Homebrew Aak'Tar Species Details

 

The Aak'Tar'k'Krithak: Children of the Goddess Krithak

The Aak'Tar'k'Krithak, often referred to simply as the Aak'Tar, are an insectoid people who view themselves as the Children of Krithak, their creator-goddess, known as the Crafter, the Warrior, and the Mother. Living deep within Talimyr’s underground, these beings have developed a complex and multifaceted society centered around three distinct subraces, each embodying a different aspect of Krithak's will and purpose.

Physical Characteristics

Standing around five feet tall, Aak'Tar possess a unique body structure segmented into three main parts: the head, thorax, and abdomen, much like terrestrial insects. Their exoskeletons range from dark, earthen hues to vibrant greens and pale blues, with each subrace having colorations suited to its environment and role. This hard shell serves as both armor and identity, bearing intricate patterns that reflect each Aak'Tar’s lineage and subrace.

Aak'Tar heads feature mandibles for communication and combat, which chitter and click as part of their complex language. Their limbs are typically slender and highly articulated, allowing them remarkable dexterity and agility. All Aak'Tar have six limbs, they have two legs, two primary arms, and two smaller, weaker arm-like appendages near the torso. Their yellow blood, symbolizing divine essence and hope, is prized and highly symbolic within their culture.

 Subraces and Cultural Duties

The Aak'Tar society is divided into three main subraces, each distinguished by physical and cultural traits that guide their sense of duty and societal role.

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Krith'k'kala'aak: The Queen’s Chosen

The Krith'k'kala'aak, or "Chosen of the Queen," are perhaps the most mysterious of the Aak'Tar. Serving their Hive Queen with unwavering loyalty, they act as her devoted guardians, advisors, and spiritual caretakers, embodying a life dedicated to communal harmony and spiritual enlightenment. The Krith'k'kala'aak perceive their Queen as the earthly avatar of Krithak herself and believe that by fulfilling their assigned roles, they honor Krithak’s divine will.

- Duty and Community: Duty is a sacred bond for the Krith'k'kala'aak, one that they see as a mandate from the Hive Queen herself. Every Krith'k'kala'aak performs their role within the hive without question or personal ambition, as loyalty and unity are paramount. Some even say the Krith'k'kala'aak have the power to tap into the knowledge of a sort of hivemind, given enough  time to focus.

- Lix'aak: To support their sacred duties, the Krith'k'kala'aak have bred creatures known as Glowing Kin or 'Lantern Scarabs', beetle-like insects that glow with a gentle, bioluminescent light. These scarabs aid the Krith'k'kala'aak in dark caverns, providing an ever-present soft, green illumination that is considered a holy symbol and often likened to Krithak’s guiding light.
The Krith'k'kala'aak use them to light their hive city, which being predominately made of wax and silk, cannot risk fire being present.

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Kre'Xes'aak: The Free Spears

Known as the Free Spears, the Kre'Xes'aak are the warriors and tacticians of the Aak'Tar, with a distinct approach to duty. While they hold no allegiance to the Queen, they form tight bonds within their squadrons, treating their comrades as an extended family. Trained from a young age in the art of war, they are the spear-wielders and defenders of Aak'Tar territories, especially skilled in aerial and ground-based combat.

-Martial Duty and Brotherhood: For the Kre'Xes'aak, duty is defined by loyalty to one’s comrades. Rather than following the Queen’s call, they fight for their squadrons, emphasizing freedom and tactical skill. Battle and camaraderie are intertwined, with each squadron functioning as an independent, self-sustained unit bound by unspoken oaths.

- Zil'aak: To enhance their combat prowess, the Kre'Xes'aak are known for their use of Flying Kin or 'Wingbugs', winged insectoids similar to massive beetles. These bugs attach to  warriors' backs to glide through the air, granting them a tactical advantage in combat. In times of battle, the skies fill with these insectoid wings, giving the Kre'Xes'aak an aura of swift, deadly precision. Each Kre'Xes'aak is give a Zil'aak on the day they become an adult, and the creature becomes a liflong companion that grows with them, eventually becoming to ride if skilled enough.

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Ka'Shelt'aak: The Grey Tunnelers

The Ka'Shelt'aak, also known as the Grey Tunnelers, are the craftsmen, builders, and master miners of the Aak'Tar. Larger and more robust than their kin, and with 4 legs and 2 arms, instead of vice-versa, they are well-suited for tunneling and fortifying underground structures. With their unique ability to consume and refine minerals, the Ka'Shelt'aak produce steel silk, a magical material capable of conducting energy, which has led to significant technological advances in partnership with their allies, the dwarves.

