Plantling (5e Race)
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Plantling[edit]
| “ | "And that is why you mustn't disturb a plant with a face if you find it alone in the forest." The plantling finishes his explanation to the young human child. A hunter with an elegant bow walks up to the two and laughs, "That is one of the most stupid things I have ever heard." The plantling scowls at him, not because of his statement, but because of the bow. He grabs the bow from the hunter's back and the hunter tries to retrieve it. "Do you know what this is?" The plantling asks. The hunter nods thinking having an item such as this gives him authority over the plantling. The plantling stabs him ten times and breaks his neck to make certain the hunter is dead. Later the same plantling crouches down in the forest at the base of a large tree. He uncovers a cache of wooden objects and adds the bow to the pile. He lifts what appears to be the chiseled off the face of a wooden statue. "Soon my love, we'll have the family back together again." | ” |
| —Unknown | ||
| “ | I am a plant too. If you prick me, do I not sap? | ” |
| —Unknown | ||
Physical Description[edit]
Plantlings are tall, lean, elf-like humanoid plants. Their skin is thin bark that is usually a shade of brown, but black and white tones are still possible. Their eyes are glowing orbs of colored light nestled in indentations on their face where eyes normally would be. Plantlings have vines for hair ranging from coiled to straight, but always a shade of green. Growing from the vines are small round berries that are usually blue, red, black, yellow, or green. Plantling "clothes" grow on their bodies in the form of large long leaves. These leaves can grow anywhere on their bodies and can be trimmed into elegant apparel, but most don't bother to go through the trouble of maintaining elaborate clothing. The average plantling maintains at least a skirt/kilt and a poncho. Male plantlings tend to grow smaller leaves around their wrists and ankles like simple bracelets and anklets. Female plantlings pick and choose what adornments they let grow. Ay the tips of their pointy ears, some plantlings let a leaf or multiple leaves grow like earrings. Plantling leaves can never fall off. Occasionally, the leaves of a plantling from a warm or temperate climate will turn red, orange, yellow, or even purple when cold weather approaches, just like autumn leaves. Root-like tendrils hang from the plantling's legs and feet.
History[edit]
Only plantlings and wood elves know the entire history of the plantings. They are very possessive and secretive about it, but that hasn't stopped scholars from other cultures from speculating. The most widely accepted theory begins with forbidden love. Back at the edge of time when the elven race was still young, there was a handsome and powerful elven archmage whose name is long forgotten to history (because he may or may not have existed). The beautiful magician caught the eye of a servant fey. She came to the forest village which the wizard called home under the guise of an apprentice. Over many years the feelings between them developed and deepened. Alas, it was not to be. The fey's lady discovered that her servant had fallen in love with a mortal, something forbidden by fey law. The fey lady turned the fey servant into a dryad, binding her to a tree as punishment. The sudden absence of his lovely assistant tore at the archmage's heart. He searched far and wide for her and, by some ironic twist of fate, he collapsed from exhaustion under the tree of his lost love. She brought him back to consciousness and quickly explained everything to him. Overjoyed to have found her, the wizard vowed to free his love, and he did... sort of. A bit of the tree came with the dryad when the mage released her from her bondage. Seeing that he could do no more for his love, the archmage transformed himself into a form similar to hers so she wouldn't be alone. These were the first plantlings. This is a touching story, but is, of course, all speculation. If you explain this to a wood elf or a plantling, they will blink at you for a moment or two, then they will appear amused, and afterward, they will simply walk away without another word.
Society[edit]
Plantlings are an elusive race that prefer to reside in heavily wooded areas and protect their homes with their lives. They ally themselves most often with elves, forest gnomes, and good or neutral aligned fey, but they don't mind associating with other good creatures if they perceive no threat and their goals are the same. There have been cases of plantling communities coexisting with orchard farming halfling or human communities. Blights are sworn enemies of the plantlings and they will kill them on sight if able. Other enemies are made when plantlings get hunted for their wood which is strong, flexible, and light, making it good for weapon-making and it has a beautiful grain structure making it desirable for more decorative pieces. Among those that would hunt them for their wood are orcs, goblins, evil-aligned giants, and evil or greedy humans.
