Homebrew Aardlings Race Details

"The world was so big, I thought seeing the fraction I did would prepare me for anything," Willowspur whispered at the roots of her parent. Rarely did the Aardlings tire so close to where the Worldroots surface, but news of the conflagration had driven Willowspur over many a mountain and field to return home to her kin. The great wards of the Eldaard sheltered its children, but much rebuilding would occur before her siblings could live in harmony once again with life around them.

Critters to calm, ash to clear, soil to renew. Most of all, saplings to sow, for the city of Bathelskos had not walls nor fire nor stone, but instead the soaring trunks of the Eldaard's lesser offspring, amidst the crowns of which the delicate life of the Aardling was conducted. Willowspur's hands gently felt the roots of the Eldaard, feeling it creak and groan in response to her communion. Willowspur smiled, and rose to set to work.

-Ada Rose, The many peoples of the world.

 

Aardlings are the mortal offspring of Eldaards, ancient trees spread across the realms of mortals. Their curious nature is the cause for many of them to leave their woodland homes, although others are driven by more conventional callings, such as wealth, knowledge, or glory. Others simply wander without much purpose. They are often greeted with incomprehension, but rarely hostility, if they wander in their natural humanoid form. Aardlings' ability to grow and modify their body means they come in many different forms, but most share a deep connection with their earthly origins. 

Fauna from Flora

With bodies woven from the fibers of wood and stem and leaf, the ancestry of any Aardling is quickly betrayed to even the casual onlooker, although their exact appearance may differ greatly. When they're formed, they're shorter than the average human, ranging from 5 to 6 feet in height. Although tough, the wooden flesh of Aardlings is less dense than that of the trees around them. It is considerably lighter than regular muscle and it's uncommon for a human-sized Aardling to weight more than 150 pounds. Aardlings inherit the colouring of their parent Eldaard, most of which are oaken, grey, or red, although some are ebony, birch, saffron, sienna, or even purple.

Aardlings are not sexually dimorphic, although many who spend time among other races alter their body to mimic a sex from the local culture. Aardlings who choose to wear clothing and/or jewelry tend to prefer simple shapes of bright, striking colours not normally abundant in their forest home.  

Young Forest Spirits

Although Aardlings have no known upper limit to their age, most who wander are quite young, as many eventually yearn to return home and literally plant their roots, joining the forest around them and possibly growing into an Eldaard after another many more centuries. When they are born, Aardlings are cognitively fully developed, but inherit little knowledge and wisdom from their parent. An intense curiosity about the world grips most, which is initially satiated by stories heard in the whispers of their parent's roots. For some, this is not enough, and so distant lands beckon.

Most Aardlings learn common and certain social taboos from their parent, but utterly lack the social experience that comes with an upbringing in mortal society. Often they have a bumpy road learning to interact with humans and elves and others. They might lack understanding of personal space and property, and step on toes literal and figurative. Or they might have never seen clothing before, and eagerly question an impatient half-orc over its function. In developing their social awareness, Aardlings are prone to mimicry, taking on characteristics of those that fascinate or endear them. Especially young Aardlings may copy gestures and poses precisely, assuming whatever they see is the status quo. After a time in mortal society, Aardlings tend to grow accustomed to the idea of gender, and usually adopt feminine or masculine traits, whichever suits their personality better.

A Natural Perspective

Aardlings come from a society absolutely in tune with nature, even more so than the wood elves. The equilibrium that exists among the wilds is to be respected, and those things that disrupt the rhythm of life - undead, demons, and the like - to be detested. This foundational reverence for the natural order of things pushes nearly all Aardlings to the side of good, and many who embark on adventures choose to do so in defense of this balance, although they may do so for the same reasons as the cultures they've been surrounded by previously. Most Aardlings are troubled by the waste of nature's resources, especially trees. Rarely, young Aardlings might be manipulated by mortals to join the side of evil.

Aardling Names

Aardlings are not named by their parents. When they come upon the need for self-reference among mortals, they tend to be named by others or choose one for themselves, often preferring to conjoin natural-sounding words. They may choose a gendered name if they have enjoyed time with a sexually dimorphic race.

Names: Alderthorn, Aspenberry, Brushtreker, Creek, Dreamhollow, Entroot, Firbranch, Lichenpool, Lilysong, Melderfoot, Willowspur.

Aardlings Traits

Aardlings share certain racial traits as a result of their floral ancestry.

Ability Score Increase

Your connection to the Worldroots grants you some wisdom of your Eldaard parent.

Your Wisdom score increases by 2.

Pliable Morphology

Spend at least four hours grounding as your wooden flesh grows and transforms. You may alter the appearance of your current form or assume a different form from below.

Add an additional four hours of grounding OR take 1 point of exhaustion for each size category you change as a result of using this ability.

This ability may not be used again until you take a long rest.

Aspenform

A lithe and mobile form. Eschew armor in favor of agility.

Oakenform

A versatile and familiar form.

Ebonform

A form with thick, knotted flesh. Employ natural defenses.

Wildform

Become a beast of wooden flesh.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30.

Age

Although Aardlings are born mature, they certainly spent anywhere from a decade to a century listening to stories at their parents' roots. Aardlings adventuring are generally between 20 and 200 years old.

Grounding

Aardlings can sleep, but don't need to. Instead, they may spread root-like tendrils across the ground, hearing subtle psychic echoes as the Eldaards speak through the Worldroots. The semiconscious Aardling can have an undirected, abstract conversation of sorts with the Eldaards. Meditating on this conversation for four hours provides the same benefit that eight hours of sleep provides a human.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common.

Previous Versions

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