Homebrew Fanau Mai'an Species Details

The black sand beach was ablur of movement, their flips and twist were so rapid that one body couldn’t be discerned from the next nor seen through the flying debris. It is impossible to believe a seven foot tall golden tanned hulking mass of muscle and their equally muscular six and a half foot tall willowy dark skinned companion were two separate people, or that they both could move so quickly and in sync with one another to blur my vision. In the midst of the flying sand and utterly confusing movement I knew they were going to strike, and there wasn’t anything I could do to counter their blows. I knew they were there, I just couldn’t tell where they were.

- A toothless and hapless explorer of the harsh shores of Tama’ ilima that thought they could steal the gigantic golden shark tooth from the Fanau Mai'an village.

 

Costal villages echoing with laughter and thunderous haka chants, adolescents' practicing the art of casting their shark toothed nets and crafting their own sailing skiffs, a diver submerging from the depths long after others would have drown holding their bounty aloft, a huge conch for the upcoming lūʻau where the youngest tribal members are recognized with their first tattoos ushering in the next generation of guardians, explorers and leaders—this is the tribe, this is family, and the reason all Fanau Mai'ans live and are willing to fight until their last drop of blood spills onto the black sands for its defense.

Relentless People

These are the islands of Tama’ ilima and Lima’s first people. They embody the contradiction of chaos and harmony that is the spirit of the islands that are captured in the grips of the unrelenting hurricane and maelstrom that is Fanau Mai. They are similar to many other island cultures across Toril, but they are an unconquered lineage that stands tall and as unyielding as their islands against the unimaginable and unrelenting force of Fanau Mai. Their peaceful coexistence with their coastal regions allows them to reap from the bounties of the sea and establish villages along their dangerous black sand shores. Their seemingly placid and friendly nature can quickly turn into a savage warrior’s frenzy when threats dare come against their tribe. This lifestyle is born out of necessity for survival against the island's native monstrous threats, the invasive in-landers and the despised slavers that have infested their region Their struggles have rewarded them with a powerful heritage.

Natural Swimmers

Native Fanau Mai'ans spend almost half their lives in the coastal waters. Their cultural reverence for the oceans, combined with their nautical lifestyle makes swimming an almost instinctive part of their development. Because of this connection they have a natural swimming speed that is almost as fast as their regular movement (- 5 less than their movement speed). From their ritual of the baby's first swim during childbirth to their deep diving for conchs, oysters, pearls and other bounties of the sea, they have lost the innate fear of drowning and being underwater. Their lifestyle has conditioned them to increased their capacity to hold their breath longer than most other humans. A Fanau Mai'an can hold their breath for a number of minutes equal to 1 + twice (2x) their Constitution modifier (minimum of 60 seconds). When a Fanau Mai'an runs out of breath or is choking, they can survive for a number of rounds equal to twice (2x) their Constitution modifier (minimum of 2 rounds).

Nautical Nature

As island travelers, Fanau Mai'ans are trained to build and sail their personal water crafts during their adolescence. The Fanau Mai'ans who are able to escape the grasp of Fanau Mai's maelstrom and explore the lands beyond often explore the world aboard a sailing vessel. Due to their nautical culture, native Fanau Mai'ans gain the vehicle (water) proficiency.

A Tribal People

To Fanau Mai'ans their tribe’s safety is their family’s security. Their tribal home is a haven from the stormy sea, with plentiful fishing, good friends, and cool costal breezes. It is a sanctuary that separates them from the bothersome people that chose to live so far inland that they have become disconnected from the sea. Those who can no longer feel the invitation in its glimmering water, hear the laughter within its crashing waves or feel its salty kisses on their skin. The booming cries of the tribe's Hakas easily blend in chorus with the joy-filled laughter of their revelry under the star filled night skies. This is is the dream made real, and the contented life of many Fanau Mai’ans.                                                                                     Each Fanau' Mai'an has a close connection to their birth family, but their tribe is also viewed as an extension of that family that is as close as siblings. It is customary for peers to call each other “kasegi” cousin. When at home they rarely call each other by their formal names but use universal family titles. They will call those younger than them “fanau iti” little ones, the next generation older them them are called “matua” parent, and they address their elders as “matua o matua” grandparent. The rumor that Fanau Mai’ans eschew clothing is untrue, rather they are most comfortable wearing little, so they are not slowed when swimming or become exhausted in their native humid tropical coastal environment. Their unabashed egalitarian society and lack of formality with titles may make them seem brutish or uncivilized to those unfamiliar with their culture, but they take pride in continuing the longest linage of all the races in Fanau Mai.

