Races of Wild

CHAPTER 3RAPTORANS66Illus. by J. JarvisJust as they were finishing, the hunting chief came by. “Risili,bring your group to the Gathering Tree,” he said.“We get to hunt!” cried Risili, and all of Kalithi’s age-matesdove out of the dwelling door and into midair, the remainsof their lunches forgotten.Descending back to the canyon floor, Risili, Kalithi,and Vangila joined three of the male age-mates of theirhatching under the direction of an older leader capableof true flight. Taking up their bows, the young raptoranscrept through the scrubby underbrush of the canyon floorwhile the leader soared overhead, indicating with a gesturewhenever his keen eyes spotted game. Kalithi and Risilidowned a rabbit each, and Vangilabagged a mole. No one got more thanone animal, but it was a good hunt.When I’m able to fly, I’ll be a truly greathunter, Kalithi thought.Returning to camp, they cleanedtheir kills and handed them offto the supply chief, who debonedand sliced the meat for drying.Their parents would take care ofthe game for the family’s meals;the young raptorans’ kills wereconsidered excess and were storedas winter food.After a supper of roast boarmeat and potatoes, Kalithi and herfamily enjoyed the berry pie her motherhad madefor dessert.Then theyadjourned tothe Great Hall fora debate. The topicwas whether to allowa party of human adventurersto pass through thewest edge of the raptorans’ territory.After an hour of discussion,the flock voted to grant permission.Since it was still two hours before moonsetand the weather was fine, Kalithi decided topractice using her wings. She leaped high intothe sky from her perch atop the cliff and glided allthe way across the canyon, descending gradually until shelanded against the far wall just a few feet above the canyonfloor.Clutching the cliff wall with her talons, Kalithi laughed,intoxicated by her longest glide to date. Then she hoppeddown from her landing site to begin the long walk backacross the canyon floor. When she got to the bottom of thecliff where her flock lived, she climbed up a dangling ropeladder and found her way home.Slipping into her room, Kalithi fell onto her bed, too tiredeven to undress. My wings are getting stronger—I can feel it, shethought as she composed herself for sleep. Perhaps I’ll find outsoon when I can begin my walk.DESCRIPTIONUnlike the previous two chapters, which covered races previousdescribed in the Player’s Handbook, this chapter gives afull description of raptorans, their racial traits, and all otherinformation necessary for creating raptoran characters.OVERVIEWRaptorans are unique among the common races for theirability to fly. In ancient times, the raptorans made a pactwith the lords of the Elemental Planeof Air, gaining the ability to fly inexchange for pledging the finestwarriors of their race to the serviceof the air elementals in various extraplanarbattles. Although the elementalshave not called upon the raptorans forassistance in generations, the pact enteredinto by those distant ancestors continues toshape raptoran society today.To ensure that only the fittest and mostcapable raptorans are available to fill theranks of these would-be warriors, the agreementwith the elementals called forthe raptorans to put their offspringthrough a test of survival and selfreliancecalled the Walk of the FourWinds. To this day, every member of araptoran flock must undergo this trialbefore becoming able to fly. When theflock chief judges a young adult raptoranto be ready for the walk, thatraptoran can leave immediatelyto start the test. Those who do notleave at their earliest opportunityare referred to by other members ofthe community as “gliders” (reflectingtheir limited capacity to usetheir wings).The pact led to the creationof the skypledged, who drawtheir ranks from raptoran druidsand clerics. By vowing to forgo earth, fire, and water spells,skypledged gain great flexiblity in spellcasting as well asever-increasing power over the wind. Skypledged are notstructured in a single great organization but scattered amongthe tribes, each honoring the pact as he or she sees best. (Theskypledged prestige class is described starting on page 126.)The pact also set out details regarding the creation ofthe stormtalons, the organization of elite raptoran soldierswho assist raptoran flocks that find themselves in danger.(The stormtalon prestige class is described starting onpage 131.)Raptorans engage in footbow practice