BerzerkerUnit
2021-01-30, 12:19 AM
Thelidians
https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/deb47061-fdfe-4d4b-8700-4731dbd7d93b/ded7pe2-7f496b85-851a-4927-bde7-acbf65fd6bc1.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJ IUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOiIsImlzcyI6InVybjph cHA6Iiwib2JqIjpbW3sicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvZGViNDcwNjEtZm RmZS00ZDRiLTg3MDAtNDczMWRiZDdkOTNiXC9kZWQ3cGUyLTdm NDk2Yjg1LTg1MWEtNDkyNy1iZGU3LWFjYmY2NWZkNmJjMS5qcG cifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6ZmlsZS5kb3dubG9h ZCJdfQ.fbbm0YQp8eDXD3uWxJOXcwoDenQui7I4iez9p3xClyM
Origins and Worldview
Thelidians move across the world as outsiders desperate to know more of it. The origin of their race is a closely guarded secret with a fair amount of curated misinformation spread to further obscure it. Most humanoids, suddenly confronted by a Thelidian, would recoil in horror or revulsion. Thelidians take no offense to this, instead being intrigued to see how their viewer processes the experience. A generally unknown aspect of their biology drives them toward both academia and adventuring. The 1000 year history of the Omniversal Library the first members of their race founded is a gift to any world on which a branch can be found.
Form
The sinous body of a Thelidian is wrapped in a smooth rubbery hide with natural hues from blue to purple or green. Their eyes, like polished black marble that may reflect gold or red in the light, are set into the sides of their head. The eyes appear extraordinarily tiny but become bulbous protrusions when the Thelidian is surprised. From top of head to tip of tail, the average Thelidian is ten feet long and legless. A wide flap of flesh appears draped over their head from which emerges four boneless, coiling arms like those of an octopus. Blessedly hidden under the folds of that draping flesh is a feeding orifice not unlike that of a lamprey.
A Thelidian is capable of a variety of locomotive techniques. Most notably they can burrow through loose earth, soft mud, or sand. While above ground they can slither on their single tail, commonly seen when running but they often default to a tripedal form of movement, using two of their coiling arms to prop their upper body up. Some find this endearing while others are deeply disturbed.
Culture
The avid pursuit of knowledge is a biological imperative for the Thelidians. While the current prevailing theory regarding their origins involves descent from some species of hookworm, the reality is far darker. A titanic creature known for consuming the brains of sentient beings was somehow tamed by a colony of Flumphs. When the creature unexpectedly spawned, the psychic energies of the flumphs created an environment in which the tadpoles could survive and acquire sentience themselves. Much like the flumphs they were dependent on the psychic energies of other sentient beings, but had the appetite of their parent.
Fortunately, they were able to harmlessly and passively absorb these energies as the flumphs do but discovered in short order the amount they could acquire was directly proportionate to the depth and breadth of knowledge of the creatures around them and how intensely those creatures apply that knowledge. To the Thelidian, critical thinking, debate, and measured decisive action in a moment of crisis are all staples.
Thelidians can eat food, and most do, either as a stop gap if stranded and solitary or as a means to facilitate harnessing the mental energies of preparation and enjoyment of the meal by others.
This drive for greater mental energies drove Thelidians into contact with other races and they began to collect and disseminate information as quickly as they could to create as many learned and cultured beings as possible. Civilizations that would normally require hundreds of years to ascend came to be in mere decades.
The place where Thelidians were born was used as a repository of knowledge where the creatures could share information before again traveling far to spread it and so insure a glut of pontification, invention, and innovation. After decades of such collaboration, a library was constructed and then adventurous members of the other known races would come to learn among the “Bookworms,” so named for the Hookworm and scholarly associations the race had assumed.
Eventually, the Library of the Thelidians became renowned even outside their home plane of existence and it was renamed the Omniversal Library. Over the course of its 1000 year history it has been besieged more than 100 times and in all but a few instances the seiges were broken when the Thelidians agreed to offer courses on whatever knowledge the invaders came seeking. This led to the establishment of the Omniversal University and a thriving city that cropped up around it colloquially known as Omnicity (Om-Niss-si-ty).
Names
Thelidian naming conventions can vary wildly. As a Telepathic race that spawns hundreds of young twice in their lifetime and abandons the tadpoles to form their own identities, no two Thelidians are likely to have the same name. Most will eventually adopt a moniker based on some personal preference, role, or ideal: Emerald Investigator, Spectacular Chef, etc. But some will just as readily adopt some painfully common noun like Fork or Desk. The most common are names chosen from those present in a preferred culture: Altus, Vax, Demarius, Eliononen, are all such examples.
Traits
Type
Your unconventional ancestry makes your type Aberration and Humanoid.
