Chiroptikin (5e Race)

Chiroptikin

"Almost there, the city of Batchi, home of the Chiroptikin and a holy land for us artificers..." -A Pilgrim Artificer shortly before discovering the ruins of Batchi

Physical Description

Chiroptikin are a somewhat small species of pale humanoids, with large bat-like wings instead of arms, fuzzy bat-like legs, a large bat-like ear pointing up from each side of their heads, and a short tail joined to the wings by a flight-aiding membrane. To grip and manipulate objects, a Chiroptikin may either fly and use their strong, grasping feet as hands, or fold up the long fingers that make up their wings to form a sort of third segment to their arm, with the tips of each finger (besides the thumb) working like small fingers on their pseudo hands. A Chiroptikin's eyesight is simultaneously unable to see well in the dark and is too sensitive to sunlight to be of much use in the day, but Chiroptikin compensate for that by employing a form of powerful echolocation akin to a bat's, which can map out areas over 300 feet wide at a time.

Besides these animalistic extremities, a Chiroptikin's humanoid features are typically very pale and fair, with white hair or fur and a youthful androgyny that lingers even in adulthood. Of note is that female Chiroptikin have longer tails which are only joined to the wings at the base, and the remaining length ends in a spade-shaped tip that is used to attract mates, lending to several unsavory myths about Chiroptikin being, or at least having infernal heritage from, succubi.

History

Chiroptikin have various origins in various worlds. Whether naturally evolving from Giant Bats or being made into their current state by the ventures of a god or wizard, the Chiroptikin themselves are the same regardless of how they came to be.

In most worlds, shortly after coming to be, the Chiroptikin settle in the largest caverns of their world, and as a result usually live in the Underdark, and develop large cities so their populations can live in close contact with each other, and as a result these caves are fiercely defended in sieges against envious or greedy hordes of races like Orcs, Drow, and Illithids. Almost every Chiroptikin colony has had to endure at least a few of such sieges, which vary in motive and composition depending on the world, and Chiroptikin eagerly record these conflicts in hopes of inventing better weapons to defend themselves, though Chiroptikin will almost never attempt to lay siege to other species, both out of empathy and a viewed lack of usefulness in areas that are not large caverns.

Society

Chiroptikin as a whole are highly intelligent and social creatures, and will seek out the largest possible caves to settle in along with their family, friends, and friends' friends to establish densely-populated colonies. The most impressive of these colonies is called (in the human tongue) Batchi, a city-sized cavern in the Underdark filled with Chiroptikin housing complexes built from floor to ceiling like massive columns, which Chiroptikin flit in and out of to share ideas and work together on great inventions. Inside these housing complexes, Chiroptikin live in large family units which in turn are deeply connected to each other by interfamilial relations like friendships and marriages. A family unit is headed by a few mating pairs (usually two parents and their married children) who look after all the pairs' unmarried children together. Children are encouraged to explore and develop their own ideals in freedom, as long as they regularly check back in.

Food is gathered by Chiroptikin hunters who use their invented weapons to gather fruits and finish off large beasts quickly, then shuttle the food back home via floating discs. In some worlds where Chiroptikin have had ample time to develop their technology, such floating discs may be armored and mistaken for alien spacecraft, abducting animals with beams of light and whizzing off to home in defense and style.

The Chiroptikin hierarchy is based at least partially on who is the most inventive and intelligent, with a council of the brightest members of each colony helping decide what the colony's needs are and how they should be filled. In small colonies this may be a council of 5 to 10 called a Jichiki (which in Chiroptikin literally translates to Human Brain), but up to a hundred Chiroptikin may form the councils of larger cities like Batchi. This system is a double-edged sword though, as a large council may come up with more ideas, but may also take far too long to select an idea from the hundreds its members offer, and thus cause issues as the problem advances outside. To rectify this, most immediate problems are handled by a smaller council of at most 5 Chiroptikin who are chosen for their quick thinking and decision-making rather than in-depth inventiveness, with this second council being called Jikdit (literally translates to Lizard Brain).

In some worlds, the Chiroptikin may be an ancient precursor race whose ruins and advanced technology are scattered across the surface and the underdark, but who themselves are rarely seen if they are even still alive. In other worlds, they may opt to share their technology with artificers of other species who venture into Chiroptikin caves, the Chiroptikin themselves eager to expand their social networks and perhaps hear new concepts to invent things based off of, though sharing purely for altruistic purposes is slightly less common, it is still well-heard of.

Chiroptikin Names

Chiroptikin names are somewhat defined by high pitched noises and snappy divisions, incorporating lots of e's and i's and sharp consonants. To other races, no clear divide exists between male and female names, but there are subtle differences in pitch that only a creature capable of interpreting the Chiroptikin language can grasp, and females have slightly longer names on average. A Chiroptikin may also adopt its colony's name, typically sounding like clicking, as a last name when adventuring to remind itself of home and help cement the way back in its mind.

First Names: Peekeet, Gidee, Deegitik, Keequigit, Queekidee, Keekeekeekee, Keeditit, Deediteekit

Colony Names: Kliktichik, Kiki'kiklik, Keekikitik

Chiroptikin Traits

Slight but highly intelligent humanoids with bat-like ears and limbs.
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 3 and your Dexterity score increases by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Age. Chiroptikin age slightly faster than humans, reaching adulthood at 17 years of age and living to be about 80, with rare exceptions reaching 100.
Alignment. Chiroptikin believe in teamwork and collective innovation, and lean heavily toward Lawful alignments. However, what they use those qualities for varies, and there are as many evil and neutral Chiroptikin as good.
Size. Chiroptikin are smaller and slighter than humans, though not to the extent of gnomes or halflings, averaging four foot ten in height with notable heights being a half foot taller or shorter. You are medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 20 feet. You also have a flying speed of 30 feet.
Echolocation. You either gain 10 feet of blindsight or double the radius of the blindsight granted by a different trait that gives you blindsight, such as the Blind Fighting fighting style (you choose each time you gain a level). The radius of your blindsight increases by 10 feet at 7th level and again at 15th level. You cannot use your blindsight if you are deafened. On your turn, using your action and bonus action, you can release a strong but harmless pulse of sound and listen to the echo, creating a 300 foot wide map in your mind of a cave or dungeon centered on yourself. This map spreads around corners and through gaps at least 1 foot wide, and includes the sizes and locations of any creatures or items within it, but does not give further details and does not update if something moves after the map is made, nor does the map include traps or rooms behind sealed doors. An area under any sort of noise-blocking effect appears as a void on this map, as does any area that the affected area blocks access to.
Inverted Sleeper. You must hang upside down by your feet from a branch, rafter, or similar object for at least 6 hours to sleep properly and gain the benefits of a long rest. In addition, you can hang from ceilings indefinitely without needing to make an ability check.
Open Ears and Mind. You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) ability checks made to hear things and Intelligence ability checks when you have proficiency in such a check.
Slim Build. You count as one size smaller when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
Sunlight Sensitivity. You have disadvantage on attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight whenever you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Wings. You have a flying speed of 30 feet, any bonuses to walking speed instead benefit your flying speed. In place of arms you have bat-like wings, which you can fold into pseudo-hands using an action. Your pseudo-hands function like regular hands, and you can use a bonus action to unfold your pseudo-hands back into wings, but magical items for one's hands such as gauntlets or rings cannot be worn by them. To use your flying speed, you can’t be wearing medium or heavy armor, and you cannot have your wings folded into pseudo-hands. While flying, you can carry items and/or wield a weapon using your grasping feet as though they were hands.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common, Chiroptikin, and one other language of your choice. The Chiroptikin language is made using extremely high-pitched noises in certain patterns, and is normally inaudible to creatures that lack Echolocation or another similar ability. A creature that normally would not be able to hear Chiroptikin may hear it as an extremely high-pitched squeaking sound if it succeeds a DC 30 Wisdom (Perception) ability check.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
4′ 8''	+1d4	60 lb.	× (2.5) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

Suggested Characteristics

When creating a Chiroptikin character, you can use the following table of traits, ideals, bonds and flaws to help flesh out your character. Use these tables in addition to or in place of your background's characteristics.

d8	Personality Trait
1	I like to sing songs I've rarely heard before so others can learn and sing them too.
2	The wind under my wings makes me feel giddy and free, so I fly as often and as fast as I can.
3	I like to collect things that seem useless as first, but might save the day at some point.
4	I like to pretend I can't do something, then surprise people by doing it in full view later.
5	I have an intense curiosity about the surface world, wanting to know every little detail.
6	In private, I dress up as a fictional adventurer that Chiroptikin children adore, Werebatman.
7	I try to rationalize whatever I see by comparing it to things from the Underdark out loud.
8	I hate getting messy, and preen often while hanging upside down far above the dirty ground.

d6	Ideal
1	Any magical or physical task can be accomplished through sufficient technology.
2	Nothing is more important than working with your colony, whether friend or family.
3	I value secrecy, and communicate in the Chiroptikin language unless necessary.
4	Freedom is the ultimate right of all living things, it's the proof one is alive.
5	I want to live and collect as much information as possible to bring home.
6	A new colony of Chiroptikin needs a founder and leader, and that will be me.

d6	Bond
1	I have a huge number of siblings and cousins waiting to welcome me back home with bated breath.
2	My professor happily taught me everything I know, and I hope to pass it on some day.
3	I have a ring of fellow knowledgeable Chiroptikin I am proud to call my peers.
4	I had a hidden friendship with a Hook Horror in the Underdark when we were children.
5	My parents gave me a happy childhood full of adventure stories, which I seek to match with my own.
6	I have a pen pal somewhere in the Underdark who I trade letters with via messenger bat.

d6	Flaw
1	I can't stand bright lights and will avoid them even if it means leaving friends behind.
2	I believe the greatest power is in intellect, and denounce physically mighty beings as barbarians.
3	I will steal whatever I need to make my goals and inventions come to fruition.
4	Like my chiropteran cousins, I have a taste for human blood and am easily bought with it.
5	I find it annoying to work or even speak with creatures less intelligent than me.
6	I feel the need to prove my intellect as superior no matter what.

0.00

(0 votes)

---

Back to Main Page → 5e Homebrew → Races