Feathered Friends and Foes for D&D 3E
Converted by Giles P Kiser
From the Original Work by James Wyatt
(found in Dragon #266)

Black Swanmays
Background: Much like swanmays, but their swan forms are black.  They are human females of a secret sorrority just as swanmays, but instead of rangers they are paladins.

Token: Necklace with black feathers, signet ring, or a cloak of black feathers, but all tokens feature lawful good holy symbols as well as feathers.

Languages: Common, Lammasu, Ki-rin

Personality: Black Swanmays are crusaders of the causes of Good.  They take great pains to keep their powers and identities secret.

Ability Score Modifiers: +2 Cha, -2 Con

Base Speed: 30 feet (Human), 5 feet (bird)

Special Advantages: In swan form they have a damage resistance of DR 5/+1.  They have a spell resistance of SR 1, and that increases by 1 each level gained.  Black swanmays fly at a rate of 45 feet with average manuervability.  +4 natrual AC bonus while in bird form.

Special Disadvantages: If a black swanmay loses her token, she cannot change shape until she finds it.  If the token is ever destroyed, she must undergo a grueling quest to replace it.  
	If a black swanmay ever commits a chaotic or evil acts, her sisters may strip her of her token (as well as her diety passing judgement on her as well).  Once she has atoned for her sins, she must undergo a quest to regain her token.  If she ever irrevocably falls from grace, she can never regain her transformation ability.

Average Height and Weight: 
Height: 59 + 2d10; Wieght: 100 + 6d10

Age:
Starting Age: 18 + 1d12, Maximum Age Range: 90 + 2d20, Average Maximum Age: 100, Middle Age: 45, Old Age: 60, Venerable 90.

Preferred Class: Most all black swanmays are exclusively paladins, but some are clerics.  No matter the class, however, all are lawful good in alignment.

Laridian
Background: Laridians are a guild of humans (both sexes) that can change into seagulls.  They are nearly all rogues.

Token: Ring, necklace, etc. with a bird theme.

Languages:Common, Thieves’ Cant

Personality: Laridians are untrustworthy and entirely self-serving.  They are always wanting to attempt the biggest jobs and outdo everyone around them.

Ability Score Modifiers: +2 Dex, -2 Wis

Base Speed: 30 feet (Human), 10 feet (Gull)

Special Advantages: While in gull form, laridians have a damage resistance of DR 5/+1.  They fly with average manuverability at a speed of 50 feet.  All of their gear changes with them, so they are quite adept at making quick getaways.  Also, while in gull form they gain a +3 natural AC bonus.  Laridians have a spell resistance of SR 1, and it goes up 1 point every time they gain a level.  
	Laridians gain a +4 bonus to Disable Device, Escape Artist, Move Silently, and Open Lock checks.

Special Disadvantages: Laridians cannot shapechange without their token.  If they lose their token, or if it’s destroyed, they must go before their guildmaster and ask for a particularly difficult heist to preform.  The guildmaster allows this to happen only if the laridian has been an exemplary member of the guild and gives all loot from the hiest to the guild.

Average Height and Weight:
Height: 60/59 + 2d10; Weight: 140/100 + 6d10

Age:
Starting Age: 15 + 1d12, Maximum Age Range: 90 + 2d20, Average Maximum Age: 100, Middle Age: 45, Old Age: 60, Venerable: 90.

Preferred Class: All laridians are rogues, some do multiclass into fighters, but only to supplement their theiving skills with the ability to fight.  Theft is their lifeblood, and none would take the life of another class over that of a rogue.  Laridians are very rarely lawful good in alignment.

Red Falcon
Red Falcons are and order of fighters and clerics with the ability to change into birds of prey.  They are marked in human form with an angry red scar on their faces or hands.

Token: Blade of some kind, whether it be a dagger, knife, or sword.  The blade turns into the red falcon’s talons when shapchanging.

Languages: Common and usually at least one or two evil languages as well, like bugbear or hobgoblin.

