Bennu

Humanoid, with massive feathered wings and retractable talons on each finger.

Ability Score Mods: +2 Intelligence, +2 Strength, -2 Charisma   Medium sized, with a base speed of 20 feet and a flight speed of 30 feet   Selcis's Touch: Bennu are naturally resistant to poisons and venoms. When making a saving throw against one of these effects, roll twice and take the better result.   Nert's Eye: There is little a Bennu does not notice. +2 to Perception and Sense Motive checks.

Bennu grow at a rate similar to humans, though they do not reach peak physical maturity until around twenty years of age. They can begin flying as soon as four years of age.

Being native to the southern reaches of the Republic, Bennu are adapted to desert climes and areas devoid of dense forests, where landings might be difficult. Their settlements dot the banks on either side of the River Nu, or are clustered around the large oases found scattered about the Great Sand Sea.

Bennu are technically omnivorous, but similar to the Crocotta, they require more protein in their diets than other species might.

Bennu are known to be highly intelligent. They are both observant and adept at problem solving to the point where the puzzles and labyrinths the Minos construct are seen as simple child's play to most Bennu.

Bennu have very acute eyesight, designed to help them spot prey while still in the air. Their wings are highly sensitive, allowing them to feel even the slightest changes in air pressure and wind speed.

Bennu do not have surnames, as they do not consider familial lines to be of much importance. Instead, they identify themselves by place of origin (ex: Tahira of Waset, Jarha of Kydyras). However, if one climbs high enough in their temple's order to become head priest or priestess, they are known by the title bestowed upon them by their deity (ex: Nefurure the Shrouded One, Khaliset the Radiant).   [Author's Note: Bennu culture is based loosely on that of ancient Egypt. For the names, I would suggest using a generator such as this one if you are unfamiliar with their traditional naming conventions, which are not at all like the more Arabic leaning names of today's Egypt.]

While not as aesthetically driven as the Gorgorons, the Bennu place a significant emphasis on physical beauty when it comes to seeking potential spouses. An impressive wingspan is seen as the most desirable trait in a partner: Bennu with short wings are considered to be lacking in... other departments, particularly the males. Wide eyes are also preferable, and many Bennu line their eyes in black kohl not only to protect their eyes from the desert sun, but to make them appear larger and more prominent. Good hygiene is seen as a requirement of participating in Bennu society: a dirty body is considered to be an insult to the gods.

The Bennu recognize four genders: male, female, anx (genderless), and ahawti-shmt (gender fluid). Children are not limited in terms of dress, behavior, or education according to gender, and gender identity is not considered "fixed" until after a Bennu reaches maturity. Egalitarian to the core, Bennu at large do not believe in gender roles and see the cultures that hold strictly to them (i.e. Gorgorons and Crocotta) to be backwards and inferior.

Bennu speak their own language, known as Bennuan. Those who live in the larger cities with a mixed population will often speak Gorgorian as well. Bennu, out of all the species in Xalendria, are the least likely to move away from their ancestral lands, and thus the amount of bilingual Bennu is extremely low compared to that of other species.   Bennuan writing combines alphabetic, syllabic, and logographic symbols together to form a complex system of hieroglyphics boasting upwards of 1,000 characters. It is notoriously difficult for outsiders to learn, though Bennu children usually grasp the system very quickly and are literate at an early age.

As primarily desert dwellers, the Bennu favor light fabrics like linen and cotton. Out of ease due to both the heat of their homeland and the hassle of buttoning garments up around wings, all genders of Bennu can often be seen going shirtless no matter their social status. Column dresses, tunics and knee-length pants, as well as long skirts are also popular. As they spend little time on the ground, going barefoot is quite common, though they may wear sandals or short, simple boots when travelling. Long, hooded cloaks with slits for their wings are worn when visiting colder climates.   Jewelry is worn by all manner of Bennu, though piercings are rarely seen. Necklaces, bracelets, arm rings, anklets, rings, and even headpieces are considered cornerstones of the Bennu wardrobe. While a fisherman might wear simple bronze pieces decorated with polished shell, a priest or nomarch might favor gold embedded with precious stones. Females and ahawti-shmt also favor wigs, made from anything from reeds to horsehair to hair sold by other Bennu to wigmakers. The most elaborate of these hair pieces are so heavy they require assistance to be put on and cannot be worn during flight.

