the fugitives of Mulo's prison." To the Komuloi, Mulo is around every corner and behind every smile. To protect themselves, the Komuloi gravitate toward a semi-nomadic lifestyle. Their secret aeries protect them but they are small and stagnant, unable to sustain new numbers, so they must risk the Prime to survive and to lay their eggs. They pick at the fringes of civilization, distrustful of every stranger and constantly aware of every avenue of escape for any situation. Most who deal with them never learn their nature as they are generally quite adept at using shadows and illusion.

The Komuloi most often deal with the criminal elements of society, people with their own secrets to keep and a habit of not asking questions. This, coupled with the lingering shadows that still cling to them has at times fostered rumors that the Komuloi are evil by nature but this is an unfair assumption. While Komuloi can be ruthless and cruel when they feel threatened, they are no more predisposed toward evil than any other mortal creature. The most dangerous thing about the Komuloi is their fear, as fear can drive a person to act desperately.

The greatest driving force in the life of a Komuloi is the need to protect the flock. Most of them assume that Mulo is still hunting the Komuloi and the specter of death hangs over them constantly. Komuloi are raised from childhood to believe that Mulo might find them at any moment, so their plans for the future are usually short term. More than the fear of Mulo herself, the Komuloi fear exposing their flock. The unforgivable sin would be for a Komuloi to lead Mulo back to their loved ones, that they could be responsible for the extermination of their entire line. This means that Komuloi are trained to lie and to resist intimidation from a very young age, often in ways that more judgemental civilizations might call barbaric.

The Roosts

Deep within the Shadowed Lands are the Roosts, four cities that serve as the only civilization that the fugitive Komuloi dare to preserve and develop. Recognizing that the Shadow Realm would eventually destroy the Komuloi, or at best twist them into some dark version of themselves that they would no longer recognize, they carved off pieces of reality, anchoring them in the Shadowed Lands. These anchor points are guarded by the Gloom Wings, a fanatical order dedicated to protecting the Roosts should the Snatcher ever come for them.

There is nothing preventing the Komuloi from bearing children in the Prime, but if this is done, there is also nothing preventing Mulo finding the child. For this reason, nearly all Komuloi are born in the Roosts where they can grow to adulthood away from Mulo's hungry searchings. Before they strike out into the worlds beyond the Roosts, they are given a feather from the founder of their Roost. If this token is ever lost or destroyed, that Komuloi can never return to their Roost.

Exovaerie

Such pedestrian concepts as distance and direction lose meaning when discussing the reamls of Faerie and Shadow. The only solid references of any real importance are based on the veil between the borders. In the Shadowed Lands one travels Darkside to go deeper into the shadow, Brightside to travel toward the Fey veil, and Realside to move toward the veil of the Prime. The Trochile found a fourth direction in the Shadowed Lands. They call this new heading Dreamside and far to the Dreamside is the anchor to Exovaerie.

The anchor to Exovaerie can be found in a wide crater and appears to be largely unguarded. This is because Exovaerie cannot be reached while awake. With no external witness it is impossible to say if their body was swallowed up by the crater and transported or if they just experienced a vivid fever dream. If the hidden guardians judge the interlopers unwelcome, they simply drive a spear through the sleeping creature's heart.

Once within Exovaerie the creature is faced with an environment of black space with floating and shifting spheres of populated rock. The sky is full of colorful nebulas and starlight, making everything brightly illuminated despite the black space. Huge flowers bloom everywhere, their blooms drifting to face one star or another at their whim, although carnivorous plants are also present and similarly oversized. Nothing feels completely solid to the touch and there is a nagging itch on one's brain that the even inanimate objects are actively moving when not directly observed. Time feels sluggish and flows unevenly in this realm, though the Trochile seem to welcome it. This strange state is embraced by the Trochile and the normally frenetic creatures appear calm and mellowed in Exovaerie. The rare report of outsiders being allowed entrance to Exovaerie does not speak of them sharing this comforted state. They describe faint whispers at the edge of perception and terrifying dreams of a swirling chaos shrieking for release.

