Homebrew Galka Species Details
The bandit leader lay with his back against the shattered tree, cupping his hands to his body as warm blood flowed past his fingers. The plan had been so simple, just as they had done a dozen times before. A small village, in the middle of nowhere, with nothing more than a smith’s tools to defend themselves. Show up, make a show of force, demand all their valuables, and be gone. He hadn’t counted on that beast charging out of the mountain forest, roaring and bellowing, with fur like armor and swinging that battleaxe hard enough to fell a young oak. A fatal mistake, apparently.
Making their home in wild, untouched corners of the world, galka thrive on their own independence. Covered in shaggy fur, galka resemble common bears not only in their appearance but in their ability to survive and even thrive in the wilderness. Their keen senses and physical prowess make them formidable enemies, but their practical nature and protective instincts make them fantastic allies. Galka rarely approach the civilized world without good reason. Those who do often find themselves pulled into excitement and adventure.
Protective Nature
Galka have strong parental instincts and are willing to fight to protect their clans and families. To a Galka, blood is thicker than water, and few situations would result in a Galka abandoning their clan and joining a life of adventure. Powerful and protective they tend to be wary of outsiders but make very loyal allies. As strong in heart as in physical ability, Galka are expected to provide and care for their family and allies as best they can, often adopting others into their family wherever they may come across.
Their intimidating mien is no veneer, however. Galka have a deep and impressive capacity for violence when roused to anger or in defense of their own. Galka's passions run as strong as their bodies, and banter that pushes the boundary into insults and bruised honor often leads to more bruises. Their great physical strength means they excel at battle, and even relatively minor physical altercations can inadvertently become serious. Many galka wear scars from physical contests, both simple competition and more serious matters of wounded honor, that went a little too far.
When galka go to war, they do so with the clear goal of protecting their people in the moment and in the future. If that means the destruction of a foe, then so be it. They are adept at weaving their talents together in the same manner they blend families into tribes.
Forgotten Ancestry
The true origin of galka is unknown, but many scholars suspect they are the descendants of bestial spirit guardians of the Feymarch that served in wars. It is inferred that these spirits escaped into the material plane and began to possess bears in the material plane, granting them humanoid features and allowing them to flourish, given sentience and thought to grow and create lives for themselves.
The best evidence of this inference is the fact that galka are able to speak Sylvan naturally and have a close connection with fey spirits in their natural habitats. Though no fey has ever confirmed or denied this theory, what can be confirmed is that regardless of their ancestry, their combat prowess is near instinctual, and they make their homes in woods and mountains alike whether it is deep in the arctic, on top of high mountains to dense humid jungles.
Galka Traits
As a galka, you have the following racial traits.Ability Score Increases
When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one score by 2 and increase a different score by 1, or increase three different scores by 1. Follow this rule regardless of the method you use to determine the scores, such as rolling or point buy. The “Quick Build” section for your character’s class offers suggestions on which scores to increase. You can follow those suggestions or ignore them, but you can’t raise any of your scores above 20.
Creature Type
You are a Humanoid.
Size
Galka stand from 7 to 8 feet tall and weigh between 400 and 500 lbs. Your size is Medium.
Speed
Your walking speed and climbing speed is 30 ft.
Mighty Build
You have expertise in the Athletics skill, and you count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift. Additionally, you have advantage on all checks related to grappling.
Ursine Strike
You have a fanged maw and powerful claws that you can use to make unarmed strikes. When you hit with it, the strike deals 1d6 + your Strength modifier slashing damage, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
Thick Hide
You can weather the coldest temperatures and can survive in driving snow and freezing rain. You have resistance to cold damage. Your hit point maximum also increases by an amount equal to twice your level when you gain this feat. Whenever you gain a level thereafter, your hit point maximum increases by an additional 2 hit points.
Hunter's Nose
You have advantage on Perception, Survival, and Investigation checks that involve smell. Additionally, you have advantage on Insight checks against creatures within 5 feet of you that you can smell.
Born Survivor
You are proficient in two of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Intimidation, Nature, Perception, or Survival.
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