Xolpeca (5e Race)

Xolpecans

“	They have that annoying sneer on their face, like they know you're the one who'll be walking the plank.	”
—Surinamar Olketh, Captain of the Golden Slip

Physical Description

Rischeros (rear) and Empfeluctus (front). By Yanied

The xolpecans are monstrous humanoids that resemble crosses between mollusk creatures and various sea critters, all mashed into a humanoid form with slimy appendages and vestigial parts from their oceanic heritage. There are a few general traits that define the xolpecan across all categories. They are amphibious and have a humanoid limb arrangement. An odor of the sea follows them, smelling like seaweed, salt, and tide pools. Xolpecans are generally divided into two subraces: empfeluctus and rischeros. Empfeluctus are closer to cephalopods, being wiry and supple, while rischeros are more generalized in their properties, but more muscular.

The empfeluctus xolpecans are characterized with a cephalopod-like head. A plethora of tentacles create a beard-like appearance on their face. They have no noses and have two eyes above their tentacled maw, along with a head that is either round or pointed. Their entire body is hairless and covered in a slimy secretion, with skin that can vary wildly in colors, like a cuttlefish's. They have human-like hands and feet, with stubby toes and fingers ending in a single sucker. Two tentacles grow either from their shoulders or their waist and extend outward, measuring up to twice their height in length. These tentacles are prehensile and allow the empfeluctus to wear clothes while comfortably maneuvering these extra appendages. Their bodies are relatively forgiving in shape, allowing them to wear clothes that most humanoids would wear.

In contrast, the rischeros xolpecans are more awkward physically. The top half of their body is wide, like the hood of a cobra, narrowing towards their lower back. The underside of this hood is slatted with the gills. At the very tip of the hood is where their head is. Their face is relatively human, save for fins on the side of their heads functioning as ears, and sharp teeth. Their arms come out on the sides, under the thickest part of their hood. Their arms end with large crab claws, instead of normal hands. Below the waist, their bodies are more uniform to that of humans, having normal-looking legs and feet. Rischeros have skin that is slippery when wet, yet smooth when dry. This skin is often a hue of grey. They will tattoo their bodies often, with motives of jagged waves and lightning. Due to their misshapen body, rischeros will usually only wear pants.

History

Xolpecans claim heritage from the sea. Exactly where or what is unclear. They largely cite a creature known as the esquidna. It was supposedly a fearsome beast that resembled a mishmash of several sea creatures put together into a monstrous form. It towered larger than ships, perhaps the same size as a kraken. It had a mass of tentacles for legs and a big hood like a stingray, with large crab pincers for arms. The esquidna is a monstrosity recorded within old sea shanties and tales about the terror of the depths. However, it was killed by a ship of adventurers passing by. It is said that the blood from the esquidna was thick as it rolled off the ship deck, staining the ocean for days after its death. Xolpecans claim that the blood touched certain sea creatures and morphed them, turning them into the xolpecans.

Society

Because their appearance was initially so frightening to many land walkers in contrast to the more human-looking triton, the xolpecans experience distrust and discrimination in society. Having made their lives by the sea, it is not surprising that many xolpecans work as sailors. They rarely like to live in non-coastal areas, preferring to establish their communities, known as shoals, within larger port cities. Their seafaring abilities are quite good, and many man shipping lanes as captains of freights. However, xolpecans also have a competitive streak that pushes them into more thrilling lifestyles. As such, they have a large share of famous pirates to their name, with some even becoming pirate hunters contracted by government. To xolpecans, laws of nature are the only laws at sea. The weak are for the strong to eat, and they revel in being the strongest in their element.

Xolpeca Names

The sea is an inextricable part of xolpecan existence, and they embrace it. As such, their names will sometimes have influences from the Aquan dialect of Primordial. However, these influences are rather small, and xolpecans do not actually know the language. Usually, they take up nautical-related names instead. These names have minute distinctions between males and females, but they can sometimes be androgynous.

Male: Aelfendor, Davy Jones, Merlock, Pontus, Okeanos

Female: Gillian, Eiliaua, Ondine, Marina, Tritone

Xolpeca Traits

Variable sea creatures put into a human form
Ability Score Increase. One score of your choice increases by 2.
Age. Usually, xolpecans hatch from clutches of eggs and mature at around the age of 15. However, mental maturity is often not until the age of 22. Due to their lifestyle of thrill-seeking, the average age of xolpecans before they die is only about 70 to 80 years. Venerable xolpecans who do not seek excitement can live to be as old as 160.
Alignment. Most xolpecans are chaotic. They prefer to follow laws when they are convenient and are willing to break them when they are not.
Size. Xolpecans are normally quite tall, clustered at the higher end of the human height spectrum. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. You also have a swimming speed of 30 feet.
Oceanic 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. You also take no penalties to your vision from being underwater.
Amphibious. You can breath both air and water.
Leviathan Stride. The movement of xolpecans is forceful like they have the innate force of the ocean tide behind them. You are unaffected by difficult terrain caused by watery environments. Additionally, when you Dash, you ignore the effects of difficult terrain.
Seaborne. Your heritage and cold blood make you resistant to cold damage.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Aquan.

