Homebrew Badgerfolk Species Details

Creatures of earth, the Badgerfolk are a sturdy race of humanoid badgers. Their origins are largely unknown, though some scholars suspect they migrated from the Elemental Plane of Earth. Many Badgerfolk are miners, using their sharp and tough claws to tunnel into the hills in which they also live. Other Badgerfolk who might become adventurers often include strong warriors and earth mages.

Underground Dwellings

Badgerfolk homes are made by digging wide tunnels into a large hill. These houses, called setts, are long halls that have walls and floors made of stone bricks. Hills usually house only one clan of Badgerfolk, or two if the clans are long time allies and the hill is big enough. Badgerfolk create their mines underneath their setts. These mines are large vertical tunnels that branch off into horizontal ones. Badgerfolk are natural miners, due to their sharp claws, and can spend days in tunnels digging for minerals. Their efforts produce many crystals of various colors, which badgerfolk craftswomen fashion into jewelry and other decorations.

Matriarchal Societies

Badgerfolk organize themselves into clans, which consist of relatives and close friends. Each clan is led by the eldest female, who is titled the great mother. The great mother, advised by her council, is responsible for making decrees, settling disputes, approving marriages, and keeping the clan functioning smoothly.

Males are considered impure in Badgerfolk culture, so they generally take up menial jobs as guards, miners, and househusbands. When males marry, they are expected to join the clan of their wife. Many females are miners as well, but are more likely to become artisans, who create beautiful pottery, as well as other goods made of stone. Badgerfolk scholars, also predominantly female, carve text into rosetta stones and keep their knowledge in great archives.

Badgerfolk Names

Badgerfolk are given a first name and a clan name. Clan names often include elements of earth. (I used minotaur names from the fantasy name generator)

Male Names:  Honbor, Grumus, Wugrim, Daruk, Robur, Brigon, Mujius, Wyrmier, Tetus, Garmaruk, Bradrun, Brimier, Tunras, Dritagar, Wunbor, Vybur, Warvius

Female Names: Wyra, Relzera, Rindya, Terae, Molra, Geraris, Hilmira, Gredira, Mirneth, Maemara, Mehrko, Gramira, Theteus, Wagres, Molkira, Kalgera, Tenrena

 Clan Names: Earthclaw, Hillfoot, Regalgem, Wisehollow, Silverpaw, Mountainguard, Stonebrow, Rockpelt

 

Badgerfolk Traits

Their are a few characteristics that all Badgerfolk have in common.

Ability Score Improvement

When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one of those scores by 2 and a different score by 1, or increase three different scores by 1. Follow this rule regardless of the method you use to determine the scores, such as rolling or point buy.

The “Quick Build” section for your character’s class offers suggestions on which scores to increase. You’re free to follow those suggestions or to ignore them. Whichever scores you decide to increase, none of the scores can be raised above 20.

Age

Badgerfolk usually reach adulthood in their late teens and live to be around 80 years old.

Size

Badgerfolk are about the same height as dragonborns. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your walking speed is 30 ft.

Badger claws

Your claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. They also grant you a burrowing speed of 15 ft.

Darkvision

Accustomed to life in dark tunnels, 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. 

Momentary Resilience

When you are subjected to bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage, you can use your reaction to take half the damage. You can use this reaction a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all uses of it when you finish a long rest.

Powerful Build

You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Languages

You can speak read and write Common and Terran.