Let's Read the Dark Sun Creature Catalog: Aarakocra
As far as I know Aarakocra first show up on the 1e Fiend Folio as relatively peaceful and good-natured bird people. They’re like that in most of their appearances, but just like with all everything else about this setting the Athasian version is Darker and Sunnier(TM).
The Lore
Here, Aarakocra are vulture-people, who band together in insular tribes for survival in the harsh wastelands of Athas. They just want to be left alone to do their own thing, but are understandably mistrustful of outsiders in a setting full of slavers and sorcerer-kings. Each tribe claims a territory, and fiercely defends it. Their settlements are built atop desert mesas and other high places, and they use these vantage points to survey their territory for food and intruders.
Foreigners traveling through a tribe’s territory will be approached by the aarakocra, who demand tribute in exchange for safe passage. Those who pay are guided to safer paths or useful landmarks. The aarakocra attack those parties who refuse, trying to kidnap some of their members for ransom. Some large merchant houses make deals with the more powerful tribes, paying protection fees in advance to avoid harassment from both the paid off tribe and any weaker ones that might lie along the route.
Aarakocra have a long tradition of reverence for primal spirits of the wind and sun. Many of them display the ability to cast primal spells, and they know rituals to summon air elementals and other spirits.
The Numbers
Aarakocra are Medium Natural Humanoids (take that, Aristotle!). They have low-light vision, ground speeds of 5, and fly speeds of 6. Their signature power is Sly Takeoff, a move action that lets them shift 1 square and then fly 5 squares. It’s very useful for disengaging from melee.
Aarakocra Diver
Braver than most of their kin, these warriors like to fly high and dive at their targets from an angle that leaves the sun at their backs, making it difficult for the victim to spot them until it’s too late. They’re Level 6 Skirmishers with 66 HP.
Divers fight in the traditional aarakocra style, gripping a Reach 2 longspear in their prehensile feet while flying. “Brave” doesn’t mean stupid, so they do everything they can to avoid getting bogged down in ground combat.
Their most likely maneuver is a Flyby Attack, where they can move 6 squares, and make a longspear attack against a target anywhere along the movement. If the target grants combat advantage to the diver, the diver can also make a bite attack as a minor action for a little extra bit of damage.
They can also make a more powerful Diving Charge (recharge 4+), which lets them charge and make an extra strong longspear attack that also knocks prone on a hit. They’ll likely need to use Sly Takeoff to move away afterwards.
Aarakocra Warrior
The typical vulture-folk warrior is not as mobile or brave as the diver, relying on strength of numbers. They descend from the sky and try to stay just high enough off the ground to stab with their spears.
Warriors are Level 6 Minion Skirmishers that fight with reach 1 Spears which do an extra point of damage on a charge. So they still want to charge in and use Sly Takeoff to move away when fighting.
Aarakocra Windcaller
Priests and mystics trained in the aarakocra primal tradition, they know the secret spells to command the wind and use it to fight. They’re Level 8 Controllers with the Leader tag and 82 HP.
Windcallers really lean into the whole “vulture-folk” thing for DS aarakocra, since their powers seem to have a stench theme in addition to a wind theme. For example, their Carrion Scent (aura 10) let flying allies inside hover if they have a fly speed, and make them deal +4 damage to bloodied enemies.
Their melee basic attack is a Wafting Claw that damages and slows (save ends) in a hit. On the first failed save, the target falls prone. They also have a ranged basic attack, Foul Gust (Ranged 10 vs. Reflex) that damages and slides 3 squares on a hit.
In less stinky news, they can also envelop a target in a Dust Veil (ranged 10 vs. Reflex, recharge 4+) that damages and forces the target to treat any nonadjacent creatures as having concealment (save ends). On the first failed save, the target is blinded for a turn.
Once per encounter they can also generate an Instant Whirlwind (close blast 5 vs. Fortitude), which damages enemies, slides them 4 squares, and knocks them prone on a hit. As an effect, it also lets allies inside the blast shift 2 squares.
Encounters
Aarakocra rarely work with other sapients, except maybe for the occasional cooperation with kenku. They will however follow or lure dangerous predators who live in their territory towards groups of intruders they want to kill, and then swoop down to deal with the survivors.
Additionally, their traditional ability to summon elementals is still here, now as an off-screen ritual instead of something that has to happen mid-fight. So it’s entirely possible for encounters to include elementals or other primal spirits.
And as with any kind of sapient person in this hellish wasteland, they might be found in the service of the many despots of Athas as enslaved scouts and soldiers.
Final Impressions
Mechanically I think these are mostly equivalent to traditional aarakocra in terms of capabilities, but I like that their lore makes them a group PCs are likely to deal with at some point, instead of putting them atop isolated mountain ranges.