Lepidotera (5e Race)

Lepidoptera

Physical Description

Often called "butterfly people", the lepidotera are a race of humanoids that have fuzzy collars, insect heads, an extra pair of arms, and antennae. They appear quite freakish because of this, obviously. Instead of a normal mouth, most have an evolved proboscis lip that allows them to sip fluids like butterflies. Their wings and general colors can vary wildly like the original insects in nature.

History

When humans were asked the question on the story of the butterfly who dreamt he was a man, and the man who dreamt he was a butterfly, they all scoffed. However, this was in fact something with a grain of truth. As known from the powers of beholders and patron deities like the great Old Ones, the power of thought and dreams is an amazing and little understood ability able to alter reality. The lepidotera are believed to have come from the dreams of a horrendous eldritch deity whose domain capitalized in insects, possibly an archfey. This nameless being imposed his dreams on several humans, who would fall into a sudden deep sleep and enter an odd chrysalis. They would then be dissolved and reemerge as a lepidotera, completely rewritten in mind and demeanor. Over time, these creatures usually are chased out of their origins due to the monstrosity they posed as. They did not usually mind this, as they always migrated off anyway, and are still seen doing so, in mass flocks to and from the realm of Feywilds. It is unclear exactly what purpose their migrations serves, but they seem to just obey this voice in their heads, a continued display of an absurd dream.

Society

Lepidotera usually live in swarms and can be called even infestations when they roost en masse in locations during migration. They overcrowd fields were they stop to stock up on the local flora, as well as eaves of old, abandoned structures. They are nomadic in the sense that they conduct an annual pilgrimage to the Feywilds and return to mate and die, allowing their offspring to continue this cycle once more. From around the Spellplague era, lepidotera stopped forming from humans influenced by dreams. It is believed their dreaming archfey was interrupted by the sudden disruption in the Weave. Since then, they have been discovered to be able to reproduce, much to the horror of some. Lepidotera function like a group of noisy birds squawking at each other out of order in chaos. Their swarms are guided only by this instinct which drives them to the Feywilds and back, and nothing like leadership.

Lepidoptera Names

Lepidotera take unfamiliar and odd names supposedly sent to them in a dream sequence whilst they are in metamorphosis. Parents will name the child what they recall as instructions from the archfey while the mother dreams during pregnancy.

Male: Durston, Hiraf, Guler, Jigo

Female: Iar, Gerk, Fasro, Buirt

Lepidoptera Traits

Butterfly people of dreams
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Age. You mature at the age of 20 and can live about 300 years old.
Alignment. Lepidoptera tend to be chaotic neutral and are rarely evil, but it is not unheard of.
Size. You can be anywhere from 4 feet tall to just below 6. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Pollen Sniffer. You can better detect your environment with plants scents. You have advantage in Wisdom (Perception) checks while in a forest environment.
Wings. Your wings are not able to fly immediately due to your size and their initial brittleness. As a reaction, when you would take damage from falling, you can buffer your wings and instead take no damage. At 5th level, your wings are sturdy enough for flight and you gain a flying speed of 30 feet. You cannot use this movement speed if you are wearing armor.
Four Arms. Lepidotera are not fully dexterous with all four arms. You cannot wield weapons or shields with your second pair of arms, but you can use them to use items as normal.
Fey Creature. Your creature type is fey instead of humanoid. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
4′ 0''	+4d8	80 lb.	× (1d4) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

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