- **Duty to Craftsmanship and Clients**: The Ka'Shelt'aak take immense pride in their craft, considering duty to clients, family, and community paramount. Their honor lies in fulfilling promises and delivering work of exceptional quality, with a focus on practicality over artistic flair.

- **Steel Silk and Dwarven Alliance**: The Ka'Shelt'aak are famed for producing steel silk, a fine metallic fiber that can be woven into powerful conductive threads for magical energy. Their expertise has led to an alliance with the Dwarves of Darnuldher, where they introduced the dwarves to the concept of magic-powered technology, resulting in revolutionary advances such as the Deeprails, a transportation system powered by harnessed energy currents, and reinforced city lighting.

- Dru'Aak: In their underground explorations, the Ka'Shelt'aak employ Dru'aak, literally translated to heavy kin, but often called Deeprumblers in other languages, large, beetle-like creatures capable of transporting significant loads through tunnels. These beasts of burden are revered by the Ka'Shelt'aak, who see them as steadfast companions in their labor.

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Society, Language, and the Essence of Krithak

The Aak'Tar language is intricate and rich with nuance, spoken in a series of rhythmic clicks and chitters. Unlike other races, their language combines verbal and non-verbal signals, with each phrase loaded with multiple layers of meaning. To outsiders, it sounds strange and hypnotic, but for the Aak'Tar, it is a deeply expressive way of communicating that ties them to their identity and heritage.

As the goddess’s children, the Aak'Tar believe that duty is Krithak’s way of guiding them toward a prosperous life. They find little use for concepts of personal glory or honor, focusing instead on their collective purpose. Each subrace interprets duty uniquely, and while they may have their disputes, they all view their contributions as sacred offerings to Krithak’s greater vision.

 The Sacred Aak'Tar Honey

One of the most cherished creations within Aak'Tar society is their sacred honey, a vibrant green substance brewed through specialized techniques. The honey serves not only as a powerful healing elixir but also enhances memory and aids in knowledge retention, working on most speicies. Only a limited supply is traded with outsiders, making it a prized substance across Talimyr.

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The Aak'Tar and Dwarves of Darnuldher

The Ka'Shelt'aak's chance tunnelling into Darnuldher, the dwarven capital nestled within volcanic caverns, established a partnership that has benefited both cultures. Recognizing each other's skill in underground craftsmanship, they developed a mutual respect. The dwarves appreciated the Ka'Shelt'aak’s ability to weave metals, and this collaboration enabled advances like the Deeprails and improved automatons within Darnuldher’s Underforge district.

The dwarves’ structured society resonates with the Aak'Tar’s focus on duty, further strengthening the alliance. Together, the Aak'Tar and dwarves have fostered a unique bond, each bringing their knowledge of earth, stone, and metal to forge a future of technological and magical innovation.

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With a sense of duty shaped by their goddess, the Aak'Tar remain steadfast, their unique culture an intricate blend of order, communal harmony, and industrious spirit. In the dark caverns of Talimyr, these insectoid people serve as silent architects of both magic and machinery, with Krithak’s legacy guiding their every step.

Aak'Tar Traits

Uses Thri-kreen rules.

Ability score increase

Increase one ability score by 2, and increase a different one by 1, or increase three different scores by 1.

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.

Secondary Arms

You have two slightly smaller secondary arms below your primary pair of arms. The secondary arms can manipulate an object, open or close a door or container, pick up or set down a Tiny object, or wield a weapon that has the light property.

Sleepless

You do not require sleep and can choose to remain conscious during a long rest, though you must still refrain from strenuous activity to gain the benefit of the rest.

Aak'Tar Telepathy

Without the assistance of magic, you can’t speak the non-aak'tar languages you know, although you can make weak attempts to pronounce a phrase in a heavily lisped voice, it requires a lot of focus and isn't easy to understand. Instead you use telepathy to convey your thoughts. You have the magical ability to transmit your thoughts mentally to willing creatures within 120 feet of yourself. A contacted creature doesn’t need to share a language with you to understand your thoughts, but it must be able to understand at least one language. Your telepathic link to a creature is broken if you and the creature move more than 120 feet apart, if either of you is incapacitated, or if either of you mentally breaks the contact (no action required).

Languages

• You can speak, read, and write Common and Aak'Tar

 

 

Branch of Kin

The Aak'Tar were once a single, cohesive people, but over generations, the Children grew to embody different aspects of Krithak’s nature and took on unique roles in their society. This evolution gave rise to what they now call the Branches of Kin: the Krith'k'kala'aak, the Kre'Xes'aak, and the Ka'shelt'aak. Each Branch shares the same ancestral spirit yet embraces distinct paths that guide their abilities, societal roles, and connection to the Hive.