Wukong (5e Race)

Wukong

Physical Description

By GENZOMAN

The wukong are primates resembling some cross between humans and chimps. Their face is certainly ape-like, and they have rather large ears. They stand upright and have mostly human features, but with great amounts of body hair and a monkey tail to help them balance. Unlike apes, their feet are not prehensile. They tend to be slightly shorter than humans, and prone to toned bodies. Many are always in motion, making them overall a very healthy race.

History

The monkey king, Sun Wukong, once created a paradise for the monkeys on the mountain of flowers and fruit in the nation of Shou Lung in Kara-Tur. This mountain was named Hua Guo Shan, literally meaning "mountain of flowering fruit." It was a legendary place where food fell off the trees in abundance and the monkeys, named wukong after their king, were never hungry and always had happy feasts. However, the kings arrogance got him in trouble with heaven, and he was sealed away. The wrath of heaven was not easily abated after seeing the impudence of one monkey, and they turned their wrath onto the mountain paradise. They sent a cold and bitter frosty blight onto the mountain. the plants withered in the unforgiving cold and it became an uninhabitable wasteland.

The residents fled their now cursed home and scattered in fear across the continent. Heavens eyes watched and their followers relentlessly pursue the wukong to this day. Monkeys are persistent, however, and with each passing generation, they schemed against the heavens and eluded extinction. They passed on their legends of their fallen paradise to their children and imbued new generations with the ideal of freedom once more. Worshiping their vanished king as a god, many wukong grow up and become adventurers, always keeping an ear to the ground for gossip, particularly of where their god may be sealed, as well as secret means by which to free him.

Society

Having the impudence of monkeys, the wukong are a race that is all for play, and little work or pretentiousness. The wukong work best when not dealing with "stuffy" races. As such, they often conflict with dwarves but they find brothers in orcs, humans, gnomes, and halflings. They tend to give elves headaches, showing little in terms of respect. Despite this, they are not outwardly hated in particular. Wukong today are largely sequestered away in secret communities, hiding from the eyes and followers of heaven and their hunters. They have a great oral tradition and pass down stories within their scattered groups to retain their sense of racial congregation.

Religion

The wukong worship their god, Sun Wukong, who their race is named after. They believe heaven is unjust and the release of their king will restore them to their glory days in their old home. They practice a form of martial arts as a way of prayer to their god, believing in physical prowess. Unlike the stereotypical idea of monkeys, the wukong hold the peach as the sacred fruit, and not the banana, as the peach was the king's favorite of all the fruits on Hua Guo Shan. Every year, they hold a festival for the monkey god, which is when they momentarily forget their dreary present and indulge in a day of revelry and celebration. Wukong remain in search of the means to free their god, which is almost a pilgrimage every generation makes as they venture out.

Wukong Names

Wukong names are written in High Shou, but their tongue is a bit less than refined, using a farmers accent.

Male: Sun wu Kong, Son Goku, Houzi

Female: Houya, Wu Liang, Jian Jie

Wukong Traits

A persecuted race of simian humanoids
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and one other ability score of your choice increases by 1.
Age. Wukongs mature at the same rate humans do and reach adulthood around the age of 20. They live much longer than humans, however, often exceeding 200 years.
Alignment. Wukong are naturally chaotic, but can grow into other alignments.
Size. They are slightly shorter than humans on average, ranging from well under 5 feet tall to just over 6 feet. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. You have a climbing speed of 30 feet.
Prehensile Tail. Your particular heritage has allowed you to develop a prehensile tail. Your tail is muscular and very long, about your body length, and can support your weight if you aren't encumbered (e.g. while hanging from a branch). While the tail is used primarily to assist in climbing and keeping the hands free for foraging and carrying, you can use it to do the following simple tasks: lift, drop, hold, push, or pull an object or a creature up to 50 pounds; open or close a door or a container; grapple a creature of Small size or or smaller. Your DM might allow other simple tasks to be added to that list of options. Your tail can’t wield weapons or shields or do anything that requires manual precision, such as using tools or magic items or performing the somatic components of a spell.
Primate Skill. You move fast and easily, allowing you to play a trick or two. You are proficient in the Acrobatics and sleight of hand skills.
Trickster. Wits that can trick the sense of opponents is very useful. You know the minor illusion and prestidigitation cantrips and you can cast them without material components.
Jumper. When calculating your jumping distance, you may use your Dexterity instead of your Strength.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write in High Shou and Common.

Variant Wukong Traits

Some wukong desire to emulate the monkey king's immense strength. Such wukong often work their bodies and seek out strong warriors to challenge and improve themselves.

Design Note: This variant replaces the Ability Scores, Trickster, Jumper, and Primate Skill traits

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2, and one other ability score of your choice increases by 1.
Power Incarnate. You are able to channel your power to influence effects on the world. You know the thaumaturgy cantrip and you can cast it at will without material components. In addition to its normal abilities, you may use this cantrip to change the appearance of your skin, appearing to be made of metal, cloth or stone. This ability is purely cosmetic and does not affect the actual composition of your body.
Tough As Stone. In training to become as powerful as the monkey king himself, wukong learn to take a hit or two. Your hit point maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 every time you gain a level.
Monkey Skills. Your body is strong and agile, and you can make your way around or through any obstacle. You are proficient in the Acrobatics and Athletics skills.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
4′ 9''	+2d8	90 lb.	× (1d4) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

5.00

(4 votes)

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