Homebrew Beastborn (Forsaken Frontier) Species Details

The first Beastborn were encountered in 1118, when a Commonwealth ranging party attacked an encampment in Cavallo, thinking them to be common monsters. The origin of these creatures is a hot button debate, with differing legends arising from different groups. The Rucho believe they were created by the Suhnan to weaken the Commonwealth and drive the Rucho out. The Suhnan believed they were framed by cultists of the Archdemon Praxus, who created the Beastborn to reignite war between the Suhnan and Rucho people. The Beastborn themselves have been decidedly silent on matters of their creation, leading others to believe that they have either lost their memory, or are keeping an elaborate secret. Beastborn strongly value independence, and as such, seem to have no interest in fostering any form of communal government outside of relatively small packs. To more “developed” cultures, these hybrid creatures seem aimless, wandering the land with no purpose outside of base primal needs like the beasts they are fused with, but for many Beastborn, they feel as if they have lucked into the best of both worlds, with the ability to appreciate the beauty of the world via humanoid consciousness while retaining the natural freedom of simple animals. However, this laissez-faire attitude can cause problems when Beastborn and themselves in civilized lands, as they chafe under the laws of other societies. Due to their wild nature, some Beastborn tend towards patterns of hedonism and acts that would be considered immoral/taboo such as theft and cannibalism. While many other races may see this as abhorrent, to the Beastborn, it is simply being resourceful, and is generally not done with any ill intent. Because of these differences, the majority of Beastborn keep to themselves in the wild plains of Cavallo where they can roam free and unhindered by the rules of others. However, that doesn’t stop others from trying to capitalize on the resources of Cavallo, which means that the Beastborn rarely get the solitude that they crave. Beastborn are ne to keep things civil if the outsiders do too, but generally this tenative peace is broken by some overzealous outsider looking to take advantage of the “dumb beasts,” which generally leads to a bloody mess. While the Beastborn do not have a centralized shared religion, quite a few tend towards demonic cults, nding a sense of belonging with other like minded social outcasts. Some practice a simplistic version of Somonastra, hoping to find a purpose in upholding the “natural order.” Strangely enough, there has even been a rise in Trinitarian faithful across the Beastborn, with many Beastborn deacons preaching an offshoot that paints their people as the “next evolution” that will catapault mortals that much closer to the fabled Great Eureka.

The Beastborn are humanoids that have been seemingly fused with different animals via magic. They have a wide variety of physical appearances, depending mostly on the type of animal they are fused with, the most common fusions being lizards, pigs, and wolves. All Beastborn bear the head of their animal fusion, adding to their sometimes nightmarish appearance. Other common bestial traits include claws, hooves, fur, scales, forked tongues and more. Beastborn can have increased humanoid traits depending on their parentage (generally they will tend towards the appearance of the mother), and as a result may have more subtle bestial features. However, even these Beastborn look too animalistic to be confused with any other race.

Very few people across the 5 Corners trust the Beastborn, and for the most part, the Beastborn have given up on trying to convince them otherwise. However, while they may risk death merely by being  seen in certain parts of the continent, they still have a few groups they are amicable with. The Cactoids and Calavera of Riado Mesa feel a kinship with the Beastborn, and understand their plight as a “monstrous” race looking to find their identity. However, this is tempered a bit by the Beastborn’s general standofish nature, and a tendency of seeing the Cactoids and Calavera as naive “newborns” given the fact that the Beastborn have been around far longer than the other two races. Regardless, the bond between the Beastborn and the denizens of Riado Mesa is the strongest that the Beastborn have. The Rucho and the Suhnan both see the Beastborn as abominations (one of the few things these two groups actually agree on, albeit for different reasons), and the Beastborn can expect heavy prejudice and possibly even physical violence if they find themselves in a Rucho or Suhnan-heavy settlement. Meanwhile, the Sayre of Arroyas mainly look upon the Beastborn with pity, seeing them as unfortunate wretches whose tortured existence is further evidence of the damage caused by leylines. The Beastborn bristle at this pity, not exactly ecstatic at the Sayre “looking down on them,” but they recognize that the treatment they receive from the Sayre is far better in comparison to many other groups, so they generally let it slide.

While Beastborn may struggle to feel welcome in civilized settlements, they are rst-class frontiersmen, and even the most prejudiced ranging parties would be remiss to turn down the opportunity of having Beastborn in their posse. Many Beastborn nd good livings as bounty hunters, wilderness guides, couriers, and explorers due to their resourcefulness out on the open road.

The Beastborn language of Spek is harsh, short and very matter-of-fact, and Beastborn names re ect this. They don’t place any importance on family names like other cultures, instead only bearing a single name, which is generally one signifying term that describes a physical aspect of the individual in question. Because of this, there really is not a difference between male and female Beastborn names. Example Names: Agurnd, Clerns, Dirk, Idhi, Lederd, Mank, Nartch, Rand, Slem, Thonk

Beastborn (Forsaken Frontier) Traits

Dark Vision 60ft., Expertise in survival, +2 and +1 to chosen stats

Darkvision

You can see in dim light within 60 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.

Rugged Traveler

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

Wild Diet

Life is hard in the wild and many Beastborn have shown no qualms about eating humanoid bodies to survive. Humanoid body parts count as food for you, and you can also eat raw meat without needing to make a saving throw. In addition, you gain resistance to poison damage.