Umber Hulk, Variant (5e Race)

Umber Hulk

Umber Hulk from the Monster Manual

“	The wall caved in. That's the last thing I remember.	”
—A Survivor's Account Of An Umber Hulk Attack

Mistreated, beaten, and killed, umber hulks barely survive every day of their life. Their minds are constantly prone to insults and jeers, ruined by the torture they felt for years. Umber hulks have learned to survive through the hatred of every single race. Each umber hulk bears the marks of torture at some point; they all find a time when they were tortured like monsters. Umber hulks have gotten used to the fact that they look like monsters. This solemn realization weakens them, when acting in society they are meek, sullen, and quiet, having lost all of their fierce nature and many of their special traits, such as having a magically confusing gaze. Many umber hulks seek a better life than killing, so they find a role in society. Other more barbaric umber hulks still follow their barbaric ways. The life of an umber hulk is always full of sorrow and hatred.

Physical Description

Umber hulks are humanoids in posture, but their insect-like appearance marks them as descendants of insects. They have a hard, insect-shaped face with two small antennae. Umber hulks have huge mandibles, with small, sharp spiked poking out of them. They have humanoid limbs, with huge, muscular hands drooping at their sides. Their legs are also humanoid-shaped, except skinnier at some parts. Their eyes glittered with fierce, alien light, distracting or confusing anyone in their line of sight. Umber hulk skin can range in color, from dark brown to tan. Their eyes are usually, yellow, although some umber hulks exist with green or red eyes.

Underground Life

Umber hulks have slowly begun to form civilization, making tribes and religion a part of their underground lifestyle. The form of their clans are mainly patriarchal, although matriarchal clans do exist rarely. The male umber hulks are the protectors of the clan, and they are expected to be highly religious. The female umber hulks, protect the children, and, in matriarchal clans, are the more intelligent gender. The people of the clan are expected to follow orders from a tribal leader, the fiercest male or the smartest female. Umber hulks live in burrows, each burrow is large enough to fit a small family. The burrows are connected by large tunnels, and underground temples are provided in the main layer of burrows. The tribal leader's burrow is significantly bigger than the people's; it is large enough to fit an umber hulk temple in it. Each home has the male's war weapons, for they are considered sacred. Small alters are carved by the weapons for devotion to each umber hulk's insect gods.

Role in Society

Umber hulks always strive to prove themselves to be more intelligent than common beasts. Finding this inspiration, more intelligent umber hulks conspire to find a role in society. No matter if umber hulks have lesser jobs like a servant would, they always find joy in becoming a part of a society. The one who do are very lucky; only the most forgiving societies would let umber hulks in. Most other civilizations would cast them out, use them as public harassment, or kill them. Umber hulks are careful; they know a cruel society when they see one. Umber hulks who ascend to this path are self-reliant, unforgiving, and often determined. Umber hulks believe in different norms for society; one common belief is that if you are aggressive, you will be looked upon as a monster and be killed, or, another one might be that if you prove your size and strength, you will be a worthy member in society. Whatever the cause, umber hulks are determined to prove themselves in any fitting society.

Umber Hulk Names

Umber hulk names are derived from their language, Umber Hulk. This language includes a huge dialect of clicks and guttural noises. In Common translation, these sounds can be distinguished. The sound is guttural if it has a at rr the end, such is the only sound they can make from their throat, or if the sound is tk, it means that the umber hulk was clicking with its mandibles. To produce such sounds without having umber hulk ancestry can take years; each noise is said too quickly for some to pronounce. So, many people come up with nicknames for the umber hulks to save themselves the trouble of pronouncing the umber hulk's name.

Male: Bwarr' tk-tk, Tk-rr-tk, Wiirr, Tk-arr-tk, Tk-arr, Gworr' tk-tk, Tk-wirr-tk, Garr-tk, Wkrr, Whirr-tk, Naarr-Wraarr, Brakrr-tk, Nabrrarr'-tk

Female: Tk-Warr, Tk-Tk-gwirr, Tk-Kraarr, Tk-Gwibrr, Makwirr, Tk-Gayyirr, Norrarr, Tk-Karkrr, Waarr, Tk-Mroarr, Tk-Garrr, Nawarr-tk-tk

Umber Hulk Traits

Insectoid monstrosities who are mistreated.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2 and your Strength score increases by 1.
Age. Umber hulks live short lives, they mature at 8 years old and live for about 50 years.
Alignment. Umber hulks enjoy being free; most of them go towards a chaotic alignment, although there are some who strictly believe in a lawful alignment.
Size. Umber hulks are huge, bigger than dragonborns, ranging from 6 feet to 8 feet tall. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30ft. Burrow speed is 20ft.
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.
Mandibles. You are proficient with your mandibles, which deal 1d6 piercing damage on a successful hit.
Confusing Gaze. You are proficient in the Intimidation skill.
Wandering Predator. You are proficient in the Survival skill.
Perseverance. Your hit point maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 every time you gain a level.
Languages. You can speak Umber Hulk. It is impossible for you to speak other race's languages; your vocal cords are too different to produce sounds in other languages, but you can understand Common.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
6'′ 0''	+2d10	200 lb.	× (2d12) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

---

Back to Main Page → 5e Homebrew → Races