Background for Kenku character? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Background for Kenku character? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Khazzan
10-26-07, 10:49 PM Our DM is beginning a campaign set in Faerūn , and my character will be a Kenku ranger. He will be a stealthy sort of ranger, eventually dual-wielding sickles (just because they look kind of odd I think), and i was thinking his alignment would be True Neutral. I got the following info from the Wizards' site:

Kenku inhabit cities across southern Faerūn, with a large but loose guild of thieves and assassins called the Dagger-talons based in Zazesspur. Kenku living in the eastern nations of Veldorn and Estagund trace their ancestry even farther east, to Kara-Tur.

I'm not very familiar with Faerūn, so if anyone could throw me some info or ideas regarding this character, his background and how he came to be an adventurer, it would be greatly appreciated!
Khazzan
10-28-07, 01:28 PM erm.... 18 views and nothing?

Poor Kenku. So very......un-loved.
Operation_Shoestring
10-29-07, 04:47 AM erm.... 18 views and nothing?

Poor Kenku. So very......un-loved.

I love the kenku. +3 on aid another = teh win.

Unfortunately, i have no information on Kenku society aside from the fact that they are typically CE.

You may want to make your Kenku a outcast or orphan to explain him being rather different from most of his race. Fill in stuff about the suspicion he is treated with in human dominated lands, where he is viewed as likely a thief and troublemaker.
Terjon of the Blue Rose
11-01-07, 12:18 AM Race and class don't really say a lot. What kind of character are you looking to play? Is he a part of his society or not (prob a good idea to give a little more info on them if he is)?

Tell us a little more about who you want to play and try to give us a starting point on the type of background you're looking for. It's not really a whole lot of fun writing a background up for someone when you have no idea whether your dead-on to what they want or if its so far in the wrong direction they won't be able to use a bit of it.
Khazzan
11-01-07, 08:52 PM Race and class don't really say a lot. What kind of character are you looking to play? Is he a part of his society or not (prob a good idea to give a little more info on them if he is)?

Tell us a little more about who you want to play and try to give us a starting point on the type of background you're looking for. It's not really a whole lot of fun writing a background up for someone when you have no idea whether your dead-on to what they want or if its so far in the wrong direction they won't be able to use a bit of it.

Good point, yes :)

Well, that's the point i suppose - I have no familiarity with the Faerun world (except as depicted in the Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights games), and so I am at a bit of a disadvantage in working in background with specific details about his place of origin.

As far as the type of character, he'll be a dual-wielding sneak. He'll be DEX-based, shadowy sort who avoids taking the lead or direct (frontal) combat. He is rather taciturn and self-absorbed, and I thought maybe he could have some interest in mechanical devices; locks, clockworks, gears, etc., and so I might take a few Rogue levels along the way as well. Also, since the Kenku seem to be like crows or ravens, I thought he might have a habit of filching shiny objects; coins, gems, or even just bits of metal or glass that he finds irresistible (crows do that sort of thing...I think, yes?)

According to our DM, the campaign begins with our group being summoned to an Academy of sorts, where will be given a series of missions to complete. our group will be a "mixed bag" of characters (classes), and the Academy has almost a Professor Xavier / X-Men feel to it: the Academy Master assembles groups to undertake certain missions in order to help them realize their potential, etc.

So where he comes from and his early years in whatever region or city Kenku are found are kind of what I would need.

Thanks for any help, and for your interest.
Terjon of the Blue Rose
11-02-07, 12:01 AM That's still a lot more to work with.

I'd say your character comes out of the Jungles of Chult. Humans there live on a frontier at the edge of a wild and unknown place full of mystery. You on the other hand spent much of your life living just on the other side of that mystery. Part of a flock (Murder? Unkindness? Pitying?) who chose to retreat from the civilized lands. Rather than theives they were drawn to mysteries of Chults unknown land and the allure of its unknown treasures. You were a member of one of the first clutches to be born in Chult however. To you the mystery has always lain in the other direction. While your parents snuck around taking the treasures of Yaun Ti and collecting dinosaur teeth you were fascinated by what they had left behind. The lands outside the jungle held such wonders as steel, magic, and gnomes.

After a time you could take it no longer and left the flock. You entered the world of men and found the greatness of it awe-inspiring. Steel and magic. Kingdoms that spanned hundreds of miles and simple villages full of humans who could, when they chose to work together, accomplish all of the great deeds those ancient ruins you left behind suggested and more. And then you learned of the other races; dwarves who were committed to their crafts, elves who had such mastery of magic, and halflings with their simple love of life.

Now you wander through the civlized worlds. You sneak through the lands of others sampling their wonders and moving on. Having received a call and recognition for the first time in your life you have traveled in response out of a sheer sense of wonder. What will you find when you travel with a destination? This is a question worth finding the answer to... at least in your mind.

If you want to make him more taciturn and less sense of wonder just add in one or two bad experiences when he first entered civilized lands. Tie them to his filching and lack of experience with law.
Terjon of the Blue Rose
11-02-07, 12:02 AM Oh and I dunno about crows but ravens and magpies love shiny objects. You are more intelligent than these creatures so don't be stupid but its worthwhile to hold onto that at an instinctual level.
Khazzan
11-02-07, 11:42 PM Really great work, Terjon....thank you very much!

I will look up the Jungles of Chult and also figure out something about his penchant for petty thievery. The lack of experience with the law in a city or civilized area is a good suggestion to work this in as well.

What would be the nearest city to the Jungles of Chult? Or, if you know of such a thing, is there a supplement book or online site that details that part of the Faerun land? That way I can figure it out and have it as a reference.

