Homebrew Hane'e (Otterfolk) Species Details

((Thankyou for exploring my Homebrew Otterfolk Race, a quick disclaimer that this borrows heavily from the Mythology of Hawaii and I’ve even tried to incorporate words from the language there. I am not Hawaiian and have no true knowledge of their history, mythology and culture. A large portion of decisions I’ve made in this creation are based on poorly informed media and I can only apologise for any offense caused. I was merely inspired to emulate the mythos and location for this Race, I hope you will agree that it is different interesting and makes a nice change to traditional high fantasy locations!))

 

“Makani bit his lip as his mother fastened on the Turtleshell buckler to his arm… his spear felt wrong in his arms, and the warpaint felt sticky to him, matting up his fur. But his whole family had come to see him, and he would do his best! “Mother, what if I make a mistake?” His mother snorted and stood up, proud of her young otter, about to become a man “What if the fire dancer drops his stick? What if the hula girl bends her ankle? They stand up and they keep dancing, war is a dance, hunting is a dance! Dance with your partner, and if you stumble, you keep trying…” She patted him on his shoulders and he was pushed towards the ring in the centre of the town, everyone had come to see him become a man! Even the Chief and the high priest sat on a dais above a large cage. There was a long, pregnant silence as the young Hane’e waited for the door to rise, and as the Wild Boar sped at him to earn its freedom, the young boy became a man! I will -never- forget the spectacle!”

-Angorn Valar, travelling ‘scholar’ and drinks tester.

 

Hane’e are a race of sentient ‘Otterfolk’ that dwell on the remote tropical island Owaha’ii, filled with lush forests, surrounded by glorious blue seas and reefs and forever shadowed under the towering Volcano that brings both life and death. No ones sure what God bore them to existence, but their seclusion on the island has created Its own pantheon! These people are an energetic, playful race ruled by ritual and mysticism.

 

Strange peoples with strange ways

 

Hane’e for all intents and purposes look as you may expect as Sea Otters, but they have significant differences in that they are bipedal, advanced in intelligence and all over more innovative. They have the same spade-like faces and large noses, they have long bodies with thick, broad tails. They have four digit hands including a thumb and four digit feet which are similar to as you may expect to see a Dogs or Cats. Their fur is thick and waterproof if maintained properly ranging from dark browns to blondes, even to extremes as Black and White. They also can have long hair which is typically thin and males can have beards. Tribes will also display varying colours and patterns of body paint.

Hane’e typically range from 4’6” to 5’ tall and due to their slender nature can be as light as 120-150 lbs.

Live with the flow of the island

 

Hane’e have a similar age range to Humans, typically 80 is a generous age to get to but they can grow older with enough luck or blessings from their respective Pantheon. 

 

These people have a healthy relationship with the life and death cycle that may be seen as ancient or out of date, it all is what it is and they simply embrace that; their lives are full of fun, play, celebration but also ritualism, mysticism and even sometimes tribal conflict as those in power often find that short age a curse and push their own drives, much like Humans. But more often than not, life is calm for Hane’e, they live as life gives them, at good times they build, eat, live and hunt as Puana’loa, the volcano permits. In Darker times there are rituals, hard work and Sacrifice; Sometimes animals, food or people.

 

Hane’e themselves carry a certain levity most of the time, they themselves live with a general theme around family. Otterfolk are full of graceful energy, they are curious, mischievous sometimes and are more often than not relaxed. To some of their discoverers and ‘colonists’ in recent years, their ways seem barbaric, lazy or just flat out on par with Kobolds, Goblins and Orcs. But to the Hane’e they just live as their Gods would will them too; some may see their reluctance to embrace new ideals as stubborn but they know their Island and it’s ways, to them it’s just silly foreigners knowing nothing.

 

Tribes and tribulations

There have been many tribes over the centuries, but at present there are three, the Wai (Water) Tribe, the Ululaau (Forest) Tribe and the Lua Pele (Volcano) Tribe, each one bares its own tribal paint colours defining them, water has blue, green for forest and red for Volcano (The only exception being Priests and priestesses who wore White paint regardless of tribe). It was more common in years gone by simply for tribes to be known simply by their locations, where they typically dwelled on Owaha’ii; but these days their tribes differed more on ‘political’ differences. Some welcoming foreigners, some fearing and hating them, others wanting to seclude from them entirely. This has led to battles but has yet to lead to open out warfare.

