Homebrew Bawa Species Details
It was midday, and the bright, tropical sun hung in the still air like a ripe mango. I lay on my back, one arm thrown over my eyes, my feet propped against a coil of mooring line. I wasn’t trying to sleep, not exactly, but I wanted some time alone to think. My parents always said I had a bit too much of the Seal Spirt in me…a bit too much laziness, but that wasn’t really the truth, I just liked being alone with my thoughts.
“Uncle?” A small voice came from above me, and I felt momentary relief from the heat as a slight shadow blocked the sun. I pretended to snore. “Uncle? I know you’re awake Uncle.” I opened one eye to stare at my niece and wiggled my eyebrows. She giggled and shook her head, making the colorful beads in her hair click together.
“Mama said they need you over on Grandfather’s boat, they found something interesting, and they want you to look at it.”
She unconsciously made the hand sign for frustration and furrowed her brow at me. “They wouldn’t let us go and look too, but Rangi tried to dive down anyway.” She smiled, her white teeth flashing, “Papa caught him, of course,” she snorted and rolled her eyes, “he’s as loud as breaching whale! No Octopus in him at all.”
I sighed and sat up, stretching while my niece babbled on, “Now Papa has set him to fish gutting duty for a whole week! A WHOLE WEEK Uncle!”
“That is impressive. Your papa must have been pretty mad,” I said, getting to my feet and glancing out towards my father’s boat, which drifted only a short distance from my own. A number of my relatives were milling about, focused on something out of view. I waved to them and strode across the deck, my niece in tow.
“Yes, he was upset. He did that thing with his nose….” She crinkled her face in an imitation of my brother and I lost control of the laugh I’d been holding in.
“And what about you, little octopus? You were too clever to get caught, I’d guess?”
My niece shrugged, but her eyes twinkled with mischief. “It didn’t look that interesting to me. There wasn’t even a whole boat down there! Everyone knows stupid dirt-walker boats sink here a lot in the winter. I don’t know why this one would be different.” She chewed her lip, “Maybe we’ll get some good salvage.”
I shook my head. Seven years old and already the girl was thinking like her mother. Ha! As if I needed TWO sisters to hassle me into more chores. Next she’d be trying to find me a wife.
“Alright, I’ll take a look. Go find your mom and tell her call up the others. We might need to have a meeting tonight.”
My niece nodded, and I ruffled her hair. “Good job. I’m sure there is nothing to worry about.”
With that, I blinked to slide my third, protective eyelid over my eyes, then jumped off the railing and into the warm, green water.
Traders and Sailors
A core belief of the bawa culture is that everyone has something of value that they can contribute, be it goods, stories, or wisdom/ideas, making them an especially versatile and skilled race of merchants. A common tradition among the bawa is to 'trade something with everyone you meet'. This custom has allowed easy exchange of goods and ideas between the bawa and other cultures and creatures. Most merchants and travelers understand this and often take extra cargo into bawa controlled areas, as there is the chance they may get exotic items from the bawa for a good price through this custom. However, those who were ignorant or resisted this custom have spread a reputation of the bawa as pirates, as bawa who are denied a fair trade will often attack and seize what they believe they are owed by force.
Colorful and Lively
The bawa are a boisterous and rowdy people, who take a relaxed approach to life, but who may swiftly turn serious in a trade or a fight. The bawa day on land is marked with waking with the sun, working until close to sundown, then reveling and socializing in the evening. At sea, the ship crew will gather and have a drink before changing to the night watch. Sharing meals and stories at the day's end is very important to the bawa, who value close ties with their families and companions.
Bawa are brown to very dark skinned, with wide facial features, flat noses, and brightly colored eyes. Bawa tend to be short, muscular, broad chested and agile. They are predisposed to tight, curly hair, ranging from light copper to an almost black red. Bawa often cut some or all of their hair close to the scalp, with shapes and designs shaved into the short hair. Other designs seen include topknots, sailors braids, cornrows and deadlocks with other parts of the scalp shaved. While onshore, more maintenance heavy styles, including long natural curls are seen in both men and women, while at sea more practical and seaworthy styles are seen. They are otherwise rather hairless, as males lack facial hair or excess body hair. They have large, webbed feet and hands.
The bawa generally prefer outer clothing that is non-restrictive, colorful, and easy to remove quickly for swimming. Bawa tend to wear many metal piercings, with eyebrow, nose, lip, ears, and navel being common. Studs, rings, and small chains to other piercings are the most common. Bangles are very common, but are often lightweight strings with small shells of no real value on them in case they are lost or broken while working or swimming. Arm bands of fabric, leather or sharkskin are commonly worn tight to the skin, and are highly colored and patterned. Bawa often wear necklaces with a single, large and ornately carved pendant on them when on shore. All working Bawa carry a long, flat, diving knife with a blunt/flattened tip. The blade (called a Rahj’agaga, literally “Serpent’s Tooth") is worn in a sheath attached to the leg or forearm. The knife has a serrated edge (for cutting line), and a slightly curved plain edge (for prying open shells, gutting fish, cutting food, and defense).
Communal and Loyal
The bawa live and work best in community, and will have a number of close groups they belong to, often with overlap. They are members of a tribe, often genetically linked, and will live with many other tribe members. They will tend to work or sail with a large group which will be considered another family, with the casual interaction and dedication that comes with it. Any regular group will form an easy, open intimacy among it, be it a group who frequent the same tavern or workers in a remote logging camp. Almost anything will start with a few bawa forming a group to work on it in a patriarchal or matriarchal fashion. It is incredibly rare to find a bawa doing anything alone.