Thanks again for the help - much appreciated.
Terjon of the Blue Rose
11-03-07, 04:01 AM Start with the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for city names, etc. I think Shining South has a little more detail on Chult if you can't find what you're looking for there.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Khazzan 10-26-07, 10:49 PM	Our DM is beginning a campaign set in Faerūn , and my character will be a Kenku ranger. He will be a stealthy sort of ranger, eventually dual-wielding sickles (just because they look kind of odd I think), and i was thinking his alignment would be True Neutral. I got the following info from the Wizards' site: Kenku inhabit cities across southern Faerūn, with a large but loose guild of thieves and assassins called the Dagger-talons based in Zazesspur. Kenku living in the eastern nations of Veldorn and Estagund trace their ancestry even farther east, to Kara-Tur. I'm not very familiar with Faerūn, so if anyone could throw me some info or ideas regarding this character, his background and how he came to be an adventurer, it would be greatly appreciated!
Khazzan 10-28-07, 01:28 PM	erm.... 18 views and nothing? Poor Kenku. So very......un-loved.
Operation_Shoestring 10-29-07, 04:47 AM	erm.... 18 views and nothing? Poor Kenku. So very......un-loved. I love the kenku. +3 on aid another = teh win. Unfortunately, i have no information on Kenku society aside from the fact that they are typically CE. You may want to make your Kenku a outcast or orphan to explain him being rather different from most of his race. Fill in stuff about the suspicion he is treated with in human dominated lands, where he is viewed as likely a thief and troublemaker.
Terjon of the Blue Rose 11-01-07, 12:18 AM	Race and class don't really say a lot. What kind of character are you looking to play? Is he a part of his society or not (prob a good idea to give a little more info on them if he is)? Tell us a little more about who you want to play and try to give us a starting point on the type of background you're looking for. It's not really a whole lot of fun writing a background up for someone when you have no idea whether your dead-on to what they want or if its so far in the wrong direction they won't be able to use a bit of it.
Khazzan 11-01-07, 08:52 PM	Race and class don't really say a lot. What kind of character are you looking to play? Is he a part of his society or not (prob a good idea to give a little more info on them if he is)? Tell us a little more about who you want to play and try to give us a starting point on the type of background you're looking for. It's not really a whole lot of fun writing a background up for someone when you have no idea whether your dead-on to what they want or if its so far in the wrong direction they won't be able to use a bit of it. Good point, yes :) Well, that's the point i suppose - I have no familiarity with the Faerun world (except as depicted in the Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights games), and so I am at a bit of a disadvantage in working in background with specific details about his place of origin. As far as the type of character, he'll be a dual-wielding sneak. He'll be DEX-based, shadowy sort who avoids taking the lead or direct (frontal) combat. He is rather taciturn and self-absorbed, and I thought maybe he could have some interest in mechanical devices; locks, clockworks, gears, etc., and so I might take a few Rogue levels along the way as well. Also, since the Kenku seem to be like crows or ravens, I thought he might have a habit of filching shiny objects; coins, gems, or even just bits of metal or glass that he finds irresistible (crows do that sort of thing...I think, yes?) According to our DM, the campaign begins with our group being summoned to an Academy of sorts, where will be given a series of missions to complete. our group will be a "mixed bag" of characters (classes), and the Academy has almost a Professor Xavier / X-Men feel to it: the Academy Master assembles groups to undertake certain missions in order to help them realize their potential, etc. So where he comes from and his early years in whatever region or city Kenku are found are kind of what I would need. Thanks for any help, and for your interest.
Terjon of the Blue Rose 11-02-07, 12:01 AM	That's still a lot more to work with. I'd say your character comes out of the Jungles of Chult. Humans there live on a frontier at the edge of a wild and unknown place full of mystery. You on the other hand spent much of your life living just on the other side of that mystery. Part of a flock (Murder? Unkindness? Pitying?) who chose to retreat from the civilized lands. Rather than theives they were drawn to mysteries of Chults unknown land and the allure of its unknown treasures. You were a member of one of the first clutches to be born in Chult however. To you the mystery has always lain in the other direction. While your parents snuck around taking the treasures of Yaun Ti and collecting dinosaur teeth you were fascinated by what they had left behind. The lands outside the jungle held such wonders as steel, magic, and gnomes. After a time you could take it no longer and left the flock. You entered the world of men and found the greatness of it awe-inspiring. Steel and magic. Kingdoms that spanned hundreds of miles and simple villages full of humans who could, when they chose to work together, accomplish all of the great deeds those ancient ruins you left behind suggested and more. And then you learned of the other races; dwarves who were committed to their crafts, elves who had such mastery of magic, and halflings with their simple love of life. Now you wander through the civlized worlds. You sneak through the lands of others sampling their wonders and moving on. Having received a call and recognition for the first time in your life you have traveled in response out of a sheer sense of wonder. What will you find when you travel with a destination? This is a question worth finding the answer to... at least in your mind. If you want to make him more taciturn and less sense of wonder just add in one or two bad experiences when he first entered civilized lands. Tie them to his filching and lack of experience with law.
Terjon of the Blue Rose 11-02-07, 12:02 AM	Oh and I dunno about crows but ravens and magpies love shiny objects. You are more intelligent than these creatures so don't be stupid but its worthwhile to hold onto that at an instinctual level.
Khazzan 11-02-07, 11:42 PM	Really great work, Terjon....thank you very much! I will look up the Jungles of Chult and also figure out something about his penchant for petty thievery. The lack of experience with the law in a city or civilized area is a good suggestion to work this in as well. What would be the nearest city to the Jungles of Chult? Or, if you know of such a thing, is there a supplement book or online site that details that part of the Faerun land? That way I can figure it out and have it as a reference. Thanks again for the help - much appreciated.
Terjon of the Blue Rose 11-03-07, 04:01 AM	Start with the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for city names, etc. I think Shining South has a little more detail on Chult if you can't find what you're looking for there.