Homebrew Dragontortleborn Species Details

At first it looked like nothing more than
moonlight glinting off the sea. By the time we realized our ship was surrounded, the air was filled with the hissing of steam and the sound of shells splintering the hull.

—Captain Thalion, Captain of the Prancing Pegacorn
An odd cousin of dragonborn, the dragontortleborn combine the best attributes of dragons, humanoids, and turtles. Usually mistaken for a particularly fearsome tortle or a shelled dragonborn, dragontortleborn
are a rare sight in most worlds. Despite their small numbers, dragontortleborn are every bit as proud
as their dragonborn cousins. While the dragonborn make their wars on land, dragontortleborn carve out territory in the sea.

 

Big Snappers

Like their cousins, dragontortleborn hatch from eggs. Instead of being reared by their elders, dragontortleborn form pods with their peers upon hatching. These
groups travel and learn together until their adulthood, when they are considered worthy of joining larger dragontortleborn society. Many dragontortleborn do
not survive through their adolescence as a result of this practice.

Those who do grow to be between 5 and 6 feet
tall. While they are relatively average in terms of
height amongst other humanoids, they are broad and their large armored shells add additional girth and weight. Dragontortleborn weigh no less than 500 pounds and often more. While their turtle-like shape may not make them graceful, the dragontortleborn’s physique is capable of carrying an enormous amount of additional weight.

A Culture of Honor

Due to the way infant dragontortleborn are raised, their culture is disjointed and changes dramatically as new pods age into adults. While there are few traditions that bind dragontortleborn together as a whole, they
do share an emphasis on personal honor. Although
the specifics of what actions and behaviors are honorable vary between pods, dragontortleborn broadly understand honor as exhibiting military strength, stoicism, patience, and conviction.

Like dragon turtles, dragontortleborn highly prize wealth. While most dragontortleborn prefer to live
as warriors who plunder their treasure from fallen adversaries, some become merchants specializing in arranging trade between sea and land-based peoples. A vault of gold and jeweled ornaments may be the only thing dragontortleborn respect as much as personal honor.

By Fin or Sail

Dragontortleborn are covetous of wealth, keen to test themselves in battle, and fiercely protective of their personal honor. For all these reasons, dragontortleborn are as likely to stick with their own kind as they are
to adventure with others. Dragontortleborn form underwater conclaves defeating other underwater races like sahuagin and tritons or, more rarely,
form pirate companies, stealing all they can from seafaring, landborn peoples. When their clans are
at peace, or there is little maritime traffic to harrass, dragontortleborn may turn to adventuring to pursue their love of honor, conflict, and money. Some dragontortleborn become adventurers to nurture these appetites in a positive direction.

Dragontortleborn Names

Throughout a dragontortleborn’s childhood and adolescence, they use a series of nicknames given to them by their podmates. Upon reaching adulthood, a dragontortleborn is either given or decides a name for themselves that will be used for the remainder of their life. Adult dragontortleborn take offense to being called anything other than their adult name, except
in the case of podmates who may continue to use childhood nicknames.
Male Names: Dangame, Midori, Gawappa, Hyosube, Kaiyo, Kame, Kappa, Kawappa, Kawataro, Kogo, Tono
Female Names: Ao, Enko, Miroda, Kema, Kappa, Kawatora, Kawaso, Komahiki, Mizuchi, Suitengu, Umi
Childhood Names: Beach Strider, Eel Chaser, Land Lover, Reef Stalker, Shark Heart, Soft Shell, Wave Rider, Whale Belly.

 Dragontortleborn Traits
Your dragontortleborn character has the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increase

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

Age

Like their dragonborn cousins, dragontortleborn develop quickly. They are capable of surviving on their own within hours of hatching and reach adulthood by the age of 10. They live to be around 70.

Alignment

Dragontortleborn are motivated primarily, though not entirely, by self-interest. Most dragontortleborn are neutral with some being evil and a few being good. They have no natural inclination towards law or chaos.

Size

Dragontortleborn are stout creatures relative to their height. You stand between 5 to 6 feet tall and weigh around 500 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30, and you have a swimming speed of 30 feet.

Amphibious

You can breathe air and water.

Breath Weapon

You can use your action to exhale scalding hot steam in a 15 foot cone. When you use your breath weapon, each creature within the cone must make a Constitution saving throw. The DC
for this saving throw equals 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. A creature takes
2d6 fire damage on a failed save, and half as much
on a successful one. Being underwater doesn’t grant resistance to this damage. The damage increases to 3d6 at 6th level, 4d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 16th level.
After you use your breath weapon, you can’t use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

Natural Armor

Due to your shell and the shape of your body, you are ill-suited to wearing armor. Your shell provides ample protection, however; it gives you a base AC of 17 (your Dexterity modifier does not affect this number). You gain no benefit from wearing armor, but if you are using a shield, you can apply the shield’s bonus as normal.

Languages

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

Dragontortleborn Traits

Your draconic heritage manifests in a variety of traits you share with other dragonborn.

Amphibious

You can breathe air and water.

Retractable Claws

You have retractable claws at the ends of your fingers that you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Ability Score Increase

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

Age

Young dragonborn grow quickly. They walk hours after hatching, attain the size and development of a 10-year-old human child by the age of 3, and reach adulthood by 15. They live to be around 80.

Size

Dragonborn are taller and heavier than humans, standing well over 6 feet tall and averaging almost 250 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Swim is 30ft

Natural Armor

Due to your shell and the shape of your body, you are ill-suited to wearing armor. Your shell provides ample protection, however; it gives you a base AC of 18 (your Dexterity modifier does not affect this number). You gain no benefit from wearing armor, but if you are using a shield, you can apply the shield’s bonus as normal.

Breath Weapon

You can use your action to exhale scalding hot steam in a 15 foot cone. When you use your breath weapon, each creature within the cone must make a Constitution saving throw. The DC
for this saving throw equals 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. A creature takes
2d6 fire damage on a failed save, and half as much
on a successful one. Being underwater doesn’t grant resistance to this damage. The damage increases to 3d6 at 6th level, 4d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 16th level.
After you use your breath weapon, you can’t use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Draconic. Draconic is thought to be one of the oldest languages and is often used in the study of magic. The language sounds harsh to most other creatures and includes numerous hard consonants and sibilants.