Thermovaerie

The adopted homeland of the Cathartid is reached from the highest point of a precarious spire of rock protruding from a miles-wide lake of necrotic slime. Hellish downdrafts prevent flying, such that petitioners for entrance are forced to climb the rock hand over foot and the guardians at the top will not hesitate to kick an unwelcome visitor into the winds.

The demiplane that holds Thermovaerie is a hollow sphere with gravity pulling outward in all directions. The portal on the nearside of Thermovaerie shines with a warm, comforting light and as visitors are pulled from it to the ground it resembles falling from the Sun. As the day-cycle completes in Thermovaerie, the portal dims and disappears, causing the fire-lights of the far side of the city to resemble constellations of stars.

Mesovaerie

The Strigid and Glaucid hid their anchor in the ruins of a floating castle shrouded by clouds and specters. The specters are just as hostile to the Komuloi as they are to any other living creature, but the Gloom Knights are capable of fending them off and appear to enjoy the complex relationship. The portal is at the bottom of a deep and narrow pit and any creature that misses the portal or is unable to cross is impaled on the spikes directly beneath.

Mesovaerie is a realm of eternal night, only slightly less oppressive than the Shadowed Lands. The demiplane consists of a lush forest with no indications of a city anywhere, due to the fact that the Strigid built their homes inside the trees and do not permit exposed lights for more than a few minutes at a time. This is partly due to their nocturnal nature and sensitive eyes, but also because the demiplane naturally forms undead Shadows and Will o' the Wisps that are attracted to signs of life.

Stratovaerie

The anchor to the city of the Accipite and Kestrine exists far Brightside in the Shadowed Lands, the veil so thin that one can make out the orange glow of the Faerie Realm in the distance. The transition from the Shadowed Lands to Stratovaerie is at the top of a high mesa overlooking a broad plain of wild razor-grass. This gives the guardians of Stratovaerie an unobstructed field of view for many miles should anyone try to approach.

Beyond the portal, the demiplane of Stratovaerie is a river valley with steep cliffside dwellings built into every vertical surface. The river is so broad that it would be classified as a lake in any other setting but it does move with a persistent current and does pass beyond the finite borders of the demiplane, providing the Komuloi with alien-looking sturgeon and fanged manatee to eat. The sky above is a clear and mostly cloudless blue to creatures with normal eyesight, but with the superior vision of the Accipite one can just make out the mesa and plains of the Shadowed Lands visible in the extreme distance above them.

{{note ### Regarding Hollow Bones The idea of giving a PC vulnerability to a common damage type is a pretty significant drawback and not to be taken lightly. If the GM and the player do not feel that this flaw will add to the story, it might be best to agree on a mechanic to eliminate this feature. Perhaps the PC has some Cassuar ancestry that reduces their max flight speed or their childhood was dominated by arcane potions to reinforce their bone structure. This is written as a counterbalance to an extremely useful positive (Flight) and is intended to be an interesting limitation that the Komuloi adapt to, not an exploit to be maliciously abused.

Cathartid, the Highest

The Cathartid are physically powerful creatures, the largest of the flying Komuloi. Their features resemble those of a Condor or Turkey, with dark feathers and bald heads. In their later years Cathartids can develop a pronounced wattle that can be inflated for courtship purposes. Cathartids average nearly eight feet at full height with a 30 ft. wingspan, but spend most of their time in a hunched posture. A Cathartid raising their voice, spreading their wings, and growing 2 feet in height is an objectively terrifying bit of intimidation.

Cathartids are generally viewed as the apex of Komuloi society. They drip with quiet menace and are not used to their opinions being challenged. Only the presence of a Cassuar can deflate their confidence, causing them to simper and defer until their absolute authority is no longer in question. Many Cathartids become obsessed with martial skill and train relentlessly for the day when the Snatcher comes. During the Exodus the Cathartid champion, Grivonel Gloomwing, managed to resist Mulo's fear effect and pluck out one of her eyes and now every Cathartid imagines that they could get the other one.