Ability Scores
Your Thelidian lineage bequeaths a variety of traits you share with other Thelidians.
Ability Score Increase
Most Thelidians increase Intelligence score by 2, and Constitution by 1.
Age
Thelidian Tadpoles mature quickly over the course of 5-10 years, passively absorbing common knowledge, speech, and cultural norms from the beings around them. They can swim upon birth and learn to walk and slither on land within minutes of emerging from their nursery pool or tank. They are the size of a 10 year old human child by the age of 4 and reach adulthood and medium size, by the age of 10. They live to be around 200 though some may live far longer.
Alignment
Thelidians tend toward Chaos and neutrality. Their need for the wide dissemination of knowledge and willingness to share it with others regardless of intended application can breed many problems, however seeking solutions to those problems further enriches the Thelidian feeding environment. Very few Thelidians are outright evil with the overwhelming majority recognizing that the consolidation of personal power leads to demogoguery and unthinking followers. For a Thelidian, a healthy community is one considering challenges and creating novel solutions. Rote behavior of subordinates, no matter how excellently executed, is a scant meal.
Size
At an average of 10 feet long, Thelidians are heavier than humans, between 300 and 500 lbs. While standing upright the average Thelidian is around 6 feet tall. As Thelidians need to be folded or coiled rather tightly to move, your size is Medium.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 30 feet. You can burrow through loose dirt, soft mud, or sand at half your speed.
Darkvision
You have Darkvision out to 30 feet. You can see normally in dim light and can see in total darkness as if you were in dimlight. You cannot distinguish color, instead perceiving everything in shades of grey.
Innate Psionics
You know the Cantrip Mindsliver. At 3rd level you add the spell Tasha’s Mind Whip to your spell list. You can cast this spell once without using a spell slot and must complete a long rest to cast it in this way again. Intelligence is your Spellcasting ability for these spells.
Alien Mindset
As a creature descended from a brain eating monster you are more resilient to psychic intrusion than most. You have Resistance to Psychic damage and advantage on any save to resist or end any effect that applies the Charmed condition to you.
Languages
You can understand, read, and write Common and two other languages. You cannot speak conventionally but can communicate Telepathically to creatures of your choice that you can see. The range of your Telepathy is 30 feet and increases by 30 feet at levels 5, 11, and 17. You communicate telepathically in a language known to you. A creature cannot respond to this telepathic communication mentally and must use another means of communication available to them if they wish to do so.
https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/deb47061-fdfe-4d4b-8700-4731dbd7d93b/ded7pe2-7f496b85-851a-4927-bde7-acbf65fd6bc1.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJ IUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOiIsImlzcyI6InVybjph cHA6Iiwib2JqIjpbW3sicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvZGViNDcwNjEtZm RmZS00ZDRiLTg3MDAtNDczMWRiZDdkOTNiXC9kZWQ3cGUyLTdm NDk2Yjg1LTg1MWEtNDkyNy1iZGU3LWFjYmY2NWZkNmJjMS5qcG cifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6ZmlsZS5kb3dubG9h ZCJdfQ.fbbm0YQp8eDXD3uWxJOXcwoDenQui7I4iez9p3xClyM
Origins and Worldview
Thelidians move across the world as outsiders desperate to know more of it. The origin of their race is a closely guarded secret with a fair amount of curated misinformation spread to further obscure it. Most humanoids, suddenly confronted by a Thelidian, would recoil in horror or revulsion. Thelidians take no offense to this, instead being intrigued to see how their viewer processes the experience. A generally unknown aspect of their biology drives them toward both academia and adventuring. The 1000 year history of the Omniversal Library the first members of their race founded is a gift to any world on which a branch can be found.
Form
The sinous body of a Thelidian is wrapped in a smooth rubbery hide with natural hues from blue to purple or green. Their eyes, like polished black marble that may reflect gold or red in the light, are set into the sides of their head. The eyes appear extraordinarily tiny but become bulbous protrusions when the Thelidian is surprised. From top of head to tip of tail, the average Thelidian is ten feet long and legless. A wide flap of flesh appears draped over their head from which emerges four boneless, coiling arms like those of an octopus. Blessedly hidden under the folds of that draping flesh is a feeding orifice not unlike that of a lamprey.
A Thelidian is capable of a variety of locomotive techniques. Most notably they can burrow through loose earth, soft mud, or sand. While above ground they can slither on their single tail, commonly seen when running but they often default to a tripedal form of movement, using two of their coiling arms to prop their upper body up. Some find this endearing while others are deeply disturbed.