The communal culture of bawa have many members of a 'family' living and working together as possible. This might not be a genetic tribal family, but possibly a sailing crew or professional family. Up to ninety or so bawa will sleep in the same Tribehall, on flax mats which are put away during the day, or used as casual seating. The main area of each Tribehall is left open, without partitions as it improves the function of kitchens, workplaces and storage. Sleeping areas are also unpartitioned as bawa do not seek privacy among their family.
Spiritual and Honest
The bawa believe that the Mother and Father created all of existence, bringing the spirits and living things out of emptiness and disorganization into a time of life and order. In bawa mythos, the spirits live alongside the physical world, directly influencing and impacting living beings.
Ethics and morals are influenced by the belief that doing harm to one will directly or indirectly cause harm to the whole, so they tend to seek balance and fairness in all things. Since all souls are considered connected, it is very important to the bawa to treat other living things with respect, since treating someone badly is the same as treating yourself badly. Care is taken to minimize negative impacts on other living things. The bawa are careful to kill prey quickly and cleanly, and to thank the prey’s soul for its sacrifice. Killing without just cause, causing intentional, undo suffering, as well as **** or other unnecessary violence is considered highly abhorrent and against the natural order.
The bawa believe that someone who constantly does harm during their lives or makes trades in bad faith will cause irreparable damage to their spirit, rendering it unrecognizable and unable/unwilling to return to the Mother and Father after death. Instead, the soul will be trapped in the physical world (and become an evil spirit), or be sent back to the emptiness and chaos that existed before time-- never knowing the connection and bliss of being part of the whole, and losing its chance to be reborn.
Tattooed
Bawa are commonly tattooed. They use a bleaching agent in the ink, which produces light, whiter scars, and a chisel that produces furrowed impressions in the skin.
Bawa tattoos are often mystical, but also historical. Due to the nature of the standard wear, the most common tattoos for public display are on the shoulders, upper arms, and lower legs.These tattoos are often historical, representing trials, triumphs or important events in someones life. The designs are all highly stylized, but what they depict varies immensely.
The chest and back are often tattooed, but in a more personal and mystical manner. Both of these are done in small sections over a bawa's lifetime, and are associated with spirits of future (chest) and past (back). Finally, the scalp and neck is often tattooed, with tribal markings in fine spiral and curving patterns.
While the historical tattoos are able to be obtained from anyone with skills and chisel willing to apply them, the chest and back tattoos are only worked on shamans, who have the knowledge of spirit forms and the skills to combine them in a meaningful way. This is often done as a sacred ritual. Finally, the head tattoos are applied by an elder family member, and mark the wearer as an adult.
Bold and Brave
Bawa are known for their exceptional bravery and fierceness in both trade negotiations and in battle. Often taking on and beating opponents much larger than themselves through a combination of skill, wits and charm.
Explorers and Travelers
A bawa is rarely seen alone. They thrive on personal connections and a sense of community. A lone bawa is rarely traveling by his or herself by choice, but bawa families they have been known to send small groups or individuals to study at Universities, to explore for rare and exotic goods, or to establish new overland trade routes. Individuals who return home with new skills and/or goods can often elevate the status of the entire family. Others may be driven by a need for exploration and discovery that pushes them far from the sea and their homes.
Occasionally a lone bawa may have committed some grave crime and was expelled from their Vali family clan, or was left stranded after his or her family was destroyed/disbanded by a catastrophic event.
Bawa Names
A bawa tends to have a first given name, a second name that stands for their original home Vali and a third name that describes their current working family.
Male Names: Aleki, Arihi, Akamu, Ekewaka, Emer, Inoke, Kai, Kapena, Makani, Rangi, Sione, Tama, Tane, Ui'lani,
Female Names: Asoese, Leinani, Huali, Natia, Noe, Sefina, Keala, Oleen, Kaiah, Napua, Nyree, Talie
Bawa Traits
Your bawa character has a number of traits in common with all other bawa.Talented Artist
Choose a musical instrument or artisans tools and gain proficiency.
Call of the Sea
Whenever you make a Nature or History (Intelligence) check related to the ocean you are considered proficient in the skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.
Ability Score Increase
Your Dexterity score increases by 1 and your Charisma score increases by 2.
Age
A Bawa reaches adulthood at the age of 20 and generally lives into the middle of his or her second century.
Alignment
Most Bawa are often chaotic or lawful good. They have a reputation as a boisterous and rowdy, but honorable people, who will stand by any contract or trade made. Their society revolves around trade and balance, recording and preserving history and records, and openness and community with those close to them.
Size
Bawa average about 3-5 feet tall and weigh between 50-100 pounds. Your size is Small.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 25 feet.
True Sailor
You are considered proficient in water vehicles.
Natural Swimmer
An average Bawa can spend up to 15 minutes underwater with activity. They also possess a membrane that covers and protects the eyes while diving. There is a small amount of webbing on the toes and hands, and their nostrils can be tightly sealed when underwater.
You have a swim speed of 30ft and may hold your breath underwater for 15 minutes. Your swim speed is 15 while wearing heavy armor in water.
Bawa Nimbleness
You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours.
Merchant Tongues
Due to your races tendency to travel far and wide for trade, you can speak, read, and write Common and Bawa as well as 2 other languages of your choice. The Bawa language isn’t secret, but few outside of the race can speak with bawa sign language, which is used to communicate secretly or underwater. Almost all bawa speak Common to converse with the people in whose lands they dwell or through which they are traveling.
Comments