Brudders

_{Homebrew for D&D 5th edition by Dick Jarvis}

High up in the canopy, orange eyes watch the travellers below. Ears twitch, catching the jingle of coins with each footstep. Every precious piece of gold connecting with each other, ringing bells that only she could hear. Leek’s tail uncoils from the branch supporting her as she slips down the trees towards the heroes. The wild country was Leek’s favorite place to hunt; most people only expected pickpockets in the city.
_{—G.E.Brindle, Beacons of Arcadia}

As comfortable on the ground as they are in the trees, these small arboreal hunters bring adventuring parties grief and fortune in equal measure. While they originate from small hunting bands in the Jungle, their skills and intelligence allow them to adapt to almost any environment. They are curious, mischievous, slow to trust and difficult to deal with; especially on matters of gold. But when the bonds of friendship and camaraderie are truly formed, they can cement themselves as an invaluable member of an adventuring party.

Sketch of a curious Brudder

Brudders are visibly suited to life in the trees with feet that can grab branches and prehensile tails. Their small stature is a benefit in their world, allowing them to quickly escape danger. Their hairless, wrinkly skin ranges from light pink to deep, blueish grey; many Brudders sport patches of both. Some people consider them ugly, assuming them to be simple pests. Brudders who live in the city can be treated poorly, preferring to travel unseen during times when the normal population would be asleep, and in places most people can’t reach.

Brudders have an inherent and insatiable need to collect gold, often decorating themselves with trinkets. They hoard coins, jewelry, and any other form of gold they can find - and Brudders are very good at finding it! They seem to have a supernatural ability to locate gold, making them very handy - and potentially lucrative - allies.

The troubles Brudders cause in society stem from a cultural misunderstanding. Many Brudders leaving the wilds must wrestle with the concept of ownership. They come from a world with very few laws dictating personal property. Behavior they see no issue with can be considered theft, destruction or vandalism in the civilized world.

However, they are intelligent and adaptable and after an adjustment period many Brudders learn to observe the common laws - or strategically pretend that they follow them. Despite their ability to learn that “stealing” is “wrong”, their curiosity can be overwhelming. They must poke, prod, dig, rip and unhinge their way through the world - just to see what will turn up.

Brudder Anatomy

A Brudder has only one given name, which is usually short, punchy and fun to say. Brudders who migrate to civilization might adopt the last name of their favorite person in an effort to fit in

Names: Meed, Pippy, Odd, Peal, Dip, Noon, Leek, Fib, Iggy, Huckle, Pup, Chug, Ick, Kiki, Flud

Your Brudder character shares the following Traits with all other Brudders.

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 1, your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Strength score is reduced by 2.

Age. A Brudder is considered an adult at the age of 18 and can live for 170 years.

Alignment.

• ⚫ Brudders are uninhibited, and can act in ways that seem selfish.
• 🔴 Brudders value freedom, and usually act on their natural chaotic impulses
• 🟢 Brudders thrive in natural settings, and their cultures are often centered around maintaining the canopies they call home.

Size. Brudders range in height from 2.5 to 3 feet tall, weighing between 25 and 30 pounds. Your size is Small.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet.

Better Brudder Climbing. You belong in high places. You have a climbing speed of 30 feet. While climbing, you can move up, down, and across vertical surfaces and upside-down on ceilings while leaving your hands free.

Rubber Bones. Brudders are built for life in trees, and for falling out of them. You have resistance to falling damage.

Light Fingers. Brudders have four dexterous hands naturally built for delicate, tactile pilfering. You gain proficiency in Sleight of Hand.

Lust for Gold. Brudders have an uncanny and supernatural ability to find gold. You can perceive gold within 30 feet of you without needing to rely on sight.

Fight or Flight. When presented with overwhelming danger instinct kicks in. Whenever a creature of size category Large or greater requires you to make a saving throw against being frightened, you have disadvantage on the roll.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Brudder. The Brudder language is an oral form of communication with no written script. Brudders have translated it to the common script, usually in handwriting so atrocious it might as well be another written language.