Beastfolk, Treefolk (3.5e Race)

Treefolk

When dark and unknown forces unleashed their magical sicknesses and strange, alchemical byproducts onto the world, allowing great leakages of foul substances from their places of experimentation (see the Lapid entry above for more information), a number of woodland species, far from the harmful effects of the strange magical substances at ground zero, underwent a variety of strange alterations, causing them to rise to full sentience, and to take their place as intelligent races. The lapids are the most populous and well-known of these races. However, they were not the only ones, for not only were rabbits affected by these warping energies – the squirrels in the trees nearby were also affected in similar manner. It was from these squirrels that the treefolk – also sometimes called squirrelkin – arose, and they have never looked back since.

Personality

To use an obvious stereotype, treefolk are a very nutty race. They tend to be scatterbrained, and prone to being rather silly, chattering almost constantly, with much wasted motion in their hyperactive bursts of activity. However, they are also quite adept at survival, despite their occasional lapses in concentration, and can be incredibly serious when the occasion requires.

Physical Description

The squirrelkin look very much like their namesakes – humanoid squirrels, of roughly human size, ranging between 4’10” to 5’10” at their tallest, with furry bodies, large, dark eyes, and big, bushy tails that are excellent at providing stability of balance for the sure-footed treefolk. However, there are many subspecies of treefolk that look more like lemurs, ringtails, and opossums, though there are no statistical changes in their abilities – these variations are likely the result of further experimentation by the strange and now largely extinct group that produced so many new races before their eventual demise. Treefolk bodies vary in general proportions depending on the time of year, with lean and wiry appearance in late winter, spring and early summer, when they are at their most active, and a distinct fatness during late summer, autumn and early winter, when most of their efforts are directed towards storing away food for the lean times.

Relations

Foremost among the friends of the treefolk are the lapids, for the two groups stem from the same source, and seem to understand each other best of all. The mouselings and ratlings are next after this, along with the proscion, and working arrangements are often reached with these races. Because the treefolk do not tend to overpopulate their lands, and are staunch supporters of freedom and defenders of the woods, elves and treefollk get along very well indeed, though elves tend to humor the hyperactive treefolk more often than not. Dwarves are generally irritated by the nutty squirrelkin, but put up with them as they might unruly children, and halflings and gnomes find them to be inherently entertaining, and enjoy their company whenever they want a bit of interest in their lives.

Alignment

The hyperactive, fun-loving, and slightly whimsical and scatterbrained treefolk tend to be Chaotic Good in outlook. They are fiercely loyal to their friends, and detest oppression and tyranny with a vengeance.

Lands

In general, the treefolk do not take up much space. They live in the trees above the forest floor, forming elaborate arboreal villages when they have time to make them without being disturbed, and so do not generally need to disturb the lives of those living below. It is not at all uncommon for gnomes, lapids, and similar races to make homes in and around the bases of large trees, and for the treefolk to make their homes in the upper reaches, neither race troubling the other. In fact, lapids and treefolk often share the same territory in just this manner, both races finding the relationship mutually beneficial.

Religion

The treefolk worship deities of benevolent nature, such as Ehlonna, or deities of nature personified, such as Obad-Hai, and also have a fondness for the deities of the fey and those related to them, such as the gnomish god Garl Glittergold.

Language

Because of their close ties to the teeming world of nature, treefolk start with Sylvan as their native tounge, and also begin with Common. Elven, Feline, Gnoll, Gnome, Halfling, Orc, Squeak Speak and Wolfen can be selected as bonus languages.

Names

Treefolk naming conventions closely follow those of the lapids, with tribal names usually being those of a place, and first names being plant-based or descriptive, except that treefolk have a greater tendency towards names with an arboreal tone to them. Boxwood, Hickorynut and Oak are common male names, while Aspen, Peach, and Willow are common female names. Tribal names of some repute include High Green, Pine Fields, and Whisperwoods.

Adventurers

The squirrelkin take readily to lives of adventure in their younger years, as it seems to suit them well, and they delight in the thrill that it can bring. Most treefolk have done a little bit of questing, and this is generally the main reason why their numbers stay reasonably constant, with no dangers of overpopulation’‘: adventuring is a dangerous occupation. Those who survive their first few adventures usually quit while they are ahead and settle down into quiet lives in their forests, storing up food for lean times and protecting their woods against dangerous intruders.

Racial Traits

• +2 Dexterity, -2 Intelligence
• Monstrous Humanoid
• Medium-size
• Treefolk base land speed is 30 feet
• Low-light Vision
• Balancing Tail: +4 to Climb and Balance checks.
• Impossible Leap (Sp): Spell-Like Ability: 1/day—Caster level is equal to the treefolk's character level.
• Automatic Languages: Common, Sylvan. Bonus Languages: Elven, Feline, Gnoll, Gnome, Halfling, Orc, Squeak Speak, Wolfen.
• Favored Class: Ranger.
• Level Adjustment: 0

Treefolk Subrace: Groundlings

As closely related to mouselings as they are to treefolk, groundlings are a people who take most after ground squirrels, chipmunks, and similar small, burrowing rodents. Sharing origins with the treefolk, the small, shy and retiring groundlings have long kept to themselves, eking out their livings as best as they can, and hording the things they need for lean times. They are especially adept at going unseen, and are surprisingly fast for their size, and so it is not at all uncommon that other races who have groundlings sharing the same areas never even know that the groundlings are even there. Most groundlings are neutral in alignment, preferring to focus upon the matter of quiet survival, prolonging their existence by going unnoticed, though a rare few can be persuaded to set out into the world, in the hopes of finding something better than mere survival.

Racial Traits

• +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, -2 Strength, -2 Constitution
• Monstrous Humanoid
• Small-size: +1 size bonus to AC, +4 size bonus to Hide checks, and -4 size penalty to Grapple checks.
• Groundling base land speed is 30 feet:
• Low-light Vision
• +2 to Climb, Hide, Move Silently and Tumble checks.
• Automatic Languages: Common, Sylvan. Bonus Languages: Elven, Feline, Gnoll, Gnome, Halfling, Orc, Squeak Speak, Wolfen.
• Favored Class: Rogue.
• Level Adjustment: 0

Treefolk Subrace: Gliders

Gliders are flying squirrels, sugar gliders and similar creatures that attained the same level of ascension to sentience as other treefolk have. They are nearly identical to their near cousins, and can interbreed with them without difficulty (the offspring take on the characteristics of the mother), except for one important detail’‘: gliders have a set of flaps extending from beneath their arms and connecting to their ankles. This voluminous flap allows gliders to achieve limited gliding ability, as their name suggests, but it also hinders them somewhat in normal movement, so that they are not capable of some of the incredible acrobatic leaps of normal treefolk.

Racial Traits

• Statistically identical to normal treefolk, except that Impossible Leap is replaced with the Limited Flight racial option, found detailed under the entry on birdfolk. Gliders can never gain the True Flight racial option.

Vital Statistics

Table: Random Starting Ages

Adulthood	Simple	Moderate	Complex
years	+	+	+

Table: Aging Effects

Middle Age1	Old2	Venerable3	Maximum Age
years	years	years	+ years
At middle age, −1 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At old age, −2 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At venerable age, −3 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha.

Table: Random Height and Weight

Gender	Base Height	Height Modifier	Base Weight	Weight Modifier
Male	' "	+	lb.	× () lb.
Female	' "	+	lb.	× () lb.

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