10 Underplayed Races You Should Try In Dungeons And Dragons

The Kenku are haunted by an ancient crime committed generations ago. Legend has it that Kenkus once soared in the skies and served a great master silently. However, they coveted the power of speech and one day stole it from the master. When the master discovered this, he stripped them of their wings and only allowed them to mimic speech. Now Kenkus walk the earth on the edge of society, seen as thieves or vagabonds. This reputation is not wholly unearned, but they can prove to be great allies.

Kenkus have a +2 in dexterity and +1 to wisdom, reflecting the reason why a lot of their species turn to crime. This generalisation is also supported by the fact that they are often chaotic creatures, generally only looking out for themselves.

Kenkus are expert forgers able to replicate handwriting perfectly, which can help a party to perform both good or bad deeds. Their most useful ability, though, comes in the form of mimicry. Kenkus can only talk by mimicking what they have heard before. While this seems a negative at first, they can match voices and tones perfectly, allowing them to replicate any sound or voice that they have heard before. This ability has a lot of uses and can save a party from detection, or get them into that secret meeting.

While Kenkus are seen as being perfect for any unscrupulous characters, such as a rogue, their abilities can make them useful in a wide variety of roles, as their adaptability is their core strength.