Swanmay
One of the rarer therianthropes in the world are Swanmays. Swanmays are human females who can assume swan form. In human form, swanmays are indistinguishable from other people. They normally wear light armor and carry Rangers' gear, as well as a sword, dagger, bow, and arrows. These items are unaffected by a swanmay's shapeshifting, so they must be hidden. Swanmays may be recognized by a feather token, feathered garment, or signet ring. Such items are transformed into part of the swans' plumage or worn on a leg.
Swanmays are members of a special sorority of lycanthrope Rangers and Druids. Unlike other therianthropes, their shapeshifting ability is gained voluntarily from a special token: a feather token, a feather garment, or a signet ring. Such items reveal their magical auras when exposed to a detect magic spell. Without the item, she is forced to remain in her current form. Tokens only function for swanmays. Swanmays are extremely secretive about their sorority. Only human women are admitted; the other requirements are unknown. It is suspected that women are invited to join when they unknowingly perform a great service for another swanmay. It is very likely that she will retire from casual adventuring to devote herself full time to her new responsibilities. Swanmays are guided by their swan personalities. They dislike noisy, brash creatures, ferocious beasts, and anything of an evil alignment. They are friendly with forest folk, such as sylvan elves and dryads. They tend to avoid normal humanoids. Only nature priests are known to regularly associate with swanmays; such alliances are generally initiated by swanmays when they need help against a common evil. Swanmays build communal lodgings near bodies of water, deep in the forest. Such lodgings are lightly fortified against land attack. They usually contain two means of escape -- a secret tunnel to the lake and a ceiling hatch. Swanmays in swan form can use either route. Swanmay lodgings may be recognized by the number of waterfowl living nearby. The remains of poachers may also be left here as a warning to others.
Ecology:
Swanmays are independent protectors of the forests and wildlife. They actively oppose evil races or monsters that might otherwise decimate wildlife and the countryside. They protect swans more out of sympathy for their similarity than out of any kinship.
More than one story has been told of a person who wandered into the land of Faerie and never more sought to return to the world of mortals. Swanmays are said to have originated in much this way. The most common tale is that swanmays were once maidens of pure heart who, after many adventures and encounters, made their way to the court of the Faerie Queen. There, they pleased the Faerie Queen with either a story or song and were granted a wish, which (according to legend) was usually a request to remain within Rhiannon's enchanted realm. But alas, that is the one wish even the Faerie Queen cannot grant, for the Realm of Faerie is closed to mortals but for short visits. Instead, Rhiannon presented these mortal women with a token of some sort {a ring, magical feather, gown, etc.} which granted the ability to become a beautiful swan. Many maidens thus honored have chosen, because of their love of nature, to remain in a forest as its protector and as a representative of the Faerie Queen. Many people falsely believe that the enchanted item presented to the girl by Rhiannon also confers the knowledge and abilities of the ranger character class. It is true, however, that many of these maidens in their mortal form were themselves rangers before undertaking the journey to the Queen's court. Likewise, some swanmays with druidic powers have even been reported. The gift is also thought to allow the swanmay, once each new moon, to enter the Realm of Faerie for a short time if she so desires. It is also said that those with no right to the item who use it to venture into Rhiannon's realm risk her unbridled wrath at such an intrusion.
Cloak of the Swanmay: This magical cloak appears as a shawl made from white swan feathers. It can be used only by females of good alignment; any other character donning the cloak immediately suffers 2d8 hp damage. A good-aligned female wearing the cloak of the swanmay can, at will, cause the cloak to transform into a pair of huge, swan-like wings, with a span of about 10 feet. The wings allow the wearer to fly at a rate of 18 (C), but the flight is very tiring. After each turn of flying, the wearer must make a Fitness check, with failure forcing her to rest for one turn for every turn spent flying.
Note that possession of a cloak of the swanmay does not transform a character into a swanmay. True swanmays, and other benevolent protectors of nature, are likely to respond well to a character wearing a cloak of the swanmay, however, if only because the cloak is a sure sign that the character is good.
Bird Maidens:
In the mountains and cool valleys of the lands of Zakhara lives a race of bird maidens, related to the swanmays. Just like their sisters, they depend on a token to change forms: a colorful shawl or veil of feathers. They can assume many bird shapes, including falcons, swallows, parrots, and even (at 8th level) giant eagles. Though they have no sorority, bird maidens are loosely united by their faith. All bird maidens are kahina, idol priestesses who believe in the divinity of all things. They live as wandering teachers, protecting the land from those who despoil it. They get along best with those who respect the land: desert riders, mystics, and fisherfolk. In the fertile river valleys, they preach the faith and maintain the fertility of the land and livestock. Some tribesmen believe bird maidens are hama, spirits of the departed, who return to help the living. Bird maidens deny this and may cut themselves to prove that they are flesh and blood. Bird maidens' Hit Dice are equal to their priestly level, from 2-8. They have major access to the All, Animal, Divination, Elemental, Healing, Plant and Weather spheres and minor access to the Creation, Protection, and Sun spheres. They carry spears, darts, and slings, but may not wear armor or shields (even magical) heavier than hide. If they do, they cannot use spells. Bird maidens cannot turn undead. In bird form, bird maidens can peck and claw, but most don't fight as birds. Only a bird maiden's shawl or veil changes with her when she shifts form. All other equipment is unchanged and must be hidden or cared for by others until the bird maiden again changes her form. Bird maidens are sometimes forced to marry men who steal their shawls; if they ever recover them, they leave their husbands, killing their sons and taking the daughters with them to become bird maidens. If the feathered garment is destroyed, the bird maiden dies as well. Rumors tell of a great wooden fortress among the clouds of the high hills, called the Crown of All Feathers, where young bird maidens are taught the rituals and duties of kahinas by the Aarakocra.
