Firenewt, Variant (5e Race)

Firenewt

“	Horrid, cruel beasts that never stop yelling. If you offend them, they'll gouge out your throat. If you don't, they'll still enslave you and force you to work in the mines 'till your arms break.	”
—Mordenkainen

Physical Description

Fire newts are human-sized bipedal amphibians with translucent orange flesh. They have long, thick necks, and a narrow skeletal structure. They have tiny, needle like teeth, and speak with a hoarse, raspy voice. Their arms and legs are rather stubby and end in pudgy fingers tipped with special pads that allow for various utilities, like sticking to climb, or oozing super hot body fluid. The skin of a fire newt is slimy looking and reflective due to its ability to keep moist.

History

Many millennia ago, Imix, the evil prince of elemental fire, wished to create beings that could infiltrate the Elemental Plane of Water. He created the fire newts, who were the perfect amphibious spies with no fear of water. While they were sturdy, loyal, and persevering, they were also overzealous. They loved fighting with big, flashy moves and shouting their love of Imix wherever they went, making them poor spies. Imix abandoned the endeavour in embarrassment. He decided to relocate all the fire newts to another plane, to be rid of them and their boisterous sycophancy. Choosing the Material Plane as his dump ground, he allowed the fire newts to inhabit there, telling them to spread his influence. Despite their rowdiness, the fire newts have not formed any large empires or been engaged in any massive wars. The territory they can inhabit is narrow, for they need intense heat to live. Imix has long forgotten and abandoned this race, which he saw as a failure.

Society

Fire newt society is nasty and brutish, with the toughest making the rules that aren't much expected to be followed anyway. They make their homes in hot places with lots of water, such as volcanic streams, rainforests, and active volcanoes. Fire newts don't see any difference between lava and water and treat magma craters the same as they would lakes. Despite their militaristic society, fire newt society displays an advanced practice of alchemy, mining, and metallurgy. It is believed they may have learned this skill from the azers. They are especially skilled at the creation of gunpowder, which they can use recklessly without harm to themselves. Their love of heat, artificial or natural, is unmatched by any creature, and their enthusiastic loyalty makes them favoured servants of fire giants, who use them as maintenance workers for areas other slaves can't go into, such as the insides of furnaces. Red dragons also enjoy their company, because they can vent their anger on fire newt without frying them to a crisp.

Fire Newt Names

Fire newts do not differentiate between male and female names, as males and females are considered completely equal in fire newt society. Their names are typically quite long, with many soft consonants, imitating the sound of boiling water and bubbling lava. Their clan names are more descriptive, incorporating images of fire, heat, and explosions.

Names: Blubborp, Boopagamilim, Crakabomora, Giddlegoar, Gygax, Proporopopop, Shaleshinsee, Weggodobira, Uggroogobal

Clan names: Eruptor, Flash-sear, Infernus, Magmite, Pyroclastia, Obsidian, Scalder, Scorcher, Volcanion

Fire Newt Traits

Fire-worshipping amphibious militants.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1.
Age. Fire newts are mature at about a year old and rarely live for more than 50 years or so.
Alignment. Fire newts worship elemental evil fire, which permeates their very being, making them have a very strong tendency towards evil. Fire newt society has few rules, although they are more regimented than a goblin horde or an orc tribe. They are thus usually more neutral than lawful or chaotic.
Size. A fire newt stands well over six feet tall, about a third of which is its head and neck, with very narrow, tubular torsos. A fire newt weighs from 150-200 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Fire Being. Created from the will of elemental fire, you have no problem bathing in lava streams or flames. When you would take fire damage from lava you instead take no damage. You are resistant to fire damage.
Amphibious. You can breathe in air, water and lava.
Boisterous. You were made to be a spy but failed due to your immense love to tout your creator. You have disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in darkness or dim light.
Alchemy. You have a love for heat in all its forms, from searing flames to biting acid. Alchemy lets you fool around with these, and you are good at making new concoctions with it. You are proficient in alchemist supplies.
Fluid Ooze. Your fingertips have pads secreting a burning fluid from within your super-heated core which can burn on touch. As a bonus action, you may coat your hand in this fluid. For 1 minute, any unarmed strikes you make deal fire damage instead of the usual bludgeoning damage.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write in Common, Draconic, and Ignan.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
5′ 6''	+2d8	110 lb.	× (2d4) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

d6	Firenewt Quirks
1	I often forget that most races cannot tolerate heat as well as I can.
2	I am addicted to eating crushed up charcoal.
3	I like my baths so hot, I once burned down a fancy inn by starting a fire under the bathtub.
4	I find it easier to sleep when submerged in water, or even better, lava.
5	I will never understand why humans are so insistent on their food being dead before they eat it.
6	I find sunburns very attractive. It's the closest you poor mammals will ever get to a healthy orange glow.

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