Xaxir was hungry and his belly rumbled in anticipation of the impending meal. The large alligator, not more than thirty feet ahead of him, crawled through the muck and into Xaxir's trap. With a loud snap, a net lifted the gator into the air, the beast snapping its toothy mouth open and shut in surprise. Xaxir rushed forward, spear in hand. He was going to eat well tonight.
Swampkin are a reclusive people who dwell in swampland, marshes, and sometimes even in forests located in warmer climates near brackish water. They are hunters and gatherers and center their lives around day-to-day survival. Swampkin love food, the sport of the hunt, and tend to mostly be loners when it comes to their own villages, which are sporadic in their placement of dwellings, and which tend to blend into the surroundings.
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Large and In Charge
Swampkin have evolved from their watery roots to living in swamps - where water and land have merged. At one point, the Swampkin sported gills, which they no longer have. Instead, they breath oxygen - but they can hold their breath for a very long time with their large lungs and torsos. Swampkin are medium sized creatures, but they tend to be very dense and muscular. They generally stand at around 5'6"- 6' with gray, white, or purple skin, sometimes sporting scales.
Apex Predators
Swampkin are the rulers of the swamps wherever they decide to lay down roots. They are extremely intelligent, setting complex traps and creating deadly, well-crafted weapons. They are very knowledgeable about the terrain they make their homes in, and anyone attacking a Swampkin village would have to be able to find them first, which is no easy feat since Swampkin camouflage their homes and themselves. If you've found a Swampkin home, chances are the Swampkin is already watching you.
Alone Together
Swampkin, despite living together in loose groups of dwellings spread out over a relatively large area, can be fairly social at times. They tend to travel in groups for safety when deciding to trade with Land Folk like humans, dwarves, or elves and if they need to, they will work together to defend against invaders or to attack enemies. Left to their own devices, Swampkin usually spend their days on hunting trips where they also gather plants, vegetables, or berries they find. When they're not hunting and gathering, they're curing meats or crafting useful items made from parts of their prey.
Swampkin Names
Swampkin names are relatively simple using no surnames and are derived from their own language. There are no gender specific names.
Swampkin Names: Xaxir, Xum, Imipum, Giyar, Urr, Qirir, Kaum, Yai, Pyarr, Xaqar, Yaqqum
Swampland Heroes
It is extremely common for individual Swampkin to venture out on their own. They are adept at survival and sometimes wish to search for other cities to trade with or perhaps find untouched swampland to start a new life in. Swampkin tend to make excellent Rangers or Rogues, as well as Fighters.
Swampkin Traits
Your Swampkin character has many inherent traits passed down from years of evolution.
Ability Score Increase: Your Constitution increases by 2 while Strength and Intelligence increase by 1.
Age: Swampkin reach adulthood at the age of 18 and generally live to be 100.
Alignment: Swampkin don't tend toward any general alignment.
Size: Swampkin average about 5'6'- 6' tall though there are outliers.
Speed: Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Languages: You can speak, read, and write Swampkin and one extra language of your choice. Swampkin typically trade with whatever cities tend to be near them, so there are no real limits on which languages the Swampkin are willing to learn.
Darkvision: Accustomed to life in the dark swamps and forests of the world, a Swampkin's best friend is the darkness. You have the ability to see in darkness as if it were dim light, and in dim light in front of you as if it were bright light. 60' range - you cannot discern color in darkness, however.
Master Hunter: You are automatically proficient in Stealth, Perception, and Survival
Let us know what you think of the Swampkin!
-Joe