Homebrew Dinurian Species Details

I remember a dinurian coming through town once. She was quiet and kept to outskirts, observing more than interacting. However, when she did talk it was with the dinosaurs here and they seemed to take quite the shine to her.

— Toblen Stonehill, innkeeper

Arriving to the world a long time ago on a ship that fell from the stars, dinurians are a nomadic race typically keeping to the outskirts of society, though they will help anyone in need. Perhaps its a form of thanks for the world basically taking them in. 

Nomadic Newcomers

Dinurians arrived on falling comets, having been driven to the world by mindflayer ships. The ship they arrived on was destroyed, stranding them and separating them from the rest of their kind.

They've taken to wandering the world, either alone or in small family groups. They seek to understand the world and learn all they can, trying to adapt to their new way of life. Awkward in disposition, they tend to keep to the outskirts of society, frequently mingling with tieflings and other similar groups.

Saurian Combatants

One ability Dinurians have retained in spite of the destruction of most of their technology is the ability to shapeshift into a saurian combat or scouting form. Inheriting this form from one of their parents, these forms tend to share traits with their humanoid forms, frequently having matching "hair styles" and patterning that matches their clothing appearance.

High Intellect

What they lack in social skills Diinurians frequently make up for in brain power. They've proven themselves to be impressive wizards and artificers. Those who have taken an interest in the natural world frequently become powerful druids, and those fascinated with religion often become notable clerics.

Built to Fight

Dinurians also frequently make impressive martial fighters as well. They possess retractable claws that they often utilize in hand to hand combat, as well as many being trained in weapon use from an early age to be soldiers, though this tends to be more a relic of their past culture and has fallen out of favor with the current generation.

Dinurian  Names

Dinurians have a first and last name similar to humans, however their names frequently have a pun quality to them, often sounding like the name of the prehistoric beast their combat form resembles. Those who think highly of themselves have also taken to using the names of gods they admire the traits of as a nickname.

The following list of sample Dinurian names.

Dinurian Names: Duna Nychus (similar to deinoychus), Raptin Dinon

Dinurian Personality

 

Overall relatively cold and reserved, their individual personalities often match the personalities of their combat forms. For example, Dinurians with an herbivorous form tend to be high strung and either skittish, aloof, or aggressive, whereas carnivorous Dinurians tend to be more relaxed but very goal oriented.

Dinurian Forms

 

Roll a D4. Even numbers mean you have an herbivore, odd numbers mean you have a carnivore. Roll a D8. 1-2 means your saurian form is a size class small. 3-4 means your saurian form is a size class medium. 5-7 means your saurian form is a size class large. An 8 means your saurian form is a size class huge.

Dinurian Traits

Your Dinurian character has the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and either your wisdom or intelligence score increase by 1.

Age

Dinurians have lifespans equivalent to humans.

Alignment

Dinurians can be any alignment.

Size

Dinurians are taller on average than humans and relatively slender. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 40 feet.

Darkvision

Descended from a nocturnal species, 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. 

Combat Form

As a bonus action you can assume the form of one dinosaur of your choosing. This form must be of size class huge or smaller and must be declared on character creation. You can turn into this form twice per day.

Dinurian Claws

Your claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d8 + your Strength or Dexterity modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Dinurian Skills

You have proficiency in the Perception and Stealth skills. You also have proficiency with a martial weapon of your choice.

 

 

Languages

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