Homebrew Burrowling Species Details

THIS IS NONCORE D&D MATERIAL

These game mechanics are usable in your campaign if your DM allows them but not refined by final game design and editing.

These light brown, furred creatures inquisitively survey their surroundings, each comforted by the presence of the others.

Every once in a while, an unexpected hero rises from obscurity—the burrowling. These furry folk hail from a region known as the Wasted West. Should you find yourself in their land, be watchful. They detest violent encounters and hate goblins. However, a pleasant meeting may lead to intriguing friendships. These small and unlikely heroes rarely find themselves in harm’s way, but sometimes, one of them leaves their home to explore the world beyond their hundred holes in the ground. Their journey might begin with a tale passed down through generations of a long-ago adventurer who came through trading tales for food, spurring a wanderlust. Or they might be driven by a strong desire to protect their home from goblins.

Social Life. Burrowlings are communal creatures, generally living out their short, natural lives within the confines of their small settlements. Those few traveling far from home may become extremely homesick, falling into a depression and sorrow that could lead to their death. But sometimes, they find new homes, new friends, and eventually call them family, restoring their love of life.

Friendly Farmers. Burrowlings work together at every task: digging tunnels, foraging, and rearing their young. They are omnivorous, eating roots, berries, insects, and reptiles-and they consider snakes a particular delicacy. The most advanced burrowling towns set up rudimentary farms, where they grow the fruits and vegetables they usually find in the wild.

Safe Warrens. Some towns have domesticated prairie dogs, which burrowlings train to stand watch alongside their masters. Pairs of adults stand watch around the town perimeter and sound a warning when they spot a foe. An alerted town retreats to the safety of its warrens, while the strongest creatures add more tunnels if necessary, and close access from the surface until the threat has passed. In combat, burrowlings stand together in defense of the helpless young and fight with crude slings or their sharp teeth and claws.

Die of Loneliness. If separated from its coterie, a burrowling becomes despondent, crying for others of its kind. A lone burrowling usually dies of loneliness within a week, unless it can find its way back to its town or discover another burrowling town. Rarely, a solitary creature makes its way to a non-burrowling settlement where it attempts to assist its new community. This frustrates the creature and those it interacts with as it tries to anticipate what its companions want. It may join an adventuring party in the hope of returning to a settlement.

Burrowling Traits

Your burrowling character has an assortment of natural abilities, as part of their of nature.

Age

You have a very short life span as a burrowling typically lives only up to 15 years.

Alignment

Your life is one of security and protection of your homestead. You value living among family and tend to stay away from other races, especially considering where you are from. However, your view on the world is not of hostility. (Burrowlings are generally Lawful Neutral.)

Size

You are approximately 2 feet tall and weigh no more than 25 pounds. Your size is Small.

Speed

You are a small creature and have a walking speed of 30 feet and burrow speed of 10 feet.

Proficiency

You have proficiency with the Sling.

Burrow Awareness

Once you reach 2nd level, you have spent enough time with a group of individuals to consider them your allies. You gain advantage on Perception checks if at least one burrowling or ally is awake within 10 feet.

Darkvision

You are used to dim light and darkness. 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 cannot discern color in darkness, only shades of grey.

Natural Attacks

As an action, you may make one melee attack either with your claws or your bite.

Pack Tactics

Once you reach 3rd level, you have advantage on attack rolls when your target is adjacent to at least one other ally.

Social Dependency

Burrowlings are deeply social creatures, and can die of loneliness if left on their own. If you are separated from your coterie or allies, you suffer 1 level of exhaustion at the end of that day. You can only recover from this exhaustion through magic or by by spending time with an ally for at least 1 hour.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Burrowling and Common.