Homebrew Drimmshi Species Details

"But alas; alone, cold, and cowering in the ditch beneath my feet, there laid a child! It resembled a mixture of a Human and Orc - though it was certainly no Half-orc. I was merely compelled to pick it up; regardless of its lineage, I could not leave a child on this barren path to die. Little did I truly know then, the rarity of the cursed child that we brought into our society.

The child grew quickly, and its Orcish nature became apparent when it joined Breitbonn, our weightlifter, at just the age of 6. It was around this time, too, that he discovered his love for the wildlife of our travelling path, before ultimately coming to befriend a serpent, which he called 'Lizzie'. Lizzie became a part of his strongman act, allowing for some practical comedy during his incredible displays of strength.

It took us some many years to fully understand the nature of that boy and his snake, but he was a worthy member of Lidwaffer's Ludicrous Litany of delight all the same. He fought with us, he learned with us - he was simply a favoured member of the troupe and the family."

- Baron Von Lidwaffer, 'Esteemed Ringmaster and Show business Extraordinaire'

One in a million anti-miracle 

The birth of a Drimmshi is a rare event, with very few ever being recorded and most of those still casually discarded as a rare orc. This is far from the truth of the nature of a Drimmshi however. Where the god of Orcs, Gruumsh, compelled the brutish Orcs to seek war and conquest, the Drimmshi behave more like Humans, often seeking out their own path with personal agency that life in a God's image could not create.

Drimmshi Upbringing 

It is incredibly rare for a Drimmshi to be kept by an Orc clan, with many viewing their presence as a curse on their clan. As such, they can expect to be left to rot somewhere in the nearest woodland or savanna. This will lead to an upbringing depending on whomever found a Drimmshi. Work with your Dungeon Master to help create a compelling upbringing for your Drimmshi, or roll a d6 and use the table below for inspiration, as well as a background that best suits this.

d6	Finder
1	No one. You spent your adolecent life alone in the land you were left. (Background: Outlander, Hermit)
2	A travelling scholar found you and brought you into their home, recognising your astounding uniqueness. (Background: Sage)
3	A missionary found you on their journey, and returned to their church/monastery to adopt you. (Background: Acolyte)
4	A travelling troupe of guardsmen sent to counterattack your native clan found you, and took you into their liege, recognising only 'a baby orc with no cruelty in its eyes'. (Background: City Watch, Soldier)
5	A travelling circus found you, and brought you in to train you as a part of their show. (Background: Entertainer)
6	An eccentric nobleman or noblewoman found you while on diplomatic travel, and couldn't resist keeping you. (Background: Noble)

 

 

An Orc by any other name...

 Though born an Orc, their physicality differs greatly from those that Gruumsh blessed. Unlike their green-or-grey skinned counterparts, Drimmshi will often have pale, more human skin tones, comparable to Chondathan humans in the Forgotten Realms. However, Drimmshi retain part of their orcish build and natural muscularity at the expense of having no tusks and the benefit of a much less simple mind. Drimmshi are only usually slightly shorter than Orcs, being comparable to a tall, wellbuilt human.

...Would be as mad.

Drimmshi, in terms of inherent mannerism, are a far cry from their natural ancestors. Most socialised Drimmshi are incredibly well-spoken, regardless of how learned they are. Many Drimmshi act with a compassion that further differentiates them from their birth family. Drimmshi will often keep a small house pet if they have a place of residence - few landlords can resist their natural charisma - and will always do the most they can to take care of their companion, sometimes missing days worth of meals just to keep their pet well fed.

Drimmshi Pets

Pets are a symbolic part of a Drimmshi's life, acting to them as a safe presence in their home and a symbol of their ideals. Many of these derive from a value they choose to live by, or another animal can be chosen to represent something else, such as a God, at your Dungeon Master's discretion.

Animal	Values Symbolised
Cat	Grace, Fortune
Dog	Loyalty, Pride
Songbird	Beauty, Solitude
Mouse/Rat	Balance, Nurture
Snake	Vengence, Rebirth
Spider	Patience, Mischief

Socialites of zero culture

Drimmshi are cursed by their birth, inheriting no real culture from their abandoning parents, and almost always adapting to the culture they live among, regardless of how deeply it varies from their native culture of conquest. Despite this, Drimmshi will almost always keep a pet as seen above. Where the Drimmshi differ most from almost all other races is that very few have faith in Deities and other higher powers. Drimmshi will often live by an ideal to a much greater extent than that of most other races and societies - being just as devout to their ideal as a Cleric or Paladin to their God. This jarring contrast with the polytheist society they reside in is another classic Drimmish subversion of expectation. Similarly, Drimmshi have no race-specific naming traditions, so any name one could expect to find within their society could be applicable to a Drimmshi.

Drimmshi Traits

The Drimmshi combine the best of the Orcs' physical prowess while shedding some of their greatest flaws; further reinforcing their closeness to civilised humanoids by nature in conjugation with their birthrights.

Ability Score Increase

All of your Abilities Scores increase by 1 and one of Strength, Intelligence or Charisma increase by a further 1 point.

Darkvision

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.

Drimmshi's Companion for Life

A small beast you keep as a pet will accompany you on your adventures, acting independently of you in combat, unable to take the attack option but having all the same stats as listed in the relevant source book. Your pet is able to stay with you wherever you reside, and costs 1CP to feed for 2 days. A Drimmshi will only have one pet at a time, and will require a year to grieve the loss of a pet before obtaining another.

 

Always consult your Dungeon Master before obtaining any pets.

Age

Due to their shared physiology with Orcs, Drimmshi share a similar natural lifespan: fully maturing at age 12, and dying naturally at age 50.

Alignment

Drimmshis' minds aren't plagued by the command of Gruumsh, which allows them to take a much less aggressive approach to life. You are likely to be Neutral or Neutral Good.

Height

The deformed Orcish physiology has reduced the physicality of the Drimmshi. you are likely to be between 6' and 6'6, while being notably bulky. Your size is medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Languages

You can speak, read and write Common, Orc and one other language of your choice.

Natural Charisma

You gain proficiency in the persuasion skill.