Dire Human (5e Race)

Dire Human

“	Call 'em beasties, y'know? No tongue, nary a sense of wit like us. Tell ya what though, them an' their stupid plodders earn me some fine coin, see?	”
—Ringmaster Tsrrgil Laygaywe (deceased)

Physical Description

Dire humans, like dwarves, are roughly 5 feet tall and weigh an average of 170 pounds. Although some have been reportedly nearly 7 feet, these are only rare occasions. Their large bodies and shorter legs, in comparison with humans, differentiate them. They look similar to those of humans, but with still prominent differences. Their heads are elongated, low, and flat, with a protruding brow ridge, a concave chin, and a large nose. Their bodies have wide shoulders, large collar bones, longer arms, large fingers, bowed legs with large kneecaps and long heel bones, and a large pelvis. Their hair may be black or dirty blonde, but it is predominantly varying browns and reds.

As with all dire creatures, dire humans are a more monstrous, feral version of humans. In addition to the characteristics above, they also have sharp, ugly, bony ridges protrude from their spines, limbs and head. They are visually stronger looking than the average human, being so beastly looking.

History

Dire humans are of the same descent as traditional humans, coming of the same ancestor. At some point, they split and became a different branch of the family tree, parallel humans we know. It is believed some of them were split from the main group of humans by a terrain shift or because of civil problems. The group that would bottleneck to become dire humans were caught in the harsher grips of nature's terrain. It is believed that at this time, to survive, they resorted to demonic practices that gave them the ability to survive. The energy infused gave them monstrous strengths and appearances, as well as robbing them of the ability to speak. By then, they were no longer recognizable as humans.

In more recent history, dire human population's swollen number has resulted in their re-encounter with humans. Dire humans are known to be caught by humans as no more than sport or game and killed or displayed for their grotesque nature and seemingly inferior intellect. That being said, dire humans, in their feral state of mind, do often raid human settlements and villages for food. Having endured so much of harsh environments and nature's wrath, dire humans are dreadfully prone to overact when in more fruitful lands, and go absolutely bananas eating all they can and stealing to hoard.

Society

While normal humans have no preference on location as a whole, dire humans frequent large areas where food is abundant and features a temperate climate, such as some mountains, forest, or prairies, or even a cold environment, such as taiga, steppes, and tundras, as such places house large prey animals such as mammoths and walruses. They established themselves as a savage yet sophisticated people, using primitive tools and clothing to keep warm and fed.

Dire humans live together in large communal families that help raise the young and gather food. They are hunter-gatherers with a very paleo diet. The defense of the moving tribe is all over the place and they distrust strangers. They are considered sophisticated for dire creatures but have little more culture than cavemen. They cannot speak and communicate in grunts. Males and females mate for offspring and not for life. Everyone mostly will hunt in communal packs just for survival. They can be curious but in general, do not venture outside their own tribes. Young ones are on their own once they mature. The elderly are discarded upon becoming liabilities.

Like animal packs, there is an alpha which leads a group. These groups will clash at times for take over or resources and territory. In addition to this behavior, there is scant evidence dire humans are capable of perhaps cave paintings.

Some dire humans have deviated from their packs, perhaps due to curiosity or yearning of sorts. They are sometimes, unfortunately, captured and sold as freaks to circuses as entertainment. This is a common practice among human hunters, actually, who may actively even seek dire humans to poach on. Other dire humans that have been recorded leaving their packs have wandered into towns. While they do have a tendency to cause a ruckus, they sometimes are received well enough that people take to educating them. Dire humans are similar in this respect to wolf children and can be taught up to a certain point to act civil and even learn symbols of an alphabet, though never a full language wholly. There has never been a case of a dire human that ever fully integrated into society, as they retain a bit of animalistic tendency within them always.

Dire Human Names

Dire human names are short and primitive. Most are no more than five letters or two syllables or sound like a grunt sound. They are not developed enough intellectually to have use or create family names.

Male: Arunk, Brun, Broud, Croug, Crug, Blok, Loc, Kruk.

Female: Aba, Ayla, Iza, Lolin, Oga, Nani, Kali.

Dire Human Traits

Humans after a bad episode of naked and afraid.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2 and your Strength score increases by 2.
Age. Dire humans age slightly faster than normal humans, but live just as long.
Alignment. Dire humans' personalities are as varied as normal humans, though their primal nature tends them toward chaotic alignments.
Size. Dire humans are about the size of dwarves, though some have been larger. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Steppe Dweller. Living in difficult terrain, you are well versed in your body's limberness, making you able to twist a bit more to get good footholds and such. Checks that would have you grappled roll with disadvantage.
Primal Senses. You have the instinct from your ancestors who braved the harsh terrains. Whenever you make a Wisdom (Survival) check related to finding food or water, you are considered proficient in the Survival skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.
Well Footed. Dire humans have to be quick on their feet, as the slightest mistake in survival can lead to death. You have advantage in saving throws against being knocked prone.
Languages. You can speak very broken Common at best. This is Common with bad syntax, grammar, drawling tones and even made up words. For example, "Mmme...yyou...c'mrade are...." You cannot read or write.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
5′ 0''	+2d12	150 lb.	× (4) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

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