# Balthazar's Bestiary of Brutal Beings Welcome, weary traveler! I am Balthazar the Boisterous, the famous wizard! I have traveled far and wide, discovering and exploring! I have compiled my notes on the various peoples of the world, many of which people consider to be uncivilized beasts. (And for the most part, they are). My notes entail the Bullywug, the Drider, the Gnoll, the Kuo-toa, and the Sahuagin, and my notes on the discovery of three new races, the Brownie, the Camazotz, and the Jenrot. ## The Bullywug *I was traversing the swamp, hoping to find a very specific flower for one of my spells, when before I knew it, I was surrounded by frog people. They held spears of bone, and though they looked tough, they were easily scared away by the illusion of a giant alligator. Strong fighters, the Bullywugs, but definitely not the smartest.* - Balthazar the Boisterous, *Journal #4* The Bullywug live in abject poverty. Their homes are dismal swamps and marshes, with nothing more than simple spears to protect their hovels. Which is exactly how they like it. They love the smelly, moist grass, the filthy, squelching mud, and the horrible danger they live in. They are just as nasty, brutish, and wet as their homes. ## Bullywug Traits Your Bullywug has the following racial traits. ***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Constitution increases by 2, and either your Strength or Dexterity Score inreases by 1. ***Age.*** Bullywugs undergo metamorphosis, hatching as a tadpole. They are fully matured by age 2, and rarely live longer than 35 years. ***Alignment.*** Rarely caring enough for law or chaos, and almost always evil, most Bullywugs are Neutral Evil. ***Size.*** Between 4 and 5 feet tall, and nearly as wide, Bullywugs are Medium creatures. ***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 25 feet, and you have a swim speed of 40 feet. ***Swamp Camouflage.*** You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in swampy terrain. You also have proficiency in the Stealth skill. ***Frog Tongue.*** You can communicate simple ideas to frogs and toads, and vice versa, when you speak in Bullywug. ***Amphibious.*** You can breathe both air and water ***Standing Leap.*** Your long jump is up to 20 feet, and your high jump is up to 10 feet, with or without a running start. ***Languages.*** You can speak, read, and write Common and Bullywug. Bullywug is an uncomplicated series of croaks and ribbits. ## The Drider *I was in the Underdark on this particular occasion, hoping to get some giant spider venom for a potion. I walked for hours, when suddenly, I found one! I crept up on it, then leapt! Imagine my surprise when it pulled a longsword and said "Oi! Fuck off!"* - Balthazar the Boisterous, *Journal #7* The Drider are the most broken drow, those that fail their demon queen and are punished. Must suck. You'd think being the personification of arachnophobia would be respected in drow society, but the Drider are treated as less than slaves. Still though, if you can convince them not to eat you, they may be a good source of information. Of course, they'll probably betray you to the nearest drow kingdom in hopes of regaining some lost honor. ***Ability Scores.*** Your Constitution Score increases by 2, and your Charisma Score increase by 1. ***Age.*** Though twisted by Lolth, Driders are still technically elves. Most Driders are turned into Driders around their second or third century. They can live up to five or six hundred more years. ***Alignment.*** Vicious as the drow they once were, most Driders are Chaotic Evil ***Size.*** Long spider legs nearly double their height, and their abdomen takes up quite a bit of space. Nearly 10 feet tall and ten feet long, you are a Large creature. ***Speed.*** You have a base walking speed of 30 feet, and you have a climbing speed of 30 feet. ***Spider Climb.*** You can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without an ability check. ***Web Walker.*** You ignore movement restrictions created by webbing. ***Fey Ancestry.*** You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep. ***Sunlight Sensitivity.*** You have disadvantage of attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks if you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive are in direct sunlight. \pagebreak ***Innate Spellcasting.*** You know the *dancing lights* cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the *faerie fire* spell once per day. When you reach 5th level, you can also cast the *darkness* spell once per day. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells. ***Superior Darkvision.*** You can see in dim light as if it were bright light and darkness as if it were dim light out to a range of 120 feet. ***Langauges.*** You can speak, read, and write Common, Elvish, and Undercommon. ## The Gnolls *I was visiting a small town in the east, looking for some amber for a ritual. I had finally found a town that sold it, and no sooner had I bought it than the town was under attack. I strolled outside to see hulking hyena people the size of orcs cutting people down. I very quickly put a stop to that, but I had to use my new amber. Drat.* - Balthazar the Boisterous, *Journal #39* The Gnolls are raiding humanoids, with the unfortunate happenstance of looking like really gross hyenas. They were born when Yeenoghu was kicking around, killing people, and the hyenas that followed him feasted on the corspes of his victims. They were metamorphsized into the Gnolls, vicious warriors with the penchant for eating things. Hungrier than a hill giant, the old saying was. ***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Strength Score increases by 2, and your Dexterity Score increases by 1. ***Age.*** Gnolls are born into violence. They mature by age 6, and die in battle by age 50. ***Alignment.