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

“Keep the boys from killing each other, unless you want the gene pool to become a gene puddle.”
_{—Bogus Bigwig, Matriarch of the Bigwig Family}

Delphers are a race of burrowing creatures from the Trolling Boil Ocean, living on an archipelago called Delpher’s Teeth. They are renowned for being master trap builders, and sell their skills as dungeon and vault designers. Individuals leave Delpher’s Teeth for years at a time, traveling to wealthy civilizations or the lair of a powerful wizard and returning with hard-earned riches. In their absence a precarious balance of power persists on Delpher’s Teeth between the Delpher Matriarchs and the stubborn Males they try to reign in.

The ratio of Female Delphers born to Males is roughly ten to one. Because of this, the various Delpher Matriarchs carefully plan out their family lines in advance, tracking the different bloodlines of Delpher’s Teeth and planning where and when to trade Males between Islands.

Much like their planned lineages, the dungeon enterprises of the different Delpher families are carefully managed. These plans are controlled and enacted by the various Matriarchs, and are often complicated by the Male Delpher’s impulsive stupidity.

Male Delphers resist the machinations of their Matriarchs and seem to only be interested in living free, capricious lives. Unlike the level-headed Female Delpher, Male Delphers are short-sighted, aggressive and very territorial. Male Delphers will fight and kill for “Alpha” status, and see the structure their Matriarchs try to enforce as a tortuous inconvenience.

Names: Muggy Leafclutter, Shrub Littlepebble, Prunes Islandwide, Bogus Bigwig, Crunk Wobblechair, Ferrous Tripwire

All Delphers share the following traits:

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.

Age. Delphers reach adulthood after 25 years, and can live for up to 200 years.

Alignment.

• ⚪ Delpher society is organized to a fault, with lineages planned in advance and their island homes expertly defended.
• 🔵 Female Delphers are curious, hungry for knowledge, and urge the best and brightest among them to pursue their full potential.
• ⚫ Delphers ply their trade for gold, and their trade usually involves inventing magnificent new ways to destroy people.
• 🔴 Male Delphers get frustrated when they can't pursue their impulses and desires, and often take this frustration out in destructive ways.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 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.

Pocket Sand. You carry around a small collection of dirt in order to blind opponents. As an action you may make a special ranged attack, throwing sand into an opponent’s eyes. If this attack hits, the opponent is blinded until the start of their next turn. You are proficient with this improvised sand attack, and this attack has a range of 10 feet.

Languages. You speak Delpher and Common.

Sexual Dimorphism. Choose one of the following Delpher options, based on your prominent sexual characteristics.

Female Delphers are smaller than Male Delphers. They are usually simple shades of brown, with small claws and long tails that branch off into fronds. Female Delphers serve as community and business leaders, and are the main trap builders in their enterprises. While they are not well suited for less engaging labor, they often fill those roles as well because their counterparts are fucking useless except for fighting and digging, the lazy buggers.

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 2.

Size. Female delphers are rarely taller than 3 feet, and weigh up to 60 lbs. Your size is Small.

Toolbox Tail. Your tail ends in a branching set of fronds which can change their shape and resemble various small tools. You can make Thieves’ Tools and Tinker’s Tools checks with your tail without having to carry a set of either. You are considered proficient with these tools while using your tail.

Treacherous Designs. When you make a roll with your Thieves’ Tools to set a trap, you can treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10.

Male Delphers are much larger and more colorful than Female Delphers, and sport a large pair of horns. They grow longer claws on wide, shovel-like hands and have a large set of fangs. Male Delphers are dim-witted, impulsive, ambitious and extremely competitive with other Male Delphers - especially in the presence of females.

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

Size. Male Delphers grow to a height between 4 and 5 feet tall, and weigh up to 200 lbs. Your size is Medium.

Threat Displays. Male Delphers are proficient in the Intimidation skill.

Excavation. You have a burrowing speed of 10 feet and can use that speed to move through sand, dirt, mud, or ice.

Horns. Your horns are natural melee weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.