Sobruaro (5e Race)
Sobruaros
Physical Description
Sobruaros are tall, humanoid cacti. They have disproportionately long arms and legs, thick forearms and shins, but no visible wrists or feet (although they do have short, thick toes). Thorned vines that grow from their head act as hair. As a form of cacti, lots and lots of thin needles cover their body. The majority of female sobruaros can grow a flower on the vines of their head, but many are incapable of doing so while there are several men who can. These flowers are simply an aesthetic choice, and can be harmlessly shaven off or styled. Men are not disrespected in sobruaro culture for choosing to grow a flower, but the flower does embody what sobruaros consider feminine traits. Despite their plant-like appearance sobruaro's juices are very reminiscent of human blood, though it's diluted with water, as opposed to cactus juices. Sobruaros never have well-defined muscles: the more they exercise, the thicker they get all-around.
History
A long time ago, a wizard wandered a desert, cursed to never be able to leave it. Even when she saw civilizations in the distance, she would always get turned around by dust storms, migrating herds, burning hot sand, and the like. Never reaching civilization, her days were burning hot, and her nights were freezing cold. She survived by drinking cactus juice. Eventually she grew delirious from the heat, her dehydration, and the poisons in the cactus juice. These factors mixed with her magic in unpredictable ways. Before long, out of a sheer desire to survive, she transformed into a cactus.
Rumors grew over the years of travelers exploring the desert and finding human-faced cacti. Thirsty travelers who sliced open these cacti would find the juices similar with human blood, but when drinking it would feel completely refreshed and rejuvenated. Many lost travelers owed their lives to these cacti. These "human-faced cacti" were evolved from the initial cactus the cursed wizard transformed into. They quickly grew across the desert in just a few short years.
It took many years, but eventually, a small number of human-faced cacti "awoke", transforming into giant humanoid cacti. And just as quickly as the initial human-faced cacti population spread, they vanished, leaving only the first royal sobruaros in their place, each with residual memory of how they came to be. Generations passed, and soon an entire population of sobruaros were born, each of them descendants of the original cursed wizard. These royal sobruaros united and formed a village. They learned about themselves and each other, agreeing to build a culture that would turn a desert that was once a prison into a society all could be proud to live in. Years passed, new sobruaros were born, and the village became a town, then a city, and finally a burgeoning metropolis. New encampments were formed until the sobruaro race covered the desert.
While her name was lost to time, the cursed wizard's story is known by every sobruaro. She did survive in a way, as a small piece of her lives in every sobruaro living in the desert.
Society
Sobruaro culture is very jolly and lackadaisical. Sobruaros are largely pacifistic towards other cultures, they embrace outsiders and they rarely have to worry about their survival. Soburaros have a golden rule: "no one can have more than they need if even a single person has less than they need." This rule is upheld across every sobruaro community, from their smallest villages to their largest cities. Many sobruaro aristocrats try to discreetly break or bend this rule, but the rule is such a vital part of their culture that it can make them quite unpopular if they are found out. Sobruaros do have currency, but the distribution of wealth between the aristocracy and the common folk is far more balanced when compared to humans.
- Government
Sobruaros are led by what they consider the royal bloodline. Royal sobruaros have a mutation that causes them to grow far beyond their normal size. All royal sobruaros are considered to be of the same family, even if they are not linked by heritage. They are believed to be direct reincarnations of the cursed wizard as opposed to mundane sobruaros who carry small pieces of her. These royal sobruaros are immediately elevated to positions of power against their will. Small villages may be led by one royal sobruaro, while larger cities may be led by a council or one royal sobruaro with several subordinates. Royalty is never given absolute control over any given encampment; they must follow the will of their people.
- Culture
Sobruaros are never at a lack of resources, as they don't require much food, water, or protection from the elements. As such, they focus less on work and more on merriment and enjoyment. Sobruaros have bars and taverns that are never without a stage for entertainment or a dance floor with music. Sobruaros are unaffected by alcohol, likely due to their unusual biology. Taking its cultural place is caffeine, which they are surprisingly vulnerable to. Sobruaro coffee is notoriously known to be excessively caffeinated (and a prized trade commodity!), and sobruaros drink copious amounts of it to let their excitement loose. Most sobruaro taverns offer free food, drink, and residence for visiting outsiders, and regale each other with stories, music, dancing, plays, and even stand-up and improv comedy! Studying magic also has an important place in sobruaro society, as they wouldn't exist without it. Many of the more introverted sobruaros stay up late studying magic (again, the coffee helps here), even as a hobby. Even the smallest of sobruaro villages have a library, where they make copies of magical texts or even store items of arcane power.
Sobruaros are neither matriarchal nor patriarchal, though they do have gender roles. Traits such as seeking knowledge, studying, and introversion are considered "feminine" traits, whereas being outgoing and funny are treated as "masculine." Some traits that are considered masculine or feminine traits in other societies, such as physical strength, or how much one shows emotion, are not considered gendered in sobruaro society. Unlike other societies with gender roles, sobruaros who do not conform to these are treated as rare exceptions to their gender roles, but not as outcasts.
As sobruaro culture is so idyllic and without much challenge, many sobruaros succumb to wanderlust, so sobruaro adventurers and explorers are fairly common. Many sobruaro adventurers have achieved fame and status among their culture and are greatly appreciated for increasing their understanding of the outside world. Royal sobruaros, however, are strongly discouraged from adventuring.
