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#REDIRECT [[List of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition monsters]]
{{Infobox D&D creature
|image=[[Image:Aarakocra.JPG|200px]]
{{Rcat shell|
|name=Aarakocra
{{R to related topic}}
|alignment=Neutral Good
|type=[[Monstrous humanoid (Dungeons & Dragons)|Monstrous Humanoid]]
|subtype=
|source=''Monsters of Faerun, Monstrous Compendium Volume 2, 1E Fiend Folio, Terrors Beyond Tyr, Monstrous Manual, Races of Faerun, Dark Sun Creature Catalog''
|first=
|wizards_image_URL=http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/rof_gallery/49742.jpg
}}
In the ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' [[fantasy]] [[tabletop role-playing game]], the '''aarakocra''' ({{IPAc-en|ɑr|ə|ˈ|k|oʊ|k|r|ə}} {{respell|ar-ə|KOH|krə}}<ref name="D&Dfaq">){{cite web| url = http://www.wizards.com/dnd/DnDArchives_FAQ.asp| title = ''Dungeons & Dragons'' FAQ| accessdate = 2008-10-03| publisher = [[Wizards of the Coast]]| archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wizards.com%2Fdnd%2FDnDArchives_FAQ.asp&date=2008-10-03| archivedate = 2008-10-03}}</ref><ref>[[Frank Mentzer|Mentzer, Frank]]. "Ay pronunseeAY shun gyd" ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]'' #93 (TSR, 1985)</ref> are a [[Character race (Dungeons & Dragons)|race]] of bird-like [[Monstrous humanoid (Dungeons & Dragons)|monstrous humanoids]] dwelling in high mountains. First appearing in the ''[[Fiend Folio]]'' in 1981, they have since appeared in and been adapted to numerous campaign settings including ''[[Greyhawk]]'', ''[[Dragonlance]]'', ''[[Dark Sun]]'', and the ''[[Forgotten Realms]]''.
== Publication history ==
===Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977-1988)===
The aarakocra (bird-man) first appeared in the ''[[Fiend Folio]]'' (1981) and were credited to [[Lawrence Schick]]. The aarakocra gets a full page dedicated to its appearance, combat tactics, reproductive cycle, and culture.<ref>[[Don Turnbull (game designer)|Turnbull, Don]], ed. ''[[Fiend Folio]]'' ([[TSR, Inc.|TSR]], 1981)</ref>
"Plateau of the Aarakocra" is included as an encounter location in the adventure ''[[The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun]]'' (1982); in return for driving away a group of rival [[Griffon (Dungeons & Dragons)|griffons]], the aarakocra may show the player characters to the adventure's eponymous temple.<ref name="WG4">{{cite book|author=[[Gygax, E. Gary]]|title=[[The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun]]|publisher=TSR|year=1982}}</ref>
The March 1983 issue of [[Games Workshop]]'s ''[[White Dwarf (magazine)|White Dwarf]]'' magazine (#39) presented the aarakocra god '''K'ooriall''' (or Skylord).<ref>[[Phil Masters|Masters, Phil]]. "Fiend Factory: Inhuman Gods, Deities for Non-Human Races: Part I" ''[[White Dwarf (magazine)|White Dwarf]]'' #39 ([[Games Workshop]], 1983)</ref>
In the [[Dragonlance]] adventure ''[[Dragons of Light (Dungeons & Dragons)|Dragons of Light]]'' (1985), the Heroes of the Lance encounter representatives of an aarakocra king, who rules over a group of 120 aarakocra living in Foghaven Vale in Southern Ergoth.<ref>{{cite book | last =Grubb | first =Jeff | authorlink =Jeff Grubb | title =[[Dragons of Light (Dungeons & Dragons)|Dragons of Light]] | publisher =TSR | year =1985 | location = | pages = | url = | doi = | isbn =0-88038-093-4 }}</ref>
In the adventure ''[[Dark Clouds Gather]]'' (1985), the aarakocra are one of the main factions in the adventure, which the PCs must forge an alliance to lead an assault on the evil wizard who has turned the human inhabitants of the village against a group of nearby bird-man tribes by planting false evidence of attacks on caravans.<ref>{{cite book|last=Bambra|first=Jim|coauthors=[[Phil Gallagher (game designer)|Phil Gallagher]]|title=[[Dark Clouds Gather]]|publisher=[[Wizards of the Coast]]|year=1985|isbn=978-0-88038-236-6}}</ref>
The article "The Wings of Eagles" by J.E. Keeping from ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]'' #124 (August 1987) presents the aarakocra as both a [[player character]] and [[non-player character]] [[Character race (Dungeons & Dragons)|race]]. A sidebar by Christopher Jones introduced the lesser god Krocaa as the god of aarakocra.<ref>Keeping, J.E. "The Wings of Eagles." ''Dragon'' #124 (TSR, 1987)</ref>
===Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989-1999)===
The aarakocra first appeared in second edition in ''Monstrous Compendium Volume Two'' (1989),<ref name="MC2">[[David "Zeb" Cook|Cook, David]], ''et al.'' ''Monstrous Compendium Volume Two'' (TSR, 1989)</ref> which was reprinted in the ''Monstrous Manual'' (1993).<ref>Stewart, Doug, ed. ''[[Monster Manual|Monstrous Manual]]'' (TSR, 1994)</ref>
The aarakocra goddess [[Syranita]] was introduced in ''[[Monster Mythology]]'' (1992).<ref name="MonMyth">[[Carl Sargent|Sargent, Carl]]. ''[[Monster Mythology]]'' ([[TSR, Inc.|TSR]], 1992)</ref>
The aarakocra is presented as a playable character race in ''The [[Complete Book of Humanoids]]'' (1993),<ref>[[Bill Slavicsek|Slavicsek, Bill]]. ''The [[Complete Book of Humanoids]]'' (TSR, 1993)</ref> and is later presented as a playable character race again in ''[[Player's Option: Skills & Powers]]'' (1995).<ref>[[Douglas Niles|Niles, Douglas]] and Dale Donovan. ''[[Player's Option: Skills & Powers]]'' ([[TSR, Inc.|TSR]], 1995)</ref>
The '''Athasian aarakocra''' appeared in ''Dark Sun Monstrous Compendium Appendix II'' (1995). Aarakocra were introduced as a playable race for the [[Dark Sun]] setting in the ''[[Dark Sun Campaign Setting, Expanded and Revised]]''.<ref>[[Bill Slavicsek|Slavicsek, Bill]]. ''[[Dark Sun Campaign Setting, Expanded and Revised]]'' (TSR, 1995)</ref>
The '''Malatran aarakocra''' first appeared in ''[[Polyhedron (magazine)|Polyhedron]]'' #121 (1996) as supporting material for the Living Jungle campaign, and was then later republished on the RPGA web site.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20030503041104/http://www.wizards.com/rpga/LJ/race_aarokocra.asp</ref>
===Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition (2000-2007)===
The aarakocra appeared in the [[Forgotten Realms]] for third edition in ''[[Monsters of Faerûn]]'' (2001).<ref name="MOF">[[James Wyatt (game designer)|Wyatt, James]] and [[Rob Heinsoo]]. ''[[Monsters of Faerûn|Monstrous Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn]]'' ([[Wizards of the Coast]], 2001)</ref> A series of articles on the Wizards of the Coast website expands on the bird-men settlements listed in ''Monsters of Faerûn''.<ref>[http://wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=fr/pg20020123x Perilous Gateways: Aarakocran Portals]</ref> The aarakocra then appeared as a player character race in ''[[Races of Faerûn]]'' (2003).<ref name="ROF">[[Sean K. Reynolds|Reynolds, Sean K.]], [[Matt Forbeck]], [[James Jacobs (game designer)|James Jacobs]], [[Eric L. Boyd]]. ''[[Races of Faerûn]]'' ([[Wizards of the Coast]], 2003)</ref>
The aarakocra appeared as a playable race in the "Dark Sun Player's Handbook" article in ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]'' #319 (2004).<ref>[[David Noonan (game designer)|Noonan, David]]. "Dark Sun Player's Handbook." ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]'' #319 ([[Paizo Publishing]], 2004)</ref>
===Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition (2008-2013)===
Aarakocra entry appeared in 4th edition ''[[Dark Sun Creature Catalog]]'', featuring Aarakocra Diver, Aarakocra Warrior, and Aarakocra Windcaller. A fourth Aarakocra Darter appears in "Dark Sun Threats" in ''[[Dungeon (magazine)|Dungeon]]'' #187, and there is an aarakocra encounter in the adventure "Cruel as a Desert Wind" in ''Dungeon'' #202. There is also a 4th Edition playable race version of the aarakocra in the "Ashes of Athas" adventure AOA2-1: ''Plotting the Course'', which becomes available to players' whose characters die in the adventure.
===Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition (2014-)===
[[Mike Mearls]] has indicated that the aarakocra will appear in 5th edition ''D&D''.<ref>http://www.thetomeshow.com/e/mike-mearls-on-5e-dd-tome-239/</ref>
== Ecology ==
Aarakocra resemble humanoid birds. The average specimen stands about five feet tall and has a wingspan of twenty feet. Halfway along the edge of each wing is a hand with three human-sized fingers and an opposable thumb. An elongated fourth finger extends the length of the wing and locks in place during flight. The hands cannot grasp while flying, but are nearly as useful as human hands when an aarakocra is perched and its wings folded back. Their powerful legs end in four sharp talons that can unlock and fold back to reveal another pair of functional hands. These humanoids have hollow, fragile bones. Their faces combine the features of both parrots and eagles. They have gray-black beaks and black eyes. Plumage color varies, but males generally have red, orange, and yellow coloration, while females tend towards brown and gray.<ref name="MC2"/>
Aarakocra inhabit high mountains.
