Character Crunch: Mousefolk

Mousefolk are a subspecies of ratfolk.

Physically, they are similar to ratfolk but have distinctive differences. They are at least a foot smaller than their ratfolk cousins with rounder features, fluffier and lighter colored fur, and brighter eyes. They are omnivorous, like ratfolk, but prefer fruit, vegetables and grains. They are less cautious than most ratfolk, often characterized as overly curious and gregarious. They are nimbler than ratfolk but do not have the subterranean survival skills of ratfolk since they live in agricultural and metropolitan environments.

Mousefolk live on the elven isle of Saesun. "Wild" mousefolk live in small forest communities that ally themselves with their Sylvanar neighbors. "Domestic" mousefolk live in small farming communities or settle in Iaurdin towns and cities. While ratfolk are often mistrusted and marginilized by humans, mousefolk are welcome neighbors. Mousefolk often get jobs as street cleaners, chimney sweeps, house servants, carriage drivers and gardeners.

Mousefolk have the same suite of features that ratfolk except: they get a bonus to Cha instead of Con, they lose Speak with Beasts and Sewer Dweller but gain Nimbleness and Naturally Stealthy. For your convenience, here are their features:

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2 and your Charisma increases by 1.
Age. Mousefolk mature quickly to adulthood at 10 years of age and live to about 40 years.
Alignment. Mousefolk are friendly, generous and helpful creatures. They tend to stay out of larger affairs. They are most commonly neutral good.
Size. Mousefolk are smaller than ratfolk, standing between two and three feet, and are not as hunched as their rat cousins. Your size is Small.
Speed. Mousefolk are slower than other races but can use their front paws to outpace most humanoids.Your base walking speed is 25 feet but, if you drop to all fours, your base walking speed is 35 feet.
Dark Vision. 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 grey.
Inquisitive Nose. You gain Perception as a skill and have advantage on all Perception skill checks involving your sense of smell.
Rodent Bones. Your bone structure is impressively flexible and you're used to moving through cramped spaces. You are considered one size smaller when attempting to move through tight spaces and take no movement penalty when doing so.
Nimbleness: You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours.
Naturally Stealthy. You can attempt to hide even when you are obscured only by a creature that is at least one size larger than you.
Extra Languages. You can read, write, and understand the Raskaar language.

Monster Mash: H is for Haathraji

Ancient scripture dictates that the beastfolk of Narya are the chosen people of their gods and Heramba's people, the haathraji or "elephant kings", care for the most innocent denizens of the jungle with generous patience and, when needed, protect them with unstoppable force.

These gentle giants  each stand well over twenty feet tall and weigh in at almost four metric tons and have the appearance and gravitas of their elephant ancestors.Their trunks notably split into two, allowing for even better manipulation of this secondary limb, and their tusks are proportionally smaller. They wear ornate outfits of a monk with white, red and gold linens strung up with beads and baubles ranging from materials as common as wood to their ancestor's ivory to jade and gold. These items hold mostly sentimental value, representing relationships and milestones in their life's path, and they have a fondness for gifts of all costs from their friends and allies.

Forest Sages. Haathraji spend most of their time in nomadic familial troupes, often shepherding elephants as a discipline, and their daily routines are focused on meditation, exercise, music, martial arts, and, of course, finding food to sustain themselves. The elephantfolk usually avoid human civilization which, from experience, is driven by material desires, have little respect for nature, and pervert the spiritual truth. Still, they get along well with the humble and poor, especially those living rurally near or in the jungle. The haathraji have no quarrel when it comes to helping others out of trouble but avoid creating a dependence between themselves and humans.

If a human truly wishes to seek wisdom and enlightenment, haathraji are more likely to welcome them into their troupe and share their deep insights.


Warrior Priest of Heramba. While being peace-loving creatures, primarily concerned with enlightenment, when roused the Haathraji are legendary warrior monks that can stand toe to toe with almost any threat to or from the jungle. Despite their size, the haathraji can move as quietly and quickly as a dancer, and on the battlefield toss their enemies, if they don't flatten them, like blades of grass being blown about by the wind.

They especially despise fiendish and unnatural creatures and can be roused to a cause against them.

PEOPLE FIRST: The Beastmen Vs. The Beastfolk Pt. 2

BEASTFOLK: PEOPLE FIRST

Beastfolk are not beastmen.

