Homebrew Tekar (Dog Person) Species Details

I'll tell you what I told the Watch officers who interviewed me after. We were all intrigued with this stranger that came into the inn. Honestly, he looked like man mixed with a dog. He sniffed the air as if he knew what was coming. Later that night, some idiot spilled his drink on the table's candle on the drapes of the window. The whole place went up in flames so fast we could barely react. Everyone rushed out. The stranger? He rushed in. While I was waiting outside, I saw him go in and out at least six times, carrying or helping to evacuate one or two people at a time. When it was all over, he was covered in soot, his eyes were bulging and his tongue was sticking out. But about a dozen people are alive today because of him.

— Anonymous Waterdhavian

Coming from the far reaches of Luiren where they used to have a flourishing society near the halfling settlements there. The rising water level caused by the Spellplague has forced them out and some of them decided to not return and continue journeying onwards, exploring the world.

Family Friendly

The Tekar are very family oriented, usually considering tribes and villages as just one big extended family. They take care of each other and are often welcoming and very hospitable. But, as their lowlier kin, they are also cursed with the occasional wanderlust and, at times, a Tekar will just decide to start walking in one direction and keep going, only returning home when they get bored or homesick.

Fiercely Loyal

The stories that abound speak about a legend that the Tekar were created by an ancient experiment to uplift a race of dogs. If any written history of this ever existed, none of it has yet to be found and, asking the Tekar themselves provides mostly resignations as they care not for the past or future, only the now. However, if this is true, it explains the Tekar's unfailing loyalty to any creature unless they were hurt by it. And so, Tekar out and about lend a helping hand wherever one is needed, they are charitable and helpful, never go back on a promise, and tend to stick around where they feel they are needed. They are comforting, warm, and stick around wherever they think they are needed.

Tekar don't care much for material wealth, preferring the wealth of companionship, company and connection. 

True Friends

If you make a good impression on a Tekar, especially if you have secured their friendship, good luck getting rid of them. Over a long time, their caring could get overbearing. They would stick with you, help you with whatever they think they could, try to accompany you wherever you go and, overall, be very clingy.

But, in a jam, you could probably find no better ally. A Tekar friend will never abandon you, follow you to the ends of the earth, and might even protect you with their own body.

Guardians and Confessioners

Tekar are equally as comfortable on the road as they are in the city. Only some of wandering Tekar are adventurers and some are storytellers, bards, hitchhikers and as such. If you find them outside their home it will usually be in a security position on a caravan, as a confessioner of people's troubles or a general assistant. They don't tend to converge towards religion or magic as they prefer the simple things. But it is not surprising to find them in priest-like capacity, comforting people and helping them with what ails them.

Handling a Tekar is also quite simple. If you share with them, treat them kindly and don't betray them, you could have a friend for life. Repaying them for deeds done is as easy as paying for their expenses and a kind word of thanks.

Tekar Names

Taking a cue from their supposed ancestors, Tekar names are usually happy, positive, active and energetic ones. They typically don't have a family name. For them, anyone can be family and the family unit could contain even hundreds of individuals at a time. Some Tekar, trying to take inspirations from other races to fit in more, tend to copy naming conventions to give themselves an air of similarity. Though, doing so, the result is usually more comical than elegant.

Tekar Names: Rex, Max, Hopper, Lager, Thumper, Boxer, Schnappy Omnomnomus Mozart III

Tekar Personality

While personality traits, bonds and flaws available through the background part of character creation, feel free to use the following tables to further customise your specific Tekar character.

The Tekar Motivation table can be used to explain your place in the group or your reason for this life of adventure.

Tekar Motivations

1d8	Motivation
1	A fellow adventurer saved my life once. I owe them.
2	The group found me and took me in, nourishing and taking care of me when I was down and out.
3	The group needed help in a dire situation and I was there.
4	We were walking a similar path for a while and I grew to like them.
5	We were all trying to help at the same place at the same time and decided to stick together.
6	A fellow adventurer and I were on a mission together once and the experience bonded us.
7	A truly dire situation forced us to hide together and take comfort in each other. We grew to like this arrangement.
8	I was wondering and became lost. A fellow adventurer guided me through. I owe them.

Tekar Quirks

1d10	Quirk
1	In sight of an above average feast, I tend to drool.
2	My preferred form of showing affection is saddling up next to someone, pressing myself against them and leaning on them.
3	I don't let other people touch me until I know them well.
4	When excited, I swing wildly from one leg to another.
5	I sleep spread out on my stomach with my limbs in random directions.
6	There's a very special place on my body that if you scratch there, I will be completely relaxed.
7	I cannot ride in a closed carriage. I must stick my head out its window.
8	I can't really say when I want attention. I'll just stare until I get what I want.
9	If I don't understand something, my head automatically tilts to one side.
10	This is fine.

 

Tekar (Dog Person) Traits

Your Tekar character has the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increase

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

Age

Tekar have lifespans slightly shorter than humans. They are considered mature at age 10 and most live to be 60 years old.

Alignment

Tekar tend toward good alignments as they care for their fellow Tekar, their fellow man and their fellow everything. They are mostly neutral, doing well in large tribes and societies or just on their own, but a not inconsequential minority is lawful or chaotic.

Size

Tekar are, on average, as tall as elves but are rather wider and thicker. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Tekar are also natural swimmers. Your swimming speed is 30 feet.

Keen Hearing and Smell

While your vision is poorer than the average human, registering no more than blues, yellows and greys, your hearing and sense of smell are superiour. You have advantage on Perception checks that rely on hearing or smell and disadvantage on checks that rely on sight.

Canine Dash

Your muscles still remember how your ancestors used to run with great speed. When committing to running, you can use all four of your limbs for a speed advantage. When you take the Dash action on your turn, you can move an additional 15 feet.

Dog's Bite

Your teeth are sharp canines and your clenched jaw can break bones. Your bite is a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Also, if you hit, you can decide to not let go. If you do, the target is considered Grappled and you cannot use your bite until you let go. On their turn, the target can use an action to make an Athletics check against a DC equal to 8 + your Strength modifier + your Proficiency bonus, removing the condition on a success.

Dog's Talent

You have proficiency in the Animal Handling and Survival skills.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language of your choice.