Homebrew Furciferan Species Details

Furciferan

"Now, don't get me wrong, I like the little buggers, really quite hospitable once you get to know them, but the way they just appear out of the jungle from nowhere is damned uncanny. One minute you're staring at a green wall of vines and trees and leaves and the next minute there's a half dozen of them attached to blowguns pointed at your face. Oh, I haven't mentioned the blowguns? I've seen one put a blow dart through the eye of a tree rat at 50 paces, been a hunter all my life and I can't do that. And the poison they use? Scary stuff, no idea where they get it from but you die screaming from the smallest scratch. There's a reason why people tend to leave them alone."

-- Faf "The Wildman" du Preez, Explorer and Big Game Hunter in his treatise, On Jungles: Vol IV,
pp. 738-739

Green Ghosts

Furciferans resemble upright, humanoid chameleons. They have independently mobile eyes that provide all round vision, colour changing skin, a prehensile tail and four digit hands and feet. Secretive and insular for the most part, Furciferans rely on their small stature and unique ability to rapidly alter the colour of their skin to match the background for hunting and hiding. While able to walk upright, even if somewhat awkwardly, at ground level, they are far more at home in the trees where their climbing ability shines.

Furciferans hunt in small groups using blowguns and a poison they brew from the roots, leaves and fruit of various plants. This toxin has a terrifyingly quick action that works to paralyze and kill the target. This poison is normally impossible to procure outside of their home jungles.

Jungle Tribes

Furciferans are jungle creatures, living in small tight knit groups of around 50 individuals in treetop villages far above the ground. They have a meritocratic, egalitarian society where
individuals who show merit or potential in a particular occupation are apprenticed after approval by a tribal council whose main function is to guide the tribe through careful observation and discussion. Most Furciferans still live in this tribal, hunter gatherer lifestyle but some have moved into settlements near their territory after contact from other races.

Interacting with Outsiders

They have a long and bitter history with Lizardfolk who consider Furciferans to be slaves at best or food at worst and often raid their villages. Most other races are avoided if possible, however, the collective and cooperative nature of their society means they will help travelers in distress they discover in the jungle. Reports from people helped in this way indicate a friendly society happy to provide food, water and a guide back to civilisation but equally in a hurry to see the traveler on their way.

 

Furciferan Names

Unisex Names: Ahuilitztli, Amoxtli, Chicahua, Chimalli, Cipactli, Citlali, Ehecatl, Eleuia, Etzli, Huitzilli, Ichtaca, Itotia, Itztli, Mazatl, Momoztli, Necalli, Ohtli, Ollin, Patli, Tepiltzin, Tlaloc, Toltecatl, Xipilli, Xochipepe, Yaotl, Yolotli, Zolin

 

Furciferan Traits

Furciferans of all types share a number of common traits and abilities.

Natural Climber

Your prehensile tail and zygodactyl hands and feet give you a base climb speed of 30 feet.

Jungle Eyes

Your independently moving eyes give you nearly full vision in all directions. You are proficient in the Perception skill.

Ballistic Tongue

As a bonus action, you may use your ballistic tongue ability. This attack uses Dexterity, has reach 5 and does 1d4 bludgeoning damage. Alternatively, you may forgo damage and on a hit, grasp and retrieve a small object no larger than a closed fist instead. The object must be in plain view and not firmly attached to anything else. This may be opposed by a Strength or Dexterity check if the object is held or worn by another creature. You are proficient with your own tongue.

Blowgunslinger

Furciferans are taught to use a blowgun from the moment they can hold one and rely on them for survival. You have proficiency with a blowgun. In addition, If you miss with an attack roll using a blowgun, you can reroll it. You can use this feature only once on each of your turns.

Furciferan Toxin

At DM discretion, a Furciferan may craft and use Furciferan toxin. Acquiring the necessary ingredients may require great expense, travel and/or luck.

Languages

You can read, write and speak common and Draconic. Furciferans speak their own dialect of Draconic that, while distinct in accent and vocabulary, is still mutually intelligible with other Draconic speakers.

Chromatic Skin

Instinctively careful and quiet as well as possessing the ability to rapidly alter the colour of your skin means you are proficient in Stealth. In addition, you can use your bonus action to take the Hide action. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1) per long rest.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 2 and your Wisdom score by 1.

Age

Furciferans reach adulthood in their late teens and typically live less than a century.

Alignment

Furciferans tend toward Lawful Good. They have a well ordered society that values cooperation and sharing. Of course, exceptions always exist.