*** Born with the unfortunate lot of being born of a demon, Gnolls are usually Chaotic Evil. ***Size.*** Between 6 and 7 feet tall, and weighing close to 600 pounds, your size is Medium. ***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 30 feet. ***Rampage.*** When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points on your turn, you can take bonus action to run up to half your movement speed towards another creature and take a melee attack. ***Darkvision.*** You can see in dim light as if it were bright light and darkness as if it were dim light up to a range of 60 feet. ***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 Gnoll. Gnoll is a language of yips, barks, growls, and snarls. ## The Kuo-toa *I was back in the Underdark, this time searching for a scroll that held some information I needed. I was walking along an underground stream, when I heard it: the **plap plap plap** of an approaching Kuo-toa. I whipped out my wand, cast an illusion, and became a god for a few days. I even got the scroll!* - Balthazar the Boisterous, *Journal #47* The Kuo-toa are mad degenerates that look like a reverse mermaid. Fish body, people legs. They invent their own gods to protect themselves against threats such as drow, ithilids, and beholders. You'd wonder why they don't just move out of the Underdark, if it's so dangerous for them. Well do you want them up here, with us? Didn't think so. ***Ability Score.*** Your Strength Score increases by 2, and your Intelligence Score increases by 1. ***Age.*** Kuo-toa mature by age 20 and rarely live longer than 80 years. ***Alignment.*** Caring only for their invented gods, Kuo-toa are Neutral Evil. ***Size.*** Between 4 and 5 feet tall, and weighing about 90 to 160 pounds, your size is Medium. ***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a swim speed of 30 feet. ***Amphibious.*** You can breathe both air and water ***Natural Armor.*** Due to your thick, rubbery skin, your base Armor Class is 13 + your Dexterity Modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield's benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor. ***Otherworldly Perception.*** You have proficiency in the Perception skill. You can sense the presence of any creature, invisible or not, within 30 feet of you. You can also see into the Ethereal Plane up to 30 feet. ***Slippery.*** You have advantage on saving throws and ability checks made to escape a grapple. ***Sunlight Sensitivity.*** You have disadvantage of attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks if you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive are in direct sunlight. ***Superior Darkvision.*** You can see in dim light as if it were bright light and darkness as if it were dim light out to a range of 120 feet. ***Languages.*** You can speak, read, and write Common and Undercommon ## The Sahuagin *I was in a Triton city, bartering for a pearl the size of my head, when a conch shell blew across the city. I turned back to the vendor, only for them to have a harpoon through the chest. I gave them my ten gold and went home.* - Balthazar the Boisterous, *Journal #69* The Sahuagin are vicious killers and warriors, enemies of sea peoples and land peoples alike. They hate and they destroy and they make excellent meals. Great cooks, the Sahuagin are. That is, if you aren't afraid of a little raw fish. ***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Wisdom score increases by 2, and your Strength and Constitution scores by increase by 1. ***Age.*** Sahuagin mature by age 15, and can live to their second century, if they don't die in a raid before that. ***Alignment.*** Dedicated to the downfall of their enemies and ruling the seas, Sahuagin are lawful evil. ***Size.*** Between 6 and 9 feet tall, and weighing up to 1,000 pounds, you are a Medium creature. ***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a swim speed of 40 feet. \pagebreak ***Blood Frenzy.*** Once per long rest, you can add your level to the damage of an attack against a creature that doesn't have all of its hit points. ***Superior Darkvision.*** You can see in dim light as if it were bright light and darkness as if it were dim light up to a range of 120 feet. ***Limited Amphibiousness.*** You can breathe air and water, but you have to be completely submerged in water for at least 1 hour every 12 hours. ***Shark Telepathy.*** You can telepathically speak to, understand, and command any shark within 120 feet. ***Languages.*** You can speak, read, and write Common, Aquan, and Sahuagin. ## The Brownie *I was noticing my cookware was being cleaned overnight. Then my clothes were freshly dried. I was even starting to wake up to food being already prepared. I felt bad for whatever was caring for me, so I made some small clothes. I left them out, and the next night, I got a thump on the head. Should've known it was Brownies.* - Balthazar the Boisterous, *Journal #73* Brownies are small, quick creatures with large ears and tanned skin. They have no facial hair, but sideburns are common. They refuse to wear anything more than a simple pair of pants and shirt. Armor is an odd thing for them, and you'd be hardpressed to find a Brownie Fighter, Paladin, Barbarian. They slink through houses at night, doing the household chores for free. If given a gift, in any form, however, they leave your house, never to return. Brownies never give out their real name, as names have power. Instead, they give nicknames, such as Barrelrider, Grogdrinker, Knottyer, or Hatknitter. ***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Dexterity Score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1. ***Age.*** Brownies reach maturity after age 50, and can live up to 600 years. ***Alignment.*** Brownies rarely care for boundaries, do what they want, when they want. They are generally good, but if they encounter someone they don't like, they can be ruthless in their torment of that person. Most Brownies are Chaotic Good or Chaotic Neutral. ***Size.