Homebrew Kijani (plantfolk) Species Details

Swaying Blossoms

Kijani are slender creatures; males stand around 5 and a half feet tall and females just shy of 5 feet. In spite of their lithe build and thin, long limbs, kijani are solidly built. As plant creatures, their bodies are compact and heavier than their silhouette would suggest. Males easily weigh over 190 pounds and females around 160. Skin and hair immediately give away the truth of a kijani's nature, as both are rich green in color.

They are beautiful creatures, with stunning features and smooth skin. Their eyes are large and dominated by solid green pupils. Kijani move with easy grace, like saplings swaying in a warm breeze. Though they are capable of great bursts of speed and agility when needed, the plantfolk normally move sinuously. Their motions are generally deliberate and seductive as if slowly dancing their way through life.

 

History and Change

For eons the kijani plantfolk dwelled peacefully in the dense jungle, barely noted by the powerful beings whose empire covered the world in ancient times. Upheaval came with the arrival of a circle of human druids. The kijani embraced the newcomers and welcomed them, sharing their deep, intimate knowledge of the natural world and the magic that flows through natures veins. Their kindness spelled disaster. Using kijani knowledge, the foolish druids summoned a mighty avatar of nature that ravaged and dominated the mighty jungles, using them like it's personal playthings. The kijani fled the beast's mutating and controlling power, but fully half the race was lost. Those left behind or captured were twisted into the thing's mindless servants and the rest sought sanctuary in jungles far to the south.

This exodus left the kijani deeply scarred. They maintain their peacful kinship with other living things to this day, but the breaking of their race ignited the cinders of the boiling fury that plagues them. Tormented by equal parts fear and rage toward the great beast, the kijani strive to mend themselves by changing their nature. They call this plan the Great Change: They intend to leave their plant nature behind completely and become mammals.

 

Life and Growth

The kijani start life in a very different state from most humanoids. When the plantfolk create a child, a single parent produces a seedling-a vinelike plant that symbiotically bonds with a host. Traditionally the parent hosts the seedling, which draws nutrients and even a small amount of life force directly from its host. The process is essentially harmless, resulting in little more than occasional fatigue and increased appetite for the host. The seedling gestates in this way, growing slightly larger over the course of a decade or so, until one day it detaches and begins its transformation into the adult stage. This process is rapid, and a fully adult kijani emerges 24 hours later.

Now, the kijani seek out a new way to perpetuate their species. While many plantfolk parents still serve as hosts to their seedling children, some seek out willing mammalian humanoid surrogate to host their seedlings for them. This is a crucial part of their Great Change-drawing energy, nutrition, and life from humanoids to incorporate into their children. As a society the kijani never force or trick others to serve as seedling hosts but they welcome any willing surrogates into their culture with open arms and boundless gratitude.

 

Culture and Relations

To keep their roiling base urges in check, the kijani strive to be as serene and controlled as possible. Kijani band together in organizations known as clusters-groups of individual plantfolk who work together for the common good. Each cluster is guided by a single kijani known as a speaker. Though individual kijani are warm, personable, welcoming, and even seductive, clusters project a different attitude. They can be close minded and clannish with a tendency tor prioritize their collective interests above individual concerns.

Kijani (plantfolk) Traits

As a Kijani you have a natural affinity with plant life as well as a deep fury that when pushed to the edge gives a boost.

Roots of the Past

Your plantfolk heritage grants you proficiency in one of the following: Arcana, History, Nature, or Religion

Ability Score Increase

you have a slight ability boost to one ablility

Darkvision

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.

Contained Fury

When you’re badly hurt, your base urges send you into a fury. While below half your maximum hit points, you have access to the the following options:

• Once per turn when you hit with a weapon attack, you deal an extra 2d4 weapon damage.
• As a reaction, when you are hit by an attack during your fury, you can add 2 to your AC against that attack. You must be able to see the attacker to take this reaction.

Plantborn

Though you enter a state of dormancy during long rests similar to the way other creatures sleep, you are immune to any effect that would put you to sleep. When you reach 7th level, you can cast the speak with plants spell as a 3rd-level spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this spell.

Tounge of the Plantfolk

You know Sylvan and Common