I have made a ton of posts about Kenku on this blog, so it really shouldn’t be surprising when I say that I love the little feathered gremlins. They’re one of my favorite official races!
So in light of that love, here’s a bunch of random head cannons/ideas for Kenku that I have rolling around my brain in no particular order or organization! Feel free to cherry pick any you like, or ignore them all at your leisure!
The Kenku have their own unique sign language that they use to talk among themselves. It’s not really a secret language, per se, the Kenku aren’t exactly hiding it, but it’s pretty rare for anyone who isn’t a Kenku or doesn’t live in or near a Kenku community to know it, or even know about it.
It tends to surprise people, but most Kenku have no qualms eating things like chicken or scrambled eggs. Corvids are scavengers, they’ll eat just about anything that isn’t, you know, poisonous/a sentient being.
Kenku have hollow bones, which means they are extremely light for their size, much to the amusement of many members of larger species who happen to befriend them, like orcs, Goliaths, Centaurs, Minotaurs, Gnolls, or even just big humans. It’s pretty common practice to carry Kenku around because they’re ‘light as a feather,’ if you’ll excuse the pun. It’s a common sight to see a Kenku perched on a larger friend’s shoulder or being playfully lugged around like a sack of potatoes.
Kenku feathers are actually kind of an amazing crafting material. They’re sturdy, flexible, an excellent magic conductor, and not to mention that Kenku down is sinfully soft and warm. As result, a lot of Kenku use their molted feathers to make things. Writing quills, warm clothes, jewelry pillows, even magic items, all kinds of things. Most of this stuff is of very high quality, but the problem is that a lot of people get kinda… Squeamish about using something made from something that came from a person. (Ask yourself:Would you use a blanket made of human hair? I know I wouldn’t. Lol) However, a long time ago, a wily Kenku merchant convinced his/her customers that these lovely black feathers weren’t their feathers,obviously, they came from a rare black swan! It worked like a charm, and they sold their products like hot cakes. It worked so well, that the name stuck, and now basically any Kenku feather products are usually labeled as being from a ‘black swan,’ with most people being none the wiser of their true origin!
While Kenku can only repeat sounds they’ve heard, they actually have full control of the volume. On paper this sounds pretty useful, but honestly most Kenku just use this ability to scream rude words in public places or scare people for kicks and giggles.
While they aren’t necessarily born with the skill, a lot of Kenku are natural ventriloquists.
The origin story of the Kenku curse may or may not be completely false, or at the very least not entirely correct. No one knows the name of the god they supposedly”betrayed”, when or where it happened, or even what it is the Kenku’s ancestors supposedly stole. There’s a real chance that it’s all hearsay and rumor, or even an act of malice against the poor birds. With the Kenku being largely unable to speak up for themselves, the truth has likely been lost to time even to the Kenku themselves…
Kenku tend to be a bit… Cautious, about what gods they worship, if any. After all, their curse is said to be the work of an angry god, it’s only natural they’d be a bit wary. They tend to shy away from any god with a reputation for being fickle, easily offended, or obsessed with rules and order, and if they are going to worship a god, they’re generally gods that have nice, stable values. Like, a god of family and community, or a god of mercy and kindness. Because a god of family wouldn’t place a massive life ruining curse on your entire race… Right?
Another reason Kenku are cautious of the gods is that many of the more… Dogmatic religious communities view Kenku as being born blasphemers, because of their curse.
Kenku communities are very tight-knit. Everyone knows everybody, they take care of each other, and they all work together to keep their community safe. They’re also more than willing to welcome any other social outcasts they like, So if you walk into a Kenku neighborhood, you could see anything from Werewolves walking around in broad daylight to a friendly black dragon running a barbecue stand. Kenku are often ostracized by society at large, but are highly social and have a strong sense of community, so they tend to adopt whatever fellow weirdo’s they can find.
Kenku never forget a face. Ever. No one’s really sure why, but Kenku have an uncanny ability to remember people, and even pick them out in a crowd. It’s honestly a little spooky sometimes.
Kenku feathers generally come in pitch black, much like common crows, but every now and again you’ll get some Kenku who look like other corvids like Bluejays or Magpies. No one is entirely sure why this happens, as genetics don’t seem to be a factor. A Kenku that looks like a Bluejay can be born from two common crow parents. Regardless of the cause, it’s generally celebrated when it happens, because among Kenku it’s seen as a good omen for the little hatchling, a sign of a good life to come.
Some Kenku like to dye their feathers to look like other birds. Eagles, doves, and Peacocks are the most common, but there’s been a recent uptick of parrots and other tropical birds.
