Homebrew Bandari Species Details

 

“We lost twenty crates worth of rum along with every gold and silver in the place to those damned monkey-men. And to top it all off they covered my floors in Jam!” 

- Lorsuul RumRunner, tavern keep 

The Bandari are a race of small, sentient monkeys who inhabit the remote edges of civilization (predominantly the mountains and jungles of the world). They are known by those aware of their existence as thieves, pranksters, and occasional raiders or tradesmen (whichever most strikes their fancy). While not outright hated by most, they are certainly unwelcome in all but the most accepting of frontier settlements. This does not seem to bother most Bandari however, as they seem to generally approach life as one great adventure to experience or story to be told. 

Childish Tricksters

Bandari are naturally playful and mischievous creatures. They delight in playing practical jokes on enemies and allies alike. While this is seen as normal and even positive social behavior amongst the Monkey Folk, it does little to endear them to many in civilized society. These pranks can range anywhere from rearranging a person’s belongings as they sleep to setting their homestead ablaze. The Bandari rarely intend harm by these tricks, but simply lack the ability to easily draw the line in regards to their “jokes”. If a person or group has particularly offended an individual Bandari or their band however, they may often fall victim to acts of arson, thievery, and humiliation as a form of retribution.

Tenacious Thieves

To the Bandari, stealing is almost as natural as breathing. This is due in part to the creature’s innate curiosity and affinity for shiny or brightly colored objects. The monetary value of the items themselves is seldom of great concern to the thieving Bandari, it is more so a desire to possess a beautiful trinket or simply to prove their skill to themselves and their peers by committing the act and getting away with it. While not all are complete cleptomaniacs, and in fact many Bandari dwelling within or closer to established settlements have learned to avoid stealing (or at least to be less brazen when doing so), the races reputation for larsony is widespread amongst those who know of them.

Masters of The Trees

 While they are not creatures usually prone to violence except as a last resort, the Bandari are by no means cowardly or inept in the ways of war. When roused to battle, the monkey-folk are masters of guerrilla warfare, using their intimate knowledge of the forests and jungles they call home and their naturally ability to move quickly and silently amongst the trees to launch lightning attacks before fading away into the surrounding canopies.

Mercenaries, local militias and adventurers who have fought the Bandari sometimes call them “tree demons” because of their almost supernatural ability to attack from above without warning and then vanish without a trace. In combat they are ruthless and in victory they can be cruel. It is not uncommon for Bandari to toy with their enemies for a time before delivering the killing blow, and those guilty of particularly heinous crimes against a Band are often found hung from trees along the nearest road. 

Reclusive Outcasts 

“Aye, it’s true. Them monkey folk do have villages o’their own. They’re hidden in the deep parts o’ the forests, far from pryin eyes, but they’re there alright. Ain’t nothin fancy to look at on the outside, but the single time I was able teh come across one of their little hideaways, I saw loot piled up high as a hill from all the thieving those little varmints get up to” 

- Theo “teller of tall tales” 

Despite their frequent forays into the small hamlets, forts and outposts which comprise the frontier of civilized society, the Bandari are a reclusive race on the whole. Few ever see a Bandari village with their own eyes. This is due to a number of reasons. The first is that the Monkey-Folk prefer to keep the locations of their villages a secret from outsiders in order to protect themselves from any potential acts of violence by those who dislike their people. Secondly, the villages themselves are relatively small in size, usually numbering no more than 50-100 Bandari at any time, as well as being located in some of the deepest parts of whatever forest or jungle the Band calls home. Finally, even were an explorer to find a village and record its location, there would be no guarantee that it would be in that same place should they return. The tree towns are built to be impermanent and movement of a Band from one site in their territory to another periodically is a fairly commonplace practice. 

These villages, comprised of small numbers of associated Bandari (though not necessarily associates by blood ties) are called Bands, and can be considered to be somewhat analogous to human tribal societies. A Band is always led loosely by a single member who has earned the support and respect of at least the majority of their peers. A Band Leader’s selection process varies from group to group, with different Bands having different methods of trial or selection to determine a leader, but the one thing all agree on is that whoever leads must be a great thief. Larceny is considered the highest of skills amongst the Bandari, and a skilled thief commands the respect of their peers wherever they go. These leaders do not wield the same kind of power as those of other races however, as Bandari tend to chafe under any kind of overly rigid system of authority. The Band Leaders command their tribe through respect and occasionally bribery, not through law, blood right, or brute force. 

Bandari Traits

The Bandari have a number of special traits associated with their race

Animal Acrobat

When crossing difficult terrain the Bandari take no movement penalty. 

Frenzied Fighter

The monkey-men, like most animalistic creatures, have an innate fight or flight instinct. In most case they choose “flight” rather than risk their hides without necessity, but when the choice to run is taken from them, they become a whirlwind of claws and fangs with a desperate and brutish strength. Frenzied fighter can be activated as a reaction by your character and acts as an unarmed attack. The attack begins at level 1 with 2d4 bludgeoning damage, increases to 3d4 at level 3 and further increases at level 5 to 2d8 damage. 

Ability Score Increases

Your Dexterity increases by 2 and Charisma scores are increased by 1

Age

Bandari mature quickly and live relatively short lives even if left to their own devices. The average Bandari will reach adulthood around 5 years of age and enjoy a lifespan of around 45-50 years. Most do not reach such a ripe old age however due to their frequently dangerous lifestyles. 

Alignment

Due to their childlike nature, lust for excitement, and episodes of cleptomania, the monkey-men tend towards a chaotic alignment. They seek neither the common good nor harm towards others as a general rule.

Size

Bandari are diminutive creatures, usually standing no more than 5 ft in height and with a light frame that makes them extremely nimble. Your size is small. 

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet and base climbing speed is 50 feet

Languages

the Monkey-Folk have an innate ability to learn almost any language, but the player begins with knowledge of common and one exotic language of their choice. The manner in which these languages are spoken is highly accented however and interspaced with more animalistic sounds such as hoots, grunts, barks and screams. Bandari also posess knowledge of a form of sign language specific to their race. 

Darkvision

Thanks to the Bandari’s adaptation to living in the dark recesses of the deep jungles and forests, you have superior vision in dim and dark conditions. 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.