The standard alignment of aarakocra is [[Alignment (Dungeons & Dragons)#Neutral Good|neutral good]].
== Society ==
Aarakocra live in small tribes of about 11-30 members. Each tribe has a hunting territory of about {{convert|10000|sqmi|km2}} with colorful banners and pennants marking the boundaries.
Each tribe lives in a communal nest made of woven vines with a soft lining of dried grass. The eldest male serves as the tribe's leader. In tribes of more than 20 members, the second oldest male serves as the shaman, leading simple religious ceremonies involving the whistling of melodic hymns at sunset on the first day of a new month. Males spend most of their waking hours hunting for food and occasionally for treasure, such as gems and other shiny objects. Females spend eight months of the year incubating their eggs, passing the time by fabricating javelins and other tools from wood and stone. While resting on their backs, aarakocra females can use all four hands at the same time to weave boundary pennants, javelins sheaths, and other useful objects from vines and feathers.<ref name="MC2"/>
Aarakocra have little to do with other species, including neighboring aarakocra tribes, and leave their home territory only in extreme circumstances. They rarely encounter humans except for an occasional foray into a rural community to snatch a stray farm animal; this is not an intentionally malicious act, as aarakocra are unable to distinguish between domestic and wild animals. A human venturing into aarakocra territory may be able to convince one to serve as a guide or a scout in exchange for a shiny jewel or coin.<ref name="MC2"/>
Aarakocra are extremely claustrophobic and will not willingly enter a cave, building, or other enclosed area.
Aarakocra worship the goddess [[Syranita]].<ref name="MonMyth"/>
Five aarakocra, including a shaman, can summon an air elemental by chanting and performing an intricate aerial dance. The summoned air elemental will comply with the aarakocras' request for a favor, though it will not endanger its life on their behalf.
== Use in campaign settings ==
Aarakocra appear in several [[campaign settings]].
In the ''[[Dark Sun]]'' setting, aarakocra are one of several player character races. Aarakocra inhabit the Jagged Cliffs region. Most aarakocra live in mountain tribes.
In ''Dragonlance'', living amongst the mountains of [[Krynn]], aarakocra are rivals of the [[List of Dragonlance creatures#Kyrie|kyrie]] and often fight over living space, especially those tribes on the island of [[List of Dragonlance locations#Karthay|Karthay]] where aarakocra have been known to work with barbaric [[Minotaur (Dungeons & Dragons)|minotaur]] tribes to hunt kyrie. Aarakocra that live in the [[List of Dragonlance locations#Abanasinia|Abanasinia]] region often trade with the phaethons that live among the Sentinel peaks.
Aaracokra feature statistically only in the ''[[Forgotten Realms]]'' [[campaign setting]] in 3rd Edition ''Dungeons & Dragons''. In this setting, they are thought to be an immigrant race to [[Faerûn]] from [[Maztica]].<ref name="ROF"/> Aarakocras almost all worship [[Aerdrie Faenya]], who appears to them as a giant white bird.<ref name="ROF"/> In Faerûn this rare people have just four established colonies: in the Star Mounts in the [[High Forest (Forgotten Realms)|High Forest]], in the Storm Horns in [[Cormyr]], in the Cloven Mountains on the [[Vilhon Reach]], and in the Mistcliffs in [[Chult]].<ref name="MOF"/> However the Star Mounts colony has been almost wholly destroyed by a green [[dragon (Dungeons & Dragons)|dragon]] called Elaacrimalicros.<ref name="MOF"/>
In the ''[[World of Greyhawk]]'' setting, aarakocra have been encountered in the [[Rakers]], [[Corrusk Mountains|Corrusk]], [[Griff Mountains|Griff]], [[Lortmil Mountains|Lortmil]], and [[Yatil Mountains]]. Aarakocra also dwell on the planet [[Edill]].
The [[Planescape]] boxed set ''[[Planes of Conflict]]'' details the aarakocra settlement of Precipice on the second layer of Elysium.
In the [[Spelljammer]] setting, ''[[Greyspace]]'' notes that there are aarakocra living on Edill, the massive air body located in the crystal sphere associated with the Greyhawk setting. Coliar is the second planet from the sun in Realmspace, and it is inhabited by tribes of lizard men and aarakocra who are constantly fighting over territory.
== See also ==
* [[Arakkoa]]
== References ==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?356456-Monster-ENCyclopedia-Aarakocra
{{D&D topics}}
[[Category:Dark Sun]]
[[Category:Dungeons & Dragons monstrous humanoids]]
[[Category:Forgotten Realms creatures]]
[[Category:Greyhawk creatures]]
[[fr:Aaracokra]]
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