The exploitation or abuse of children is seen as the greatest crime in Bennu society, such crimes are punished only by a slow and brutal public execution that can last for weeks. Sexual assaults and murders are also punishable by death, those these sentences are often carried out on a swifter basis at the hands of an Honored One or Chosen.   Outside of lack of charity, the deepest social taboo in Bennu culture is perceived cruelty to one of the Wahsi, "the flightless ones." Though rare, some Bennu lose the ability to fly through severe wing injury or debilitating disease (these are often genetic conditions that so far have proven untreatable by magical means). Other Wahsi are born with birth defects that make flight impossible. These flightless ones are considered be touched by the gods, blessed with particularly strong souls capable of enduring a life without the touch of the sky. Minor slights against this sector of the population are punished by a wing clipping that cannot be healed for a minimum of seven days and nights. Major abuse, once proven, is punished through permanent grounding: three-quarters of the wings of the abuser are severed. The stumps are cauterized and then cursed so the flesh and bone can never regrow even through magical means. This punishment is referred to as the "living death,"  and its execution is so rare it is almost unheard of outside of urban legends.

"Oh, fledgling, you must understand. We rose from the waters of the Nu long after Nert, Imn, and the other divinities created land and sky. It was they who shaped us into what we are to today. Thanks to their guidance, we alone are eternal."  

Neferure the Shrouded One, High Priestess of Imn, as spoken to a young Duamutref of Kydyras

For as far back as anyone can recall, the southern reaches of the lands that would be known as Xalendria had been inhabited by the winged race known as the Bennu. Theirs is an ancient culture, steeped in a religious belief so all-encompassing that there is no part of daily life that is not somehow touched by the gods and goddesses of their pantheon.   The first written records of the Bennu date back to 1EX, making them the first species on Xalendria to develop a written language. These somewhat mundane records of fish catches and rainfall show that even before these written accounts, the Bennu had a highly organized society built on a spirit of cooperation and a mutual disdain for those not like them. Indeed, some of the more well-preserved records from this early period include references to the killing and consumption of Gorgorons and Crocotta who foolishly wandered too far into the Great Sand Sea.

The Bennu can be very elitist when it comes to relations with other species. Out of all the sapient species, it is the Minos whom the Bennu seem to hold the most regard for. This is perhaps rooted in their appreciation for the Minoan dedication to scholarship and technomagical advancement, but the fact the Minos can never be considered rival predators likely plays a role as well. They tend to be condescending yet indifferent when dealing with the Crocotta, whose culture is so vastly removed from the Bennu way of life that it is considered equal parts baffling and strange. Their truce with the Gorgorians is often an uneasy one. Both cultures compete for dominance when it comes to policy and politics in the Republic, and add in the fact their species warred against one another for centuries, it results in a precarious social climate. Bennu at large see Gorgorons as being greedy, untrustworthy, and disgustingly fawning. As they had little contact with humans before humanity was banished from Xalendria, their perceptions are heavily influenced by the Gorgorons' disdain for the species.   Out of all the sapient species, it is the Minos whom the Bennu seem to hold the most regard for. This is perhaps rooted in their appreciation for the Minoan dedication to scholarship and technomagical advancement, but the fact the Minos can never be considered rival predators likely plays a role as well.   However, with the rise of blended communities in the largest Republic cities, friendships and romantic relationships across species lines are becoming more and more common. "Outsider" spouses are enfolded into Bennu society after undergoing the Ritual of Acceptance in the temple of the Bennu deity of their choosing. Once Accepted, they are considered to be Wahsi, or flightless, the same as a natural born Bennu who through severe injury or birth defect is incapable of flight. Children born from these unions are considered fully fledged members of Bennu society no matter their appearance. That said, Bennu genetics seem to reign supreme: Bennu hybrids are almost always born with functional wings.   [Author's Note: Hybrids are not a playable species at this time.]