Homebrew Cyclops Species Details

 

Driven Competitors

Every day brings a new challenge to a cyclops. Food, water, and shelter are rare in the uppermost mountain reaches. A single mistake can bring doom to an entire tribe, while an individual’s heroic effort can ensure the entire group’s survival.

Cyclopes thus place a premium on self-sufficiency and individual skill. They have a compulsion to keep score, counting their deeds and tallying their accomplishments to compare to others. Cyclopes love to win, but they see defeat as a prod to improve their skills.

This dedication to competition has a dark side. Cyclopes are ferocious competitors, but above all else they are driven to outdo their past efforts. If a cyclops slays a dragon, he or she might seek out a larger, more powerful wyrm to battle. Few Cyclops adventurers reach old age, as most die attempting to surpass their past accomplishments, but those who do become legends among their tribes.

Survival of the Fittest

Among cyclopes, any adult who can’t contribute to the tribe is expelled. A lone cyclops will set out on their own to one day prove themselves worthy of returning to the tribe.

After the primordials left their plane and the kingdoms cyclopes belonged to collapsed, many who had fled were hunted by rivals and glory-seekers.  Simply forging weapons and armor alone was not good enough and many resorted to learning the same tricks that their hunters used against them.  Cyclopes became highly skilled in mimicry; with some able to perfectly mimic a voice regardless of the gender or accent to fool their pursuers.  Becoming adept at this skill, some Cyclopes even use it themselves to hunt and take down those that would hurt their tribe before they can even begin an attack.

Cyclopes Names

Every Cyclops has three names: a birth name assigned by the newborn’s mother and father, a nickname assigned by the tribal chief, and a family or clan name. A birth name is up to three syllables long. Clan names are five syllables or more and end in a vowel. Many choose to honor the old ways and name their children after the Primordials who birthed them in days of old.

Birth names are rarely linked to gender. Cyclopes see females and males as equal in all things, and they find societies with roles divided by gender to be puzzling or worthy of mockery. To a cyclops, the person who is best at a job should be the one tasked with doing it.

A Cyclop’s nickname is often a description of their best quality or work that is assigned by chieftain or tribal elder. It refers to a notable deed or creation, either a success or failure, committed by the cyclops. Cyclopes assign and use nicknames with their friends of other races, and change them to refer to an individual’s notable deeds.

Cyclopes present all three names when identifying themselves, in the order of birth name, nickname, and clan name. In casual conversation, they use their nickname.

Birth Names: Encaledus, Khione, Porphyrion, Tyserion

Nicknames: Bearkiller, Dawncaller, Fearless, Flintfinder, Horncarver, Mason, Silverhorn, Redeye, Thunderfoot

Clan Names: Anakalathai, Elanithino, Gathakanathi, Kalagiano, Katho-Olavi, Kolae-Gileana, Ogolakanu, Thuliaga, Thunukalathi, Vaimei-Laga

Cyclops Traits

Cyclopes share a number of traits in common with each other.

Cyclopes Mimicry

You have advantage in the art of Deception skill when trying to mimic the voice of anyone you've heard.  You can copy their voice, and even their accent, regardless of the gender of the individual. This trait also grants you proficiency in the Deception skill.

Poor Eyesight

Your poor eyesight means its hard to get a clear shot on ranged enemies.  You have Disadvantage on any attacks made on a target more than 30ft away from you.

Ability Score Increase

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

Age

Cyclopes have long lifespans compared to other races. They enter adulthood in their late thirties and usually live a few centuries.

Alignment

Goliath society, with its clear roles and tasks, has a strong lawful bent. The goliath sense of fairness, balanced with an emphasis on self- sufficiency and personal accountability, pushes them toward neutrality.

Size

Goliaths are between 7 and 8 feet tall and weigh between 280 and 340 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Primordial Strength

You have proficiency in the Athletics skill.

Forge Master's Skill

You have proficiency with [Tooltip Not Found] skill. 

Powerful Build

You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Forge Master's Endurance

You have resistance to Fire damage. You’re also acclimated to extreme heat, including volcanic surfaces or within burning fires.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Giant.