Giants Among Men 

The size of an average Fanau Mai’an has generated rumors that they have a shared genealogy to the goliaths or the ancient non-feywild firbolgs. Their stature almost breaks into the humanoid classification as large instead of medium with some exceeding eight-feet-tall, making Fanau Mai’ans the giants among Toril’s other humans. Fanau Mai'ans are equal to Goliaths in height, but not in mass. This lack of mass benefits Fanau Mai’ans as they are surprisingly agile on land and swift in the water for their size.

GENTLE GIANTS

Fanau Mai'ans are second only to Halflings as being affable and cheerful. They value the bonds of family and tribe as well as the protection of those they love. Living a life of self sufficiency and crafting what they need to survive few Fanau Mai'ans have dreams of gold or glory. Even adventurers among them usually venture into the world for reasons of community, friendship, wanderlust, or curiosity.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Their culturally driven beliefs of equality and familiarity often create awkward or socially disruptive faux pas that would embarrass other cultures. Many Fanau Mai'ans have no qualms challenging anyone to a test of skill or ability, regardless of the other person's social status, race or gender. This social blindness can come across as disrespectful or obnoxious, but most are motivated by curious and are willing to learn about other cultures and civilizations. A common belief among Fanau Mai'ans are that the more areas they are accepted in grants them access to different and new things, even simple things, such as an exotic food or an unfamiliar style of clothing.

Fanau Mai'an above all things are loyal to those they consider their tribe. This culturally taught, tribe above self, mentality may motivate a Fanau Mai'an to recklessly rush into dangerous situations to save others when no one else takes action to help. They are taught to support their tribe to be a part of their community, and most are willing to share what they have even in lean times.

Fanau Mai'an Names

A Fanau Mai'ans tribal name is granted by an agreement among the tribe's elders in accordance with tradition. A Fanau Mai'ans tribal name is a reflection of the tribe's hope for the individual. A Fanau Mai'an whose actions brings shame to the tribe is stripped of their tribal name and often the name will not be used when naming future generations.

Fanau Mai'ans also have a family name that is given to them by their birthmother or father. This name is only used during ceremonies and the most personal moments of a Fanau Mai'ans life.

Fanau Mai'ans who travel outside of the tribe will often give themselves a name to connect with their new companions and community. These common names often reflect the exotic or new languages that the Fanau Mai'ans have experienced. A Fanau Mai'an that has joined a mostly Elven group may name themselves with an Elvish word for something the Fanau Mai'an likes or they believe represents them. Common mistakes and mistranslations that happen with unfamiliar languages have sometimes created humorous or awkward situations in the Fanau Mai'ans choice of traveling name. Most Fanau Mai'ans are not concerned about these faux pas and will either lean into the absurdness of their name or rename themselves because of the insignificance and lack of connection of these common names to their native tribe or family.

Fanau Mai's influence in names

Fanau Mai'an tribal and family names are often native words of animals, sacred areas, or powerful concepts that can be found in their native environment or is connected to the spirit of Fanau Mai. 

Fanau Mai'an Traits

Fanau Mai'ans share a number of traits in common with each other.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Strength score increases by 1.

Age

Fanau Mai'an are human. They reach adulthood in their late teens and live less than a century.

Size

Fanau Mai’an are between 7 and 8 feet tall and weight between 220 – 300 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet, and your base swimming speed is 25 feet.

Natural Swimmers and Deep Divers

Fanau Mai'ans spend almost half their lives in the coastal waters. Their cultural reverence for the oceans, combined with their athletic lifestyle, makes swimming an instinctive part of their development. They have developed a natural swimming speed that is almost as fast as their regular movement (- 5 ft. from movement speed).     

From their ritualistic first swim during birth, to their cultural deep diving for oysters and other bounties of the sea, Fanau Mai'ans have lost the natural fear of drowning. Their conditioning has also increased their capacity to hold their breath longer than most other humans. A Fanau Mai'an can hold their breath for a number of minutes equal to 1 + twice (2x) their Constitution modifier (minimum of 60 seconds). When a Fanau Mai'an runs out of breath or begins drowning, they can survive for a number of rounds equal to twice (2x) their Constitution modifier (minimum of 2 rounds).

Blurring Movement

As a part of your movement you are granted the disengage action, and create a disorienting display of acrobatic prowess, the effect of this type of movement disorients attackers similar to the blur spell. This effect lasts until the beginning of your next turn, or if a condition reduces your movement speed to 0. Once you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest. An attacker is immune to this effect if it doesn't rely on sight to, as with blindsight or tremorsense.

Fanau Mai'an Combat Training

You have proficiency with the Fanau Mai'an (Tao) greatspear, (Macuahuitl) obsidian and wooden longsword, and (malie-upega) shark tooth net.

Native Sailors

You gain vehicle proficiency with vehicle (water).

Powerful Build

Your size counts as Large when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, and can speak the Fanau Mai dialect.