Skrevit (5e Race)

Skrevit

“	If you see one with a nose blown up like a used firecracker, best not surprise it or risk a nasty boom.	”
—Gunther Highwalsh, High Artificer

Physical Description

By Yanied

Skrevits are often viewed as vermin due to their abhorrent appearance to many. While humanoid, their actual exterior resembles that of a mix between a rat and a lobster. The body shape of a skrevit is humanoid. However, their body and limbs are more tubular than that of a humans. The entirety of their form, save for their head, is covered in a baggy, thick, crusty skin, often extremely wrinkled, but of a normal skin color. Some skrevits are more mottled in skin color than others. The back of a skrevit has layered skin as hard as a shell, much like the shingle patterns of a lobster. Their front appears to have six lobes with small, scuttling parts that are within the folds of skin. Females will usually host their eggs here. Their hands are prehensile, like that of humans, but they have fleshy digits like that found on rats. These soft parts are hidden within two lobster claw-like shell covers that encapsulate their fists to protect them. Fine fibers dot their wrinkly body. Their head is cone-shaped, ending at a point with their nose. They have small, beady eyes, and a pair of lobster-like mandible mouth parts for a mouth under their snout. A spiny ridge rises above their eyes and a pair of stiff antennae-like appendages stick out.

Two types of skrevits exist: blast-nosed and hunters. Blast-nosed skrevits have no nose at the end of their snout. Instead, the end of their snout opens up like a flower, showing a fleshy nasal interior. Blast-nosed skrevits have a special flame organ in this ugly bloom of a snout, allowing them to blast exothermic agents out, hence their name. Hunter skrevits, on the other hand, retain a normal nose tipped with sensitive whiskers. They have incredible olfactory senses, such that it implements on the way they communicate non-verbally. Because blast-nosed skrevits have a new natural weapon, the hard shells on their claws are more meant for defenses. Hunters, on the other hand, have harder shells on their claws which they can use to dig, as well as bonk someone over the head hard.

History

The skrevits have a long history, or so they claim. Their records of racial history are recorded on carvings made with claw marks on old slabs of stone and scratched-up preserved wood. Supposedly, the skrevits originated from an ancestral rodent race that lived underground. A massive earthquake forced many of them to relocate above ground, where they became more accustomed to light. The divergence of the subraces resulted from a strange piece of lore. Originally, all skrevits were of the hunter sort, and able to smell. However, half of the population developed a sort of disease that caused their snouts to seemingly explode, resulting in massive casualties. These infected were soundly exiled and stragglers were killed. Survivors of this disease evolved to become the blast-nosed skrevits. There remains some enmity between their two groups, as the hunters believe the blast-nosed to be abominations and health hazards, while the blast-nosed hate the hunters for their cruelty.

Society

Skrevits have long stopped residing within the ground, though they do not mind taking up residence in used burrows or underground caves. Often times, their horrid appearance forces them to live in secluded areas. Known to multiply like rabbits, skrevits inhabit cavern systems that have a variety of "rooms." While they do have individual family structures, they converge into one large group of skrevits, called a nest. Families can consist of around five to ten members, while nests can have upwards of ten families sometimes. These nests are controlled by a central nexus of a queen skrevit, who is groomed and fed by a series of female drones, similar to an ant hierarchy. Families, for skrevits, are usually made of two male members who have offspring with the queen and take care of their offspring together. As the queen is the main source of skrevit offspring, females that are not queen candidates are merely groomers and feeders to reduce competition.

While the skrevit queen is called a queen, their society is more egalitarian than matriarchal. The queen and her attendants are barred from the elections held which divvy up duties for activities like guarding, foraging, and construction, for example. These elections are open to all skrevits of appropriate age, and all are encouraged to think of the collective good of a nest. The appropriate age for male and female skrevits differ, since females reach a different, second age of maturity later in their lives when they will be considered to become drones or queen candidates. These customs are generally present in blast-nosed as well as hunter skrevit society, showing that despite the split, they both share a common ancestry and culture.

