Boden (5e Race)

Boden

Boden are former dwarves who have become warped as a result of exposure to energies of the Feywild. As a result of their ancestors being sequestered in this volatile realm, the boden were produced completely different from the original dwarves a la founder effect.

Physical Description

By Kateryna Miliutina

Boden are typically 4 to 5 feet tall, like a normal dwarf. They have small plump bodies with long limbs. Their tan or brown faces are usually adorned with broad smiles beneath their prodigious noses, and their bright eyes shine with excitement. The influence of the fey on their bodies is prominent enough to make them distinguishable but in different ways. For some, their eyes turn black like pebbles, resembling that of some fairies. Others grow greenish hair, multihued skin, or even small horns on their heads. Their body odor becomes more prominent, sometimes with floral notes as plants grow intertwined in their hair. Some even grow small, useless fairy wings on their backs.

The fashion of choice for the boden have still roots in their old dwarven ways but changed in a more fey style. They like to keep their beards nice and trim, and often braided, sometimes incorporating twigs and other bits of nature like crystals. Their clothes are usually green to brown in color range to copy the tones of earth and plant, though some dress with more flowery colors, with beautiful robes made iridescent like fairy wings. They still enjoy some jewelery, like gold, but they now rarely use iron for their belts and such.

History

The boden are descendants of a group of dwarves who were originally wandering and became trapped in the Feywild. It is unsure exactly how long they had stayed there, but it must have been quite a while from the changes in their progeny. As a result of their stay, they absorbed the fey essence and became fey touched. This altered their demeanors and physical attributes drastically, creating the boden. For the longest time, they had inherited the desire to return to the other dwarves in the Material Realm from their stranded ancestors. But when they finally found a way to return, they were rather disappointed by their original lineage. Their minds were much too alike to fey to see the appeal in the traditional dwarven ways anymore. While they did not return to the Feywild, they have lived separately from other dwarves up to this very day.

Society

To a boden, the natural world is the freest and best place to be. They enjoy ad hoc homes on the forest floor, in abandoned animal dens, and in hollowed trees. Their communities are very scattered and unorganized. They simply pick a place they like in some wood and they all hole up in the vicinity. Because of this, they are often well hidden in nature, with various modes of disguise. When the local fauna throw a party, boden love to join with the pixies, satyrs and wild men in a raucous display of fun. They hate to live where things feel cold and lifeless, and so shirk civilized areas of structure. While they are not affected by iron, they will instinctively avoid it.

Dwarves see boden as pitiful lost cousins driven mad by the whimsy and capriciousness of the fey. While they are not entirely hostile towards the boden, they will most certainly look down on them at the very least. Humans have had amicable relations with boden, though this is a bit of a case-by-case thing. Some boden are helpful to travelers in a lost forest, while others will point you in the wrong direction. In this way, they can be as annoying as fairies, and just about as helpful. Elves and their corner of fey ancestry see boden similar to creatures like korreds and boggles: a bit of an embarrassment to what fey can be.

Boden Names

Boden love names, and most have half a dozen or so. A boden’s mother, father, clan elder, aunts, and uncles each give the boden a name, and various nicknames from just about everyone else might or might not stick over time. Boden names are typically variants on the names of ancestors or distant relatives, though some are purely new inventions. When dealing with humans and others who are “stuffy” about names, a boden learns to use no more than two names: a personal name, and a nickname, choosing the one in each category that’s the most fun to say.

Male: Alston, Alvyn, Boddynock, Brocc, Burgell, Dimble, Eldon, Erky, Fonkin, Frug, Gerbo, Gimble, Glim, Jebeddo, Kellen, Namfoodle, Orryn, Roondar, Seebo, Sindri, Warryn, Wrenn, Wurzel, Zook

Female: Bimpnottin, Breena, Caramip, Carlin, Donella, Duvamil, Ella, Ellyjobell, Ellywick, Lilli, Loopmottin, Lorilla, Mardnab, Nissa, Nyx, Oda, Orla, Roywyn, Shamil, Tana, Velrisa, Waywocket, Zanna

Nicknames: Aleslosh, Ashhearth, Badger, Cloak, Doublelock, Filchbatter, Fnipper, Ku, Nim, Oneshoe, Pock, Sparklegem, Stumbleduck

Boden Traits

Dwarves changed by fey energy
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 2.
Age. Boden mature at the same rate as humans and most are expected to settle into adult life around the age of 40. They can live to 350 years on average, but it's not too uncommon for them to reach 500 years of age.
Alignment. As they inherited the whimsy of fey, boden can be quite chaotic. But they are fairly lawful where protection of nature is concerned.
Size. Boden tend to be 4 to 5 and a half feet tall, weighing about 130 to 170 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. 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.
Speech of Beast and Leaf. You have the ability to communicate in a limited manner with beasts and plants. They can understand the meaning of your words, though you have no special ability to understand them in return. You have advantage on all Charisma checks you make to influence them.
Fey Influence. You have some fey power in your blood. Magic cannot put you to sleep.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common, and Sylvan.
Subrace. Choose either the forest or deep boden subrace.

Forest Boden

The forest boden are the ones who are more green and brown than other colors. They commonly live in wooded areas and have good-natured wisdom. When they do not want to be found, they are experts at being hidden. They are known for being goofy as much as they are wise.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Hidden Step. As a bonus action, you can magically turn invisible until the start of your next turn or until you attack, make a damage roll, or force someone to make a saving throw. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Natural Illusionist. You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena.

Deep Boden

Deep bodens are more reclusive than their forest counterparts. They are known to have multihued translucent clothing and skin that glows in the dark in many colors. When their skin is not glowing, it is a stone-like color. While the forest boden are like goofy sages, the deep boden prefer to mislead those who they see as unworthy of their wisdom.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1.
Phosphorescent. As a bonus action, you can light up your skin with neon colors, emitting dim light for up to 10 feet from yourself. You can dispel this effect with a bonus action.
Stone Camoflague. You have advantage in Dexterity (Stealth) checks to hide in rocky terrain.
Mislead. You are proficient in the Deception skill.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
4′ 0''	+1d12	130 lb.	× (1d4) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

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