The Goblins of Feyalis
In the outskirts of the Arad desert lives a race of intelligent bird creatures named the kiwikids. These small humanoids while civilized would be considered so loosely. The kiwikids roam the edges of the desert hunting for tired travelers and creatures that have been worn down by the oppressive heat and starvation. Being diminutive in size and lacking overall strength on their own they rely on opportunity to provide for them. They are largely regarded as harmless when alone but get very dangerous when confronted in numbers. When someone or something wanders in from the desert the kiwikids attack by swarming and smothering their victims until they collapse. Pecking, clubbing, and scratching usually do the trick when there are dozens of them working together. If that is not enough they have been known to secrete a nerve toxin from their beaks that paralyzes their prey when pecked enough.
The kiwikids are not evil by nature as they are referred to as intelligent very loosely, and traditionally follow the lead of others. They have formed bonds with the araditai over the years and grown quite fond of them. This has earned them a reputation for being evil or followers of the araditai. Being as stupid as they are the kiwikids just truly enjoy the colorful illusions, shiny gifts, and trickeries the araditai share with them. The araditai find a sense of companionship and belonging due to the ease in which the kiwikids gravitate towards these simple ploys. Because of this they have formed an unbreakable bond over the years, and the kiwikids have become a sort of guard dog for the araditai.
The kiwikids also rely on the araditai for they have very inane communication methods, which no other race truly understands. The language consists of many sickly bird noises combined with a complex series of skimpy hops and foot motions. To see a swarm of kiwikids in furied conversation is like watching a stampede that doesn’t go anywhere. This has always remained a hurdle in that no relations have ever been formally made with any of the other civilized races in the world. The araditai being the only psionic race have been the first race to reach out and communicate with the kiwikids. The kiwikids still think they are communicating as normal, but the truth is the araditai are just reading their minds and communicating clairvoyantly. The araditai say nothing to reveal this as it may shatter the tiny brains of their kiwikids. It is simply better to let them chirp, squawk, and kick dirt as normal.
Despite the tiny size of the kiwikids they have survived against all odds. They are truly the most annoying race that cannot be completely destroyed. They have been hunted, stamped out, and chased away from most civilized regions but refuse to go extinct. Not only do they reproduce at alarming rates but they have evolved to be incredibly resilient. They have bodies covered entirely by quills as sharp as sewing needles. Under these quills they have adapted special feathers that repel water and soften impacts. They remain cool in the heat, and are insulated against freezing cold nights. In addition they seem tireless and have a metabolism that only slows down when dead. They appear to need little sleep and are always moving about very quickly looking for the next exciting thing be it food or toys.
Kiwikids are also very possessive looking for opportunities to steal form each other or gain possession of something appealing. The concept of ownership is a very loose term only really understood by the oldest and/or smartest of them. The only thing that allows a kiwikid to keep the things they like is to be bigger or sneakier than the kiwikids in his clan. The other way is to just break the item then nobody can have it which is typically thee default maneuver. This leads to the kiwikids never having anything nice and lots of disputes amongst each other. This simple behavior has prevented the kiwikids from evolving past spears and natural weapons as well as creating permanent dwellings of mentionable quality. They would prefer to smash each other’s things and live in caves, so nobody has nicer stuff than anybody else.
Gameplay:
The kiwikids will be the elite fighting force for the Araditai race. They will have mechanics that allow them bonuses the longer they stay in combat allowing them time to swarm their opponents. They will also boast counter attack type abilities using their quills and poisoned attacks on direct hits!
Artwork done by Michael R Schneider. Make sure to go to the party page and check out all our other team members, then share it with your friends. Your support matters!