Cathartid Traits

Suggested Ability Scores

Cathartids receive a +2 to one ability score and a +1 to another ability score. Cathartid NPCs usually choose +2 to Dexterity and +1 to Strength.

Hollow Bones

All Komuloi with a flying speed receive a -2 to Constitution and Vulnerability to Bludgeoning damage.

Physical

Cathartids are considered Large creatures. Their base walking speed is 35 and their flying speed is 30 (or 30/120 if using the Advanced Flying rules). : Height and Weight: Players may choose their height and weight or have it determined randomly by using the formula below: - Size Modifier: 3d6 - Height: 84 inches + Size Modifier - Weight: 108 lbs + (1d8 * Size Modifier) : Age: Cathartids are considered adult at age 16. Their life expectancy is 85. : Vision: Cathartids can make out details twice as far as humans and have Advantage on Wisdom (Perception) and Intelligence (Investigation) checks involving vision. Their sense of smell is extremely tuned toward identifying carrion, allowing them to detect the presence, direction, number, and type of undead creatures within 60 ft. : #### Talon A Cathartid's unarmed strikes do 7 (2d6) + (STR or DEX) slashing damage on a hit.

Magnetic Personality

Cathartids are natural leaders, instinctively exuding authority and grace at every turn. They gain proficiency in Persuasion and Intimidation and start with one follower, henchman, or sidekick appropriate to their background.

Remnant of Shadows

Form of Dread Their time in the Shadow Realm clings to all Komuloi. The Cathartid can tap into this darkness, gathering the shadows around them in a swirling vortex of whispered threats and muffled shrieks. : A Cathartid can manifest this Form of Dread as a bonus action or reaction, lasting for up to one minute or until they choose to dispel it (no action required). : While in this state, the Cathartid gains the following benefits. - Immunity to the Frightened condition - They gain 5 (1d0) + CHA bonus temporary HP - Once during each of their turns, when they hit a creature with an attack roll, they can force it to make a Wisdom Save or become Frightened until the end of the Cathartid's next turn. The DC of this check is 8 + proficiency + CHA bonus ## Strigid, the Watchers Strigids are not as physically powerful as the Cathartids but their reputation for calculated manipulation and emotional detachment makes them equally as intimidating. They often embrace this perception, actively spreading the belief that intelligence is the only thing that differentiates civilized creatures that should be respected from livestock that are only useful as labor and eventually food. At some point during their stay in the Shadowed Lands the taboo against cannibalism was discarded out of necessity but since the creation of the Roosts only Mesovaerie has continued to observe certain rites that include the practice. It is probable that it has largely died off but the Strigid take a certain amount of pleasure in suggesting otherwise as a threat.

Strigids are very owl-like in their appearance and behaviour, their large eyes seeming to take in every detail and their habits as an ambush predator extending into social interactions. They are notorious for swooping into conversations unannounced with some cutting bit of laconic wit or walking away from an uninteresting discussion without a word of farewell. This lack of social grace is tolerated because of their keen insight as well as their talent for divination, both of which increase the likelihood that what they do say is sure to be worth hearing. ### Glaucid, the Little Watchers Glaucids are diminuitive cousins of the Strigids, still owl-like but much smaller and often described as curious to a fault. They have been suggested at different times to have been an intentional modification by Mulo, some sort of prenatal condition, or a specific curse of certain Strigid bloodlines by the dark Fey. The suggestion that they are part Gnome is of course ridiculous, but there are certainly some coincidental similarities noted, such as their wordiness and their aptitude for arcane magic. ### Strigid/Glaucid Traits

Suggested Ability Scores

Strigids and Glaucids receive a +2 to one ability score and a +1 to another ability score. Strigid NPCs usually choose +2 to Wisdom and +1 to Dexterity, while Glaucids favor +2 to Intelligence instead.

Hollow Bones

All Komuloi with a flying speed receive a -2 to Constitution and Vulnerability to Bludgeoning damage.

