Homebrew Thri-Kreen (Dark Sun) Species Details

INSECT BODY

Mature Thri‐kreen stand about 7 feet tall, with a rough body length of 11 feet. Their four arms end in claws; their two legs are extremely powerful, capable of incredible leaps. However, kreen are unable to jump backwards. Their body is covered with a sandy– yellow chitin, a tough exoskeleton that grants the Thri‐kreen protection from blows. Their head is topped with two antennae, and their two eyes are compound and multifaceted. The kreen mouth consists of small pincers. Male and female Thri‐kreen are physically indistinguishable. Thri‐kreen usually do not wear clothing, but wear some sort of harness to carry weapons and food.

Many wear leg or armbands, or bracelets. Some attach rings on different places on their chitin, though this requires careful work by a skilled artisan. While most thri-kreen appear identical to non-kreen, their nuances of exoskeleton development render them quite unique in their view. Pheromones release modifies their eye coloration: light for pleasant feelings and dark for distress. They are carnivores and become sick if eating plants, the only exception being a handful of common spices and fruit-based potions.

NO SLEEP REQUIRED

Since Thri‐kreen do not require sleep, they have difficulty understanding this state of “laziness” in others. Other behaviors of humanoids seem unnecessarily complex. A keen’s life is simple: hunt prey. Kreen live for the hunt, and own only what they can carry. Their knowledge is largely passed by an instinctual racial memory shared with the clutch. At birth, they already know what animals make the best prey and ways to catch them.

A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE

The pack mentality dominates a keen’s relation with others. Kreen hunt in small groups and will move to other areas rather than depopulate an area of prey. A kreen that joins a group of humanoids will often try to establish dominance in the group. This can be disconcerting to those unaware of the keen’s behavior, since establishing dominance usually means making threatening gestures. Once the matter is settled, they will abide by the outcome. Thri‐kreen view humanoids as possible sources of food but rarely hunt them as humanoids are not simple prey. Many kreen have a particularly fond taste for elves; as such, meetings between these two races are often tense. However, once part of a clutch, Thri‐kreen will never turn on their humanoid friends, even in the worst of situations.

Kreen have a severe fear of any water smaller than a puddle as they cannot swim or float. They have no idea how to ride another creature and find the concept alien and nonsensical.

RACIAL MEMORY

Contrary to the variety of humans, thri-kreen are largely predisposed to tasks due to their racial memory. They have no wizards; their lack of natural sleep and need to hunt makes it impractical, but kreen take to psionics as a way of life and the hunt. They revere the elements and ancestral memory causes them to revere the Great One, a legendary leader from many clutches past. 19

THRI-KREEN NAMES
The Kreen language is very different from those of the other intelligent races. They have no lips or tongues, and so cannot make the same sounds humanoids make. Kreen language is
made up of clicks, pops, or grinding noises. They do not distinguish male and female names.

Names: Cha'ka, Chuka-tet, Drasna, Drik-chkit, Hakka, Ka'cha, Ka'tho, Klik-chaka'da, Lakta-cho, Qhak'cha, Qhik-ikcha, Sa'Relka, T'Chai, Tak-tha.

Thri-Kreen (Dark Sun) Traits

Kreen physiology gives it several natural advantages that compensate for not being able to utilize items commonly worn by other races.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.

Size

A typical thri-kreen is 7 feet tall, 11 feet long, and weighs 450 pounds. Unlike other races, variation in height and weight is nominal and a few inches or pounds at most. You occupy a 10 foot by 10 foot space and have 5 foot reach. Your size is Large.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 40 feet.

Carapace

Your chitinous plates provide a natural armor class of 13 + Dexterity modifier. You cannot wear armor but you may carry a shield.

Thri-kreen Physiology

You only require 1 gallon of water per week. You cannot swim. You cannot wear items fitted for humanoids, including but not limited to armor, bracers, cloaks, and rings.

Sleepless

You require no sleep and are immune to sleep effects. You need only 4 hours of light activity to gain the benefits of a long rest. You are not required to make saves for a Forced March.

Thri-krren Weapon Training

You are proficient with the gythka, chatkcha, and your claws and bite.

Natural Weapons

Your claws can be used to make a single natural attack for 1d4 + Strength modifier slashing damage. At 5th level, this increases to 2d4.

Additional Arms

You have two ancillary arms below your main ones. Each of these weaker arms can hold items but not effectively wield weapons or shields. You may use your extra arms to stow or retrieve one item each turn without using an action and may freely swap items between your arms without using an action.

Leap

At 3rd level, your legs have grown powerful enough to jump 50 feet forward or 20 straight up, without a running start. You cannot jump backwards.

Naturally Psionic

Your Psi Point maximum increases by 2 and by another 2 at 5th level.

Languages

You can speak Thri-Kreen and Common. Thri-kreen is a language composed of clicks and whirring, antennae movements, and pheromone emissions that non-kreen find too difficult to interpret and impossible to duplicate. When you speak other languages, you use a highpitched voice.