Empfeluctus

The empfeluctus are cephalopod-like xolpecans. Some of them have squid-like faces, while others are more like octopi. They generally have a mess of tentacles for a face, which has sometimes led some to think they were illithids. Empfeluctus are often haughty and proud. They see themselves as masters of both aquatic magic and cunning when their physical strength cannot best an opponent.

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 1.
Hold Breath. You can hold your breath for up to 30 minutes at a time.
Bane of the Sea. You wield the wrath of the sea at your fingertips. You know the shape water cantrip. At 3rd level, you can cast the tidal wave spell once, without spending material components, at its lowest level. You regain use of this spell once you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting modifier for these spells.
Moist Skin. Due to your skin's need for moisture, you need to regularly absorb water to avoid drying out. If you fail to immerse yourself in water for at least 1 hour during a day, you suffer 1 level of exhaustion at the end of that day. You can recover from this exhaustion only through magic or by immersing yourself in water for at least 1 hour.

Rischeros

Rischeros xolpecans are squaline and also crustacean-like. Some of them have narrower, more stream-lined hoods, while others are wider. But they all have crusty, hard pincers for hands, which makes it hard for them to handle certain detailed or dainty tasks. The rischeros are supporters of the use of strength as a determining factor in life, and mating season is full of bloody fights.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution or Dexterity score increases by 1.
Crab Claws. Your hard claw pincers are natural weapons that you can make unarmed strikes with. If you hit with them, you deal piercing or bludgeoning damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier. However, your claws are clumsy when it comes to fine-details. You have disadvantage on ability checks to do dainty work with your hands, like handling delicate equipment, certain artisanal crafts that need a light touch, and similar tasks.
Gill Burst. Your body is highly streamlined for mobility, and your gills provide bursts of speed to allow you to move faster. When you Dash, you can move an additional 10 feet.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
5′ 8''	+2d8	180 lb.	× (1d6) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

Suggested Characteristics

When creating a xolpeca 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.

Living by the rules of nature in a turbulent sea, the xolpecans see themselves like solitary ships adrift. They are highly individualist and live together more out of convenience than familial or friendly relations. If one is to anchor a xolpeca and gain their trust, they must show a great deal of admirable qualities to win that cold heart.

d8	Personality Trait
1	I don't like to stay with the same people everyday.
2	I like to rush into the thick of battle rather than hide in the sidelines.
3	I do not care if I appear strange to others and I do as I please.
4	I tend not to talk, even when spoken to. I talk when I have something to say.
5	I prefer to hit first, ask questions and deal with consequences later.
6	I will hide or ditch whatever is disadvantageous to my goals, no matter how important it may be.
7	I hate authority and I will do the opposite of whatever it orders me to do.
8	I think it is fine to put your ideals on the back burner to be pragmatic.

d6	Ideal
1	Revival. The great esquidna desires sacrifies to bring about its resurrection... (Evil)
2	Survival. The seas are a cruel mistress, and I am her loyal dog. (Chaotic)
3	Piracy. The strong take and the weak quake! And I am the strongest! It all will be taken by me! (Evil)
4	Steward. The sea if our great mother and we must strike down those who sully her purity. (Lawful)
5	Convenience. I make friends and ditch them as I need to in order to secure the most cushy spot for myself. (Chaotic)
6	Acceptance. We are no longer tied to what marine, grotesque past we bore. We are now among the thinkers and freemen, and we should be allowed to live as such. (Neutral)

d6	Bond
1	I once saved a fishing boat and I have kept close touch with them.
2	As a young one, I was ridiculed by others for my looks. Now, I cannot tolerate anyone who is not of my own race.
3	I like to live in quiet places away from all the noisy others. I don't like to interact with them either.
4	When I was a hunted freak, a single act of kindness saved my life. I have never forgotten my savior.
5	There is no room for friendships in a world where all fish seek to devour one another. It is better to not be mixed up in such fantasies.
6	Allies are merely tools to reach my goals.

d6	Flaw
1	I am not trustworthy due to my reputation of using others.
2	My appearance is more grotesque than normal, even among my kin.
3	I have no remorse and will bully those I deem weak without mercy.
4	I value earthly riches above all else; so much so that it occupies an unhealthy portion of my attentions.
5	I am unable to trust another person completely.
6	My chauvinist attitude for my own race is grating and repetitive.

0.00

(0 votes)

---

Back to Main Page → 5e Homebrew → Races