Homebrew Badgerfolk Race Details

The badgerfolk snuffled and grunted as she hefted up her bloodied stone hammer, resting it then upon a shoulder. She turned from her fallen foe with a contented smile slowly coming to her striped snout.

"It's okay now, the gnolls won't be bothering anybody anymore."

And the little mouse twitched its nose, squeaked its thanks, and scurried off back into the forest proper.

— Walter Stocke, Fables of the Fey Forest

Oberon, archfey of the wilds, once blessed a group of giant badgers to aid him as guardians of the forest. Their hind legs grew to let them stand upright, their minds awoke into intelligence, and where once they could only yelp and bark, now they could speak. They became the first badgerfolk, wise forest dwellers who are as curious as they are cautious. They have a kindly nature, but become ferocious when their friends or forest are threatened.

Badgerfolk are nocturnal sentinels who live in the underground villages they dig, called setts. They emerge from these setts at dusk, gathering food and watching over the beasts of their woodland realm.

Dedicated Kinship

Badgerfolk closely resemble badgers, complete with their black and white masks of fur. They stand upright, and the light of intelligence shimmers behind their peaceful eyes. They have short, powerful limbs with their hands and feet paw-like, complete with sharp claws they can use to defend themselves, or burrow. It's with their claws they dig out their underground villages (setts) together, living in small clans of 20-30 badgerfolk at any one time. A sett is surprisingly elaborate, forming complex tunnel-networks —  complete with streets that weave between the roots of trees above.

When the clan grows too large, it often separates into halves, with one half digging a new sett a few miles from the original. As an orderly people they form long-term bonds, and when they choose a mate, their dedication is unwavering. They divide themselves into roles that they traditionally keep for life, and pass down these roles through the taking apprentices who are never their own cubs — they believe this keeps the bloodlines versatile and healthy. From crafters to gatherers, warriors and scouts. In addition, it's not uncommon for the most dedicated badgerfolk to make pacts with Oberon, or swear oaths to him.

Each clan usually has one druid with a single apprentice, who typically leads the clan and guides them to best support the nature around them. If both druid and apprentice are slain, the whole clan sets out to find another clan, or elven or firbolg druids, to teach a new druid candidate that they will have elected among themselves. Only then will they return to their home, such is the value they place in druidic guidance.

Enchanted Protectors

The creature-people hunt for food and craft to fill their own, simple needs, but their main purpose in life is that of guardianship. Badgerfolk take great pride and satisfaction in guarding their patch of the forest from monsters and 'civilization', taking care of the plant-life and, in particular, protecting the natural animals. They might allow a few respectful lumberjacks take a small amount of wood, for all creatures must build shelter, but greed and extensive 'civilized' antics will surely invoke their fierce wrath. They prefer to scare off such people with a show off force, rather than actually attack — but they'll never back down.

Arachni are the one foe they truly loath. These arachnid-people are believed to be enchanted from regular spiders, akin to themselves from badgers, but instead this was done by one of Oberon's ancient foes. It's thought the arachni were created to continue this forgotten archfey's nefarious schemes, and badgerfolk will gather in force to try and drive them off before they can weave their lairs, which take the form of nigh unreachable webs among the treetops.

Badgerfolk have a trustworthy reputation. They are friends with non-evil fey and other well-meaning creatures, and often have close ties with sprites, forest gnomes and even the distrustful wood elves. However, no race do they share a closer bond with than firbolgs, who share their love of harmony with the forest. In comparison to firbolgs, badgerfolk typically take a more physical approach to their problems, as opposed to subtle magic — and whereas firbolgs also disguise themselves with magic, badgerfolk can simply pass themselves off as giant badgers with little trouble.

Badgerfolk Names

Each of the badgerfolk has a single name, based on geographic features near their sett, as well as natural omens near their time of birth. This is chosen by the clan druid, who also blesses the badgerfolk cub in the presence of forest spirits. They do not differentiate between gender.

Badgerfolk Names: Bramblehowl, Featherstone, Hillwhistle, Moondancer, Rainpaw, Riverpeak, Summerhowl, Winterclaw

Badgerfolk Traits

Your badgerfolk character has the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increase

Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.

Age

Badgerfolk mature quickly compared to humans, reaching adulthood by the age of 10, and have lifespans that can reach up to 60 years.

Alignment

Badgerfolk are almost always good, and tend toward a lawful nature despite their fey origins.

Size

Badgerfolk have broad, stout builds, and stand between 4 and a half and 5 and a half feet tall. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

You have a badger's nocturnal traits. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Keen Senses

You has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Badger Claws

You are proficient with your unarmed strikes, which deal 1d4 slashing damage on a hit. In addition, you have a burrowing speed of 10 feet.

Careful Rover

You have proficiency in the Survival skill.

Speak with Small Beasts

Through sounds and gestures, you can communicate simple ideas with Small or smaller beasts. Badgerfolk retain an innate connection to the creatures they protect.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan.