Homebrew Cyclops Species Details

Cyclops

In isolated Mountain Meadows, and on secluded islands the wheeled-eyed giantkin thrive in the fringes of civilization. The most striking traits of the Cyclopes are their great stature, their tusk like canines, and their single large central eye. Cyclopes are often dismissed as primitive, ignorant, brutish savages. Suspicious if not outright belligerently hostile towards outsiders, killing and cannibalizing the bodies of those who rouse their furious rage.

Cyclopes do not, however, mistrust outsiders out a belligerent hatred for others. Cyclopes mistrust outsiders because outsiders build cities. Cities that pollute the rivers where they water their livestock. Cities that are fed by farms that tear up their pastures with plows and fence off the open range. Cities that impose kings and senates and lords upon them. Cities that raise armies to drive them from their homes and slaughter their kin. Thus cyclopes have learned not to trust outsiders, and not to drive them out when they attempt to settle in their territories.

Tribal Life

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Cyclopes are a tribal people, their communities consist of small tightly knit kin groups led by a chieftain elected by popular vote. Tribal politics is highly decentralized the chieftain serves only to mediate disputes, and negotiate on behalf of the tribe as a whole with other tribes and communities. If the tribe does not like it’s current chief, they simply choose another one and if a majority of the tribe disagrees with the Chieftain’s decisions they simply ignore them.

Cyclopes reject centralized hierarchies, and they reject hierarchal world views such as the Ordning. The cyclopes do not believe that the world is arranged in a hierarchy with gods at the top, followed by giants, giantkin, humanoids, monsters and then animals. Where the lower members of the hierarchy are obliged to obey and serve those higher up on the hierarchy.

For this reason cyclopes do not feel obliged to be pious to the gods. Unlike the Leonin the cyclopes do not view the gods as cruel beings unworthy of their worship. The cyclopes do not hate the gods, they are merely indifferent to the gods, feeling that they do not owe the gods worship merely for existing. cyclopes will pay homage to a powerful entity that offers them benefit or threatens them with harm, but only so long as the benefit or harm remains present to them. For this reason Cyclopes have gained a reputation as a godless and primitive people. Too stupid and ignorant to show proper respect towards their “obvious” superiors.

Isolated Pastoralists

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 Cyclopes are a reclusive people, they are suspicious of outsiders and they are suspicious of civilization. They prefer to live in the wilderness where they can be free to pursue their pastoral lives in peace. Typically cyclopes keep sheep, goats, and rams however some have been known to raise pigs, yaks, and cattle depending on the climate. Cyclopes generally favor livestock from which milk, meat, wool, and hides can be harvested and will not bother to raise livestock that cannot produce at least three of those resources.

When outsiders intrude within cyclopes’ territory the cyclopes will usually attempt to drive the intruder out with violence and intimidation. A shepherd grazing their herds in a cyclopes pasture without permission may have their livestock seized and consumed. A farmer may find their homestead, silos, and barns smashes and torn apart by an angry cyclops. And a intruder who steals from a cyclopes may find themselves eaten.

However this applies only to those who intrude into cyclops territory. Though Cyclopes are mistrustful of outsiders it is not unheard of for Cyclopes to invite outsiders into their land and permit outsiders to reside within their territory so long as they do not disrupt the Cyclopes lifestyle nor aggress against Cyclopes. Cyclopes for example may allow dwarves to settle in their territory so long as they are willing to trade their ore to the Cyclopes for food and do not disrupt the Cyclopes pastures too severely. Likewise Cyclopes will not go out of their way to attack or antagonize outsiders who are living outside of their territory.

Skilled Artisans

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 Though it is not always apparent cyclopes are skilled and patient artisans. According to legends cyclopes' forged weapons and gear for legendary heroes and even gods though few have ever seen cyclopean craftmanship. Most cyclops tribes will have at minimum at least one or two members of the tribe who are skilled metal workers. Most cyclopes acquire metal by scavenging battle fields and ruins for metal with which to practice their skills. However sometimes Cyclopes will trade for metal with nearby settlements or with communities they have allowed to settle in their land.

For example a Cyclopes tribe may allow a Dwarven colony to be established within their territory if the colony agrees to trade iron, copper, and tin for food gathered by the cyclopes. Alternatively a warrior or king might commission a Cyclopes to create armor in exchange for raw materials the raw materials. However as cyclopes are slow to trust outsiders these arrangements are usually quite rare. It is far more common for cyclopes to acquire metal for smithing by scavenging ruins or extorting merchants who have strayed into Cyclops territory.

Cyclops Names

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 Cyclops do not differentiate names by gender. Instead children are named after their ancestors. A cyclops might name their first born child after one of their eldest grandparents regardless of either the gender of their grandparent or child. Likewise if a cyclops child has a trait shared with one of their ancestors such as eye color or hair color their parent might name them after that ancestors. This tradition is done to keep the memory of ones ancestors alive. In naming their children after their parents and grandparents they keep them alive.

Cyclops Names Argos, Alkippe, Ajax, Brontes, Diomedes, Diogenes, Enas, Ischyros, Kassandra, Koios, Polyphemus, Steropes, Tychi, Thossa, Xenophon.

 

Cyclops Traits

The Cyclopes have the following Traits

Ability Score Increase

Your Strength score increased by 2, and you Constitution increases by 1.

Alignment

Cyclopes trend toward Neutral and Chaotic alignments. The Cyclopes deeply value both the autonomy of their communities and the autonomy those communities offer individuals. They also defend that autonomy aggressively, using both intimidation and violence to drive off intruders who encroach on their territory. For this reason Cyclopes are perceived as beligerent monsters.

Age

The Cyclopes are extremely long lived people, though they mature quickly. A Cyclops is considered an adult at age 15 and they usually live to be 575 years old.

Size

Cyclopes range immensely in size from just under 7 to well over 20 feet tall.It is believed that a Cyclopes size is relative to their skill and strength, truly legendary Cyclopes are said to be as large as the Giants they are descended from. At 1st level your size is medium, at 10th level your size is large, and at 20th level your size is huge.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet

Fire Resistance

You have resistance to fire damage

Glutonous Health

The voracious hunger of the Cyclopes is legendary, a hungry cyclopes will eat almost anything be it raw or cooked. Outside of combat you can consume a pound of food to restore 2d4 + 2 hit points. The only requirement for this ability is that the food must be edible. At 15th level you can eat four pounds of food to restore 4d4 +4 hit points. This ability can be used once before a long rest.

Menacing Glare

The fearful eye of the Cyclopes is said to bring doom upon those it casts it's dreadful gaze upon. Though the eye itself has no power, the story of the evil eye does. You have proficiency in the intimidation skill.