Plantling communities are usually family groups of 10-15 individuals. The leader is generally the eldest or most skilled individual. Because of their nature, plantlings enjoy freedom and creativity along with skill and learning. They chafe under codes of conduct and strict social expectations, but given time they can adapt. Worse than restriction, loneliness is the worst thing that can befall a plantling. It causes them to wilt and wither and if it lasts long enough the plantling enters a stage of dormancy in which it is indistinguishable from a bush/scrub. Because of the tight-knit family groups, loneliness has hardly any chance to last long enough to have lasting effects (maybe somebody will be a little droopy one day, but the next they'll perk right up). On the other hand, the survivor of a family nearly wiped out by hunters enter the dormant state almost immediately after relocating to a safe place to grieve the ones who were lost. After the period of grief, the survivor will stop at nothing and conform to anything to destroy the ones behind the death of their loved ones, for any part of killing a plantling is damnable. This is why it is extremely bad luck to possess an item made of plantling wood, even for a short while, if you know it is a plantling wood item. They will find you and they will kill you. Sometimes the vastness of the task of revenge can drive a plantling survivor to madness. (There is no money in the revenge business.) An adventuring plantling is either a young plantling driven by wanderlust and the need to prove himself or a plantling driven by the call of revenge.
Plantling Names[edit]
A plantling is named twice: once by it's parents after the sproutling has freed itself from the soil and begins to walk around, then for the second time by the leader of the family group when they are considered an adult (from about 100 to about 150 years old). A plantling can either go by it's first or second name, but it keeps both names. First names usually are derived from elvish and normally pertain to nature. Sometimes a plantling may go by the translated version of their first name if they live near a human settlement. The second name is based on a personality quirk, habit, or a heroic (or stupid) life event.
Male First Names: Ilphel (Blossom), Kiir (Gem), Nodel (Moon), Sian (Brook), other male elf names
Female First Names: Ama (Flower), Gala (Whisper), Sian (Brook), Stacia (Star), other female elf names
Second Names: Treestrider, Shadowwalker, Cliffaller, Candlewick, Lillylicker, Softwood, Iornwood
Plantling Traits[edit]
Lithe creatures that appear similar to elves, but are made of wood.
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 2 and your Dexterity score increases 1.
Age. A plantling is a seed for 1-2 years. Then, until around 12 years old, they are a sproutling rooted in the soil learning from their parents, family, and the surrounding forest. A plantling has fully matured physically at 20-25 years old, but the plantling understanding of adulthood goes beyond physical growth to encompass worldly experience. They are considered adults when they receive their second name between the ages of 85 to 150 years old. Plantlings die of old age near the end of their first 1000 years. The oldest ever recorded plantling died the day before their 1379th birthday.
Alignment. Plantlings' love of freedom for themselves and others causes them to lean towards chaotic good. Lawful or evil alignments are rare. Any alignment is possible if the plantling is on the path of revenge. A plantling is more likely to be lawful than evil.
Size. Plantlings are tall and lean. They are lighter than they appear because they are made of wood. Plantlings stand between 5 and a half to 7 feet tall and weigh between 100 to 150 pounds. Your size is Medium.
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.
Plant. You count as both humanoid and plant.
Photosynthesis. Instead of eating, drinking, and sleeping as normal, you can root yourself in the soil in an area of dim or bright light and enter a meditative semi-conscious state in which you are fully aware of your surroundings. You must remain in this state for 4 hours to get the advantages of a long rest, and it counts as if you have had a day's ration of food. If the soil has any form of moister content whatsoever, you can absorb the water you need for the day through your roots.
Wooden Buoyancy. You do not sink in water but instead float on your back. The only way to make you sink is if you are weighed down by an object or objects that counteract your buoyant force (That's the laws of physics for you).
Keen Senses. You have proficiency in Perception.
Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed and magic can't put you to sleep.
Made of Wood. You are vulnerable to fire damage.
Plant Magic. You know the cantrip druidcraft. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the spell barkskin once per day. Once you reach 5th level, you can also cast the spell Speak With Plants once per day. Wisdom is your spellcasting modifier for these spells.
Plantling Weapon Training. You are proficient with the handaxe, rapier, longbow, and sling.
Recognize the Dead. You can tell if a wooden object is made out of wood from another plantling and if that plantling was related to you.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common, Elvish, and Sylvan.
Random Height and Weight[edit]
| Base Height |
Height Modifier* |
Base Weight |
Weight Modifier** |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5′ 3'' | +2d10 | 100 lb. | × (1d4) lb. |
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*Height = base height + height modifier | |||
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