Homebrew Anthros Species Details

Anthros are twisted beasts with a humanoid build and near-human brains. The beasts retain most of their animalistic features, but become omnivores and gain vastly improved mental abilities, including the ability to speak Common, Sylvan, and Elvish languages, as well as communicate with all plants and beasts. 

Anthros were first created by elves known as the Anáprim, who discovered  the spell "Metamorphosis" which they cast on hundreds of native beasts. Whether willing or not, a beast affected by the Anáprim's "Metamorphosis" spell becomes an Anthros: Ageless, mature and intelligent versions of their old form with humanoid build -  and stay in that form for a year, at which point the creature permanently reverts back to its original beast form. Thanks to the Anáprim's magic, Anthros can extend their transformation and lifespan by 10 years whenever they produce offspring or kill a human. Anthros offspring undergoes a similar metamorphosis a week after birth/hatching, and are then free to choose their own fate. By all accounts, Anthros can live and multiply in eternity.

They were created 40 years ago when a group Artemistran wood-elves known as the Anáprim collectively brought forth an immensely powerful transmutation spell they called "Metamorphosis", fuelled by the Anima Mundi's force of creation. The elves cast their spell on the native beasts, who became the "Anthros". Though elves deny it to this day, human scholars still believe the Anthros were purposefully created to be loyal servants and superhuman footsoldiers for the elves, their response to the humans' recent discovery of gunpowder.

Anthros and where to find them

Anthros societies are incredibly diverse. The few commonalities across subraces are: Social hierarchies either by choice or necessity; curious and suspicious of humans + naïvely loyal to the elves; and 4 societal archetypes/factions Anthros divide themselves into after their first year: 

The Ascended: These Anthros suppress or reject the rage and violence the Anáprim intended for them, choosing to follow a "Zen" philosophy. They worship the Anima Mundi by meditating on the simultaneous chaos and balance of the natural order. Most Ascended Anthros expand their lives by mating, but a few Ascended have murdered humans in a moment of weakness or desperation, most of these have since repented.

The Free: These are more susceptible to the Anáprims magical influence of chaos and mayhem, but willed Anthros have a strong desire to dictate their own fate. Many creatures of "The Free" are chaotic neutrals who enjoy operating in a morally grey area. Beasts who were omnivores or social animals before the metamorphosis are especially prone to fall into this faction, free Anthros are often more charismatic and personable than other factions. Most Free Anthros worship the Anima Mundi by partaking in the hedonistic pleasures the world has to offer, and lead easy lives free from the shackles of Humanoid law and morality - while also avoiding the savage struggle of the animal kingdom. There are some of "The Free" that yearn for adventure and exploration. These Free Anthros are easily bored with safe and harmonious societies, many will gladly work as hitmen, workers or test subjects for rich elves and fey.

The Zealots: These Anthros were deeply affected by the Anáprims spell, they are weaker-willed, wilder and more aggressive. They hold a strong belief that Humans are a blight on the Anima Mundi, and consider it their holy mission to purge humans from Celador. These spend most of their days training their minds and bodies to become ruthless killing machines. Some Zealot Anthros feel completely superior to humanoids, in the same way that a human can feel superior to ordinary animals — in a matter-of-fact, completely objective way that doesn’t brook any second-guessing. Many Zealots view the world from a pragmatic and dispassionate perspective, and recognize that feelings in others can be exploited through bribes, favors, or threats. They developed a philosophy of separating emotion from intellectual pursuits, allowing them to focus on expanding their territory.To some Anthros, there are only three categories of creature: threat, Anthros of the same background, or meat. Though many Zealot Anthros claim they retain their form through murder, most retain their transmutation through producing offspring. Due to their devotion to their cause, the average Zealot Anthros is stronger and more intelligent than others, though they fall easier prey to their own hubris or desperation. Zealots are the most commonly spotted Anthros, most human intel comes from desperate Zealots who got captured stalking human territories trying to score a kill. 

