Homebrew Cactir Species Details
Arid Home
First and foremost, the lives of the cactir are heavily shaped by the environment they have arisen in. A desert people, they persist despite the harsh conditions, taming all but the most stubborn wastes into an eden to be admired and experienced. While not a choice they made for themselves, they have taken on this monumental task regardless, and their settlements function as popular stops for travelers, adventurers, and other creatures of the land they live in.
The cactir do not expand fast, preferring to choose the most suitable areas they can find, and then slowly adapting it to their needs. Their cities are born over centuries, the inevitable tide of new life spilling over while the rest of the desert attempts to hem it in as best it can. When they believe the land can no longer sustain much more life, they happily journey forth in the hopes of finding a place to start anew.
Born of Death
The origin of the cactir is one spoken of in their legends, a tale so old as to be indistinguishable from fact or myth. The stories say that their homeland was originally a paradise, a rainforest blessed by an ancient, powerful fey spirit that had been cast out from the Feywild. It had protected the land, creating a small piece of the Feywild to call home on the material plane. Its fate is a mystery, but all the stories agree that eventually its death came. Perhaps as a result of its banishment from that which had given it life, or possibly as the final term of its punishment, carried out by whatever powers that be had deigned it unworthy.
After its death, its home died with it. The rainforest wilted, and turned to dust, its carcass spreading rot and ruin for miles. Of the parts of its body that remained, new life sprang forth. Fantastic life. Life built to withstand the terrors and trials of the endless sandy dunes. The cactir were the last of these creatures, given minds that could think, and bodies that could build and cultivate. And so they did.
Sanctity of Life
Life is precious in the desert. Hard to find, harder still to keep. The cactir value it above all things, and are both dedicated to its survival, and uniquely talented at protecting it. Their lives are spent exploring all the many varieties there are of that which grows, both flora and fauna, and their love of medicine keeps their society both healthy and happy. For many cactir, the singular pursuit of one field of biology is all they need, and some may spend their entire lives simply trying to grow the biggest, brightest flower, or the strongest, healthiest oxen.
This love of life is defined by their origin, given life by that which had to die. They honor their progenitor, holding festivals in its many names, and they seek to use the precious gift given to them to be the catalyst for more such creations. Needless death is the greatest sin, and they respond poorly to those who would seek to do harm for the lesser good.
Cactir Traits
sillyAbility Score Increase
CON and DEX go up
Age
Cactir reach maturity around the age of 15, and can grow as old as 200.
Size
Cactir can vary drastically in height and weight, from as tall and heavy as 8 feet and 250 pounds, to just over 4 feet and 120 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Defensive Spines
When a creature attempts to grapple you, or hits you with a melee attack while within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to deal an amount of piercing damage to it equal to 1d4 + your Constitution modifier.
Desert Denizens
The amount of water you need each day is halved, and you can gather the necessary water to survive each day via exposure to at least 1 hour of light to heavy rainfall.
Preserve Life
You are proficient in Medicine, and Nature.
Waxy Hide
You have resistance to fire damage.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common and Cactin. Cactin's spoken dialect is a susurrus of lilting whispers, with a flow almost musical to the ear. Its written alphabet is a series of angled scratches, like claw marks in stone.