Homebrew Betel Species Details

Silverspider Hivespear clacked his mandibles.

"We swore to uphold honor to our clan."

His fellow Betel clacked their mandibles in response.

"Even to our dying breath!"

They walked into the chamber, ready to fight.

---

To suffer violence and insults and fear. To be far from the home that loved them. This is the Betel. Left for centuries upon centuries alone in a curious mountain, the Betel evolved to become the top of the very unique food chain of insectoid creatures. When they finally left, the few that were sent out were joyous to find out there was a world out there. Their joy quickly became sadness, though, as when they discovered other sentient life, they were hated for their appearance alone, being murdered out of fear. Yet they are not evil.

People of The Hives

Betel are derived from early beetles, and have evolved to become bipedal and humanoid, yet their appearance has not changed much. Their shell is typically slightly brighter than the skin, and both are either black with patterns or a color with patterns. Their compound eyes are always red, and they typically have a slightly hunched back. They communicate via gestures and the click-clack of their sharp mandibles. Their limbs are like a normal beetle's legs, although thicker and more durable, and with 2 hooks on the end to grasp weaponry and tools, and they can use their limbs to crawl on all fours. The Betel typically weave tapestries of all their memorable actions until they die, then it is placed in their home hive in the Hall of Heroes.

Outside The Hive

Betels outside of the Hives typically subsist in small minorities found mostly in human cities or towns, and sometimes they live among other minority populations in enclaves where they are treated with more respect.

Far from their Hive and Clan, Betel often become depressed unless around other Betel.

Betel Names

Betel names are not gendered. Instead, they function like this. First is their shell name, which is the color of their shell and skin. But instead of something general like "Red" it'd be "Crimson". Then there is the path name, which corresponds to a sacred path a betel takes. The shell name and path name form one word, like Silverspider. Finally is the clan name, given when a betel swears an oath to his clan.

Shell Names: Crimson, Teal, Cyan, Scarlet, Violet, Magenta, Ruby, Orange

Path Names: Spider, Mantis, Wasp, Roach

Clan Names: Silkweaver, Shellshield, Hivespear

MISTRUST AND HATRED

People are usually hateful and fearful towards Betel, and through many years of fake stories, their image has been smeared to where they are seen as demonspawn. Yet the Betel typically harden to the hatred, especially if they were born outside of the hive.

Betel Traits

Betel have some insectoid traits that have helped them survive.

Poisonous

If Bitten or Eaten in any way, the entity that bit into it will take 1d4 poison damage each turn, unless they are immune in any way to poison.

Ability Score Increase

Your Charisma score increases by 2.

Age

Betel mature at the same rate as humans, but typically die 3 years before a human usually does.

Alignment

Betel are typically Neutral Good.

Size

Betel are about the same size and build as humans. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Your base climbing speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

Thanks to living in a mountain with only a few sources of natural light, you have superior vision in dark and dim 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.

Languages

You can read and write common, but can only speak through gestures and the click clack of your mandibles.