Homebrew Mole Folk Species Details

WELL, IF IT'S MINERS YOU'RE AFTER, NOT EVEN dwarves can get through earth faster than a molefolk digging team. I might be biased, but I'd advise you non-burrowers to never set foot underground without at least one molefolk backing you up. Just in case.

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-- Dusty Burrowfoot, Molefolk Ranger

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Molefolk are a race that developed first in the Underdark, but they fairly quickly made their way into the Prime Material, the elemental plane of earth, and even parts of the Shadowfell. Their true origin is murky, but many mages speculate that more mundane moles were awakened and enhanced by a secretive druidic sect, possibly to help expand tunnels or cultivate mushrooms. Regardless of their origin, molefolk have established themselves as a successful sapient race, and they often have entire secondary cities deep beneath the streets of the better known ones above.

Underdark Origin

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Molefolk evolved first in the Underdark. Instead of darkvision, like most races there, they navigate by sensing vibrations in the earth and air, which gives them a distinct advantage over their rivals. Molefolk appear as bipedal moles, squat mammals with velvety fur and massive front paws. Their eyes and ears are almost difficult to see, as their fur is patterned to protect them. Those unfamiliar with the race often focus their attention on the nose, which stands out from the fur and sometimes has long, fleshy, sensory appendages on it which give it a star-like shape. They stand approximately three feet tall, weigh around fifty pounds, and are typically dressed in practical clothing with subdued tones.

Expert Tunnelers

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A molefolk's most powerful ability is their potent digging power. Their front paws are huge for their size, bigger even than hands on larger races like goliaths and bugbears. These paws have some very intimidating claws on each finger, that are both robust and sharp. These allow for not only delicate motor functions, but also startlingly swift digging. An average molefolk can dig under the earth at the speed that a typical human walks. Most molefolk are restricted to digging in dirt, mud, sand, or ice, but a few have managed to practice their skill to the point that they can tunnel in stone, albeit at a significantly slower pace.

Unusual Habits

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Molefolk live a substantial portion of their lives underground. Even those who deal with them extensively have only rarely seen their young, who don't even see the sun until they've reached adulthood. While this proclivity towards the subterranean has given them their own niche and prevented attacks by more aggressive races, it has left them with norms that other societies find odd. Molefolk eat insects, often alive and wriggling, and they keep pets that other races find bizarre, like giant centipedes and tamed bulettes.

 

Natural Excavators

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Due to their inherent connection with the earth they stand on, most molefolk that don't live in molefolk cities find easy work as archaeologists, mushroom farmers, gravekeepers, and miners. Those who become adventurers often dedicate themselves to paths that benefit from an ambush style of attacking, such as assassin rogues and gloomstalker rangers.

Molefolk Names

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Molefolk have first names and surnames, in the same way many other races do. Oftentimes, these names allude to their subterranean lifestyle, as an easy way to break the ice with surface dwellers.
Male Molefolk Names: Dusty, Clay, Delver, Desmen, Urotrich, Surico, Tenrec, Flint, Byron, Grant, Roark, Brock.
Female Molefolk Names: Bertha, Opal, Condy, Lura, Mogera, Roxanne, Amethyst, Amber, Jade, Agatha, Ametrine. Molefolk Surnames: Talpini, Scaptonychini, Neurotrichini, Scaptonyx, Burrowfoot, Spadeshoe, Warrener, Diggums.

Mole Folk Traits

They're very dirty...

Ability Score Increase

Your Constitution increases by 1

Your Intelligence increases by 1

Your Charisma increases by 1

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Undercommon as molefolk frequently visit the underdark to sell their mined wares

Age

Molefolk reach adulthood in their late teens and live less than a century.

Alignment

Molefolk tend toward no particular alignment. The best and the worst are found among them.

Size

Molefolk vary widely in height and build, from barely 3 feet to well over 5 feet tall. Regardless of your position in that range, your size is Small

Speed

Your base walking speed is 15 feet. But you have a burrow speed of 30ft feet through dirt, mud, sand, ice and after level 5 you can dig through most materials except hardened gemstones. With dirt and ice, you may choose to leave a 5-foot diameter tunnel behind you. Small and medium creatures can move at full speed through this tunnel, but large creatures would need to squeeze to get through.

One with the mud

You know the Mold Earth Cantrip

Blind as a bat

30ft Blindsight, Tremor sight for 60ft beyond

Due to spending most of their lives underground mole folk have learned to adapt to the mud life. As such they lost their sight many generations ago, but through years of practice they can discern where things are through echo location and sensing vibrations through the earth

Unending Breath

You can hold your breath indefinitely, underground, while you’re not incapacitated by recycling used C02 into breathable air for yourself

Lightweight Build

You count as one size smaller when determining your carrying capacity, your weight and size category for mounting