Homebrew Aica-Napa Species Details

Feral and Strange

Named "Terrible Claw" the aica-napa are a terrifying reptilian race of humanoid predators deserving of their namesake. Aica-napa are around the same height as most humans, ranging from under 5 feet to a little over six feet tall. They have partially hollow bones, so they are extremely light. Aica-napa have long, thin, reptilian faces and snouts with strong bone structures. Their faces, bellies, and their clawed hands and feet are covered in scales that are gray or earth-toned and the rest of their bodies are covered in small, bristly feathers. Plumes of longer feathers fan out from their tails, arms, and the backs of their heads. Males of this race usually have longer and more brightly colored plumage, although females have been known to display some amount of brighter coloring too. Aica-napa can be found with feathers almost any color under the sun. Their eyes are generally bright yellow. Their claws and teeth are either bone white or jet black with moderate tones of brown and gray. Both their teeth and their talons are long and razor sharp. They are fast, lithe, and agile. They reach physical maturity at just 5 years old and generally become full pack members between the ages of 7 and 10. They rarely live to be more than 70 or 80 years old. Aica-napa speak a slightly faltering common. Their own language, which has no name among them, but is commonly referred to as Saurish by other races due to the dinosour-like appearance of the aica-napa, is composed of a series of low growls and high-pitched screeches.

Primitive Packs

Aica-napa live in close-knit packs ranging between 5 and 30 members. They live a nomadic and primitive lifestyle centered around caring for the needs of the pack. Thus, most aica-napa are aligned towards some kind of neutrality. Every eligible member of the pack is expected to contribute to the pack's survival. Young to middle-aged adults hunt and defend, the elderly help care for the children, and experienced hunters and warriors are tasked with training the teenage members of the group in hunting and fighting. Every member of the pack is protected. They see little need for religion, for the needs of the pack are more important than anything else. This often causes them to be cautious and in the presence of clerics, paladins, and other pious individuals. If anything, the wellbeing of the pack is a religion of its own. To the aica-napa, there is no bond stronger than that shared by members of the pack.

Aica-napa refuse clothing that limits their range of movement. Thus, they often wear simple garments made from hides and pelts strapped together. They often adorn themselves and their clothing with trophies from defeated enemies. The most experienced can be seen with more trophies and boubles than clothing.

Aica-napa prefer to use their claws and speed in combat, often using ambush tactics to trap their enemy before rushing into close quarters in an overwhelming flurry of razor sharp claws. However, if an alternative would be considered more affective, they have been known to craft crude weapons or trade in goods accumulated from their hunts for better crafted weapons from a nearby town or a wandering trader.

Other Races

When it comes to other races, aica-napa are usually tolerant of them unless they pose any kind of threat to them and their pack. If anything, other races can improve their survival. Not many aica-napa packs will turn down an alliance with other creatures if it is for the good of the pack. To them, there is no use in being self-sufficient if it gets you killed. They may be more likely to trust reptilian races, such as lizardfolk and dragonborn, than other races that are harder for aica-napa to identify with. But among the most cruel and savage aica-napa, other races are little more than another source of food and sport.

 

Playing an Aica-Napa

When playing your aica-napa character, there are a few things to remember. First, aica-napa are generally more primitive than other races. They are also monstrous in appearance, so at first glance, a village might assume that an actual dinosaur is descending on them when an aica-napa walks into town. Also, aica-napa revere the bonds of their packs above most else. When playing an aica-napa, consider how he or she became an adventurer. What made them leave the pack that they hold so dear? Or are they a stranger or outcast to pack life? If they were from a pack, did they have some kind of falling out or did they have a difference in moral inclination? Do they now think of the party they adventure with as their new pack? Or are they caught up in being self-sufficient now that they are separated from the safety of the pack they once knew. Are they more savage like the rest of their kin? Or are they more refined? Consider this when you are playing an aica-napa.

Aica-Napa Traits

Aica-napa are effective predators and thus, have multiple traits developed to make them more powerful hunters.

Ability Score Increase

Your dexterity score increases by 2 and your intelligence score increases by 1.

Darkvision

You are accustomed to to tracking your prey through dim forests and the dark of night. 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

Claws

You are proficient with your unarmed strikes, which deal 1d4 + your dexterity modifier slashing damage on hit.

Bleed

With a well-aimed strike, you can make your enemy bleed out. On a critical hit with your unarmed strike, the target creature loses 1d4 hitpoints every 1d6 rounds afterward.

Eye of the Hunter

You know how to single out an opponent in the midst of combat. Once per long rest, you can gain the effects of the Hunters Mark spell with this trait without expending a spell slot. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for this feature.