Avians

Origin

The Avians are a genetic offshoot of the Inhumans. Around the year. 1,000 BC, more and more Inhumans started having wings of some kind. King Nestor of Attilan decided to build a tower which could house them all: the Aerie. This had the unintended consequence of the Winged Ones becoming increasingly isolated from the rest of their kind. Only associating amongst themselves and mating with fellow Winged Ones.

Major Story Arcs

In time, the Angelic-looking Inhumans started looking down on the "inferior" ones who had to walk. The two groups became increasingly hostile to each other. Until the Aerie was cut off from Attilan and the two groups went their separate ways. But the Winged Ones were about to have their own civil war. Two leaders of the Winged Ones started advocating different stances on various matters. One was named Kylus. He advocated war against the rest of the Inhumans and conquest of Attilan. He had bird-like wings. The other was Cheiros, an advocate of peaceful relations. He had bat-like wings.

Kylus eventually managed to gain enough support to have Cheiros captured. The various bat-winged Avians were considered sympathetic to the cause of their fallen leader so they were all slaughtered. Kylus kept Cheiros alive foe a while. Only to torture him to death. Keeping his rival's severed wing as souvenirs. Kylus emerged the first king of the Avians. Making certain that only those children born with white feathers would survive.

The isolation from other Inhumans and humanoid races and the execution of children with undesired traits had long-lasting results. The Winged Ones are much more uniform in appearance than their cousins in Attilan. Featuring the same large, feathery wings and the same human-like body types. The major difference from other human-like races is that they are not born but hatch from eggs.

Red Raven

Red Raven was adopted into the group after he became the only survivor of a plane crash on their floating island. The Avians saw this as an omen and thought Red Raven would one day decide the fate of the Avian people. Red Raven's costume incorporates the long-preserved wings of Cheiros, allowing him the gift of flight like others of his adopted race. Eventually the Avians deemed humans must be conquered but Red Raven attempted to reason with the king that the Avians are few in numbers and would not stand a chance. However his pleas fell on deaf ears and he was accused of sympathy towards humans. Deciding to take matters into his own hands, Red Raven released a specially formulated gas all throughout Aerie that put all the Avians in suspended animation. He placed all his comrades in cryogenic chambers and sunk the entire floating island underwater. Red Raven reasoned this was the only way to prevent the Avians going to war. Unfortunately for the Avians, their prophecy of Red Raven deciding their fate came true. Decades later when Red Raven attempted to free his people, they all slumped to the floor dead. The cryogenic chamber had preserved their bodies but not their lives.