Homebrew Felopine Species Details

Small, fast, and paranoid. Felopines are skittish mammals that act like everything wants to eat them. That could be true. I've heard the Orcs consider them a rare delicacy.

— Unknown

 

The Felopine race were long thought to be just another furry creature that lives deep in the woods. As it turns out, they're not only intelligent, but sharply so. The Felopines are fast and stealthy, sticking to the shadows and always listening for danger. Though considered by most to be harmless, apparently centuries of believing yourself to be prey makes you an effective predator.

Small and Cute... but Smart

Felopines are among some of the smallest intelligent races in the land, the average Felopine being around sixty centimeters in height. Being this small, aside from being captured as food, Felopines also have a history of being made into pets. However, centuries of this treatment and an intense survival instinct has led them be naturally talented innovators, most capable of creating tools out of the most basic components. They use these talents to defend their homes and themselves through a mixture of traps and weapons. Many foolish hunters have attempted to enter Felopine territories in order to get rich and never returned. Those who do rarely come back with captured prey in tow, often telling stories of the countless traps filling the forests while never seeing as much as a set of eyes in the shadows. Those Felopines who are gifted with magical abilities, whether through dark deals, practice, or just lucky lineage, are known to be especially skilled in the Schools of Transmutation and Illusion.

Survival of the Skittish

I tell you, I've seen a lot of bar fights. Some turn bloody, some end before they start, Hell, I've even seen a bard smash an orc in the head with their lute. But nothing ever prepares you for the sight of a glorified house cat pulling out and firing a pistol faster than a drunk idiot can pull out a knife.

-Town Guard

 

Even the rare Felopine you might encounter living in a town is guaranteed to be a bundle of fur and nerves. Their ears, long and and surprisingly soft, are highly sensitive. They are adapted to pick up even the smallest differences in the sounds of their environment, after all, their life could depend on knowing the difference between a deer walking through the underbrush and an intruder walking through the underbrush. Aside from their hearing, their senses of sight and smell are also advanced. Felopines are able to see in near pitch black darkness and smell whatever might be hiding in it. They are also not picky eaters, capable of eating just about anything if required to do so. In a world where anyone could be an enemy, no one expects the tiny fur ball to be prepared at the first twitch.

Fiercely Neutral

No matter the situation, a Felopine's highest priority is their own safety. While a few of the more adjusted Felopines might avoid the practice, most aren't above using their allies as living shields. On the flip side, should a Felopine find themselves captured, one might free other prisoners if they believe that assistance is required or that the chaos of doing so would help in the escape. In general, Felopines are Neutral in nature, only looking out of themselves and their immediate kin. While they may find themselves teamed up with other adventurers, at the end of the day, any relationships they form are purely out of necessity. Few will hesitate to simply abandon their allies should they believe it necessary. To a Felopine, every action they take, every move they make, every word they say, everything they do is just them doing what they think is necessary for their survival.

 

Felopine Traits

Your Felopine character has the following racial traits.

Paranoid

Felopines are naturally paranoid about everything and everyone. Felopines have advantage on all Perception and Insight rolls.

Small Creature

Race gains Proficiency in Stealth and Athletics.

Felopine Biology

+2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, -3 Strength
Felopines are tiny, anxious, and not renowned for their strength. They are however, well known for their cat like reflexes and sharp senses.

Darkvision

You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Nimble Escape

You can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of your turns.