New Name-giver Race: Ptynx

[Flagg]

[Flowswithdrek]

[Flagg]

[Flowswithdrek]

I don't know anything about the highland trolls. My troll fu is lacking. i must read up on them.

[Slimcreeper]

Highland trolls are interesting. Most of them are simply unplayable in polite society. But the more accessible clans are neat, like samurai vikings.

For my purposes, I don't think I would be able to introduce a surprise new race that had been living under our noses the whole time, but I could see using them as immigrants, or maybe living only in deep jungles or the Wastes or something. It's a neat idea, though, and I could see using them as a race added to a brand new ED Barsaivian campaign.

[Neverbourne]

To start with: Great Idea! Owlmen have always been an interesting idea, and I've used a few cults with owl masks very similar to your picture.
I'm generally ok with most of the description (flight is sufficently limited so as not to be a pain), but I might suggest revisiting how "nocturnal" works. In theory it,s fine, but a bit of a pain to try and play with. Maybe go with something more like balanced bonuses (+2 to per tests at night / -2 in the day) just to make things easier.
Also, what's missing for me to feel that they fit in Barsaive (or anywhere in ED) is a little more flavor. The Ptynx (I would call them Strigi based on the scientific order of Owls) need a cultural niche. What are they truly known for?
Dwarves: administrators/scholars/crafters
Orks: scorchers
t'skrang: river traders/ flashy
windlings: life loving pests
Trolls: honor bound sky raiders
humans: variable and adaptable
Obsidimen: thoughtful tenders of the earth
Elves : nature loving artists and hippies (with facial hair)

Thats just a base and very general of Barsaivian races as I see them, and could be done with the cathayan races as well, but the Ptynx don't have a particular flavor just yet. They are nomadic with an occasional tendency to trade, but what are they known for?
Earthdawn has always been more about the stories and legends than pure game mechanics, so any new race would have to come with new legends (and as someone else mentioned, I liked the idea of them being from a strange land instead of having been here the whole time)
Just my two cents, don't take any of this as criticism, just suggestions of how to build on what you've created.

[ragbasti]

well as for the more background:
I also mentioned that in the discussion on the Earthdawn Compebdium.

However, as the discription already said, they are a rather secretive race so giving them a well defined "niche" which they are know for would kinda ruin the fluff ^^
However I do get what you mean and there are many things that could be done which will, hopefully soon, be discussed in the Compendium ^^ (can't wait to see how the race is going to end up as a whole)

[Neverbourne]

[Neverbourne]

Also, a group of Owls are called a "Parliament", and that's just too cool not to use in some way

[Flagg]