Homebrew Ant-Folk (Siafu) Species Details

The Siafu are an industrious race of ant like creatures from the underdark who value hard work and community. Though they are efficient burrowers and builders, they lack the spark of creativity. While they may be tiny, in large numbers they can topple giants.   Due to their viscous loyalty to the colony and their queen its very rare to find just one Siafu.

Siafu colonies will tunnel and dig through miles of dirt and soil. A single colony can reach numbers in the many thousands and will consume anything in their path. They are fiercely territorial and the clashing between colonies can result in great wars that leave thousands dead. Protective of their homes and of their Queen to the bitter end.    

Expert Burrowers:
Siafu are naturally skilled at tunneling and burrowing through the earth. Their tremor sense allows them to see, they have a near-instinctive sense of what sections of earth are strong are weak, are bearing a load or are safe to excavate, or are likely to contain minerals or offer access to water. They dig and move tons and tons of earth to excavate dizzying underground labyrinths.

These subterranean cities are impassable by any creature larger than small, and navigation through them is complicated if not impossible. Unlike Kobolds who rely on traps and pit falls for defense, Siafu depend on the complex nature of their tunnels and their large numbers to deter enemies. Farming molds, mushrooms, slims, and subterranean plants in massive caverns Siafu colonies can survive for months or even years self contained. Some colonies have even been known to keep live stock like large beetles, snails, and slugs.

Queens:
Every colony is ruled over by a Queen and below her are her young Daughters. All other Siafu are males fiercely loyal to them and the colony. The Queen is noticeable larger in size (small) and her and her daughters rule their territory ruthlessly. Each Queen has near total control of her brood. Mature daughters will either attempt to succeed their mothers through matricide or strike out on their own before they can be murdered by a stronger sister or resentful Queen. 

Natural Atheist:
Siafu do not take to religion easily and prefer to deal in the terrestrial. Their devotion to Queen and Colony tends to supersede the pull of the divine. Siafu do not worship nature but respect its power and bounty. Siafu Clerics are rare but Queens and daughters are known to become druids.

Live to Serve:
Siafu grow and mature much more swiftly than othe races. Queens lay dozens of eggs at a time and grubs mature quickly after hatching. At 2 years old a Siafu is assigned a function within the colony. Most live and die without ever leaving the colony, living to the age of 20. Queens and their daughters mature slower and live longer, living until about 60 years old. The most common cause of death for a Siafu is war with another colony.

Siafu don't bury their dead; a dead soldier or worker Siafu's body is composted for the benefit of the colony's underground farms. Former Queens are eaten by their successor, its believed that this keeps the bloodline strong. Siafu shed their carapace as they grow which are added to the tunnel walls for support.

Food and Cannibalism:
Siafu are aggressively vegetarian. While they eat only vegetable matter, they will kill and shred any creatures found in their territory, their remains used to fertilize the colony's farms. Anything that doesn't easily biodegrade (horns, bone, teeth, shells) is used to strengthen the tunnel walls. Egg laying Queens eat only a special high sugar, high protein jelly harvested from their farms. Daughters have been known to eat other Siafu, this seems mainly as a show of power and dominance.

Culture:
Siafu for the most part lack an understanding or interest of art or personal style. A Siafu's entire life is spent serving the Queen and colony, leaving little time for expression. Individualism is shunned and can lead to exile or death. Their stories are factual accounts of events that affects them directly. The closest thing to art is the sculptural aesthetic of the tunnels walls embedded with the exoskeletons of other Siafu and the scavenged remains of the unluckiest creatures caught in their path.

Fears:
The Siafu are prayed upon by larger subterranean creatures and insectiods, namely giant worms, umberhulks, ankhegs, and cave crawlers. Siafu do not like large bodies of water as they are naturally poor swimmers.

Environment:
Siafu thrive below the surface especially in areas of rich soil. Types of Siafu can be found in jungles, deserts, grass lands, and hill lands. Mountains and tundra are not idea as digging through the ground is more difficult here.

Roleplaying a Siafu:
You are the rare Siafu male to venture from the colony or a young female looking to strike out on your own. The world above is expansive and vast and wrapping your head around that idea may be tough. Being above ground is unnatural to you, it's either an idea to embrace or fear. The cultures and ways of others may be hard for you wrap your mind around.

Ant-Folk (Siafu) Traits

These tiny intelligent insectiods have large compound eyes on either side of their head. Antennae flick and twich a top their heads as large mandibles click and chatter. Siafu have segmented bodies protected by a exoskeleton.

Exoskeleton

Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Strength score is increased by 1.

Senses

You have limited darkvision and can see in dim light within 20 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. While underground, micro hairs and specialized antennae grant you a tremor sense within 10 feet. You can also detect the pheromones of other Siafu, especially Queens, for miles.

Fours Arms

You can naturally wield multiple Siafu sized weapons or tools, though three hands/ arms will be considered off hands for the sake of calculating attacks.

Swarming

You have advantage on an attack rolls against a creature if at least three (3) other Siafu (or allies) are within 5 feet of the creature. Attacks against the Siafu are at disadvantage.

Stinger

If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier. On a successful hit the target must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 6 (2d4) poison damage on a failed save, or no additional damage on a successful one.