In a land where horrible and monstrous beastmen terrorize the countryside, peoples with animal features are feared by the common folk. This means that even if they have good intentions, a person with animal like features is unlikely to be trusted or welcome company. Especially in the Free Kingdoms of Thule, where anything exotic is distrusted, unusual people are hunted down or run out of town. That being said, there are such people in Sublanarya that are no more inclined towards evil than humans or elves. Among the ignorant, they are "monsters" and among worldly peoples, they are called the "beastfolk".

Beastfolk come in many shapes and sizes, have a wide variety of cultures, and can be found in territories just beyond civilization (and others right under civilization's feet) all around Sublanarya and beyond. They may share animal instincts, but there are as unalike to each other as humans are to elves and dwarves are to elves, meaning that they have just as many reasons to get-along, or not, as anyone else. And then, on the issue of being unwelcome in many places throughout the realm, beastfolk mostly keep to their varied home environments with a few exceptions. Those that travel into lands dominated by human and elf alike, usually do so profit or for more noble causes.

Perhaps the greatest irony in the way that humanoids treat beastfolk is that, if they chose to work alongside them, they could fight the beastmen together. The beastfolk have just as much cause, if not more, to eliminate the threat of the beastmen. Beastmen are a corruption of nature and many beastfolk cultures revolve around natural order. And the beastmen are an insult to all beastfolk: whenever an innocent beastfolk is caught and punished by human hands, it is beastmen who are to blame for this discrimination. Lastly, just as humans, beastmen encroach upon the territories where beastfolk live and threaten their lives. The great irony is that while beastfolk are often erroneously lumped together with beastmen, they are often the ones keeping the beastmen threat from spreading into human lands. They are allies to the good peoples of this world, whether the good peoples realize it or not.

The beastfolk want the same things as any peoples; they want their homes to be safer and more prosperous for themselves, their loved ones and their children. Family is important and at the core of all beastfolk cultures. This comes from their tribal nature that is further nurtured by their reclusive lives. Most beastfolk tribes are far from humanity and, those that live aside them, are separated by choice or by threat of force. This means that most beastfolk seek friendship within their own tribes and through neighboring tribes. It is important to remember the strength and importance of beastfolk bonds as they inform everything they do. The catfolk warrior who rips the throat from a red mantis does so to protect her children. The dhole sailor traveling across the world owes a life debt to his captain. The blind ratfolk who steals bread from a cart has a sick father to feed. The grippli druid goes to the big city to convince the lord mayor to stop using the river that goes to her swamp.

The difference between beastmen and beastfolk is simple: beastmen are inhuman beasts. Beastfolk are people first and beasts second.

Let's take a look at each common variety of beastfolk in Sublanarya.

MONSTROUS: The Beastmen Vs. The Beastfolk Part I

 MONSTROUS PART I:

THE BEASTMEN

In Sublanarya, there are no orcs or goblins. At least, they aren't called that.

This was a decision I made to create a more unique feeling to the setting in a subtle way. This meant I needed to replace them with an equivalent horde-like threat. After all, people need a reason to be weary of going off the beaten path. So I turned to creating a monstrous breed that was a worthy threat and could fit into all manner of niches. Really it was a matter of adapting the roles of various classic monsters from ogres to lizardfolk. The most common humanoid threat to the every day folk are the "beastmen".

It all began in the east, in a region called the Hold. This region had long been home to a mix of feudal colonies, trade towns and many nomadic tribes. It is a cold, wild and desolate landscape that is considered the edge of civilization by most. It is a place for dark magic, for giants and for strange beasts. It was during the Age of Restoration, following the defeat of the giants, that the Hold's people came under the sway of demonic influence. Mass sacrifices in mass abattoirs, dark temples that cast shadow across the land, and a new threat. From these dark halls, came the monstrous horde, and it swept across the northern continent. The Hamuts and the Zafarians managed to stave off the horde but the other free peoples were overwhelmed. It would not be until the arrival of the Holy Imperium's Diamond Fleet that the beastmen's resolve was shattered and their numbers scattered. They are still a threat and many rangers spend their lives training against it.

There are several common varieties found throughout Sublanarya. Many are directly or indirectly based on classic monsters while some are blatantly classic monsters. They often ally with other bestial races like lizardfolk and kuo-toa since their share the same gods. Particularly dangerous and related are the lycanthropes and other shapeshifters.

The common varieties are less intelligent and less dangerous, but still pose a threat to the average citizen, especially as they gather in numbers. The elite beastmen are usually more organized and dangerous. They usually have larger goals and interests than just gathering food and entertaining themselves. They all worship demons, they all eat manflesh and they all seek to destroy the peace & happiness of the civilized races. They are a challenge to civilization and a corruption of nature.