Culture
The avid pursuit of knowledge is a biological imperative for the Thelidians. While the current prevailing theory regarding their origins involves descent from some species of hookworm, the reality is far darker. A titanic creature known for consuming the brains of sentient beings was somehow tamed by a colony of Flumphs. When the creature unexpectedly spawned, the psychic energies of the flumphs created an environment in which the tadpoles could survive and acquire sentience themselves. Much like the flumphs they were dependent on the psychic energies of other sentient beings, but had the appetite of their parent.
Fortunately, they were able to harmlessly and passively absorb these energies as the flumphs do but discovered in short order the amount they could acquire was directly proportionate to the depth and breadth of knowledge of the creatures around them and how intensely those creatures apply that knowledge. To the Thelidian, critical thinking, debate, and measured decisive action in a moment of crisis are all staples.
Thelidians can eat food, and most do, either as a stop gap if stranded and solitary or as a means to facilitate harnessing the mental energies of preparation and enjoyment of the meal by others.
This drive for greater mental energies drove Thelidians into contact with other races and they began to collect and disseminate information as quickly as they could to create as many learned and cultured beings as possible. Civilizations that would normally require hundreds of years to ascend came to be in mere decades.
The place where Thelidians were born was used as a repository of knowledge where the creatures could share information before again traveling far to spread it and so insure a glut of pontification, invention, and innovation. After decades of such collaboration, a library was constructed and then adventurous members of the other known races would come to learn among the “Bookworms,” so named for the Hookworm and scholarly associations the race had assumed.
Eventually, the Library of the Thelidians became renowned even outside their home plane of existence and it was renamed the Omniversal Library. Over the course of its 1000 year history it has been besieged more than 100 times and in all but a few instances the seiges were broken when the Thelidians agreed to offer courses on whatever knowledge the invaders came seeking. This led to the establishment of the Omniversal University and a thriving city that cropped up around it colloquially known as Omnicity (Om-Niss-si-ty).
Names
Thelidian naming conventions can vary wildly. As a Telepathic race that spawns hundreds of young twice in their lifetime and abandons the tadpoles to form their own identities, no two Thelidians are likely to have the same name. Most will eventually adopt a moniker based on some personal preference, role, or ideal: Emerald Investigator, Spectacular Chef, etc. But some will just as readily adopt some painfully common noun like Fork or Desk. The most common are names chosen from those present in a preferred culture: Altus, Vax, Demarius, Eliononen, are all such examples.
Traits
Type
Your unconventional ancestry makes your type Aberration and Humanoid.
Ability Scores
Your Thelidian lineage bequeaths a variety of traits you share with other Thelidians.
Ability Score Increase
Most Thelidians increase Intelligence score by 2, and Constitution by 1.
Age
Thelidian Tadpoles mature quickly over the course of 5-10 years, passively absorbing common knowledge, speech, and cultural norms from the beings around them. They can swim upon birth and learn to walk and slither on land within minutes of emerging from their nursery pool or tank. They are the size of a 10 year old human child by the age of 4 and reach adulthood and medium size, by the age of 10. They live to be around 200 though some may live far longer.
Alignment
Thelidians tend toward Chaos and neutrality. Their need for the wide dissemination of knowledge and willingness to share it with others regardless of intended application can breed many problems, however seeking solutions to those problems further enriches the Thelidian feeding environment. Very few Thelidians are outright evil with the overwhelming majority recognizing that the consolidation of personal power leads to demogoguery and unthinking followers. For a Thelidian, a healthy community is one considering challenges and creating novel solutions. Rote behavior of subordinates, no matter how excellently executed, is a scant meal.
Size
At an average of 10 feet long, Thelidians are heavier than humans, between 300 and 500 lbs. While standing upright the average Thelidian is around 6 feet tall. As Thelidians need to be folded or coiled rather tightly to move, your size is Medium.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 30 feet. You can burrow through loose dirt, soft mud, or sand at half your speed.
Darkvision
You have Darkvision out to 30 feet. You can see normally in dim light and can see in total darkness as if you were in dimlight. You cannot distinguish color, instead perceiving everything in shades of grey.
Innate Psionics
You know the Cantrip Mindsliver. At 3rd level you add the spell Tasha’s Mind Whip to your spell list. You can cast this spell once without using a spell slot and must complete a long rest to cast it in this way again. Intelligence is your Spellcasting ability for these spells.
Alien Mindset
As a creature descended from a brain eating monster you are more resilient to psychic intrusion than most. You have Resistance to Psychic damage and advantage on any save to resist or end any effect that applies the Charmed condition to you.
Languages
You can understand, read, and write Common and two other languages. You cannot speak conventionally but can communicate Telepathically to creatures of your choice that you can see. The range of your Telepathy is 30 feet and increases by 30 feet at levels 5, 11, and 17. You communicate telepathically in a language known to you. A creature cannot respond to this telepathic communication mentally and must use another means of communication available to them if they wish to do so.