*** Brownies are slightly smaller than halflings, and can shrink to escape. Your size is Small. ***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 25 feet. ***Fey Ancestry.*** You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep. ***Hidden Step.*** As a bonus action, you can magically turn invisible until the start of your next turn or until you attack, make a damage roll, or force someone to make a saving throw. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest. ***Sneaky Bastards.*** You have proficiency in the Stealth skill. ***Tiny Faeries.*** Brownies are the size of a halfling, but can shrink to fit into spaces to hide. As an action, you can shrink to 6 inches tall. Your new size is Tiny. This transformation lasts for 1 minute, or until you dismiss it as a bonus action. While transformed, all damage you do is reduced by 1d4. You can use this trait as many times as equal to your Constitution Modifier (minimum of 1). You regain all expended uses when you complete a long rest. ***Languages.*** You can speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan. ## The Camazotz *I was in the rainforest, searching for an ancient temple, when I came upon it! The Ruins of the Feathered Serpent. I approached carefully. After a very challenging dungeon puzzle, I entered the throne room. There sat a skeleton win golden robes, with huge jewelry and a golden spear. I advanced. I wasn't watching where I was going, and I stepped on a pressure plate. I thought it would be darts, poison gas, or a huge boulder. Nope. It was bat people. Of course it was.* - Balthazar the Boisterous, *Journal #86* Camazotz are to bats as Aarakocra are to eagles. From below, they look like huge bats, but when they land, you go "Holy shit! A bat person!" Native to lush jungles, Camazotz are a strange sight to behold. To some, they are opens of doom. To others, strange but powerful allies. ### Camazotz Names Camazotz names are simple, usually 2 syllables or less. They use no last names. Male names generally end with *o* or *os*. Female names generally end with *a*. **Male Names:** Paho, Telo, Jundo, Lundos, Kernos, Fahlo, Yenko, Worro **Female Names:** Sela, Gorra, Harra, Kulla, Margha, Illa, Fenna, Wenda ### Camazotz Traits Your Camazotz characters has the following racial traits ***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Dexterity Score increases by 2, and your Wisdom Score increases by 1. ***Age.*** Camazotz mature by age 10 and rarely live past age 100 ***Alignment.*** Camazotz rarely choose sides when it comes to law or chaos. They believe in doing what is best for their tribe, so most Camazotz are Neutral Good. ***Size.*** Between 5 and 6 feet tall, and weighing about 110 pounds, your size is Medium. ***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 25 feet, and you have a flight speed of 40 feet. ***Echolocation.*** You have *blindsense* up to a range of 60 feet. You cannot use this sense if you are deafened. ***Keen Hearing.*** You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing. ***Languages.*** You can speak, read, and write Common and Camazotz. ## The Jenrot *I once met a man who didn't need to eat, sleep, drink, or breathe. He was extremely pale, but he was out in the sun, so that ruled out vampire. To test his claims, I locked him in a box for a year. One year later, I pulled him out and he looked dead! And to my surprise he stood up, shook my hand, and left. I gave him 1,000 gold for that, and realized I might need to rethink some things...* - Balthazar the Boisterous, *Journal #97* \pagebreak The Jenrot are a paradox by nature. Alive, yet dead. Not a zombie, ghost, vampire or a wight, just undead... Whether the result of a necromantic expiriment, a pact with a lich, or experiencing the chaos of the Weave of magic, they are simply the living dead. Pale, cold-skinned, and milky-eyed, a Jenrot lying still is no different than a corpse. Jenrot resemble who they were in life, and retain their memories, personalities, and alignment. ***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Constitution Score increases by 2, and one other score increases by 1. ***Age.*** Jenrot are simply dead people. They don't age and they will carry on doing what they want until they are killed, like lobsters. ***Alignment.*** A Jenrot can be any alignment. Their alignment depends on who they were before they died. ***Size.*** Jenrot are either Small or Medium. They can resemble anything from Halflings to Dragonborn. ***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 25 feet. Jenrot tend to shuffle, and even their sprint isn't the quickest. ***Undead Nature.*** Your undead form has remarkable fortitude, represented by the following benefits. - You have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned, and you have resistance to poison damage. - You are immune to disease. - You don’t need to eat, drink, or breathe. - You don't need to sleep and don't suffer the effects of exhaustion due to lack of rest, and magic can’t put you to sleep. ***Casket's Rest.*** When you take a long rest, you must spend at least six hours in an inactive, motionless state, rather than sleeping. In this state, you appear a corpse, but it doesn’t render you unconscious, and you can see and hear as normal. ***Illusory Death.*** Undead creatures with an Intelligence of 8 or lower do not see you as threat and won't attack you unless you attack them. ***Relentless Endurance.*** When you are reduced to 0 Hit Points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a Casket's Rest. ***Languages.*** You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language that reflects your body. For instance, if you were a Jenrot elf, you would speak Elvish, a gnome, Gnomish, so on and so forth.