Homebrew Anisoptera (dragonfly folk) Species Details

Man Sized Bugs

Scattered through marshlands and swamps live the bizarre insect like humanoids, the Anisoptera, sometimes referred to as dragonfly people. Closely resembling their namesake though in humanoid form, the anisoptera have lithe, elongated bodies cased in a chitinous exoskeleton. They also sport four arms and two pairs of strong wings with a long segmented tail to top it off. they make for a strange sight to those unfamiliar with insect-like races making it common for them to be called out as some monstrous creature, though in truth they are far from being monsters despite their appearance and their choice environment. Anisoptera are well known, amongst those that do know them, to be great aerial combatants and stealthy scouts especially when moving through their homelands.

Physical Description

The anisoptera resemble their simpler insectoid versions almost entirely to the letter apart from being both humanoid and sentient. tall and lean their bodies are segmented and cased in hard chitinous plating that often shines with bright iridescent and metallic colors, though they may have duller earthen colors as well. Unlike many other humanoids, the anisoptera sport a wide collection of appendages including two legs, four arms and a set of four wings along with a segmented tail that is usually only long enough to just reach the ground. Their head holds a set of two large multifaceted eyes with equally brilliant colors as their body along with three smaller eyes in a small cluster between them and a fierce set of jaw-like mandibles making for a rather dangerous mouth. Due to their strangely shaped mouths they can experience difficulty speaking other languages, just like other species would have difficulty speaking the language of the anisoptera. Thanks to their hard chitinous shell they have little need for armor or clothes and usually wear little more than harnesses for their tools and equipment.

Society

The resemblance to their smaller and less sentient insect counter parts isn't only in appearance. Anisoptera make their homes near bodies of water where there are plentiful creatures to prey upon such as small insects, fish, snakes, and even larger predators. Being nearly entirely carnivorous they rely on frequent hunting and fishing in the local waters or the farming of fish and smaller insects. they're also a highly territorial race and don't often take well to newcomers, which has greatly hindered their race's overall growth. Though their territorial nature and strict choice of living conditions it's uncommon for them to stray far from large bodies of water, whether it be a flowing river, a swamp, or a lake which they almost exclusively make their communities around so long as it has dense woodlands around it. Such waterside homes provide plenty of food to fit their dietary needs it also comes with the added benefit of having plentiful space for them to live and reproduce. Making use of the tree tops or simply building out on the water keep safely out of reach of other races. Anisoptera will often claim large areas of land around any abundant water source they can find and get control of. To them, their swamps and wetlands are a safe haven to which they rarely leave, being secluded to such places often makes them unfamiliar with the world beyond their boundaries and unaware of the societies and politics of nations they may live in or near.

Anisoptera are prideful and see themselves as the most elite of aerial hunters. Their competitive nature bringing them to judge others on their ability to hunt and kill their prey without being noticed. Often regarding city dwellers and other races as non-hunters they only respect or even have interest in those that are efficient killers yet still respect the balance of the land and the wildlife that inhabit it.

They are a calculating and deceptive species when it comes to outsiders, with little issues regarding either cannibalism or the consumption of the flesh of other sapient creatures. though despite their hostile and seemingly sinister presentation they don't hunt for sport and are no more dangerous or likely to commit murder than any other sapient species. In fact, if one where to earn the respect of an anisoptera community they'd find themselves in the many good hands of some rather interesting people. Though their difficulty communicating with most humanoids has still resulted in a foul reputation and further dissuades the anisoptera people from interacting with outsiders.

Anisoptera Names

The names of the anisoptera often consists of click and rattling sounds much like what their language is composed of, though with sufficient exposure to other cultures they may come to adopt a nickname that others can speak without issue.

An anisoptera of either gender could have any of these names: Chak-tha, Drik-chkit, Kacht-ta, Kat’chka, Pak’cha, Pik-ik-cha, Ptekwe, Tak-tha, Tik-tik. 

ANISOPTERA BACKGROUNDS

Backgrounds that are most appropriate for anisoptera include the outlander, the hermit, and the sage.

The small colonies of anisoptera are insular and remote, and few anisoptera live away from their dens. Those that do are usually rangers or fighters, constantly patrolling for outside threats.

 

Anisoptera (dragonfly folk) Traits

Elite aerial combatants and skilled scouts the anisoptera are fierce winged warriors.

Ability Score Increase

Your dexterity increases by 2 and your charisma by 1

Alignment

despite their territorial nature and closed off demeanor towards outsiders most Anisoptera are good and rarely choose sides when it comes to law and chaos as they stay within their respective communities. Tribal leaders and warriors might be lawful, while explorers and adventurers might tend toward chaotic.

Size

Anisoptera are a lightweight species thinks to their lean frames and chitinous armor, they often reach heights from 5 to 6 feet tall and weigh around 90 to 120 pounds. Your size is medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 25 feet.

Flight

You have a flying speed of 50 feet. To use this speed, you can’t be wearing medium or heavy armor.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, and one language of your choice.

Darkvision

Your insectoid senses give you superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 30 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. 

Natural Armor

Your chitinous exoskeleton serves as armor. When you aren't wearing armor, your Armor Class equals 13 + your Dexterity modifier

Multiple Limbs

You have an additional set of arms. These additional limbs act just the same as the first two, allowing you to interact with an additional object or feature of the environment for free during your turn. You can carry an additional one-handed weapon using each of these extra arms, perform grapples, or wield shields, though you cannot use the versatile property of weapons carried in these extra arms. These just like your other limbs these two extra hands can be used for other tasks, such as opening doors, carrying torches, using tools, or performing the somatic components of spells, without difficulty when they are not holding weapons. 

Aerial Supperiority

When a creature you can see makes a ranged or melee attack against you while you are flying you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage upon the incoming attack.

Deceptive Maneuvering

While flying if you move more than your base walking speed towards a creature you gain advantage on the first melee attack you make against them within the same turn.