Homebrew Entling Species Details

When I was a child, I sought out the guardian of my people's ancestral forest. I wandered for days deep within the woods, and I am certain that I never have found the ancient gardener had he wished to remain hidden from me. His true name was too much long for me to comprehend, but he allowed me to call him Whiproot.

For a year and a day he taught me the ways of the wood, slowly nurturing my druidic potential. Sometimes I still see those ancient green eyes in my dreams. Though I have grown old, I know that the gardener is still out there in the forest of my people, quietly singing to himself as he tends to the trees.

—Zumug, Archdruid of the North

Elder Gardeners

Deep in the forests of the world dwell a forgotten people, the Entlings. They are the ancient caretakers of the forest who awoke at the dawn of the world. To many, they are creatures of myth and folktale, reclusive tree-like people with skin like bark and hair that resembles tree-tops and verdant gardens. Though these gardeners are few in number, they are very much real, though they prefer to be forgotten. Most Entlings will happily spend their exceptionally love lives tending to the large swaths of wilderness under their care, learning the names of every root, flower, and tree under their protection.

Shepherds of the Forest

Entlings care deeply for the plants under their care, and often watch them grow from seedling to fully mature plants. They prefer to spend their lives in quiet harmony with nature, only occasionally interacting with other mortals. They carefully maintain the natural order of the ecosystems they dwell in, culling creatures that grow to numerous, nurturing those on the brink of extinction, and all the relationships in between.

Though rarely roused to action, Entlings who strike out into the world often do so to protect the forests under their protection. Though slow to anger, their fury knows no bounds when evil or blight threatens the groves that they have raised from seedlings. Entlings who leave the forest usually find it difficult to fit in amongst civilized settlements, and usually struggle to understand the norms and customs of normal folk. Entlings who become adventurers most often train to defend the wild as a ranger or join a local Circle of druids.

Entling Names

Due to their long lifespans and relaxed disposition, Entling names are often exceptionally detailed stories that can take days to explain. Often, the Entlings that interact with mortals will adopt the name of their favorite plant, tree, or flower.

Adopted Entling Names: Alder, Almond, Aloe, Apple, Apricot, Arrowwood, Ash, Bamboo, Bean, Beech, Bird's nest, Birch, Blackberry, Bluebell, Brier, Broadleaf, Buckeye, Cabbage, Cedar, Cherry, Chestnut, Daisy, Dandelion, Dogwood, Durian, Elderberry, Eucalyptus, Fennel, Fern, Flax, Garlic, Grass, Hemp, Hemlock, Huckleberry, Ironwood, Ivy, Juniper, Kudzu, Lavender, Leek, Lemon, Magnolia, Maple, Monstera, Nightshade, Oak, Parsnip, Pine, Redbud, Sweet potato, Sycamore, Tobacco, Walnut, Wolfsbane, Yarrow 

Originally created by laserllama

 

Entling Traits

No matter their home ecosystem, environment, or forest of origin, all Entlings have the following traits in common:

Ability Score Increase

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

Creature Type

You are both Humanoid and Plant.

Age

Entlings are considered to be adults around the age of 100, and can live to be over 1000 years old if they spend their lives in peace. Hasty Entlings that take up the stressful live of adventuring can shorten their lifespan by up to 500 years.

Alignment

Entlings are a naturally peaceful folk that care for all living things, and they tend towards good alignments.

Size

Entlings reflect the forests and plants they tend to, and thus come in all shapes and sizes. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, and your choice of either Druidic, Sylvan, or Elvish.

Gardener's Lore

You gain proficiency in the Nature skill, and you can make a Wisdom (Nature) check whenever you would normally make an Intelligence (Nature) check.

Natural Magic

You know one cantrip of your choice from the Druid spell list. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for it.

Photosynthetic

You don't need to eat or drink so long as you are exposed to sunlight for 1 hour each day. To gain the benfits of a long rest, you must spend at least 6 hours in an inactive, motionless state, though you remain aware of your surroundings. In this state, you can see and hear as normal, and you appear to be a normal tree unless closely inspected.

Shepherd of the Forest

Through sound and gestures, you may communicate simple ideas with plants of all kinds.