Physical

Strigids are considered Medium creatures and Glaucids are considered Small. Strigid base walking speed is 30 and their flying speed is 30 (or 30/90 if using the Advanced Flying rules). Glaucid walking speed is 25 and their flying speed is 30/60. : Height and Weight: Players may choose their height and weight or have it determined randomly by using the formula below: - Size Modifier: Strigid 2d8, Glaucid 3d4 - Height: Strigid 56 inches + Size Modifier, Glaucid 32 inches + Size Modifier - Weight: Strigid 90 lbs + (1d8 * Size Modifier), Glaucid 25 lbs + (2d4 * Size Modifier) : Age: Strigids and Glaucids are considered adult at age 20. Their life expectancy is 160. : Vision: Strigids and Glaucids can make out details twice as far as humans and have Advantage on Wisdom (Perception) and Intelligence (Investigation) checks involving vision. Strigids possess Darkvision 120 and Glaucids have Darkvision 90. : #### Talon A Strigid's unarmed strikes do 3 (1d6) + (STR or DEX) slashing damage on a hit and a Glaucid's unarmed strikes do 2 (1d4) + (STR or DEX) slashing damage on a hit. : #### Silent Feathers Strigids and Glaucids have special feathers that allow for silent flight and train from a young age to take advantage of silence and surprise. They gain proficiency in Stealth and Perception and do not provoke Opportunity Attacks when leaving melee while flying. : #### Remnant of Shadows: Closer to Death Their time in the Shadow Realm clings to all Komuloi. Strigids and Glaucids embraced the shadows more aggressively than the other Komuloi, flirting with full undead countenance. - Mindless undead do not automatically attack them, and intelligent undead describe them as "less offensively alive". - Strigids and Glaucids have Resistance to necrotic damage. When targeted by an effect that causes Necrotic damage, they can make a Constitution Save equal to the damage inflicted. If successful, they take no damage and are healed by 1/2 that amount instead. ## Accipite, the Spears The Accipite command the defensive forces of the Komuloi and form the backbone of the Gloom Knights. This is not to say that every Accipite is a knight, but their society is built around chivalry and fealty. They have the markings of Eagles and Osprey and the temperment to match. Culturally arrogant and prideful, they see themselves as honorable and brave, the obvious hero of every story. This attitude can make them seem insufferable, but they take their role as protector very seriously and their intentions are usually quite sincere.

Accipites have a reputation for being loud and plain-spoken, sometimes to the point of boorishness. They laugh quickly and take offense easily, but they also forgive easily and are generally willing to admit when they deserved a pop in the beak. They are raised to respect warriors and camaraderie, so they often gravitate toward the adventurer's life. The gravest insult among Accipites is to be called a "Clucker", a slur directed at someone who fills the air with empty words and false oaths. Should such an accusation stick, Accipite society calls for such a scoundrel to be plucked and exiled. ### Accipite Traits

Suggested Ability Scores

Accipites receive a +2 to one ability score and a +1 to another ability score. Accipite NPCs usually choose +2 to Dexterity and +1 to Charisma.

Hollow Bones

All Komuloi with a flying speed receive a -2 to Constitution and Vulnerability to Bludgeoning damage.

Physical

Accipites are considered Medium creatures. Their base walking speed is 30 and their flying speed is 30 (or 30/90 if using the Advanced Flying rules).

