Homebrew Kercpa Species Details

 Kercpa

After that they went on till they came among tall beech trees and Trufflehunter called out, “Pattertwig! Pattertwig! Pattertwig!” and almost at once, bounding down from branch to branch till he was just above their heads, came the most magnificent red squirrel that Caspian had ever seen. He was far bigger than the [ordinary] squirrels which he had sometimes seen in the castle gardens; indeed he was nearly the size of a terrier and the moment you looked in his face you saw that he could talk. Indeed the difficulty was to get him to stop talking, for, like all squirrels, he was a chatterer.

— C. S. Lewis, Prince Caspian

Lithe and frantic, kercpa are as reclusive as they are merry. Their entire culture is predicated in the knowledge that life is short, and thus should be sweet. They make their homes in the trees of Faerûn and beyond, living in secret. Kercpa were once a more open and welcoming folk, but over the years they have become distrusting of the destructive influence of others against their culture and homelands. However, there are those who seek to strike out against the world and are not content to hide in the canopies forever—seeking to seize the brevity of life and affect the world around them.

 

Small and Fierce

Kercpa are known by many of the other folk of Faerûn as “squirrelfolk”. The moniker is not inaccurate; their resemblance to a common red squirrel is uncanny, and kercpa could be considered a distant relative. It’s not known for sure if kercpa are a natural development, a magical creation, or a pet project of elves and fey. Kercpa are much larger than their cousins, standing up to 1 ½ feet tall and weighing no more than 4 or 5 pounds. Their body is covered in a coat of thick fur that ranges from vibrant rusty reds to dark browns, greys, and tans. This fur is coarse and light during the warmest seasons, and grows thicker and fluffier during the coldest seasons to provide natural warmth; it also has the advantage in modesty in all seasons.

Whether a kercpa develops with their kin among the trees or out in the world, they leverage the benefits of their small frame and clawed grips to climb, leap, and move among whatever environment they find themselves in.

Kercpa use clothing as a way to blend into their environment and move about the canopies undetected. Their garb is light and loose, made of woven tree and leaf fibers so that it can move naturally with the wind. More often than not, kercpa clothing includes a hood or full face covering that can be pulled up over their mouth and nose to hide their breath. It’s not common to find a kercpa in their conclaves or home forests wearing armor, but it’s not unheard of for those few that adventure into the wider world. Even while adventuring far from their home, most kercpa will maintain their ritual of changing the color of their attire to match the foliage as the seasons change.

 

Family Trees

The numbers of kercpan societies—known as conclaves—within Faerûn have diminished in recent years, or at least become so secretive that they appear diminished. Between the Spellplague and subsequent sundering, rapid changes to the environment affected the kercpa’s ability to build their food stores and wracked what they had stored. Known conclaves still exist in the eastern High Forest, the Lluirwood, and the Forest of Amtar. Smaller conclaves exist all over the realms, and even within Laerakond, the remnant of Abeir. It’s unclear whether the Laerakond kercpa were denizens of Abeir that translocated to Toril with the continent, or if they migrated to it from other places within Faerûn.

Within a large conclave, one might find 200 to 300 kercpa spanning four living generations. In addition to drays of hunter-gatherers, individual kercpa fill many of the same roles one might find in a bustling city, such as artisans, traders, and hospitalities— except without nobility and rank. Within a kercpan conclave, each member is treated equally, as most kercpa have a cooperative nature; to the kercpa, there is little reason to see oneself as greater or lesser than another.

There are two minor exceptions to this rule of equality: spiritual leaders, who commune with the largest tree in their forest as a revered earth deity and act as attendants to their forest, and folk heroes. Heroes such as the fabled Rititisk the Clever, whose mythical exploits, adventures, and ambitions became the basis for the kercpa moral compass, serve as the inspiration for most kercpa who leave their conclave in search of adventure.

These two roles in kercpan society and legend do not elevate one’s social standing, but it is undeniable to say that they are looked upon fondly, and might be given the sweetest acorn (so long as everyone in need has what they need first).

 

Art & Culture

Kercpa have a deep reverence for nature, as it is their home and provider. This is deeply intrinsic to their art and culture. Kercpa have developed their own unique form of art, known as arashaw—“woodcut” to outsiders. This is a process in which they take a piece of petrified wood or bark and engrave intricate designs and scenes through the use of their clawed hands and teeth. The creation of this art is seen by kercpa as embedding a part of yourself in nature, and the impermanence of the natural material is representative of the kercpan views on their fleeting presence in the world. Such creations rarely leave the conclave, but allies of the kercpa, such as elves, might be in possession of a few trinkets that bear the artistry.

 

The Wider World

A common refrain among the youth in kercpa conclaves is as follows: “To truly live, you must feel the bark of another forest’s trees between your claws.”

Simply put, staying within your own home forest is not enough for these young upstarts. They feel that the world has a lot more bounty and opportunity to offer outside their homes. They cite the accomplishments of Rititisk, other folk heroes such as Rilstajar “the Rapier” and Lyracheelie “the Leaf”, and all of the wonderful things they’ve seen and done by leaving their home. While all stories of adventure are told to kercpa children—more as a cautionary tale than something to aspire to—it’s all too appealing and a favored pass-time of young kercpa is to take up branches and practice swordplay, giving each other joking titles not unlike Suldarn of the Many Acorns.

Of course, leaving the comfort of one’s conclave is a daunting task, and kercpa have a lot to contend with in the grander world. Being small has its benefits, and many kercpa find themselves to be quite capable in places where smallfolk can flourish, such as cities and dungeons.

 

Kercpa Names

Faerûnian kercpa favor names with many short syllables that can be readily shortened. Kercpa culture puts no emphasis on gender’s role in society, and this is evidenced further by their names not being affiliated with any one gender. Adventuring kercpa often have a chosen title, to distinguish them from other kercpa who share their name.

Kercpa Names: Laurrah, Libble, Lischlan, Lobin, Lyracheelie, Radarrel, Recellan, Rhutar, Rilleteros, Rillow, Rilstajar, Rititisk, Rudding, Rudella, Rutiger

Kercpa Titles: “the Bandit”, “the Catcher”, “the Dancer”, “the Echo”, “the Joker”, “the Tiny Dragon”, “the Tumbler”, “of the Quest Forgotten”, “the Zephyr”

 

 

Kercpa Traits

Your kercpa character has the following racial traits.

Tiny Frame.

Your size allows you to move through and end your movement in other creatures’ spaces. You can move through a space as narrow as 3 inches wide without squeezing.

Forager.

During a long rest in a suitably abundant environment, you can spend 1 hour gathering enough food and water to sustain yourself and 1d4 other creatures for one day.

Arboreal Adept.

You have a climbing speed of 40 feet. To use this speed, you can’t be wearing shoes or gloves that don’t leave your claws exposed. In addition, you only need to move 5 feet before making a long or high jump to cover the full distance.

Nimble Fingers.

You can make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check, or draw or stow an object, as a bonus action.