Homebrew Arthropine Race Details

As I ventured through the wastes, I came across an odd sight - a tiny village, inhabited by small creatures no taller than my shins, similar in appearance to large insects of varying types, yet moving around on their hind legs like humans. They paid me no heed, going about their business as if I was no more than another feature of the scenery around them, but their movement and activity fascinated me, and for hours I watched them. There were, as far as I could tell, no more than a half-dozen of these creatures in the village, but on occasion, a traveler would wander in from afar or climb up from a well on the outskirts of the town, go about their business, and leave as quickly as they came. Curious, I peered into the well from which these travelers appeared, and was shocked to behold the opening of what appeared to be a vast system of tunnels and caves, inhabited by more of these fascinating creatures. Some, like the villagers, appeared sapient, wielding small weapons fashioned from metal to protect themselves. Others appeared as monsters, quickly and brutally slain by their sapient cousins in defense from becoming an evening meal. And all throughout were strewn signs of a once-great civilization, now crumbling into ruins as these creatures explored deep into its depths. The sight struck awe into me, and I wished sorely that I were small enough to explore these caverns for myself, and learn more about this mysterious ruined kingdom I had discovered. It was with great sadness that I carried on my way, knowing I would likely never find the place again, and would be unable to explore it for myself even if I did. — An excerpt from the journal of a wandering storyteller



The Arthropine are a race of large roughly-humanoid insects, varying wildly in subspecies and appearing as everything from beetles to spiders to bees to mantises. Remnants of a vast underground kingdom long since collapsed, many spend their lives wandering the surrounding wastes or delving into the depths of the ruins to search for lost treasures. Others prefer to settle, whether aboveground or deep in the rubble of their ancestral home, providing services or shelter for the more adventurous of their ilk. Still others have long since shed their sentience, if they ever had it to begin with, and roam the ashes of the kingdom searching mindlessly for their next meal. One thing remains true of all Arthropine, however; though they largely prefer to remain non-combative, they should not be underestimated in battle.

This race is heavily based on the game Hollow Knight by Team Cherry. Some liberties have been taken in order to fit them to the universe of Dungeons and Dragons, but I have attempted to remain as faithful to the original source material as possible.

Masks and Nails

From the earliest days of their lives, most Arthropine possess two objects - a mask that will serve as their face, and a weapon known as a Nail. Masks hold a vast amount of cultural significance to the Arthropine, with many never revealing their true faces even to their lifelong mates. Some Arthropine choose to forgo the use of a mask; however, this is almost exclusive to those that prefer a peaceful or sedentary life. Travelers, adventurers, and treasure hunters will almost always use masks, both for the small measure of anonymity they provide and out of cultural habit. To break another's mask is the greatest cultural taboo of the Arthropine, and is seen by them as the most certain way to curse yourself.

Nails, on the other hand, are the Arthropines' best friends. An overarching term for any sharp weapon, whether designed for stabbing or for slashing, a traveling Arthropine will never be caught dead without their nail. They most commonly find use similar to that of shortswords, but can be found in variants ranging from rapiers to lances to greatswords, or even more exotic variants such as the "needles" of the Hornet clan - thin rapiers designed purely for stabbing, tied at the handle end to a strong, thin string which allows it to be used as anything from a whip to a grappling hook. Some variants may have more specific names, but they still fall under the general moniker of nails.

Diverse Subspecies

The Arthropine are even more diverse in their appearances than humans, with subspecies sharing the appearance and traits of nearly every type of insect imaginable. Some even stretch the definition of insect, appearing as maggots, spiders, snails, or even more unusual invertebrates. Each subspecies has its own traits, quirks, and abilities, but all fall under the name of Arthropine. The subspecies documented below are some of the most common, influential, or interesting subspecies, but you should feel free to experiment when creating an Arthropine and branch out into other subspecies of your own making.

Arthropine Names

Arthropine names are as diverse as their appearances, and have very few common threads between them. Some have surprisingly human-like names considering their minimal contact with outside races, while others have much more exotic and unusual names. They tend towards names that reflect something about their appearance or personality, though these connections are often extremely loose and subjective - insect puns are not uncommon to see as names, though they do not seem to realize themselves that this is the case.