Height and Weight: Accipites average just under 6 feet in height and 140 lbs in weight. Players may choose their height and weight or have it determined randomly by using the formula below: - Size Modifier: 2d10 - Height: 60 inches + Size Modifier - Weight: 80 lbs + (2d6 * Size Modifier) : Age: Accipites are considered adult at age 14. Their life expectancy is 70 : Vision: Accipites can make out details twice as far as humans and have Advantage on Wisdom (Perception) and Intelligence (Investigation) checks involving vision. : #### Talon An Accipite's unarmed strikes do 4 (1d8) + (STR or DEX) slashing damage on a hit. : #### Shriek of Terror The Accipite releases a furious scream. All creatures in a 60 ft. cone that can hear the sound must make a Wisdom Save. The Accipite's save DC equals 8 + proficiency + Charisma bonus. Any creature who fails is Frightened and must use their reaction to move their full movement away from the Accipite. A frightened creature can repeat the save at the end of their turn if the Accipite is no longer visible. A creature that fails by 5 or more is also Deafened for 1 minute. The Accipite can use this feature a number of times equal to their proficiency bonus. : #### Remnant of Shadows: Ruinous Weapon Their time in the Shadow Realm clings to all Komuloi. The Accipite imbues one weapon that does not have the Ammunition property with necrotic energy for one minute. A weapon imbued with this power does an additional 3 (1d6) necrotic damage on a hit and extinguishes any flames or magical lights within 5 ft. of it. The Accipite can end this effect early if they are touching the weapon and choose to end it (no action required). ## Kestrine, the Arrows If the Accipite are the titled lords of the Komuloi, the Kestrine are certainly the levy troops. Smaller and quicker than the Accipite, the Kestrine are often used as scouts and skirmishers, or by some accounts as pure meat shields. Where the Accipite wax poetic on the virtue of being asked to serve, the Kestrine are conscripted, even bakers and beekeepers required to complete a tour of enlistment. This situation means that many Kestrine have feelings of resentment and bitterness toward the Accipite, though most Accipite blithely ignore the situation and go on believing that there is nothing to be concerned about.

A significant number of Kestrine go so far as to become scouts for the Gloom Knights, prefering the hostile environs of the Shadowed Lands to the repressive life in the Roosts. Some leave Komuloi society altogether, seeking out rumors of a whole collective of outcast Kestrine who practice brigandry in the Fey Realm.

Kestrine Traits

Suggested Ability Scores

Kestrine receive a +2 to one ability score and a +1 to another ability score. Kestrine NPCs usually choose +2 to Dexterity and +1 to Wisdom.

Hollow Bones

All Komuloi with a flying speed receive a -2 to Constitution and Vulnerability to Bludgeoning damage.

Physical

Kestrine are considered Medium creatures. Due to their natural mobility, their base walking speed is 40 ft. and their flying speed is 40 (or 40/120 if using the Advanced Flying rules).

Height and Weight: Kestrine average just under 5 ft. in height and 80 lbs. in weight. Players may choose their height and weight or have it determined randomly by using the formula below: - Size Modifier: 3d6 - Height: 48 inches + Size Modifier - Weight: 50 lbs + (1d6 * Size Modifier) : Age: Kestrine are considered adult at age 13. Their life expectancy is 65. : Vision: Kestrine can make out details twice as far as humans and have Advantage on Wisdom (Perception) and Intelligence (Investigation) checks involving vision. : #### Talon A Kestrine's unarmed strikes do 3 (1d6) + (STR or DEX) slashing damage on a hit. : #### Frenetic Fighting Kestrine start with the Mobile feat and they have a +5 on Initiative checks. : #### Remnant of Shadows: Thirsting Darkness Their time in the Shadow Realm clings to all Komuloi. When a Kestrine scores a critical hit, they can use their reaction to make an additional weapon attack. If this attack hits, they regain their reaction immediately. ## Corvine, the Liars The Corvine occupy a strange place in Komuloi society, revered for the sacrifice that they made for their people and quietly pitied as they endure the terrible cost of that sacrifice. Physically they have raven or crow features but they are missing the tertiary limbs that should be their wings. To ask any of the other Komuloi groups, living without their wings is an unthinkable burden and many glibly interject that they would choose death first. Every Corvine must face this subtly dismissive judgement and find their own reason to continue. This challenge colors Corvine society as they are pushed to prove that they are more than what they lost. : Corvine gravitate toward crafting of all kinds, having a sharp eye for detail and a strong knack for precise and accurate shaping and cutting of all manner of material. Some suggest that losing their wings reshaped their limbs, giving them extraordinarily steady hands, while others claim that their talent is the result of focus and practice, another example of their need to prove their worth. ### Corvine Traits

Suggested Ability Scores

Corvine receive a +2 to one ability score and a +1 to another ability score. Corvine NPCs usually choose +2 to Dexterity and +1 to Intelligence.

Hollow Bones

Despite their lack of wings, Corvine still possess the delicate bones of a Komuloi. They receive a -2 to Constitution and Vulnerability to Bludgeoning damage.

