Homebrew Asteroidean Species Details
The Asteroideans? They were created to fight, and fight they do well! But can they make more of themselves now that their old masters are gone? I guess time will tell.
Created to serve the mad whims of Krakken-Kind, Asteroideans have freed themselves from the shackles of their tyrannical masters and can now choose their own fates under the guiding hand of the Dolphinoids and Aquatic Yuan-Ti. Will they make more of themselves, or will they simply act as enforcers for their new masters?
Anatomy.
An Asteroidean is a starfish roughly five feet tall and five feet wide. Exceptionally muscular, it posseses keen intellect…compared to other sea-stars anyway.
An Asteroidean has five limbs; when standing upright, they use two limbs for holding things, and another two for walking. The final limb is used for anything else that needs to be done.
The Asteroidean is much like an ordinary sea-star in many ways. They have the same basic body plan; they have two stomachs, one of which they extend out of their toothless mouth to eat with. They have bumps on their limbs that they use to sense things with, and move using their tubular feet attached to their larger limbs.
They reproduce by releasing their gamete’s into the environment to mingle as spores. Microscopic, the spores eventually grow into full-sized Asteroideans. Alternatively, the Asteroidean can simply drop one of their limbs and clone themselves.
There are two major differences between the Asteroidean and a normal starfish:The Asteroidean has brains, and vocal chords. An Asteroidean has the potential to rival humans in intellect.
History.
How did sea-stars gain a brain?
It was the work of insidious underwater forces. The wicked Krakken-Kin admired the tenacity and strength of the common sea-star and experimented on them. Through the course of many experiments and generations, the Asteroidans emerged as an intelligent race.
The Asteroideans were used as experiment fodder and soldiers. The majority of the Krakken-Kin’s forces were Asteroidean and Squidlings. The Squidlings were used as officers, Asteroideans were foot soldiers.
The Asteroideans were deliberately kept uneducated so that they wouldn’t rebel against their Krakken overlords. Pouring out of the Abyssal Trench, they conquered the Merfolk and Sea elves of the Seagrass Meadow and the Kelp forests. The Tritons were quickly overpowered and enslaved. The Anenolings and Coral-Folk of the reefs were conquered as well.
After 200 years of Krakken-Kin dominance, the Dolphinoids started encroaching on their territory from the north; the Sea Tortles from the west, and the Aquatic Yuan-Ti from the south.
There was a tense peace; then the Dolphinoids and Yuan-Ti invaded. The Dolphinoids taught the Sea-Stars many things, and the Sea-Stars rebelled. The Krakken-Kin were overwhelmed by their own troops, and forced into the abyss.
The Confederacy of Chrosfeld was born. The Dolphinoids built mighty bubble-cities in the underwater mountain range and pipes to bus them through to their territories. They shared power with the Sea Tortles and Aquatic Yuan-Ti; the Yuan Ti in particular formed a power dynamic with the Dolphinoids. The Asteroideans and Tritons quickly became the enforcers of their will. Two hundred years have passed since the rebellion.
Culture.
Most Asteroidans have little to no culture of their own due to a limited capacity for education and their odd life cycles. Those who are born naturally live out their young lives; from 1-5, devouring anything that they can catch. From ages 6-9, they develop brainpower, and at ages 10-14, they begin to find and ingratiate themselves into communities that they discover through their exploration. They reach adulthood at age 20, and grow old around age fifty. They live to around 70 years old.
They have little learning or culture due to their nomadic lifestyle. They form bands of warriors if they meet one another around 10-14, and these bands are employed by the Dolphinoids and Aquatic-Yuan Ti. If they form a warrior’s band, they develop a small, tribal culture that doesn’t last beyond their generation. If not, they typically form attachments to the first settlement they find.
On the other hand, some Asteroideans clone themselves and care for their young. These young Asteroideans copy the culture of their parents.
Asteroideans who grow up in warrior bands then clone themselves sometimes create cities or towns full of clones. These are the only permanent Asteroidean settlements; the Asteroideans here educate their young through oral tales. They don’t have eyes, and thus don’t have a written language of their own. Some settlements have obtained magical rites and potions to give their people better vision. These settlements are better able to educate their people.
Asteroideans are regarded coldly by Tritons, who bore the worst of the invasion from the Krakken-Kin. Other races are quicker to forgive, but many have not forgotten. Dolphinoids and aquatic Yuan-Ti regard them as useful to their cause, but find them slightly off-putting. They have no specific ill will towards them, however.
Asteroidean Personality
Asteroideans are typically chaotic when young; wanting to use their strength to prey on giant clams and fish. They prefer weaker, less mobile prey. When they form a group or integrate into society, their lesser education leads to them being more pliable or more resentful; they lean towards chaotic neutral, lawful neutral, or true neutral.
Asteroidean Quirks
| d6 | Quirk |
|---|---|
| 1 | You question orders constantly. (Chaotic) |
| 2 | You assume others are smarter and know better than you because they’ve been educated. (Lawful) |
| 3 | You want to learn more about the world, even if you can’t read or write. |
| 4 | You assume that people are telling you the truth about local customs and expectations. |
| 5 | You’re always on the lookout for new and tasty foods. |
| 6 | You prefer easy food such as clams when hunting over faster, more agile fish. |
Asteroidean names:
Asteroideans have simple names that describe their greatest feat, and any ranks they have. If the Asteroidean hasn’t done anything notable yet, they name themselves with made up, random words or interesting things they’ve found.
Examples: Chief Many Fights, General Krakken-Mangler, Gufaroo, Horboil, Lorgi, Cracks-A-Clam
Asteroidean Traits
Your Asteroidean character has the following racial traits.Starfish cling
Due to your suction cups, you can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Ability Score Increase
Your Strength score increases by 2, and your constitution score increases by 1.
Age
Those who are born naturally live out their young lives; from 1-5, devouring anything that they can catch. From ages 6-9, they develop brainpower, and at ages 10-14, they begin to find and ingratiate themselves into communities that they discover through their exploration. They reach adulthood at age 20, and grow old around age fifty. They live to around 70 years old.
Your character is 10-70 years old.
Size
Asteroideans are five feet tall and five feet wide. Your size is Medium.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a climbing speed of 40 feet.
Semi-Amphibious
You can breathe in saltwater and brackish water. You cannot breathe freshwater. If you stay in the sunlight for 1d4 hours, you dry up or stop breathing.
Starfish Toughness
An attack that would take you to 0 Hp instead leaves you with one hp. This trait works once per short or long rest. You also have advantage on constitution saving throws and checks made on eating things.
Blindsight
You don’t have normal vision. Instead, the bumps on your limbs detect light and dark. You have blindsight 30 ft.
Grappler
You have advantage when grappling opponents.
Extendable stomach
When grappling, you can extend your stomach. This does 1d4 acid damage. Every two levels, this increases by 1d4, stopping at 10d4 acid damage.
The target makes a DC 15 constitution saving throw. On a failed save, they take full damage. On an unsuccessful save, they take full damage.
Languages
You can speak, Aquan and Common.
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