Intelligent but clumsy reptilian tree‑birds with fleshy wattles, clawed wings, and limited powers of flight despite their elaborate blue-and-gold feathers. They have fantastic powers of mimicry and can remember and duplicate entire conversations of any language without understanding a nuance of it, and revel in impersonating other species. Hence their by-name of Liar Birds.
They have their own primitive language but lack a name for themselves, or any organized culture. Thus they are classed as Bestial rather than Sapient even though they are doubtlessly highly intelligent avians, having the mental abilities of an Elim child.
In their own language, Jin means “speak” and Auq means “Everyone.”
Often employed as sentries and messengers by Wahoona, Elim and other races — a task on which most Liar Birds thrive — but their presence is two-edged, for nothing can ever remain secret for long, especially as Jinauq have a peculiar telepathic power that allows some rare Elim (but not most) to comprehend the language of other species. No-one knows whether this power resides with the bird or the person, or some strange combination of both.
DISTRIBUTION : native to the gowfer forests of Wahoona territory around the inner Sea of Eloah, and live in loose symbiosis with Wahoona in their tree-top villages.
LANGUAGE : Universal
PHONETIC : ʤɪˈnɔːk
Jinauq
Liar Birds with limited powers of flight, and fantastic powers of mimicry.
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