- Discordian Menace
Sobruaro culture as a whole strives towards perfection and idyllic bliss. Food scarcity is not a problem, and everyone is guaranteed at least a comfortable lifestyle. But the sheer lack of conflict can be stressful for some, and in recent years a renegade sect known as the "Discordian Guild" has sprouted across the sobruaro nation. In their eyes, a true utopia cannot exist by definition. A purely peaceful society without needs would grow stagnant and dissatisfying. Their golden rule: conflict is what gives life meaning. The cult grew from disgust at the relaxed lives their fellow sobruaro were living, lacking drive and direction though content and peaceful on the surface. They view themselves as a whetstone, forcing society to grow and improve through strife. Under this new and constant struggle, many sobruaros have found new meaning in life, striving to protect their own society from harm. Ironically this shift in culture has merely emboldened the cult, even as the need for their counterpoint dies away.
Sobruaro Names
Male: Guavos, Derris, Loran, Boluan, Ruan
Female: Rerina, Roshanka, Merrin, Luaca, Arana
Sobruaro Traits
Cactus people who are very jolly and fun-loving.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength increases by 1.
Age. Sobruaros mature and live as long as humans do.
Alignment. Sobruaro culture focuses on freedom, self-expression, and generosity towards those in need. They lean towards Chaotic Good.
Size. The average sobruaro is a full head and shoulders taller than the average human, ranging between 5-7 feet tall. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Prickly. You are covered head to toe in thin spines. While not deadly, these spines are painful and irritating. You inflict disadvantage against creatures trying to grapple you or perform a Medicine check towards you without proper protection. Similarly, you have advantage on rolls to end the grappled condition on yourself. This feature does not apply to creatures wearing medium or heavy armor, have natural armor, or are immune or resistant to piercing damage. Once you reach 7th level, your needles become magical and can now affect creatures with natural armor, as well as those who are resistant but not immune to piercing damage.
Survivor. You’re acclimated to hot environments, as described in chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. You only need a gallon of water every week, regardless of temperature. You can go without food for a number of days equal to 6 + your Constitution modifier (minimum of one).
Powerful Legs. You have powerful legs designed for leaping through sand. When you take the Dash action on your turn, your running jump distance is increased by your land speed, and your vertical jump distance is increased by half that amount. You ignore difficult terrain caused by sandy environments.
Plant Form. Your creature type is considered to be both plant and humanoid.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common, Sobruaran, and one language of your choice. Sobruaran language flows, with many vowels and rolling Rs. The script is complicated and detailed, resembling a network of vines, making it notoriously hard to learn.
Subrace. You may choose between the Standard or Royal Sobruaro subrace.
Standard Sobruaro
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2.
Royal Sobruaro
Increased Size. You are now a Large sized creature, and use the Large Player Characters variant rule. Your height ranges from 8 to 10 feet.
Random Height and Weight
Sobruaro Height & Weight
| Base Height |
Height Modifier* |
Base Weight |
Weight Modifier** |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5′ 5'' | +3d8 | 130 lb. | × (2) lb. |
|
*Height = base height + height modifier | |||
Royal Sobruaro Height & Weight
| Base Height |
Height Modifier* |
Base Weight |
Weight Modifier** |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7′ 5'' | +3d12 | 280 lb. | × (2) lb. |
|
*Height = base height + height modifier | |||
Suggested Characteristics
When creating a sobruaro 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'm always cracking jokes! |
| 2 | I'm very focused and driven. |
| 3 | I'm amazed by new things and ideas! |
| 4 | What I do is an art. |
| 5 | I'm down for anything. |
| 6 | I'm friendly and outgoing! |
| 7 | I want to know everything I can about the world around me. |
| 8 | I'm an adrenaline junkie... |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Fun: The ultimate goal of life is to enjoy yourself! (Chaotic) |
| 2 | Generosity: Sobruaro's golden rule should apply everywhere. (Good) |
| 3 | Adventure: My homeland is nice, but it's a bit boring... (Neutral) |
| 4 | Justice: I venture to make the world a better place. (Good) |
| 5 | Freedom: Everyone should be free to pursue their own path. (Chaotic) |
| 6 | Happiness: I want to cheer everyone up! Turning frowns upside-down is my forte! (Good) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | My homeland is too peaceful. I crave conflict and danger! |
| 2 | The world is a beautiful place. I want to see the interesting places and people that inhabit it. |
| 3 | I want to return home with stories that will be told for generations! |
| 4 | I want to pay homage to the cursed wizard and learn what I can about the world. |
| 5 | I yearn to understand the beginnings of the sobruaro. I must learn more about the cursed wizard. |
| 6 | I want to help people out. That's my passion. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I can't relate to the suffering of others. Sobruaros have it pretty nice after all! |
| 2 | I am far too naive. If they're nice to me, they immediately have my trust. |
| 3 | Adventures should always be fun! That's what life is all about, after all! If things get boring, I tend to wander. |
| 4 | My sense of justice is so strong, I can't take even the slightest offense sitting down. |
| 5 | I am somewhat irresponsible, fickle, and unreliable. |
| 6 | I can't make up my mind on what I stand for. Well, except for improv comedy. I'll stand for that until my dying breath! |
Back to Main Page → 5e Homebrew → Races