Homebrew Duvidae Species Details

Duvidae were created through a series of rituals involving predatory insects and humans, in an attempt to create a stronger, more resilient, more efficient being. When some escaped from those who had created them, they quickly spread like an invasive species all across the material plane.

Adaptive Survival

Somewhat derived from humans, Duvidae are highly adaptable. A duvidae's main traits will develop far after it matures, an inherent trait to improve the survivability of the species. Most duvidae have developed coloration that imitate the skin tones of humans, but some are more exotic, with much brighter colors. Because of the former, duvidae can be found all over the world; not just living in their own settlements or the wilderness, but also among humans and other humanoids, unknown to those whose settlements they inhabit. Forests, plains, mountains, swamps, even deserts and the arctic; anywhere you go, if you look hard enough, you might just find duvidae hiding among the masses. To supplement this infiltration of human culture, they have also developed many inert, retractable antennae that mimic hair.

Order in Chaos

Factions of duvidae, often known as hives, are utter chaos to the outside observer. At least one individual is constantly moving, ducking, dodging and weaving around the others, through intricate tunnel systems, all for the common goal of the betterment of the hive. There is order and careful planning in all of this, though; while moving, duvidae hold constant conversation with each other through clicking, tapping, and moving in certain ways, telegraphing their intentions to all around them and never once colliding with another. Duvidae hives are quite the spectacle, and as there are day groups and night groups, it never gets boring to watch.

Secretive Until Death

Duvidae are born and raised to be secretive to any other race. Duvidae are taught from a young age that their hive comes first, and then their personal security, and only then does protecting outsiders. These teaching manifest in many ways, but the most noticeable by other cultures is how secretive they are. Duvidae require much convincing to reveal a secret about themselves, even taking these secrets to the grave where others might have no hint that those secrets even existed. 

Envoys and Warriors

Duvidae all have at least one member of the hive that will leave to travel the surrounding area or even the world; these special duvidae typically resemble humans the most out of their whole hive. These duvidae will often join adventuring parties under the guise of humans, and if they remain with this group for some months, they may reveal their true nature to these adventurers before continuing with them. If the adventurers react poorly, at least one death typically occurs.

Duvidae Names

Duvidae names are a simple series of clicks in exact patterns, extremely difficult if not impossible for other races to recreate, and so most duvidae adopt human names even among those who know their true race.

Duvidae Traits

Regional duvidae have many different traits and adaptations, but these are the most notable.

Ability Score Increase

You may choose any two ability scores to increase by one, or one ability score to increase by two.

Age

Duvidae mature in only three months, but can live for hundreds of years, reproducing very slowly.

Size

Duvidae mimic humans in build but are typically slightly smaller, ranging from barely 5 feet to around six feet tall.

Alignment

Duvidae, living mostly in hives, tend toward lawfulness. Any lone duvidae simply tend toward neutrality.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Duvidae; only other duvidae know this language, and other races cannot replicate it without tools, requiring mandibles to speak correctly.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet, and small barbs on your hands and feet give you a climbing speed of 20 feet when not wearing medium or heavy armor.

Exoskeleton

Your chitinous plates grant you resistance to acid and bludgeoning damage.

Lunge

On your turn, you may double your movement speed until the beginning of your next turn. You cannot use this ability again until you spend a turn moving 0ft willingly.

Monstrous Visage

You are not nice to look at, in your true form. However, you may manipulate the plates on your head to closely resemble a human face, though this does require concentration, as if you were concentrating on a spell. As the change is physical, truesight does not reveal your true form. If an intelligent creature sees your true form, the following may apply, at the GM's choice: 

• The creature is frightened of you
• The creature becomes hostile towards you
• You have advantage on intimidation checks against the creature
• You have disadvantage on persuasion and deception checks against the creature

Limited Flight

Beginning at 15th level, you develop a weak pair of wings that grant you a flying speed of 20ft. When using these wings to fly, they are audible out to 100 feet, sounding similar to the wings of a cicada.