The Blessed: These are by all accounts normal beasts, the Blessed are ex-Anthros that either chose against or failed to mate or kill a human while transmuted. Anthros universally believe that death and life are the two Holy Sacraments in the natural order. They believe the Anima Mundi gives its power to all living things, thus life has immense value. They also believe living things return this power when they die, All natural things gain life, and must wither and die to give life back, this is the holy circle that sustains life and Celador itself. 
In Anthros religion, their existence as transmuted beasts is the exception to this holy natural order. Thus Anthros consider their own existence transient, unnatural and thus unholy, meant to test their faith in the natural order. They believe they have a divine purpose to eventually humble themselves and sacrifice their transmuted forms to live out their last days as a wild animal. This choice to return to the natural order is considered a pilgrimage, thus Anthros consider them "Blessed" with the strength to make such a choice, and blessed to be a part of the natural order. 

Anthros were originally created on the biodiverse continent Artemistra, but today there are Anthros in every continent, their habitats vary by climate, subrace and societal structure: 

• Some subraces, particularly those transmuted from former herbivores or carnivores, are inclined towards particular social factions. The benevolent ones may seclude themselves to smaller islands, swamps or forests, where they enjoy a life of comfort and safe child-rearing. For example

  Transmuted rodents that live in vast tunnels in the Underdark, or transmuted birds that nest high among the clouds. Aggressive Zealots tend to seclude themselves to training facilities, occasionally interacting with other settlements for practice.

• Most subraces are socially diverse, and these tend to congregate in large ecosystems that can provide consistent food and other resources. These societies are most similar to a normal food chain, its citizens are often reliant on a structure of law and order i.e a caste system, to keep the different social factions in check. Capable individuals tend to be curt and formal with those of lower rank, for the differences between them aren’t a source of anger or disgust, merely a fact of the natural order, and their culture long ago realized that treating the lower castes with a measure of detached respect prevents rebellion and advances the cause of The Anthros.  

• More aggressive subraces rely on martial force or strength in numbers to expand their territory

• Scholars in Hermesanda and Apollonia have recently recorded hybrid societies, these seem to be recently established settlements where Anthros congregate by social archetypes or ecological needs rather than by divisions by subrace. These can be as primitive as a particularly biodiverse watering hole, or sophisticated criminal networks.

 

Human Research Journal

With virtue, value and veracity to His Excellency King Valtor of Thendaril, Artemistra 

I trust you'll destruct this message as soon as you've internalised its contents.

Day by day, our brave Scholarly Hunters dedicate their lives to spying on Anthros communities near our borders. Though only a handful Scholarly Hunters survive long enough to relay useful information, their intel about the race's physical and mental capabilities has been valuable. Through enhanced interrogation techniques of captured Zealot Anthros, including the use of divination, enchantment and evocation tools, human scholars have uncovered some of the Anthros' secret and potential threat.

Our top priority now is to uncover vital information from SUBJECT 36, the mild-mannered Lagomorphic Anthros we captured in West Heradora last month. So far, all we've learned from her is that Anthros have a supernatural ability to withstand pain and divination magic. We've tried everything, but the creature seems incapable of revealing secrets about the "Metamorphosis" spell, their lifespans, their creators and the Anáprim. I think we're dealing with a potent curse that prevents these creatures from revealing information that can defeat the Anthros scourge.  All life on Celador depends on it.

Information about the Anthros is limited, but we have confirmed that they don't seem to age or lose their fertility. Anthros may hypothetically live and breed and perpetuity, and we fear this may be cataclysmic for Celador. This has rightly compelled most human governments to wipe all historic records and deny the existence of these creatures, in fear of causing public panic. I wish we didn't have to terminate the hunters who delivered us information, but it was the only way to keep this secret. I suggest we increase donations to the Athenarian Enchanters. When they finish an irreversible method of casting "Modify Memory", we won't have to waste as many precious lives. 