 

For those who live in a tribe, it means little more than lineage, each Tribe is associated with a God of their pantheon, assumed to have birthed their people, sometimes literally! The tribal lineage comes from their God or Goddess and to them that is part of their identity, for example the Wai Tribe specifically lives on the skirts of the Ocean and are dedicated to caring for, living off and granting offerings to it, these offerings given to Kana, the God of the Ocean. The Ululaau tribe act similarly, with blessings going to Lo, God of Peace, fertility and Rain, the Lau Pele offered to Pele, the Goddess of the Volcano. Other Gods and Goddesses were also Worshipped, and no tribe had exclusive access to a deity, they merely took pride in their links to that lineage.

 

Not all Otterfolk have remained on the Island and now take on a few different lifestyles. Unfortunately, the first of those is ‘slave’, many ‘colonists’ took huge advantage of these people and took them as exotic pets and slaves to show off to their homelands. These people do not have a good life, though some may enjoy being treated like some sort of pampered ‘pet’ instead of a person this would be a huge exception not a rule. Some however seek to embrace the new world outside the Island, becoming travelling merchants, adventurers or even, pirates! Some of the Kahuna (Priests) Take on vision quests across the oceans, to an end that either only their God knows OR they may possibly just be very drug fuelled and wandering aimlessly. Hane’e after all are full of the joys of life and finding out there is a world beyond their own may leap at the chance to explore!

 

A whole new, old world…

Wanderlust takes the young more than the old, so Otterfolk tend to be seen outside of the Island as these youthful, energetic people, full of curiosity and joy! They may be just a young warrior, now an adult, wanting to see what's beyond their tribe and see where all those big ships go. Some might just be freed or escaped slaves, who are now out and alone in the world with no drives except maybe to go home, if they remember home at all, they may find solace and comradeship with fellow adventurers. Lastly the Priests on their wandering spirit visions, carrying out the whims of their Pantheon or perhaps exploring a NEW pantheon. There are other Gods? What curious Hane’e could resist learning about them.

 

What are you?

Humans “These people are kind of like us! They like to drink, dance and have fun! But they can also be incredibly cruel and I see no motive for this, I’m not sure if I trust them, their chiefs seem to live well while all their tribesmen suffer, where is the Ohana?”

Elves “They are WONDEROUS! All this magic! Their rituals are incredible and beautiful, I would dearly love to share this with my tribe at home. But they are reluctant to share their rituals, and when I share mine? They seemed hostile, I feel a little intimidated by this.”

Dwarves “I don’t know what to think of them, they are bald, but also hairy? But I think beyond their appearance I like them very much, they value Ohana, they all work as a team, but they are not boring, they like to Drink and have fun! It’s just a shame they take it all so far; they get overexcited and fight each other and if we dug that deep into Lua Pele? There would be a wrath I cannot fathom.”

Halflings “They are just like us! Ohana, working together, being relaxed, and having fun! It makes me sad that others do not take them seriously, but I also see why. Seems they live just for pleasure and do not offer anything to their Gods, such a life could end with abandonment, what malicious God would swoop in and take advantage? Perhaps Kana.”

 

Hane’e Names

 

Hane’e names are given by the priest that attends their birth, being both a midwife and a mediator of their God given name, they take some rather potent drugs and their name is offered!

Male names: Ahe, Aolani, Kaimana, Kainalu, Keola, Keonaona, Konane, Makani

Female names: Leilani, Alaina, Alani, Malia, Kailani, Kalani, Keanu, Ailani

Important Tribal Titles: Luna Nui (Cheiftain), Kahuna Nui (High priest/Priestess), Kahuna (priest), Kahuna Kahunapule (Priestess)

Hane'e (Otterfolk) Traits

Hunter Gatherer, Born for the water, Tribel Warfare, Adorable!, Favourite rock,

Hunter Gatherer

You gain +2 to dexterity as a baseline.

Born for the Water

Otterfolk are natural swimmers and live on the oceans and rivers! They have swimming speed equal to their movement, in addition to being able to hold their breath three times longer than standard.

Adorable!

You are adorable! you gain proficiency on Persuasion.

Favourite Rock

Otters are innovative and creative problem solvers, You're proficient with improvised weapons and can choose to be proficient in Tinker's Tools or Smith's Tools.

Tribal Warfare

you gain proficiency in Spears/Polearms and Bows. In addition you negate the disadvantage other weapon types have during Aquatic fighting.