Homebrew Branchling Species Details

Appearance: Branchlings are plant-like humanoids. At birth, branchlings are very small and light green, resembling a curled-up fiddlehead fern. In their first ten or so years of life, they are short and delicate, with bodies composed of thick stems sprouting tender leaves and shoots. As they mature, their trunks and limbs start to turn harden and turn brown, their hair-like leaves toughen, and some individuals even sprout flowers at certain times of the month or year. There is a wide range of colors and types of bark, foliage and blooms. Heights and weights vary according to age, as branchlings continue growing physically throughout their lives. The oldest individuals are rumored to have grown to about 10 feet tall and 500 years old, though many die before reaching that age or height; most are killed off by conflict or disease before reaching 7 feet or their second century of life. The pollution of the city sometimes causes mutations, diseases and rot to which the branchlings are susceptible. They can draw some nutrients from the soil, though the earth under the city is by now deeply depleted. They can also get some nourishment from other plants or food, but their best source of energy is through a photosynthesis-like process, which is why many branchlings risk coming to the surface regularly to absorb sunlight.

History: Branchlings are an old race of plant folk. Some believe that they descended from an ancient tribe of elves who took up residence in the Glenmore Forests long ago and were influenced by the strange magic of the woods, interbreeding with dryad-type creatures and taking on plantlike characteristics. Before the city was established, branchlings used to live in plentiful numbers in the ancient woods. As the city grew larger, it gradually took over the forests by force. Their ecosystem mostly destroyed, they were driven into small communities underneath the city where they survive in much lesser numbers than before. These Burrows, as the branchlings call them, are connected by a network of roots and various underground tunnels. Some of the ancient trees of the forests still have deep roots remaining beneath the earth, and the branchlings foster and care for them as they penetrate into the city from below, seeking to destroy it and reclaim their former habitat. Most of the remaining branchlings belong to a druidic clan, the Circle of Roots, which essentially acts as an ecoterrorist organization and seeks to disrupt technology and overgrow the city with vegetation and organic life once more. The most powerful elders of the clan have permanently fused into the deep roots under the city, sending their vines throughout various neighborhoods to act and wreak havoc. Druids in this circle use their magic to disrupt the city as well as to heal its denizens and victims, and they are trained to use the subterranean root network as a means of covert communication.

Culture: Branchlings revere nature and tend to deeply dislike technology and the city itself, so they begrudgingly have to make peace with living underneath the city and interacting with it on a daily basis. They will readily care for plants and animals, but are generally suspicious of humanoids due to their long history of persecution and habitat destruction. Their social structure is matriarchal, with a hierarchy based on an individual’s number of “rings” or years. Different branchling variants have a variety of familial structures due to various reproductive methods such as seeding and cloning. Beyond their common passion for protecting the natural world, traditions and dialects used to vary widely among the former branchling communities. However, the remaining branchlings have formed a more cohesive culture and religion centered around the Circle of Roots and their belief in the great, unifying life force which has the power to withstand the city’s evils and regenerate the decimated forest. Legends of the ancient woodsare passed down from generation to generation, and the branchlings see it as their duty to crumble the city and attempt to restore the area to its former natural glory. Many branchlings are druids; some are rangers, patrolling the border between the city, the Burrows and any surviving nature beyond; a few are rogues, sneaking through the city to disrupt it however they can. Branchlings are often quiet and nervous, particularly among other races, but are deeply resilient and tenacious. Their names are often taken from the world of trees and other plants. Alignments tend to range from good to neutral and chaotic to neutral. They have their own language, which is a sort of creole of their ancient tongue and Common.

Branchling Traits

As a branchling, you have the following racial traits.

Darkvision

After generations of adapting to semi-subterranean life, you have superior vision in dark and dim Conditions. 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.

Root Connection

Using the retractable roots on the bottom of your “feet,” you can attempt to tap into the network of roots and mycelium underneath the city to communicate with other branchlings and plant life. While connected in this way you may send and receive messages to other plant life connected to the same network at a speed of 1 mile per minute. In areas of dense plant life this speed becomes 10 miles per minute. You may not walk around while channeling, but may act as normal otherwise.

Green Magic

Channeling the magic of your ancestors, you can cast the Goodberry, Entangle, and Spike Growth spells once per long rest without material components.

Kingdom Plantae

As a plant, you gain the following benefits.

• You are proficient in the Nature and Survival skills.
• You do not need to eat, but you must consume at least half a liter of water each day. Additionally, each week you must receive either four hours of direct sunlight or spend four hours with your roots extended in soil. dirt, or mud. If you fail to meet this condition you receive a point of exhaustion every 24 hours until you do so.
• You do not need to breathe.
• To sleep you must spend time in a dormant state similar to a normal humanoid. During this time you remain perfectly still and are unconscious.

Adaptive Form

After completing a short or long rest, you may change your form to one of the following. You may only gain the benefit of one form at a time. 

• Nettle Sting: You grow a nettle-like foliage on your limbs which you can use to attack your enemies. Your unarmed strike now deals 1d6 poison damage and counts as a weapon with which you are proficient. Additionally you may shoot a nettle as an action (make a ranged weapon attack with proficiency, range 20ft, 1d4 poison dmg)
• Hardened Bark: You gain +1 AC and are automatically considered to be wearing a shield if at least one hand is free.
• Foliage Camouflage: While you are within 30ft of any plant life you gain the following benefits:
• You have advantage on Stealth checks.
• You may attempt to Hide from any enemy with Intelligence less than or equal to 4 while in plain view.

Ability Score Increases

• +1 to Str or Con
• +2 to Wis

Creature Type

You are a Humanoid.

Size

You are Medium.

Speed

Your walking speed is 30 feet.