Homebrew Hundvehn (Dogfolk) Species Details

I've never known a more consistent joy than whenever I travel with the Hundvehn. Remarkably loyal, and great hunters, they make travelling a straight road an adventure. While they may be loud and easily excitable, they always make you feel like you're their favourite person in the world. Honestly, I think we need more of that.

— Leilin Fallowstone, Adventurer

Making the journey from a distant and curious land, travelling Hundvehn are doglike humanoids driven by curiosity and companionship to make friends, share tales of their adventures,  and find adventure outside their territory. Incredible friends, Hundvehn are quick to latch on to the first party of adventurers they meet and stick with that group until the very end. With a great nose for adventure and a great sense of direction, these folk will always lead true. 

 

Loyal Leaders

Their natural desire to make their own territory and form a pack means most Hundvehn are natural-born leaders and family folk. Many even continue past their adventures to lord their own settlements.

Though this may be typical of the race, there are always outliers, especially when raised in more rural territories of their homeland. Some Hundvehn are defensive and solitary, choosing only to trust their own familial bonds or even live alone. Some can be highly ambitious, leading their family into feuds with others for more land and resources. Regardless of what pack a Hundvehn comes from, they always have the potential to change in favour of a found family, and most times will settle down to live a family oriented life.

 

Adventurous Companions

Hundvehn value the excitement and mystery surrounding a new adventure. While they may recount countless tales of, ordinarily, menial tasks, they always find some way of making it seem like an epic quest, and will often favour having fun over being efficient. Pack your rations and secure your bedrolls, for partying with a Hundvehn is to always be willing to go off on a hunch and travel the less beaten path. 

Do practice caution, however, as while these folk can find a way to enjoy almost any task, the same can't be said for you or your travel companions. Easily excitable, Hundvehn are much harder to disappoint, so it's best to curb their enthusiasm every now and again if you don't want to be roped into an endless cycle of fetch quests.

Hundvehn are, however, easily bored and distracted. Should a more exciting prospect come into the conversation, an adventuring Hundvehn may be inclined to drop their current task in favour of their distraction.

 

Possessive Hunters

Journeying Hundvehn are rather territorial and protective folk, friendly to others outside, but guarded and possessive when confronted with a stranger inside their home or camp. Hunters and reward gatherers, Hundvehn will collect small trophies of their adventures, and hold these trinkets in the highest of value. These trinkets vary greatly in terms of monetary value, from a dulled sword all the way to a flawless diamond, but a Hundvehn will fight to retain these belongings no matter the circumstance, and rarely relinquish it in an emergency. 

These dogfolk would happily ignore an expensive tapestry in favour of these trinkets, and, in the case that their quest item perks that same interest, are often hard bargained to give items away to their quest givers. 

These material possessions might fade in interest over time, as the individual might find something of greater personal value, but be discreet in removing them. Should you show interest in an item they no longer covet, their possessiveness will often spark a desire to retain it even if they do not care about it.

 

Hundvehn Names

Hundvehn names usually differ depending on their family system, but can be commonly categorized by either a sentence fragment with a nickname pulled from or inspired by the string, determined often by a favourite pastime or their first meaningful decision; or a compound name made of either two nouns or adjective and noun. Hundvehn names are ambiguous in gender, and their names are a subject of pride, as they are not born with a name, but chose their own as they mature.

Family names, or "last names" are entirely foreign to Hundvehn, as they simply identify their family as a result of their home location. E.g. I am Digs of Snowy Plains

The following list of sample Hundvehn names includes nicknames in parenthesis.

Hundvehn Names: Fetches Stick From Under Bridge (Fetch), Digs Under Stone (Digs), Howls From Sun Bright to Star Light (Sun), Chases Thief Across Frozen Lake (Chase), Hides From Deep Waters (Hide), Snaps At Dark Nothings (Snap), Follows Strange Rabbit Through Woods (Woods)

Hundvehn "Family" Names: Under Mountain, Warm Spring, White Tree, Loud River, Cold Cliff

 

Hundvehn Personality

A Hundvehn usually have motives and quirks much different from a human or gnome with a similar background. You can use the following tables to customize your character in addition to the trait, ideal, bond, and flaw from your background, though it is entirely optional.

The Hundvehn Fixation table can help hone your character’s goals. For extra fun, roll a new result every few days that pass in the campaign to reflect your ever-changing curiosity.

Hundvehn Fixations

D8	MY JOURNEY IS FILLED WITH THE EXCITEMENT OF …
1	A bet to win
2	A monster to hunt
3	A friend to make
4	A trophy to find
5	A mundane item
6	A new but almost identical mundane item
7	A certain food
8	A legend or tale

 

 Hundvehn Quirks

D10	QUIRK
1	You miss your family back home and will often sigh or whine about how far away everyone is.
2	You wag your tail when you're particularly happy.
3	You can't fall asleep just anywhere, you have to pace the spot several times making sure it's perfect before you can lay down.
4	Your ears tend to betray your emotions.
5	You get restless whenever you hear wild dogs in the distance.
6	You constantly get distracted by small wildlife.
7	You are always low on coin since you spend your gold on far more food than you're usually allowed back home.
8	When ignored or bored, you tend to kick up a fuss.
9	You are a constant wealth of stories, even if you get too distracted to finish them.
10	You can’t help but hoard items from your adventures.

 

Hundvehn (Dogfolk) Traits

Your Hundvehn character has the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increase

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

Age

Hundvehn have lifespans equivalent to humans, but slightly shorter than tabaxi.

Alignment

Hundvehn tend toward good alignments, as they are often loyal. They are rarely chaotic, as most of them are driven by companionship and family laws rather than selfish impulses.

Size

Hundvehn are taller on average than humans and have varied builds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 35 feet.

Bloodhound

You have a dog’s sharp sense of smell. You can sense creatures within a 15 ft radius of you as long as they have a smell for you to pick up on. You can't discern who or what might be there, unlike a dog, unless you have previously met them and their smell hasn't changed.

Keen Hearing

When outside of combat, you can accurately hear and get advantage on perception checks to hear whispered conversations up to 10 ft, normal conversations up to 20 ft, and loud conversations up to 30 ft. Conversations past their range can still vaguely be heard, but are muffled and confused. 

Sharp Canines

Your jaws are a natural weapon and you can make bite attacks.  If you hit with your attack, you deal 2d4 + your Strength modifier in piercing damage.

Sharp Instincts

You have proficiency in the Perception and Survival skills.

Languages

You can only speak, read, and write Common unless granted another language.