Homebrew Urgal Species Details
(v.4)
The Urgals only understand the language of violence. They have a very small number of spellcasters among their ranks, and these are regarded with fear, even among other urgals. They gain respect and honor through raiding of other villages, whether human, elf, dwarf, or even of their own. If you see one, do not attempt to fight it, unless you are a magician. They do not deserve to be classed among the ranks of Men, Elves and Dwarves, and should be exterminated like wolves and other evil beasts.
As skilled in craftsmanship as in battle, they generally make their own weapons, and will always help others. They are often employed as security guards, but are still regarded with distrust, despite the fact that they have made magically binding oaths to keep their warlike nature in check.
Strong and Powerful
Urgals regard themselves as better or worse than others based on battle prowess. They are strong against almost any opponent, but are not unbeatable. They will sometimes fight against an opponent who is stronger than them, and they will often still win. If they are beaten, they consider this a source of great shame for them and their tribe, and will try to win back honor by raiding another village, historically of humans, but more often nowadays it is another urgal village.
Short lives, long grudges
Urgals have a similar lifespan to humans, living for up to 100 years. However, their tribes will remember ancient wrongs for at least a thousand years, meaning that it is difficult for other races to make friends with them, as they will remember what a human's great-great grandfather did to a member of their tribe, and will treat them as if they did it themself. However, if a tribal chief decides it is in the tribe's best interest, then he may choose to forgive a wrong done against the tribe.
Culture and Lifestyle
Urgal lifestyle revolves around battle. Urgals gain honor for themselves by defeating opponents in battle, and gain honor for their tribe by defeating opponents in battle. Pacts and treaties mean little to them, as battle is so ingrained in their minds. They are normally peaceful towards humans, elves and dwarves nowadays, as they are part of the Dragon Riders.
Gods, Tribe and Honor
An urgal's main concern is with their gods. They have at least a hundred gods, each venerated on special days throughout the year. They cover everything from farming and building to battle and natural disasters. Their evil gods they try to prevent from attacking them, and their good gods they try to please, in the hope that they may enter Valhalla, their heaven.
An urgal's second concern is their tribe. Each urgal belongs strongly to a tribe, who will have a chief, a shaman (wizard or dragon rider), a priest (normally not magical, but if a tribe has two or more spellcasters, the priest will be a cleric), and a village, which is where the tribe is based. An individual urgal can hope to gain rank within a tribe through impressive feats in battle, and is doomed to fall to the bottom of the hierarchy if they do a shameful act, such as one that causes death to a large number of the tribe.
The third concern of most urgals is personal honor. If they prove their battle skill enough, then they may be regarded with respect even among other tribes. Such urgals are normally employed as diplomats for the relationships between different tribes, though sometimes they will abuse this power to the benefit of their own tribe. If they are discovered doing this, they will often be disowned from their tribe. A tribeless urgal cannot gain honor, and is regarded as little better than a parasitic insect.
Urgal Traits
Your urgal character has an assortment of abilities, parts of urgal nature and culture.Ability Score Increase
Your Strength score increases by 2, and one other ability score of your choice increases by 1.
Age
Urgals have a similar lifespan to humans, living for up to 100 years. They are, however, considered young until they have made their first kill.
Alignment
Most urgals are lawful, believing firmly in the benefits of a well-ordered society. They tend toward all moral alignments, though more of them are evil or neutral than are good.
Size
Urgals stand between 5ft and 7ft. Your size is Medium.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 35 feet.
Darkvision
Accustomed to life at night, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. 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.
Urgal Combat Training
You have proficiency with the battleaxe, handaxe, light hammer, warhammer, and greatclub.
Weaponsmith
You gain proficiency with smith’s tools.
Battle Expert
Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the origin of a battle scene (either a painting or other artwork, or a battlefield that you cross), you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common, and also the Urgal dialect of Orc. The Orc language is full of hard consonants and guttural sounds, and those characteristics spill over into whatever other language an urgal might speak.
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