Homebrew Yordle Species Details
Yordles are small but diverse creatures with many different sorts of abilities, depending which one you’re meeting. They are often characterized by their utilization of magic or tools, so Bandle City is a full mix of inventors, magicians, tinkers, and fighters. But what they have most in common is how much they take delight in life, enjoying every moment of invention, exploration and play
Inmate Magical Nature
Yordles are much shorter than humans; rarely exceed 1 meter tall, with most averaging around 0.8 meters. Their skin texture ranges from being completely smooth, to very lightly covered in fur, to ultimately being significantly furry. Their hands have four digits (some yordles are also seen with five digits) while their feet differ greatly depending on the individual. Their skin tone runs a much broader spectrum of colors than their human counterparts; some consider this to be a sign of the yordles’ attunement to Runeterra’s magical nature. Furthermore, they are commonly characterized by their dependence on language, as well as their creation and utilization of complex tools.
Yordles have exceptionally longer life spans than the average human, this is partially due to the innate magic within all yordles, knowing to come pass a lineage about 1000 years.
The Yordle race have innate magic within them which helps them achieve extraordinary things usually impossible for someone of their stature. They generally are a peaceful and amicable race, often marked with streaks of joviality and light prankishness; their moral compass is most often pointed toward goodness and benevolence. Their desire for social interaction drives them toward this ethos, as the mental health of a yordle is very much dependent on the positive company he or she keeps. This does not mean, however, that they are incapable of cruelty and evil. In fact, a yordle who is kept in isolation for too long – especially from contact with other yordles – runs the risk of becoming withdrawn and sullen. Some who already are centered more toward malevolence will become exceedingly so in due course. These yordles will often twist their desire for social interaction into a desire to seek out others to inflict pain and suffering upon them, one extreme example being Veigar, the Tiny Master of Evil.
Not Always What They Seem
Yordle come from self-contained pocket within the spirit realm, with no direct "mirror" in the material realm of Runeterra. The origin of this race on Runeterra is unknown but can be traced back to a prehistoric time when there were no civilizations on land thanks to the existence of Fizz, an amphibious yordle. Most would agree that Yordles resided on Valoran during its prehistoric times. At that time they were a nomadic race, travelling from one part of Valoran to the other. Records show they had presence in Ancient Freljord.
Overtime as human civilizations advanced, so did yordles appearances and capabilities. To easily blend in human areas, yordles at one point started using an kind of supernatural ability called "Glamour", which gave them the appearance of a small stature humans. Yordles do not necessarily control their glamour, and may understand it in a variety of ways. The revered inventor Heimerdinger, for example, crafted unique technological devices for himself and Ziggs, to help them blend into Piltovan society. However, some humans are able to break this charm due to their more perceptive nature.
To this day, most yordles stay inside the mystical spiritual realm known as Bandle City, only venturing out on rare occasions. There are numerous gateways across Runeterra that yordles, and others more knowledgeable and perceptive, are able to use to get to in and out of Bandle City.
Bandle City
Opinions differ as to where exactly the home of the yordles is to be found, though a handful of mortals claim to have traveled unseen pathways to a land of curious enchantment beyond the material realm. They tell of a place of unfettered magic, where the foolhardy can be led astray by myriad wonders, and end up lost in a dream...
In Bandle City, it is said that every sensation is heightened for non-yordles. Colors are brighter. Food and drink intoxicates the senses for years and, once tasted, will never be forgotten. The sunlight is eternally golden, the waters crystal clear, and every harvest brings a fruitful bounty. Perhaps some of these claims are true, or maybe none—for no two taletellers ever seem to agree on what they actually saw.
Only one thing is known for certain, and that is the timeless quality of Bandle City and its inhabitants. This might explain why those mortals who find their way back often appear to have aged tremendously, while many more never return at all.
No one really knows where or how Bandle City came to be. Its connection with Runeterra hasn’t ever really been explained, by neither human nor yordle. But there are whispers of one particularly yordle who accidentally wandered into the plane of the Grove. Which would explain how Bandle City come to be, but also the primordial magic that hides this enchanted place, where time is meaningless and the natural laws of the material plane does not wholly apply.
Knack For Adventure
But the Yordles who do travel free in the outside realm of Runeterra, are most often either adventurers or inventors, roaming around the world looking for more exciting ways of living. Either interested in the human ways of achieving feats, or the magical wonders which Runeterra has to offer.
Most adventurous yordles can be found anywhere in the material plane. Looking to take part in venturesome lifestyles, either coming back home with epic tales of their journeys, or never to reside home ever again.
The Yordles which resides outside of Bandle City, adapt their ways into lifestyles most fitting for their chosen employment. Most often never to be found out of their true origin from the community, because of their natural ways of alter themselves. With a perspective eye, many yordles could be found inhabiting the dual-city states of Piltover & Zaun.
Subrace
Choose one of the subraces below or one from another source.
Yordle Traits
Your gnome character has certain characteristics in common with all other gnomes.Ability Score Increase
Your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Age
Yordles mature at the same rate humans do, and most are expected to settle down into an adult life by around age 40. They can live 350 to almost 500 years.
Alignment
Yordles are often good. Those who tend towards law are often sages, engineers, researchers, scholars, investigators, or inventors. Those who tend towards chaos are more often minstrels, tricksters, wanderers, or fanciful jewelers. Yordles are good-hearted, and even the tricksters among them are more playful than vicious.
Size
Gnomes are between 3 and 4 feet tall and average about 40 pounds. Your size is Small.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 25 feet.
Yordle Cunning
You have advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against magic.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan the common language of yordles and spirits
Enchanter Yordle
You as a yordle has always been a little too interested in the magical forest surrounding your beloved city. Most often talking to animals more than fellow yordles, befriending big frogs, keeping them as pets, and rely on them for informations about incoming threats. You have a natural knack for illusion and magic seems to just float around you
Ability Score Increase
Your Wisdom score increases by 2.
Natural Illusionist
You know the minor illusion cantrip. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for it.
Fade Away
You have learned a magical trick when you suffer harm. Immediately after you take damage, you can use a reaction to magically become
invisible until the end of your turn, or until you attack, deal damage, or force someone to make a saving throw. Once you use this ability you
can’t do so until again until you finish a short or long rest.
Speak with Beasts
You can cast the Speak with Animals spell at will and without expanding a spell slot. You can also cast the Animal Friendship spell once without spending a spell slot. You regain this ability after a long rest. Enchanter yordlings love animals and often keep squirrels, badgers, rabbits, moles, woodpeckers, and other creatures as beloved pets, most often becoming magical after bonding with them.
Protector Yordle
Most often found in the barracks, or in the smiths, the Protectors of Bandle City are the heaviest artillery the city has to offer. Your interest in fighting and protecting the small(er?) has always been a priority in your life. Learning how to best utilize the mightiest weapons and clear off unwanted travelers from your lands. As Captain Teemo says, ‘Size isn’t everything!’
Ability Score Increase
Your Strength score increases by 2.
Nimble Escape
You can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of your turns.
Fury of the Small
When you damage a creature with an attack or a spell and the creature's size is larger than yours, you can cause the attack or spell to deal extra damage to the creature. The extra damage equals your level + your highest modifier score. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Mighty Strength
Despite your size, you’re too stubborn to understand the rules of wielding heavy weapons. Ignore the Heavy rule for Small creatures.
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