Homebrew Apocralid Species Details

As a eusocial species, Apocralids find living separately from others of their kind to be an inherently traumatic experience, especially if they are far enough removed from the influence of their queen. This is due to the smells/pheromones that they emit. A common punishment for serious crimes is the removal of antennae, which renders them unable to "read" the feelings of others of their kind.  Despite this, there are clans of queen-less, antennae-less Apocralids who roam the land as vicious mercenaries. Some will only accept those who submit to having their antennae removed or burned. Without the moderating influence of their species smells, female Apocralid ancestors would develop into queens, while males would become mindless hyper-aggressive flying drones, however today they have mostly lost the ability to undergo this transformation. Instead, modern Apocralids usually become more aggressive and individualistic outside their societies, and new princesses are extremely rare to the point that Apocralid society as a whole is concerned about the number of queens present. To mitigate the stressful effects of isolation, social Apocralids almost always travel in caravans.

The Chosen

Apocralid queens have a selection of high priests and powerful mages that they hand pick from their population as advisors. Apocralids chosen to become advisors undergo an ascension ceremony which turns them into "Guardians of the Queen." These advisors are exemplars of Apocralid society. One such advisor, "smells of Basil and earth", is infamous for rejecting the ceremony and running away to join a mercenary clan. Basil Guardian, or just Basil as many orc warbands call him, would become a legend among them as a bandit leader.

A TERRIBLE SECRET

What Basil discovered just prior to his ceremony was the existence of a parasitic species which ruled his kingdom, and the fact that the ceremony was actually a birthing ceremony for a new parasite which would infest a chosen advisor and turn them into a member of the parasitic species.

Apocralid Names

Apocralid society has a strong emphasis on smells, and usually pick up on scents that most others would miss. As such names are often based off of what the Apocralid smells like growing up, and they will also gain a second name when they mature based off of their job or a notable achievement.  Apocralid queens will sometimes name their offspring, or sometimes it will be given by their caregivers.

Apocralid names: Juniper Blademaster, Rose Trickster, Leather Beheader of Werewolves, Earth Sorcerer, Rain Quietly Kills, Honey Builder, Soap Smith, Iron River Ran Red, Vinegar Pyre-born.

Apocralid Traits

Apocralids have the following traits:

Phase

Young Apocralids can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. You take 5 (1d10) force damage if you end your turn inside an object. It is extremely rare for adult Apocralids to retain this ability. Apocralids begin with 5 charges of the ability. For every year past 12 you age make a wisdom saving roll with a save of 20. Every fail permanently subtracts 1 from your available charges. Starting on the 20th year roll with disadvantage.

Age

Apocralids reach maturity and age at the same rate as humans, except that the onset of old age and death occurs rapidly; it typically takes one year to go from fully functional and young to dead.

Alignment

Social members are almost always Lawful while exiles are typically chaotic.

Size

Apocralids are typically slightly shorter than humans with a much lighter build; the average is 120 pounds. Your size is medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Apocralid, and Undercommon.

Exoskeleton

You have a tough exoskeleton . When you aren’t wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield’s benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.

Bubble Rebreather

The mucus from your mandibles can form a large thick bubble when you enter water. This bubble can hold enough air for you to keep you breathing for ten minutes plus your constitution modifier. If the bubble pops or your timer runs out you'll start to drown. You can also form a bubble outside of water as an action.

Antennae

Your two antennae can be used to grasp and hold one object up to 10 pounds heavy together once per turn. As long as your antennae remain intact, you have advantage on Insight checks and disadvantage on deception checks against other Apocralids. You also have advantage on any perception or survival check based on smell. If your antennae are removed these effects are reversed.