Personality: Red Falcons are angry people devoted to a twisted vision of the world.  Their vision of paradise is one in which verdant forests are dark and gloomy, and vibrant cities lie in vine-strangled ruins.  They are very secretive of their order and are suspicious of everyone.

Ability Score Modifiers: +2 Strength, -2 Dexterity

Base Speed: 30 feet (Human), 5 feet (Falcon)

Special Advantages: In falcon form, red falcons fly with good manuverablility at a speed of 70 feet.  They have a damage resistance of DR 5/+1 while in falcon form, and have a spell resistance of SR 1 that goes up 1 point each level.  Also in bird form, red falcons can attack with their talons and beak inflicting 1d2 damage with talons and 1d3 with their beaks.  Red Falcon clerics can become proficient with any dagger, knife, or sword.  

Special Disadvantages: A red falcon cannot shapechange without his token blade.  If the blade is lost or destroyed, he must undergo a grueling quest to regain a replacement.  
Red Falcons cannot shapechange their gear with them (except for their blade), so they must find a place to store any items on them when they shapechange.  However, if times are desperate, a red falcon with shapechange to escape even if it means leaving valuable items behind.

Average Height and Weight:
Height: 62/60 + 2d10; Weight 150/110 + 6d10

Age:
Starting Age: 15 + 1d12, Maximum Age Range: 90 + 2d20, Average Maximum Age: 100, Middle Age: 45, Old Age: 60, Venerable: 90.

Preferred Class: Red Falcons are most commonly fighters, but many are also clerics serving a variety of evil and destructive gods.  Due to their beliefs, red falcons are evil in alignment.

Thebestyn
Thebestyns are an order of mages and scholars devoted to the acquisition and sharing of knowledge that can shapechange into ibises.  

Token: An ankh decorated with feathers, which becomes part of the bird’s plumage when shapechanging, remaining partially visible as an anhk shaped white spot on the bird’s breast.

Languages: Common, at least one ancient language, and several written languages.

Personality: Though thebestyns live apart from human society, their universities and libraries are open to all.  Though they are free with their knowledge, their origins are kept secret from those not in the order.

Ability Score Modifiers: +2 Int, +2 Wis, -2 Str, 
-2 Con

Base Speed: 25 feet (Human), 5 feet (Ibis)

Special Advantages: In ibis form, thebestyns can fly with poor manuverability at a speed of 40 feet.  In both human and ibis form they have a spell resistance of SR 1 that goes up 1 point each level, and in no way interferes with their own spellcasting.  
	A thebestyn character can choose a certain Knowledge skill, like Knowledge (History of Roeack) for example, and be considered a sage in that area.  They can answer any question pertaining to that area of knowledge.  

Special Disadvantages: If a thebestyn loses her token or if it’s destroyed, she cannot shapgechange until she constructs a new one.  Constructing a new token costs 500gp per level in replacing materials and takes 2 months of work, subtracting 1 day per Intelligence point of the character.  She must do the work herself, since the thebestyn god infuses the power to the token that allows for shapechanging.
	Being devoted to the acquisition of knowledge, thebestyns are  not trained in the use of even simple weaponry, and choose to never learn such skills.  This is not to say that they aren’t allowed to defend themselves, but they do so with the customary –6 penalty to hit with the weapon.  A thebestyn can exchange any weapon or armor proficiency feats for non-combat feats like Empower Spell, or Scribe Scroll.

Average Height and Weight:
Height: 60/59 + 2d10; Weight: 140/100 + 6d10

Age:
Starting Age: 15 + 1d12, Maximum Age Range: 90 + 2d20, Average Maximum Age: 100, Middle Age: 45, Old Age: 60, Venerable: 90.

Preferred Class: Thebestyns are almost exclusively wizards, though some are sorcerers as well.  Many wizards specialize in Divinations.  Due to their beliefs of openness, all thebestyns are at least partially neutral in alignment.