Homebrew Florafolk Species Details

“The grand city before me would be unbelievable if it weren't right infront of me” Terrion said to himself. The long journey had been exhausting, but the destination was beyond his expectations. He and his companions stood on a distant hill viewing the Florian city of Vivaria.

"Gargantuan stalks budding into multicolored flowers rose from the city’s corners like fingers reaching towards the sky. Ornate stone arches, fenced around the bases, soaring high above us. Crafted long ago by their finest masons, the arches were each strong enough to hold the weight of a castle, yet decorated upwards as far as the eye could see with carvings of their history. These monolithic structures were the city’s only boundaries; as there were no walls around Vivaria. The Florafolk city opened its arms lovingly to the wilderness.

— Terrion Winterhowl, The Traveler's Almanac 

When one typically thinks of a plant they think of something unreactive and slow moving like a tree or flower. The sort of living being that is barely recognized as living given the manner in which it progresses through its lifespan. The Florafolk, however, are the exception to that thought. The strange humanoids composed of stems, roots, leaves, and petals have been known to take their steps just as quickly as the other races to go on grand adventures and build elaborate civilizations.

Verdant and Vibrant

Despite their puzzling faces and earthy features, Florafolk otherwise appear similar in shape to humans and members of many other races. They range from under 3 feet tall to well over 6 feet depending on their age. Their weight is heavily dependent on which variety of plant they descend from, weighing between 50 to 200 pounds. Male Florafolk and female Florafolk are starkly different in their facial features, but otherwise are very similar in stature.

The Florafolk’s coloration encompasses the range of plants that they descend from. Treefolk tend to exhibit muted greens, browns, and grays while Flowerfolk show off the spectacular palettes of all non-humanoid flowers. Their favored clothing similarly reflects this trend with Treefolk gravitating towards practical, comfortable garbs, and Flowerfolk flaunting bright colors, adorned with flashy jewelry.

A Timeless Lifetime

It is uncertain of how long Florafolk can live, even among their elders. It is generally understood that life for Florafolk is ever changing. Steady decades of slow growth or cycles of hibernation and bloom are common in Florian society. They often to remain uninfluenced by the politics and happenstance in surrounding regions. When pursuing a goal, however, Florafolk are undeterred and unstoppable forces of will. Whether adventuring on a mission or learning a new skill or art, Florafolk will pursue their goals for years at a time until accomplished and mastered. Interpersonally, they often find obstacles and transgressions to be insignificant in the grand scheme of things, rarely holding grudges except in the most extreme of cases.

Life From and Within Nature

Most Florafolk dwell in small towns and communities hidden in the forest. They hunt game, farm compost, and grow food within their settlements with a natural proficiency expected from the descendants of plants. Their excess of sustenance allows for the specification the highest quality of craftsmen and experts. They are talented artisans, crafting finely made clothes and artwork. Their contact with outsiders is usually limited, though a few Florafolk make a good living by trading crafted items for metals (which they have no interest in mining).

Florafolk encountered outside their own lands are commonly explorers, scholars, or mercenaries. Townships and cities compete for the services of these rare individuals to teach their esoteric ways to local artisans and armies.

Exploration and Adventure

Florafolk take up adventuring out of desire for growth. They are perplexed and amused by the quicker-lived races and find the knowledge they possess to be indispensable and priceless. Since they are so long-lived, they struggle to understand the urgency of day-to-day life found in humans, dwarves, and even elves. Adventuring Florafolk have a reputation for asking a litany of questions and seeking insight into foreign cultures in effort to gain knowledge that will be useful when they return to their communities. Some might join armies during periods of conflict to learn battle strategies, while others may enroll in arcane schools to practice the magical arts.

The Perspective of Nature

A result of their neutrality is that Florafolk tend to see other races very generally. Still, individuals can find good in just about anyone.

Elves. “Elves seem to understand us the most, speaking in terms of the non-plantfolk. They value their communities over their time as individuals, pursuing growth and stability in whatever fashion the can achieve.”

Dwarves. “Dwarves are strange. They seem the most volatile of the fleshfolk. They dig into the earth past the valuable peat and loam, directly into the rock in search of minerals. I must admit, they burrow deeper than any tree I've ever met and pull out ore that fabricates the finest weapons and armor.”

Halflings. "Halflings seem to share the Florafolk's way of life on a microscale. They care for each other and tend their gardens, they approach tasks slowly and leisurely, and they have proven themselves tougher than they seem when the need arises.”

Humans. “All that haste, all that ambition and drive to accomplish something before their brief lives pass away—human endeavors seem so futile sometimes. But then you look at what they have accomplished, and you have to appreciate their achievements. They seem to change with the seasons themselves.”

Plantfolk Names

Plantfolk are unusual in that they lack names until they choose their own. They spend much of their childhood observing the verbage and language of their caretakers before speaking for the first time, and as a result their names are usually very short, childish, and primal. Their family or "Seed" names are generally more meaningful and like those of other races.

Male Names: Alder, Aster, Bey, Bud, Ced, Clem, Dekel, Elrey, Frey, Fergus, Grover, Hollis, Larch, Lotem, Mandar, Nash, Oris, Perth, Poppy, Reed, Silas, Timber, Urth, Varden, Yarrow.

Female Names: Algoma, Anfisa, Arden, Begonia, Blimah, Caltha, Clover, Daphila, Erith, Fioren, Forsytha, Ginger, Hycina, Icyra, Ketifa, Liden, Maple, Nawar, Prim, Raiz, Rowan, Sylvie, Verbana, Wister, Yaz, Zara.

Family Names (Common Translations): Augiscent (Goldenpetal), Celendower (Starflower), Surrond (Deeproot), Graphidro (Diamonddew), Ferrohitch (Iron Wood), Strond (Stoneroot), Melifoot (Oakenheel), Corrioli (Fairbreeze), Lunidale (Moonbrook), Dredsanger (Blight Warrior)

Subrace

Florafolk divide themselves into catagories of relation from the non-humanoid plants they bare the most resemblance to. The two main subraces: Flowerfolk and Treefolk, who are commonly called Plantfolk. Choose one of the two subraces presented below or one from another source.

Florafolk Traits

Your Florafolk character is the product of thousands of years of adaptation, and as such gains a set of benefits that are inheret to the species.

Ability Score Increase

Your Wisdom score increases by 2.

Age

A Florafolk typically claims a name around the age 5-8 and can live to be 750+ years old.

Size

Plantfolk range from under 3 to over 6 feet tall and have varied builds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Flora Ancestry

You have proficiency in the Nature skill.

Deeproot Rest

Plantfolk don’t need to sleep. Instead, they root into the ground, remaining semiconscious, for 4 hours a day. (The Common word for such activity is “deeprooting”) While deeprooted, you will dream as other races do, but remain aware to the sounds and sights of your immediate surroundings. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep.