Homebrew Arboren Species Details

Birthed from the forest are the Aboren, a race of humanoid plant-folk sharing likeness with the trees. As such, they are closely and intrinsically entwined with nature and are content with living their long lives under the canopies of the world with little interest for what lies outside their bark-ridden homes. What the Adoren people really strive for is their hunting prowess and to improve at it as much as possible and are well attuned to stealth, especially in forested environments.

Bark-born Hunters

Arborens' appearances vary greatly depending on where they were born, but they always appear to be made of animated wood. The wood can look like the wood from any tree in the forest where they are born. They are usually 5 to 6 feet tall. When they are walking around they look as if they are people that have been carved from wood. The male Arborens can, at will, sprout the leaves of the tree; the females, however, sprout a flower of their choice, though once the flower is chosen they can only bloom that flower.

Their slender figures make them incredibly agile and light on their feet, they can move through the forests from tree to tree without a sound. When an Arboren is wounded they don't bleed regular blood, instead, they bleed a glowing green sap-like liquid that carries the magic that animates their wooden bodies, if they bleed out they simply freeze into place and if it is on the soil their corpse will grow into a tree.

Moonlit Creation

The history behind their creation is treasured by the Aboren and is well remembered. The elven goddess Sehanine used to be notorious for creating a new life with the powers of the moon. On this fabled night she was walking through a forest, at this time in the sky was a illuminant full moon, and as it's power poured into her she breathed life into a group of ancient trees. And so they sprouted. Now in honour, once a year the elder Arborens hold a ceremony in which new Arborens are drawn out of the hearts of selected trees. Each one of the Arborens are marked with crescent moon shaped birthmark that resembles a wood burn and bares respect for their creator.

The Forest Life

The Arborens don't build homes, instead, they melt into the tree that they were born from. If that tree is not available then they sit on the ground and enter the meditative state that they use instead of sleep. In this state, small roots sprout out from their legs and they plant themselves into the ground in order to absorb nutrients. The Arborens have been known to stay away from the other races of the world and many of them are content to stay where they are but now and then one of them ventures out of the forest in search of something more than just a simple life in the forest.

Whilst the Aborens avoid outsiders they aren't afraid to communicate with mountain folk, although they don't do so often. The first forests that the Aborens populated were stumbled upon by mountain dwarves completely by chance and were able to set up trade with them. Those from the mountains trade with them for woodland materials and remedies that they are not proficient in finding themselves whilst the Arborens use this trading network to receive hunting weapons such as weighted chains and chakrams. While they are more naturally inclined to take on a fighting style based on stealth they have been known to choose a more unconventional path for themselves.

Arboren Names

Arborens never require names when in the forest because they can tell each other apart without labels. They also do not have family structures and the idea of children are foreign to Aborens, this means that they gain names when interacting with other races like if they join a group of adventurers they are tasked to come up with a name for themselves or the adventures come up with a name for their Arboren companion, though there are some guidelines that they can follow.

Male: Male names are typically the type of tree that the Arboren was born from: Pine, Oak, Maple, Elowen, Linden, Zalantar, Felsul.

Female: Female names are typically named for the type of flower that sprouts from them: Rose, Dandelion, Hydrangea, Orchid, Balsam, Crocus

 

Arboren Traits

Aborens, being born from nature in a womb of wood, has given them many mystical and helpful traits. (Not all traits are working, you'll have to do some manually)

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score is increased by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.

Age

Arborens enter adulthood immediately when they are born from their trees and can live to be about 500 years, although this is dependent on the species of tree they are born from.

Alignment

Arborens lean towards the side of good as the magic that created them is pure, their linking to nature tends to mean they do not wish ill-will on strangers. In rare cases they can stray from that path, often because they were born from a diseased or accursed forest.

Size

Arboren are similar in height to humans but when it comes to weight they are lighter and average around 110 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your walking speed is 30 feet.

Plant-like

Your creature type is plant and humanoid.

Wooden Skin

Within days of being born the Arboren develop a thick layer of outer bark. When unarmored, your Armor Class is equal to 12 + your Dexterity modifier. You are also vulnerable to fire.

Born of the Wild

Your life in communion with nature has made you capable of hunting, foraging, and navigating. You are proficient in the Nature and Survival skills.

Mask of the Wild

At will, you can sprout leaves or flowers from your body, depending on which plant from whence you originated. You can use these leaves or flowers to hide allowing you to attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena.

Arboren Training

In order to become proficient hunters the Arborens are well trained in an assortment of weapons. You may choose to be proficient in either Spears, Longbows, Chakrams or Weighted Chains.

Language

You can speak, read and write Common and Sylvan.