Homebrew Chiropteran Species Details

While very dangerous when pushed to violence, Chiropterans normally prefer to avoid conflict altogether unless the odds are stacked in their favor. Chiropterans are shy and normally uninterested in the goings on in the world outside their subterranean homes. Most Chiropterans grow up in small familial communities called "colonies," while others are known to live in abandoned buildings, towers, and sewer systems of cities. Those raised in colonies rarely leave home unless there is dire need. Chiropterans raised in cities often find themselves involved with criminal elements that are happy to make use of the Chiropteran’s natural gifts. They love being underground and in the dark and are typically uncomfortable above ground and in the light as it makes them feel exposed, so Chiropterans living as adventurers are highly motivated to put themselves in such an environment. They love collecting stones, gems, silver, gold, and any valuable shiny object that can glint in the dark parts of the world.

Physical Description

While they are all simply humanoids with bat like features many people are fearful of what they see as a walking, talking, bat. They have short brown, black, or gray fur and leathery wings on their back, with webbing sometimes extending down to their legs, much like their animal counterparts. Chiropterans have evolved to have humanoid arms in conjunction with the wings on their back. (Primal variants have winged arms, instead of wings on their backs). Chiropterans may sometimes wrap their wings around themselves as a makeshift cloak, to help "blend in" with communities outside their own. They have luminescent eyes in shades of brown, amber, red, green, or yellow, as well as fangs. Chiropteran can be as varied in appearance as their smaller animal counterparts, some having large ears and snub features of vampire bats while others have elongated snouts and almost canine features of fruit bats etc...

Relations

While uninterested in the goings on of the outside world, Chiropterans may still find themselves interested in learning from the surface races. A Chiropteran may harbor great distrust of dwarves, due to hostilities with the Duergar, Gray Dwarves, who've often made attempts to enslave them and “ground” them by cutting slits in, or chaining, Chiropteran’s wings.

Names

Chiropteran names are near impossible to pronounce in the tongues of other peoples of the world, due to the high-pitched squeaking nature of the language. If translated into the common tongue, Chiropteran names will reference gem stones and the night, with familial names coming before given/chosen names. Chiropterans may also adopt names common within the society they're dealing with for convenience.

Chiropteran Quirks

Being a Chiropteran may carry some quirks. You may be more comfortable sleeping while using the long toes and claws on your feet to hang upside down, rather than a bed. Many Chiropterans like collecting shiny rocks and gems and may be drawn to them, even willing to pay high prices just to add to their collections. As Chiropterans may be socially shy in communities outside their own, they may hide in the back of the tavern, or cover their faces when out in public as to not draw untoward attention to themselves. They also like to eat bugs and may absentmindedly pick a bug off the ground, or fly up to snatch it, scarfing it down before remembering most societies might look down on such habits.

Chiropteran Traits

As a Chiropteran, you have certain traits in common with your people. Being able to fly starting at 1st level is exceptionally effective in certain situations and exceedingly dangerous in others. As a result, playing Chiropteran requires special consideration by your DM. Ability Score Increase

Ability Score Increase

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

Age

Chipoterans reach maturity at approximately 10 years old and share a similar lifespan to Humans.

Alignment

Chiropterans raised in colonies tend towards Neutral Good or Lawful Good alignment because colonies behave as large familial communities. Chiropterans brought up in cities may fall into more chaotic alignments

Size

Chiropterans are smaller than most races, and are between 3 and 4 feet tall and average about 40 pounds. Your size is Small.

Night Life

Chiropterans are crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk) as well as nocturnal. Disadvantage on perceptions rolls when having to use sight and remaining quiet.

Flight

You have a flying speed of 30 feet.

Echolocation

Your bat-like hearing makes you more aware of your environment. You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that involve listening, unless deafened. Additionally, as a reaction, you emit a high frequency sound that grants you blindsight for 30 ft in all directions, lasting until the end of your turn. This effect does not go through walls or other solid material. Being in a silenced or deafened state will negate this ability until you are no longer silenced or deafened. 

Inverted grip

Your long toes give your feet a unique grip. While not wearing boots or shoes that cover your toes, you can use your action to grip a surface overhead that will support your weight to hang upside down. While hanging from overhead in this way, your speed is 0 until you release your grip as a free action, are forced to let go as the result of failing a strength saving throw after taking damage (DC = 10, or half damage taken, whichever is higher), or are incapacitated.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write  Beast Speech, Common, and Sylvan