Homebrew Yordle Species Details

The Yordle are a race of spirits who generally take the appearance of mammalian bipeds. They mostly reside in a mystical place known as Bandle City, though some of them have ventured out to live in numerous locations around the Material Plane.

What differentiates yordles from other spirits is that their physiology is more consistent between its members. Yordles are sexually dismorphic and much shorter than humans; both sexes rarely exceed 1 meter tall, with most averaging around 0.8 meters. Their skin texture ranges from being completely smooth, to very lightly covered in fur, to ultimately being significantly furry. Their hands have four digits while their feet differ greatly depending on the individual (from four to two digit feet). Their skin tone runs a much broader spectrum of colors than their human counterparts; some consider this to be a sign of the yordles’ attunement to Weave’s magical nature; though scientists agree that this evolutionary trait is used by male Yordles (which tend to be furry ) to attract females of their species (which tend to be smooth skinned and/or lightly covered with fur). Their large eyes feature a large, circular iris with a vertically oval pupil, and they generally have inferior vision in the normal spectrum of light than humans. Yordles nevertheless have much better hearing, due to their large fox-like ears and are able to see into the infrared spectrum of light, whereas humans cannot. Furthermore, they are commonly characterized by their dependence on language, as well as their creation and utilization of complex tools.

They require far more social interaction with their own kind than humans do. Their desire for social interaction drives them toward this ethos, as the mental health of a yordle is very much dependent on the positive company he or she keeps. This does not mean, however, that they are incapable of cruelty and evil. In fact, a yordle who is kept in isolation for too long – especially from contact with other yordles – runs the risk of becoming withdrawn and sullen. Some who already are centered more toward malevolence will become exceedingly so in due course. These yordles will often twist their desire for social interaction into a desire to seek out others to inflict pain and suffering upon them.

Yordle Traits

Your yordle character has a number of traits in common with all other yordles.

Ability Score Increase

Two Ability Scores of your choice each increase by 1. Yordles are very diverse and make their own paths through life.

Age

Due to their magical nature Yordles usually outlive many other races and can live as long as elves.

Alignment

Most yordles are good, and tend towards neutrality. Their moral compass is most often pointed toward goodness and benevolence. All yordles respect the Bandle City rules and would never teach anyone the means to open a portal to Bandle City. Even evil yordles have standards.

Size

Yordles are between 2 and 3 feet tall and weigh between 25 and 35 pounds. Your size is Small.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Humanoid

You are a humanoid. Yordles have a coat of fur that comes in all colors. Females tend to have very short, fine fur. Males are normally more fluffy and furry. Yordles also have hair as well, and often style it as part of their personality. Their hair also comes in all colors, making for a very diverse race.

See What's Beyond

Yordles can see into the infrared spectrum. 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. Yordles can also see through magical darkness.

Keen Ears

Your hearing is superior to most other humanoid races. You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) ability checks that rely on hearing.

Expertise

You have expertise in one skill or tool of your choice, to represent part of your background focus. Yordles are somewhat single-minded, and it reflects in their innate capability with a particular trade or skill.

Fey Ancestry

You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep.

All Roads Lead Home

Yordles can naturally sense portals and other means of entering the Feywilds. A yordle can detect a portal or gate leading to the Feywilds within a number of miles equal to their Wisdom modifier (minimum 1). Yordles can find the portal and make an Arcana check (DC 15) and weave the destination to be Bandle City instead of where it was. If a portal destination is changed in this way, the portal only remains functional for one minute before being dispelled by Bandle City's magical defensive matrix. A yordle can attempt to re-route a portal to the Feywilds to Bandle City once before they need to finish a long rest.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan. Yordles speak in a distinct dialect of Sylvan, which is akin to jibberish and babble to those that aren't wise to yordle speech. You have Thieves' Cant as a bonus language.