Homebrew Nutria (Otterfolk) Species Details
Those are little feisty folk. You think you're walking through a peaceful little trail and next thing you know you're surrounded by little men covered in full babbling on in another language with pointy little sticks poking into your side.
The Nutria, or Otterfolk, were a creation of Fae to serve the royal courts. Originally there were many races like them; however, when the races grew more intelligent. Though some Otterfolk live out their days in remote huts on the water forming small communities, others form nomadic bands that travel constantly, lured by the open road and the wide horizon to discover the wonders of new lands and peoples. All Otterfolk love games, food, and swimming, though home might be a raft floating downriver or a little damp cave full of family.
Small and Practical
The diminutive Otterfolk survive in a world full of larger creatures by avoiding notice or, barring that, avoiding offense. Standing about 3 feet tall, they appear relatively harmless and so have managed to survive for centuries in the shadow of empires and on the edges of wars and political strife. They are inclined to be stout, weighing between 40 and 45 pounds.
Otter-like people who stand on two legs and use spears for combat and have an otter-like head. They are covered in dark brown fur.
Otterfolk practicality extends beyond their clothing. They’re concerned with basic needs and simple pleasures and have little use for ostentation. Even the wealthiest of Otterfolk keep their treasures locked in a cave rather than on display for all to see. They have a knack for finding the most straightforward solution to a problem, and have little patience for dithering.
Family Oriented
The Otterfolk spend as much time on land as in the water and have adapted to life on both. They often live in small villages, and have very tight family units. Though peaceful to merfolk and other Otterfolk, they have had to fend for their villages in the wilds where all sorts of monsters constantly threaten their safety. Curious creatures, they love exploring the rivers and are often somewhat nomadic moving their villages every few years so that they do not oversap the resources in the area.
Because of their close family units, Otterfolk care greatly for their family units and friends. Very tight nit, they will do anything to protect each other. Community focused they will rarely willingly take actions that could lead to the harm of those close to them.
Fae Descent
The Nutria, or Otterfolk, were a creation of Fae to serve the royal courts. Originally there were many races like them; however, when the races grew more intelligent. Although they are not direct Fae lineage, they have quite a few natural magical properties that many fae share from their long time serving the Fae royalty.
Agrarian Lifestyle
Live an agrarian lifestyle growing various fish farms in the rivers of their small home isle. They have a centralized tribal leader that is elected by the elders of their tribe.
They follow a matriarchal lineage where the males often live among their wives' households; however, the elders and tribal leaders are made up of almost exclusively male with only a female elder occasionally earning her place among the elders.
Otterfolk Names
A Otter has a family name, mother name, a personal name, and possibly a nickname. A family name is a word denoting a location their family comes from while mother names are the name of their own mother they hold on to help denote which family unit they come. The personal name is often adopted when they reach the age of five and choose a name they like for themselves.
Male Names: Agapito, Calixto, Guadalupe, Muñoz, Práxedes, Xio
Female Names: Ávila, Buenaventura, Christabel, Corazón, Nuñez, Velazquez
Family Names: Morales, Rivera, Marín, Fuentes
Nutria (Otterfolk) Traits
Your Otterfolk character has a number of traits in common with all other Otterfolk.Ability Score Increase
Your Dexterity score increases by 2.
Age
A halfling reaches adulthood at the age of 16, but very rarely reach ages past around 85 to 90 years.
Alignment
Most Otterfolk are lawful good. As a rule, they are good-hearted and kind, hate to see others in pain, and have no tolerance for oppression. They are also very orderly and traditional, leaning heavily on the support of their community and the comfort of their old ways.
Size
Otterfolk average about 3 feet tall and weigh about 40 pounds. Your size is Small.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 25 feet. You also have a swim speed of 40 feet.
Thick Fur
Lutra's thick coats keep them warm and dry in all conditions.
Muddy Experience
Climbing up and sliding down steep inclines in slippery mud is second nature to the river bank dwelling Otterfolk. This gives them advantage on [/skill] Acrobatics [skill] checks for climbing and navigating slipper surfaces.
Nimbleness of the Small
You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Communia and Idoma. All Otterfolk speak Bestial as it is the language of their clans, but this language does not have a robust written form. Instead its oral tradition is very strong. Almost all Otterfolk speak Idoma to converse with the others of Merfolk and many also learn Communia if they choose to travel.
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