Homebrew Anduin Species Details

Tracing their ancestry to the Aiionic age of Reldarr, the Anduin were once a race of beauty and hospitality, but since this era lost to history, the Anduin have become outcasts, cursed to portray the antithesis of their once beautiful heritage. 

An Anduin's skin is a shale-like carapace, peeling and protruding at seemingly random angles, creating an unsavory and unwelcoming visage. Some Anduin manicure their carapace to look more appealing, however, the color and texture do little to help their appearance. The Anduin's hair seeps out of the carapace on their head, falling in thin strands, leaving most Anduin to keep it clean shaven or to plug the follicles with thick sap or tar. 

Because of their unfortunate appearance, the Anduin often find themselves in situations where they are unwanted. Tavern keepers and barmaids have in some cases even asked Anduin to leave so as not to disturb the common folk. Due to this unfortunate happening, the Anduin have found themselves in a nomadic culture, often finding places in the wilds of Reldarr to call come. In the past centuries, many Anduin have found themselves in the Great Forest of Reldarr, choosing the dark and solitude of the Umbraholt over the outside world. Here they find less persecution due to being more commonplace leading many Anduin to believe they need to ingratiate themselves into society, rather than hiding in the dark.

A typical Anduin has an incredible life span of 350 years leading to a rich culture of learning and lore.

Blessings and Curses

While the Anduin are often described as horrid in appearance, their carapace actually offers distinct unintended advantages, causing them to be more resilient and stealthy in certain situations. They manifest this, choosing to live in trees as they provide protection from threats to their survival.

Often times, Anduin can pass unseen in the night and in heavily wooded areas. They often tend to be heavier due to their carapace, and use this to gain favor in heavy lifting work places. Any given Anduin, however, will have differences in appearances, each carapace being manicured differently or painted (by some). Often times, Anduin will get tattoos to cover their skin as well, choosing to ink with rougher materials such as steel rods or even daggers. 

Anduin often never seek out interactions with other races, however when presented with it, they are often very hospitable and kind, catering to everyone despite health or heritage. Because of their secluded existences and exceptionally long lives, family units amongst the Anduin are very strong and loyal, and often times elves who come to know them will become an extant relation to them due to their shared longevity. 

Calm and Confident

Anduin rarely show their inherent confidence, exploring with caution, seeing themselves as able to overcome almost any challenge in their path, while doing so with care and tact. This often manifests as a graceful self-assurance in one and sometimes calculated arrogance in another. Such self- confidence can sometimes blind an Anduin to risk, and their great plans or miscalculations have been known to get them and others into trouble.

Too much failure can chip away at an Anduin's sense of self, often causing them to shrink into a secluded persona, so they constantly push themselves to improve, honing their talents and perfecting their craft. This is also driven by their need to succeed in their families due to their families being so big and tight-knit.

Anduin Lands

As beings rarely adopted into social culture and unseen in passing, Anduin might go their entire lives without being seen by you, however due to their nomadic lifestyle encountering another race is common place for them. There are no great Anduin cities or empires, however, tribes can become massive if given enough time and opportunity to plant roots. Anduin often have communities of their own, but rarely adopt the cultures and societies into which they roam. Their more strange their appearance, the harder time they have. Many Anduin lose themselves in teeming cities, where their distinctiveness will mostly just raise an eyebrow in places accustomed to the sight of them. In places outside of their normal habitat, their appearance rarely goes unnoticed and often is met with scorn. Because of this, they tend to avoid populated areas where they can.

ANDUIN IN THE UMBRAHOLT

Although any place that includes a teeming civilization can encounter Anduin, in the Great Forest of Reldarr, the Anduin find a home where they do not need to hide. As a people who find comfort in not being seen, the Anduin are viewed as part of the scenery - a feature of the forest and its many civilizations. The birth of an Anduin here is celebrated amongst the people of the forest as a gift to the Umbraholt and is an auspicious event. Most members of the Umbraholt still do not see them as a part of the civilization, but set apart as a timeless relic to the forest.

Those living on the frontier, though, have a much harder time. People there tend to be less accepting of differences. Sometimes a cold shoulder and a suspicious glare are the best Anduin can hope for; in more backward places, they face ostracism and even violence from people who mistake them for beasts or fiends.

Facing a hard life, these Anduin seek isolation in the wilds, making their homes in mountains or dark forests, near lakes, or underground.

Over thousands of years, the bloodlines of the Anduin have spread into other lands. Though far from common, Anduin can be seen amongst most of the populated cites of Auwen and Dhalmi, and much more rarely on the continent of Ocreon, due to its open plains. Many Anduin originated in the Tengah Zone of the Great Forest of Reldarr and spread out from there. 

The mountainous lands of Northern Dhalmi are also known to host Anduin, with its surplus of caves. There, Anduin are put to work hauling steel of stone and are valued for their strength and kind natures once they are known better by their employers. 

Anduin Names

Anduin use the naming conventions of the people among where they were raised. When an Anduin has achieved great feats amongst their people, they will receive a name fitting the act. 

 

Anduin Traits

As an Anduin, you have the following traits

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language.

Age

Anduin mature at about the same rate as humans, however reach adulthood in their late twenties. They live substantially longer than humans, living to be around 350 years old.

Alignment

Independent but kind and generous at heart, Anduin tend toward a good alignment.

Size

Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet and a climbing speed equal to your walking speed.

Monstrous Carapace

While you aren’t wearing armor, your carapace gives you a base Armor Class of 14 + your Dexterity modifier.

Due to the nature of your carapace, when you are hiding amongst stone, brush, or trees, you blend in exceptionally well, giving you advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide. However, you gain disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in any environment considered metropolitan. You also gain disadvantage when making any Charisma (Deception) (Persuasion) (Performance) checks to improve your standing with strangers.

Darkvision

You can see in dim light within 60 feet of yourself as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray.

Shock Resistant

You have resistance to bludgeoning damage caused by falling from a height of 100 feet or less. In addition, you have resistance to thunder damage.

Powerful Build

You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.