Homebrew Chirocha Species Details

It's unaware by most historians barring the actual Chirocha ones when the strange race started to crop up - all that's known is that these small bat-like humanoids are indeed real and thankfully most of them live within the Underdark.

 

The Chirocha Community

Their communities are tight knit, making sure every neighbor has come back home and keeping tally of their surroundings - giving them a slightly neurotic and nervous sense of their surroundings. Any religions they have are based upon lesser more personal 'Gods' and deities that they have created for themselves that are overlooked by the outside world; The ones in the Underdark look to one known as 'The Wormbringer' or 'She Who Brings the Worms' (Pictured in Large Avatar) for bountiful harvests on their hunts or even on smaller insect farms.

The communities are often lead by a triumvirate of the eldest Chirocha in the cloud - respectfully referred to as 'Elders' or 'Elderwings', they deliberate on the goings on of the cloud, how healthy everyone is and act as heralds of ceremony or judges to crimes caused within the cloud and decide on the punishment should there be any to be done. They also decide if the cloud should move or migrate either due to territory size or food.

Normally the entire cloud stay together barring one particular offset of the cloud called the 'Nursing Flight' - this is usually comprised of pregnant Chirocha who stay in a large group to support each other during their pregnancy, they stay at the center of the cloud's community wherever they should start to build their homes and are guarded very protectively by more experienced older females who cannot become pregnant anymore and by the 'Bladewings' - the cloud's guardians and fighters. After the mothers have given birth, they return to their personal part of the cloud and/or back to their partners.

 

How they are viewed by the Outside World

Stigmatized by the outside world as demonic creatures due to their appearances, Chirocha tend to live in clouds ranging from 40 to even so much as hundreds of individual Chirocha and their young far away from civilized settlements for their own sake more than often. It's rare but not unheard of for individuals to go out to explore the world to seek things that are unavailable for their cloud...but it's even rarer for individuals to come back from their adventures.

Many stories have been circulated about the Chirocha, how they steal, how they kill, how they spread infection and disease and many other rumors that don't have any founding evidence other than individual cases but have all more or less solidified how the outside world view the Chirocha. The most likely source of individual cases usually tend to be outcasts from clouds that have committed a crime against the community so heinous that they have not only been banished, but had their wings ripped off and are henceforth called 'Wingless' - but as said this only happens with the most dire of crimes or a corrupt leadership, it isn't uncommon to have innocent Chirocha framed for a crime and subsequently having them face such a life changing punishment.

All in all, these tiny nocturnal creatures are indeed alarming, but at best are just that.

 

Chirocha Languages and Names

Being creatures that mostly communicate in echolocation, their language has slowly but surely evolved into a series of lyrical beeps, clicks and squeaks that imitate how actual bats communicate with one another. This however doesn't limit them from learning such a base language as common for their own purposes such as direction, map reading or simply pleading for their life.

Due to their language being a set of squeaks and whistles, most Chirochan names are lyrical sounding or made of high pitched noises;

Examples of Chirocha Names: Ipiripi, Etuture, Aporopo, Iik, Shee, Kirii, Likiree, Opopri, etc.

Chirocha never normally have second names, but they do often introduce themselves by the name of their cloud - clouds can have numerous different names that are roughly translated into common in rather simplistic ways - such as; 'Moonflower' or 'Nightfang'

Examples of Chirochan Cloud Names: Softwing, Moonfang, Nighteyes, Fruitclaw, Bloodlicker, etc* 

*Depending on the subrace - clouds can have very different naming conventions.

Chirocha Traits

Chirocha Racial Traits

Ability Score

Being small creatures with very little muscle, Chirocha need to make up for their small size with their speed, smarts and acrobatics. Making them nimble and clever little companions to make up for their fragility.

As such your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Intelligence score increases by 1.

Age

Chirocha reach maturity by age 10. Chirocha live to an average of 60 years.

Size

Chirocha are about 4 feet tall and they have thin, lightweight bodies that weigh between 70 and 90 pounds. Your size is Small.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 20 feet.

Echolocation

Accustomed to life as a nocturnal species, you have adapted an interesting way to see in the dark.  Through soft high pitched squeaked, you can use your hearing to map out your surroundings within 60 feet of you in near darkness and dim light.

Fly

Being one of the few flying mammalian creatures (next to actual bats, gryphons, etc) Chirocha are natural flyers and can usually fly faster than they can walk.

As such you have a natural flight speed of 40 feet.*

*You may work out with your DM if you'd like to roll a certain skill or ability to determine how well your character does.

Wall Climbing

With a Chirocha's natural advantage to being off it's feet, they find themselves at home either climbing themselves up walls or simply hanging off of the ceiling.

At 1st level, you can climb vertical and horizontal (upside down) surfaces with advantage (DM's discretion) on Acrobatics checks for a climb speed of 30 feet.