Arthropine Traits

Age

Arthropine vary in longevity by subspecies, but generally mature around the same age as humans, and live slightly shorter lives (about 80 years).

Alignment

Arthropine tend slightly towards neutral alignments.

Size

Arthropine are quite minute, the smallest of them being able to pass for very large insects, and the largest reaching no higher than 2 feet tall. Your size is Tiny.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

Born and raised in darkness, you are quite accustomed to dim conditions. 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.

Nailbearer

Trained with the weapons of your people from a young age, you are innately accustomed to your weapon of choice. You have proficiency with one martial melee weapon of your choice. Heavy weapons are not eligible for this skill. Additionally, once per short rest, you may disengage by up to 10 feet as a bonus action following a successful melee attack, without provoking an attack of opportunity. You must disengage in the opposite direction than you were facing when the attack hit, including vertically.

Natural Compass

You are innately aware of which direction you are facing relative to north, even when underground, and can recognize at a glance any landmark you have seen before.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Arthropine.

Beetle The most common subspecies of Arthropine, Beetles are hardy workers known for their sturdiness and reliability. Their natural shells afford them an extra measure of defense, at the cost of flexibility and speed; their bulk may also prevent them from slipping into some of the tighter areas of their cavernous kingdom. Suggested classes: Barbarian, Fighter Hardened Shell Your body is protected by a hardened natural shell, which surrounds all but your belly, face, and limbs. You have resistance to bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing damage from non-magical weapons directed at your back or sides. Hornet A mysterious clan of female warriors, known for using thin needle-like nails attached to long strings, which they use both to attack and to restrict their enemies' movements. They are small, fast, and graceful, and seem to know more of the Arthropine kingdom's history than any other clan, though they are loathe to share it with all but the most worthy of warriors. Suggested classes: Ranger, Rogue Graceful Killer Your form is light and fast, lending a grace and fluidity to your movements that is both beautiful and deadly in combat. Your Dexterity increases by 2, and your Charisma increases by 1. Mantis An ancient clan of warriors valuing honor above all else, the Mantis have stood at odds with the rest of the Arthropine kingdom since the time of its first ruler, lending their civilization a longevity not shared by their brethren. Taking refuge in a small village nestled deep beneath the kingdom, they are led by a council of three warlords, elected by trial in combat. Thin and tall, the Mantis strike imposing figures, using their large reach to their advantage in battle. Suggested classes: Paladin, Fighter Towering Reach Your towering physique grants you greater reach than your brethren of other subspecies. Your melee reach is doubled. Moth An ancient clan with the ability to shape dreams, Moths are the finest creators of magical items known to the Arthropine. They are quite fond of creating magical trinkets and charms, and rarely choose to wield a nail, preferring to peacefully tinker with their work rather than fight. Suggested classes: Wizard Dreamweaver You are an expert at weaving dreams into being, bending the veil between dreams and reality to your whim. You may cast Dream once per long rest, without the need for any material components. Soulweaver Variant: Replaces the Nailbearer racial trait. May be used with any subrace.

Soulweavers are the mages of the Arthropine, putting aside their nails in favor of casting spells. Drawing upon the power of Soul, they are able to cast simple magical spells to damage their foes, attacking from a distance or healing minor wounds with ease. Soul Vessel You possess a natural "Soul Vessel", containing the energy you use to perform magic. The Soul Vessel can hold up to five charges, and refills after rests; a short rest will restore three charges, while a long rest will restore all five. At level 10, you gain two additional Soul charges for a total of 7. A short rest will now restore 4 charges, and a long rest will restore all 7. At level 20, you gain three additional Soul charges for a total of 10. A short rest will now restore 5 charges, and a long rest will restore all 10. Soul Casting You may expend a Soul charge to cast Magic Missile or Cure Wounds as a cantrip. When cast this way: Magic Missile will create one dart per Soul charge expended, up to a maximum of 3.

Cure Wounds may only be used with yourself as the target, and regains 1d4 hit points rather than 1d8 + your spellcasting ability modifier.

As an Arthropine, the majority of your characteristics are determined by your subspecies; however, there are a handful of traits common to all sapient Arthropine.