Homebrew Carapacean Species Details

"Joining us on that journey was this guy Yonu. Well, that's the part of his name I can pronounce, in reality it was some long affair that he just rattled off... come to think of it, parts of it he literally rattled. But I'm getting off track. Yonu seemed like a good enough guy, but he was... weird. All covered in this plating... it was part of his body. He said his race is called a 'crap-seen' or something... I've never met another one, even after all these years. Yonu was pretty stoic-like, wasn't super emotional, not that I was great at reading emotions on a face that looked like a smashed porcelain plate, heh heh..."

— Sal Goodhill, Retired Adventurer

 

 

Unfamiliar and alien to most of the world, carapaceans are durable and dexterous warriors naturally equipped with tough armor, making them a challenge to kill.

Descendants of the Chitin Dragon

Carapaceans claim ancestry from the great Chitin Dragon, a powerful armored beast of ages long past. Carapaceans have deep-pinkish skin that's mostly covered by pale, chitinous plating. However, it doesn't add bulk to their surprisingly slim forms, nor does it weigh them down or impede their movement, as carapaceans are generally quite agile. Though their shapes and proportions are mostly similar to those of elves, carapaceans lack external ears or protruding noses, and their eyes have gray sclerae surrounding white centers. The Chitin Dragon was not exactly a literal dragon, so carapaceans are unrelated to dragonborn and give live birth.

Martial Tradition

Carapaceans are native to a far off group of islands, little known by the wider world. They've had little outside influence on their culture or adaptation. Though confined to the group of islands, the structure of power has always been changing throughout carapacean history, as clans or alliances wage war to try and control the carapacean homeland. Therefore, every carapacean inherits a long-standing martial tradition. It is near-impossible to find a carapacean that can't fight competently. However, they are not warlike in the same way as the brutish orcs. Combat skills are honed to expertise, and many of the most powerful warriors abide by codes of honor.

Ancient Clans

Over time, carapacean families have solidified into a set number of great clans. Similar to the dwarves and dragonborn, a carapacean's clan is very important to them, but they usually swear fealty to their country as a whole over their clan during times when multiple clans are unified into one geopolitical power. Still, even during these times, an average carapacean will faithfully serve the interests of their clan so long as it doesn't conflict with the interests of their country. There are many reasons a carapacean might leave their homeland to become an adventurer, whether it be curiosity about the outside world or a more individualist philosophy than is common in their home, but some possible reasons are them having fallen out of favor with their own clan or having been sent on a mission by their clan or country.

Ancestor Veneration

Ancestors are very important to the carapacean people, and ancestor worship is the closest thing to a carapacean religion. From their original ancestor, the Chitin Dragon, to ancestors only a few generations back, carapaceans almost always want to honor their ancestors. This is reflected in a carapacean tradition that may seem strange or even morbid to outsiders. Clans commonly keep many sets of armor that are expertly constructed from the chitin of deceased clan members. The term for these armors, in Carapese, translates to "Clan Armor". Though carapaceans are just as familiar with armor types that are more conventional in the outside world, if your character starts with an armor set and your DM allows it, consider reskinning your armor as clan armor.

Carapacean Names

Carapaceans have three names, a personal name, given by their parents and used in informal situations, an official name, given by a high-ranking clan member and used in formal situations, and the name of their clan, which is given before the other name as with the dragonborn. As carapacean names are taken from the Carapese language, they usually incorporate some of the clicks and rattles that are unique to Carapese. A carapacean outside of their homeland may attempt to present their name in the proper form for the language they're speaking, or they may just present it in Carapese fashion as normal.

Clan Names: Gongoruki, Kusabanyi, Hatsinomanu, Yujowari, Hongolomgonono, Machonaru, Ohanomaru, Peroyani, Doujanulina, Subaruno

Personal/Official Names: Wakga, Krisna, Pira, Jin, Beyoki, Yingo, Duolin, Kantu, Saororu, Zenya, Yonu, Naruki, Mikosu, Sino, Jihan, Komi, Jaran, Zenu, Hanao, Oga

Carapacean Traits

Many generations of adaptation while isolated from the wider world has given your race these traits.

Ability Score Increase

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

Age

Carapaceans reach full adulthood slightly earlier than humans, around 16 years of age, but commonly live into their mid-to-late second century.

Alignment

Carapacean culture has a strong emphasis on putting clan or society before self, so carapaceans tend towards Lawful alignments. Morally, carapaceans most commonly practice the more good end of Neutrality.

Size

Carapaceans have similar height and proportions to elves, and weigh only about 10 pounds more on average. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Natural Armor

Your body is covered in strong plates of chitin. Though rigid, they are lightweight and placed so as not to impede your movement. This armor formed on you at a young age and has grown and shaped itself with you as you've aged. If damaged, your armor heals as normal skin would, and like normal skin the healing process can be accelerated through magical means.

Your natural armor offers you these benefits:

• When you aren't wearing armor, your AC is 12 + your Constitution modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield's benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.
• While using the AC of your equipped armor, rather than that of your natural armor, you get a +1 to AC. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.

Brittle Chitin

The chitinous armor covering your body cannot be easily cut, but if smashed, then the shards can cause extra damage to you. You are Resistant to Slashing damage, but Vulnerable to Bludgeoning damage.

This is an optional racial trait and need only be used if you so desire, and must only be used with special DM approval.

Anti-Armor Instinct

You have an instinct about how to use a particular weapon to attack an enemy around their armor, or alternatively, through it. You have Proficiency with one weapon that primarily does either Piercing or Bludgeoning damage. This weapon may be Simple or Martial.

Unexpected Agility

Members of other races are often somewhat surprised to find that carapacean armor doesn't hinder their agility, and indeed carapaceans are naturally more agile than many other races. You have half-proficiency with Acrobatics.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Carapese. Carapese is an exotic-sounding language that curiously utilizes both vocal clicks, and clicks and rattles of the speaker's armor. It is a challenging language for non-carapaceans to learn.