In the outside world, skrevits are rare but not unheard of. Often, they have to hide their appearances because of how ugly they are perceived to be by humans, elves, and other creatures. Skrevit minds are more naturally geared toward collective thinking than that of a human, and so there is often a culture shock when they hear of selfish desires. However, it is not impossible for skrevits to develop these tendencies themselves and thereby seek to leave their nest or be ousted. Those who leave the nests often have such a drive, though that is not to say that all skrevits who seek adventure do so for selfish purposes. Sometimes, skrevit scouts are sent out to seek new homes when a nest grows too big or just to see the current affairs of the world.

Skrevit Names

The names of skrevits is said to come from a corruption of Terran language, though it is possible that it came about as a completely bestial origin. Their communications often use a series of clicks used by their lobster mouth parts. Blast-nosed skrevits also used notes of snorts and puffs of smoke or embers to communicate. Skrevit names are usually in three parts, with the middle being a conjoining onomatopoeia. Males often use harder sounds, including clacking their claws together. Females are known to use softer noises, like hisses.

Male: Orgu-clack-Rix, Ugu-click-Marc, Logo-clack-Igu

Female: Kra-hiss-Ingu, Hu-click click-Rag, Beeji-hiss-Ku

Skrevit Traits

Abominable looking rat lobster creatures
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1 and one other ability score of your choice increases by 2.
Age. Skrevits are surprisingly long-lived, with the eldest in their population reporting ages up to 170. They mature at 17 usually, and females are evaluated for their roles at 18.
Alignment.  Skrevits largely are uncaring of affairs which do not concern them or their collective interests. Things like morals are tools that can be changed to suit the communal good.
Size. Appearing a bit more shrunken, skrevits are a bit shorter on average than humans, though taller than dwarves, with a curved posture. Your size is Medium.
Speed.  Your base walking speed 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.
Monstrous Form. Your deformed body only has the semblance of a humanoid, and your mindset is not that of a human at all. Your creature type is monstrosity instead of humanoid. As such, you are immune to spells like crown of madness or dominate person because they specifically target humanoids.
Crusty Shell. The skrevit body is nothing if not hardy, with tough, leathery skin and a carapace to boot. While unarmored, your Armor Class is equal to 13 + your Constitution modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.
Hold Breath. Skrevits have an extraordinary metabolism that allows them to hold their breath for a long time. You can hold your breath for up to an hour at a time, allowing you to avoid being affected by inhaled poisons, such as the breath of a green dragon.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language of your choice.

Blast-Nosed

Blast Burst. As an action, you snort and blow out destructive, super-heated gas from your nostrils to burn enemies. All creatures within a 15-foot cone in a direction of your choice must make a Dexterity saving throw. The DC for this saving throw is equal to 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. A creature takes 2d8 fire damage on a failed save, and half as much damage on a successful one. The damage increases to 3d8 at 6th level, 4d8 at 11th level, and 5d8 at 16th level. After you use your blast burst, you can't use it again until you complete a short or long rest.
No Nose. Having evolved to breathe flames and heated materials out of their nose, blast-nosed skrevits are unable to utilize their olfactory senses anymore; by extension, their sense of taste is also terrible. You automatically fail ability checks related to smelling, and you have disadvantage on checks to taste for flavor nuances and subtleties.

Hunter

Scent Hunter. Hunter skrevits are incredible trackers for scents, though they also have the sensitive whiskers that give them keen senses for vibrations and even taste. You are proficient in the Perception skill. When you make a Wisdom (Perception) check using your sense of smell, you can double your proficiency to the check.
Tough Claws. The hard-shelled covers on your hands can be used like a shovel or a club. You have advantage on ability checks to dig through nonmagical dirt or soil. They are also natural weapons with which you can make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, they deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
4′ 4''	+2d8	130 lb.	× (1d6) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

4.00

(one vote)

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