Homebrew Chiropterans (Batfolk) Species Details

Chiropterans, often called Batfolk, are nocturnal humanoids with features reminiscent of bats. Their bodies are covered in short, velvety fur that ranges from dark browns and grays to deep blacks. Their elongated ears are sensitive to even the faintest sounds, and their eyes are large and reflective, adapted for low-light vision. Membranous wings extend from their arms down to their flanks, allowing for graceful flight. Their clawed hands and feet are ideal for climbing and grasping surfaces, making them natural traversers of vertical terrain. Chiropterans are known for their keen senses and quick reflexes, often displaying jittery but precise movements.

They vary in height, standing anywhere from 3 to 6 feet tall, with a lightweight, hollow-boned frame that aids in flight. Most Chiropterans weigh between 50 to 90 pounds, making them surprisingly light for their height.

Aging

Chiropterans mature quickly, reaching adulthood around age 15. They live up to 150 years, though elders are revered for their wisdom and heightened senses.

Alignment

Chiropterans lean toward neutrality, with a strong sense of community and survival. Their clans often value secrecy, cooperation, and loyalty above all.

History of Chiropterans

Beneath the towering peaks and sprawling tunnels of Berg Gottes, the Dwarven Kingdom known as God's Mountain, the Chiropterans have made their home for over a millennium. While the dwarves carved stone into cities and forged steel into masterpieces, the Chiropterans etched out their own legacy in the unlit caverns and hidden crevices that wind through the mountain’s depths. Their intricate echo-mapped colonies stretch far beneath the main dwarven strongholds, forming a vast network known as the Echoing Hollows.

An Ancient Pact

The origins of their coexistence date back to a time of desperation. Over a thousand years ago, an earthquake shattered the lower levels of Berg Gottes, flooding vast sections and collapsing many of the dwarven mining routes. As dwarves struggled to find a safe path, it was the Chiropterans, masters of echolocation and aerial navigation, who guided them through the labyrinthine caves to safety. In gratitude, the Dwarven King of that era, Durgrim Ironhold, forged a pact with the Chiropterans: they would have sovereignty over the Echoing Hollows and share mutual protection with the dwarves. Since then, the two peoples have lived in relative harmony, bound by tradition and necessity.

Society and Culture

Chiropteran society is built around clans called Murmurs, each led by a Roost Elder—typically the oldest and most skilled in echolocation. Elders are revered not only for their wisdom but also for their ability to "see" the mountain’s subtle shifts and vibrations, often serving as early warning for quakes or mining collapses.

The Chiropterans have a unique reverence for sound. Their artisans craft instruments from stalactites and hollowed stone, creating haunting melodies that echo through the caverns during their Roost Festivals, where music and flight intertwine in ritualistic displays. They view sound as both a weapon and a guide, and their warriors are trained to fight in total darkness, using nothing but the echoes of their surroundings to navigate.

Relations with Dwarves

While the Chiropterans and dwarves are allies, their cultures are vastly different. Dwarves often jest about the Batfolk's tendency to shun direct light and their unsettling ability to appear out of nowhere. However, both sides recognize the strength of their bond; the Chiropterans' mastery of the dark and the dwarves' craftsmanship have made for an unshakeable alliance. Chiropteran scouts are often the first line of defense during tunnel collapses or monstrous incursions, and dwarven engineers consult with Roost Elders when planning expansions into unknown caverns.

Legends and Beliefs

Chiropterans believe in the Great Echo, a primordial sound that they say still reverberates through the mountains. It is said that those who truly master echolocation can hear the whispers of ancestors within the stone. Some legends even claim that the Great Echo was what guided the first Chiropterans to Berg Gottes, fleeing a calamity above the surface.

Naming Culture

Chiropteran names are sharp and quick, often reminiscent of the flapping of wings or the chirping of bats. Names like Skree, Vrax, Nyra, and Khet are common. Their surnames are often reflective of their clan or home, such as Shadowwing, Hollowcliff, or Gloomshade.

Chiropterans (Batfolk) Traits

As a Chiropteran, you have the following traits and features.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.

Age

Chiropterans mature quickly, reaching adulthood around age 15. They live up to 150 years, though elders are revered for their wisdom and heightened senses.

Echolocation

You can use a bonus action to emit a high-pitched sound that helps you detect your surroundings. Until the start of your next turn, you have blindsight out to 30 feet. This trait can't be used if you are deafened.

Size

Chiropterans vary in height and weight, standing anywhere from 3 to 6 feet tall, with a lightweight, hollow-boned frame that aids in flight. Most Chiropterans weigh between 50 to 90 pounds, making them surprisingly light for their height. Your size is Small or Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Flight

You have a flying speed of 30 feet. To use this speed, you must not be wearing medium or heavy armor.

Wall Climbers

Your clawed hands and feet allow you to climb with ease. You have a climbing speed of 20 feet.

Nocturnal Awareness

You are proficient in the Perception skill and have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing.

Superior Darkvision

You have a heightened sense of vision in darkness. You can see in dim light within 120 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.

Silent Glide

When flying or climbing, you have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to move silently.

Languages

You can speak, read and write in Common, Undercommon and Dwarvish