Hurok

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

Harland: “For today’s show, I’m excited to have Captain Lowxaw as a guest, and ask him a few questions about this “Quest” he’s on. Captain, happy to have you here in the studio!”

Lowxaw: “Greetings, land-walker! I am Captain Lowxaw, Son of Alltruth, slayer of hydras, savior of the Beruvians, Victor of The Wreck Pit! It is an honor to be on your program, exalted Jocky of the EMM ESS ARR!”

Harland: *laughing* “Thanks for the title acknowledgement, I usually don’t get that kind of treatment. So about this quest, you claim to be here to defend the realm?

Lowxaw: “Yes, Harland. I am here to defend all realms, everywhere. For you see, the necromancers of Spider Island have stolen the God Crystal. All of Arcadia may be in danger. It is up to us to retrieve the crystal from their clutches, and return it to the depths, to the sunken city of Alltruth.”

Harland: “Heavy stuff, man.”

Lowxaw: “Yes. The heaviest of stuff, Harr-land! Truly, no stuff could be heavier than the stuff I present to you on your show this morning.”

Harland: “Well, if there are any great warriors or heroes out there listening, I’m sure we can help them reach out to you, get you some - uhhhh - ‘allies’ on this quest.”

Lowxaw: “Yes. It would be much appreciated, Harr-land! Send me your strongest warriors, land-walkers, and help me save Arcadia!!”

_{—The Harland Morning Show, Interview with Captain Lowxaw}

Hurok consider themselves guardians of life, and protectors of society. They come from mysterious civilizations deep beneath the sea, but will defend any people with the same fervor that they would their own. There is no greater honor for a Hurok than doing good in the world.

Sketch of a young Hurok Monk

Hurok may have a frightening appearance, but their reputation as warriors for justice precedes them. Hurok have been in the world long enough for the common people to celebrate and embrace them.

They are benevolent creatures, acting as stewards of civilization. They fight to protect the people of the land from existential threats, and as they travel the world on their epic quests they assist with the small threats wherever they can.

Their goodness is not universal, and some Hurok with different goals and ambitions may tarnish this reputation. But even the villains in their ranks are concerned with preserving their honor. There is no greater shame for a Hurok than acting dishonorably. It is rare for a Hurok to leave a place in worse condition than when they found it.

Once they reach maturity, Hurok cease their natural aging process. You can measure how long they’ve been alive by the scars they accumulate, but there may be no limit to their natural lifespan. Legends say that in their sunken cities, there are Hurok who witnessed the creation of the world.

Hurok come from a different world beneath the waves. Even those who have visited the realm of land-walkers sometimes wait centuries before visiting again; the world they knew can go through drastic changes in that time. They find the realm of land-walkers alien and confusing.

Their mannerisms are sometimes received as harsh or off putting. The way they pronounce words are awkward, and their brutal honesty can accidentally crush someone’s feelings.

Despite these drawbacks, their presence is still well received by the common people. Perhaps not so much by the forces exploiting the common people; A Hurok’s presence can upset the fragile status quo which allows nobility to live in luxury.

Hurok names are meant to be comfortable in the Hurok mouth, and usually formed with two syllables. Male names usually begin with a syllable ending in ‘o’ while female names with a syllable ending in ‘a’.

Hurok introduce themselves as the son or daughter of the city they were born in, as opposed to their parents. Their introductions also list all of their heroic deeds, which they add to their name in an ever-growing string of titles.

Female Hurok Names: Kabrok, Gagri, Hkcagra, Mapha, Sakraa, Hxabron, Tafid, Okami

Male Hurok Names: Lowxaw, Gobrim, Hchophid, Mobrott, Ko-glout, Notrick, Chkomen, Vrobrith

Hurok characters have traits in common with all other Hurok.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1, and your Wisdom score increases by 2.

Age. Hurok reach maturity at age 30, but their society does not consider them adults until they are 100 years old. There is no natural limit to their lifespan.

Alignment.

• ⚪ Hurok maintain their ancient cities and churches, their society built upon fundamental laws of equality.
• 🟢 Hurok were the first mortals introduced to Arcadia, and see themselves as stewards of the natural world.

Size. Hurok average 6 feet in height, and weigh between 250 and 300 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your walking speed is 25 feet, and you have a swimming speed of 30 feet.

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.

Quadruped Speed. Hurok can run using all 4 limbs. If both your hands are free, your base land speed can increase to 35 feet.

Amphibious. You can breathe air and water.

Water Dependency. 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.

Projectile Tongue. The Hurok’s tongue is able to extend and latch onto creatures. You can grapple creatures up to 10 feet from you with your tongue. If you make a successful grapple check in this way, you pull them to a space within 5 feet of you and can use your Bite attack as a Bonus Action.

Bite. Your fanged maw is a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Primordial.