Physical

Corvine are considered Small creatures. Their base walking speed is 25 ft.

Height and Weight: Corvine average slightly above three and a half feet in height and 55 lbs. in weight. Players may choose their height and weight or have it determined randomly by using the formula below: - Size Modifier: 2d6 - Height: 36 inches + Size Modifier - Weight: 40 lbs + (1d4 * Size Modifier) : Age: Corvine are considered adult at age 17. Their life expectancy is 90. : Vision: Corvine can make out details twice as far as humans and have Advantage on Wisdom (Perception) and Intelligence (Investigation) checks involving vision. They also have Darkvision 60. : #### Talon A Corvine's unarmed strikes do 2 (1d4) + (STR or DEX) slashing damage on a hit. : #### Mechanical Mind Corvine gain 1 additional tool proficiency of their choice, and if attempting a tool based skill that they are not proficent can add half their proficiency bonus (rounded up). : #### Lying Tongue In addition to the loss of their wings, Mulo cursed the Corvine for lying to her. Magical means cannot compel a Corvine to tell the truth and cannot detect a lie spoken by them. They gain proficiency in Deception. The down side of this curse is that whenever someone asks them a direct question and they tell the truth, they must make a DC 13 Wisdom Save or take 3 (1d6) fire damage. Because of this, Corvine have become extremely evasive and sarcastic, often speaking in third person or mimicking the questioner in a mocking tone to provide information rather than risk a direct answer. Corvine consider people that ask a lot of direct questions extremely rude.

#### Remnant of Shadows: Shadow Mastery Their time in the Shadow Realm clings to all Komuloi. Corvine learn the Minor Illusion cantrip and the spells Disguise Self and Blur. They can cast each of these spells once per day without using a spell slot. ## Trochile, the Seekers Trochile are small and sleek with colorful plumage, long beaks, and undersized wings that beat so fast as to be nearly invisible. The only Komuloi able to hover, they spend almost all of their time in the air and their legs are often atrophied from disuse. : Trochile are driven by curiosity, always looking for new items and new experiences. The most special trinkets they bring back to Exovaerie to add to an evolving piece of collaborative sculpture known as "the Thing." The value of collected objects is often random, a particular used cotton ball more important than an elegantly cut ruby. They cannot explain their selection process, only ever explaining with "I will know it when I see it." Over time, the Thing has grown to a titanic spiraling collection of junk, but to the Trochile's credit their selections and placements have left the Thing structurally sound so far. ### Corvine Traits

Suggested Ability Scores

Trochile receive a +2 to one ability score and a +1 to another ability score. Trochile NPCs usually choose +2 to Charisma and +1 to Dexterity.

Hollow Bones

Trochile receive a -2 to Constitution and Vulnerability to Bludgeoning damage.

Physical

Trochile are considered Tiny creatures, . Their base walking speed is 20 ft. and their flying speed is 60. Under the Advanced Flying rules, their flying speed is 60/60 due to air resistance. Trochile can hover in place and even fly backwards when needed.