- With virtue, value and veracity from Scholar Afillie Karnassos, 7th Circle Enchantress of Thendaril, Artemistra

HISTORIC POEM: Elves Anáprim, Doomed by King Mobasa the Soothsayer and Kalvarél the Accursed

It was fourty years ago, when gunpowder was new, that scholars warned of an impending doom.
It was the elves Anáprim who summoned an evil force, Artemistras kings gathered and planned to endorse
A plan of machines to raze the jungle, But they all waited patiently for better judgement
It came from King Mobasa of the coastal Mykai, who at the ripe age of 6 vowed to never tell a lie.
Now, King Mobasa was sly, and his was an insidious tactic: To offer a large bounty for every slain Anáprim
Yet after a week went by without a single bounty paid, King Mobasa gathered 10 knights, all brave and famed.
They were the kingdom's knights most deserving of glory, their task was to attack Anáprim in their own territory.

Glorious knights, O' ye very strongest, who bore iron armor as if it was cloth, 
Each were gifted a sword with the king's crest - the blades mithril and golden hilts thereof,
The swords were emblazoned with words from the king: "I'll pay 100 gold for heads of Anáprim"
The king's truthful nature was widely known, But his cunning and guile was for him alone.
In public, in court, in the queen's bed still, he mourned his men who never returned.
But his nickname of "Soothsayer" was thusly earned, for Mobasas plan went as expected,
Alas, the safe return of his knights was never intended.

Indeed, the knights proved their strength when they breached the elven gates,
but elves, foreign to honor and bravery, sealed the knights' fiery fates.
Accursed was their bravery, glory-seeking men, their names were sooner forgotten than the gambit they were pawns in.
Accursed was their strength, it bore them naught but red-hot iron vessels of death,
within which their strength was utterly wasted;
Be they weak as a rabbit or strong as an ox, it makes no difference to a boiling iron pot.
All went according king Mobasa, master of their plot
Soothsayer Mobasa who still enjoys idolatry, the rest of his antics barely deserves poetry.

 

Days later, king Mobasa was greeted by Anáprim. They were neckless, their bodies missing, and their faces were grim.
They were rolled down the hill by a most elusive killer, he never gestured, never beckoned but he was waiting for a figure.
The king kept his promise, a hundred gold pieces per head, the figure took the gold, and afterwards he likely fled.
More rolling heads greeted the king by the day, and each time the king celebrated, and like promised, he always paid.
Now, a king's gold is rarely lost, nor is it unwittingly offered; he knows every piece will find its way back to his coffers.

When the king sensed his bounty hunter lacked motivation, Mobasa gave him an ultimatum, it was their first confrontation
Rid these lands of the Anáprim with death and fire, then I assure you, you shall have all you desire.
Without hesitation, the bounty hunter responded with glee, "I want gold beyond measure, as far as my eye can see."

King, I've done your will, your bags are heavy still, but they still weigh less than my conscience.
"I've burned their jungle, cased them down and killed ten more of them,
I assure you, exalted king, those elves are no longer a problem.
Art thou human, beast, dwarf or elf? let me honor you, kind stranger
He was none other than Kalvarél, the Anáprim's treacherous head ranger
So blinded by greed was the fool Kalvarél, that he betrayed his own kin,
To this very day elves curse his name, what did he gain in the end?

The king kept his promise, as he so often would, he warned the elf as best as he could,
"I never lie, so I must belie, that my vault will be your demise", The king dared trap was set and the bait was caugt.
The vault was beyond the elf's wildest dreams, he deemed it worth every kill, He neglected food, drink and tance, his bones are in the vault still.

Anthros Traits

The Anthros race has highly varied subraces.

Animal Instincts

Your creature type is beast, rather than humanoid. You have proficiency in the Perception and Animal Handling skills. 

 

 

Alignment

Alignment. Anthros exist in all alignments. Some are benevolent and live without preying on others, others gravitate towards aggression and malice. Some cultures are entirely lawless, others appreciate toward the comfort of structures they couldn't enjoy as wild beasts.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, Elvish and Sylvan. You can also communicate with beasts and plants as if you shared a language.

Beloved Creator

You have disadvantage on intimidation, deception and insight checks towards elves.

 

Cautious suspicion

You have advantage on intimidation, deception and insight checks towards humans.

 

 

Size

Anthros range from just under 4 feet to about 9 feet in height, with builds ranging from skeletal to muscular. Their size is generally medium.