Homebrew Wargen Species Details

Wargen feature in the nightmare tales of many races — great, hairy beasts that creep through the shadows as quiet as the wolves with which they garner much similarity. If you walk alone in the woods, a wargen will reach out of the bushes and strangle you. If you stray too far from the house at night, wargen will scoop you up to split amongst the inhabitants of their den.

Sensational tales such as these do bud from seeds of truth however. Wargen do rely on stealth and strength to attack, preferring to operate at night. They also have been known to treat enemies rather poorly, but they are no more likely to attack or eat people indiscriminately than a human. Wargen aren't likely to attack lone travelers or wandering children unless they have wandered far into their territory or perhaps have something to gain by doing so. From the viewpoint of the rest of the world, their aggression and savagery are thankfully offset by their reclusiveness and caution. 

Wargen Traits

+2 Dex, +1 Con, Darkvision, Claws, Taiga Born, Natural Tracker

Ability Score Increase

Your wolf-like musculature makes you lithe and more agile on average while the chilly taigas from which you hail have built up a strong resilience in your race.

 

Darkvision

Accustomed to twilit forests and the night sky, 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.

 

Bite

Your teeth are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you can deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Taiga born

Due to the snowy nature of your ancestral home along with your fur you take to cold much more freely than most others giving you resistance to cold damage.

Natural Tracker

Your keen sight and sense of smell make you an adept tracker giving you proficiency in the survival skill.

Languages

You can speak read and write Common and Winter Wolf

Age

Wargen have lifespans comparable to humans. They enter adulthood in their late teens and usually live less than a century.

Speed

your walking speed is 30 feet.

Hungry Jaws

In battle, you can throw yourself into a vicious feeding frenzy. As a bonus action, you can make a special attack with your bite. If the attack hits, it deals its normal damage, and you gain temporary hit points (minimum of 1) equal to your Constitution modifier, and you can’t use this trait again until you finish a short or long rest.

Cunning and Fierce

Wargen tend to be a bit taller than your average human moving with an air of trepidation that suggests their conservative nimbleness. An achromatic lusters clings to the blue black fur that covers a wargen body  its long and shaggy nature styled and tamed differently depending on the individual. While their hands prove to be just as nimble as other humanoids thick long claws protrude from their paw like appendages. These combined with their large pearly fangs ready to be barred give wargen an air that readily shifts between reserved calculation and fearsome anger. Wargen often act with an air of caution and mistrust, which can come off as sycophantic. While this can be off-putting to allies  it can also suggest proper caution in the face of what they perceive as imposed authority or unworthy experts.

Concealed Quarrels

Others may perceive wargen as emotionally hardy or perhaps a bit cold and incredibly tolerant to any slights or criticisms levied towards them, but in reality they're quick to anger, easilly offended, and will long hold onto a grudge. All of this is held back beneath the cold veneer their culture demands when dealing with others. This has led to an interesting nuance of their verbal culture. While speaking the same common that races such as humans use; wargen employ a sinister subtlety where even the most benign comments can be levied as vicious insults. This linguistic venture can be best summarized by Adolphus' folly; a tri-generational blood feud stemming from the wargen man Adolphus adding his own salt to a piece of venison which had been prepared for him at another's house. The effects of this left such an impact on wargen society that it is still considered taboo to name a child Adolphus to this day

Packs and Cities

Wargen civilization tends to center around the large city states constructed of wood and stone in the hollowed out areas of the large snowy wooded areas they call home. No proper country has emerged from among the members of this race in recent memory. They are instead content to maintain large city states  set upon hunting and gathering along with what meager crops can be grown there. Near constant, but inconsequential skirmishes for territory happen between these states; more of a bit of half hearted ceremony than any true dispute. Within the high walls around these cities is a rigid class structure where in economical or formal affairs you were regarded by the repute of your pack's name rather than any individual credentials. Wargen families tend to sequester themselves into a single spacious home within a city and all currently living members shall stay there. Upon marriage the family of a higher social standing takes in the lower spouse: a practice that can become quite hostile among families of similar standing. Matters such as those are decided via some sort of competition or deal more often than not. The governing systems within these cities varies, but generally the head of the most respected family acts as a psuedo monarch while a council of the next 5 highest ranked families worked as a check to the monarch's power.

Gold, Gods, and Family

Wargen who take up adventuring might be motivated by a desire to win wealth- for it's own sake, for a specific purpose, or out of an altruistic desire of some sort. the wargen are driven by the command or inspiration of a deity, a direct calling or simply a desire to bring glory to one of the deities. Bane is a common one with his style of lawful order especially speaking to the higher ranking families. Family and ancestry are also important motivators. A wargen may seek to restore their families' lost honor, raise their position within their home city or earn their place again after being exiled. 

Wargen Names

Along with their personal names granted by the two parents wargen are given the family names of both packs from which they hail from. The higher ranked family at the time of their birth is used as their last name and is used to identify them more regularly than the lower ranked families' name which is used as the second. For example a wargen with the personal name Farkas born to a member of the Skol and Lockwood families would be known as Farkas Skol Lockwood. 

Male Names: Adolphus Bardulf, Boris, Conri, Dolph, Farkas, Fridolf, Gonzalo, Hrolf, Lobo, Lowell, Lyall, Hemming, Odwolf, Ralph, Tidwulf, Zeeb.

Female Names: Ashina, Cathwulf, Daciana, Due, Faoiltiama, Louve, Lupe, Mingan, Otsana, Rieka, Rollin, Rudina, Sassaba, Tala, Ulf, Ulva, Ylfa

Pack Names: Ergin, Ilgax, Dinza, Iklem, Zogdrum, Odras, Lunzen, Vaomdran, Azruk, Meldrim

 

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