Height and Weight: Trochile average just under two and a half feet in height and 30 lbs. in weight at adulthood, but shrink as they age. Players may choose their height and weight or have it determined randomly by using the formula below: - Size Modifier: 2d4 - Height: 24 inches + Size Modifier - Weight: 20 lbs + (1d4 * Size Modifier) : Age: Trochile are considered adult at age 14. Their actual life expectancy is unclear due to the curious nature of their "growth." For each decade after adulthood, Trochile lose 1d4 inches of height. The oldest and wisest among them can be as small as a pixie, and they do not believe that their life ends when they "shrink out," claiming to pass into another realm of existence entirely that they do not connect with an afterlife. : Vision: Trochile do not have particularly good distance vision but their perception of colors and patterns is extremely refined. They have Advantage on Wisdom (Perception) and Intelligence (Investigation) checks involving vision. : #### Fluffy Little Things Falling damage for a Trochile maxes out at 10d6 instead of the normal 20d6. : #### Beak A Trochile's unarmed strikes do 3 (1d6) + (STR or DEX) piercing damage on a hit. : #### Spooky Intuition When a Trochile is targeted by a spell that requires a Wisdom Save and succeeds, the spellcaster is instead targeted by the spell. : #### Truth Seeker Trochile are compelled to find pieces to contribute to their perputually incomplete masterpiece. How they select the oddities that they choose to seek out is a mystery, but : #### Remnant of Shadows: Life Drinker Their time in the Shadow Realm clings to all Komuloi. If a Trochile makes a successful Beak attack on a creature, they can choose to Grapple the creature, inserting their barbed tongue into the wound. The Trochile's hands remain free in this situation and they have Advantage on melee and touch attacks while grappling, but they cannot make another Beak attack until they end the grapple. The escape DC for the target is 8 + the Trochile's Wisdom bonus + the Trochile's proficiency bonus. If the escape is successful, the target takes 3 (1d6) slashing damage from the barbs. If the Trochile starts their turn with an active grapple, their target takes 10 (3d6) necrotic damage and the Trochile heals for 1/2 the amount. If the creature is an Undead or Construct, they take no damage and if their nature was not previously known it is revealed to the Trochile. ## Cassuar, the Judges Cassuar are not often seen in their natural forms, generally moving in disguise as smaller Komuloi. Undisguised, they are massive creatures with shaggy, almost fur-like plumage of rich greens and blues. They have long necks and powerful beaks, but instead of wings they have a second pair of feathery arms. : The Cassuar are exceedingly rare even among the Komuloi, treated less as cousins than as angels or demons. They are reclusive and secretive, responsible for the inner workings of Kumoloi society. The subculture of the Cassuar reinforces their duty to protect and hide the Komuloi people from their enemies. Most Kumoloi never meet one, or at least don't think that they do. The Cassuar shapeshifting ability serves to reinforce thir mystery. : ### Cassuar Traits : #### Suggested Ability Scores Cassuar receive a +2 to one ability score and a +2 to another ability score. Cassuar NPCs usually choose +2 to Dexterity and +2 to Wisdom. : #### Powerful Build Cassuar do not have the hollow bones of their flying cousins. Due to their bulk they receive a +2 to Strength and can use Large weapons without difficulty and Medium two-handed weapons in one hand. : #### Physical Cassuar are considered Large creatures. Their base walking speed is 40. : Height and Weight: Cassuar average 10 feet in height and can weigh 500 lbs or more. Their physical properties can be determined randomly by using the formula below: - Size Modifier: 2d12 - Height: 108 inches + Size Modifier - Weight: 320 lbs + (2d10 * Size Modifier) : Age: Cassuar are considered adult at age 30. Their life expectancy is upwards of 200. : Vision: Cassuar can make out details twice as far as humans and have Advantage on Wisdom (Perception) and Intelligence (Investigation) checks involving vision. : #### Talon A Cassuar's unarmed strikes do 9 (2d8) + (STR or DEX) slashing damage on a hit or 13 (2d12) + (STR or DEX) on a kick. : #### Secondary Arms Cassuar have two slightly smaller secondary arms below their primary pair of arms. The secondary arms can manipulate an object or wield one medium weapon that has the light property. : #### Remnant of Shadows: Body Snatcher Their time in the Shadow Realm clings to all Komuloi. As the judges of the Komuloi, Cassuar also served as executioners. When a Cassuar executes someone that they have judged, the victim must make a Wisdom Save with a DC equal to 8 + the Cassuar's WIS bonus. If the victim is innocent of their crime, they have Advantage on the save. If they fail, their body is destroyed and their soul does not pass on. Instead it is held by the Cassuar in a small gemstone. While holding one of these stones, a creature can cast Alter Self to take the form of the victim for one hour. They can also extend the duration by an additional hour if they have 2nd level spell slots available. Once the spell ends, the soul is released and the gem crumbles to dust. The Cassuar can attempt to replicate a previously used form, but the deception becomes progressively more obvious as their memory of the form fades. Deception checks using a form created from memory take a cumulative -1 for each day since the soul has been released.