"To face adventure without a rhopalocera to help you make sense of the hurricane of emotions is like facing facing a feast without a sense of smell. Its a lot of work with only a modicum of taste."
The rhopalocera are a race of intelligent, empathic creatures. They are considered by most races to be the offspring of the mother tree, and as such are shown great respect. They emerge from pods or pod clusters that form in the bark of Eternelle.
Chenille
In their first state they are catterpillar-like, semi-intelligent, empathic creatures called chenille in the language of Eternelle (caterpillar in common). They vary widely in their body type, texture, color, and personality.
A chenille cannot understand or speak any languages, but it can understand simple concepts such as the usage of simple tools, simple games, and other concepts that a six year old human could understand.
Papillon
At the end of their chenille state a rhopalocera will form a coccoon emrging as an intelligent creature with flowing butterfly-like wings. In this state they are called papillon in the language of Eternelle (butterfly in common). Their wings are incoporeal (actually astral) and do not flap like a butterfly, but seem to flow like the wings of a water ray allowing them to fly and hover.
A papillon is intelligent and can pursue any training or course of action that they feel will bring about the fulfillment of thier purpose. This includes training in a classes, skills, and feats as any other sentient race.
Stage 3
When a papillon has accomplished their purpose they leave their community alone. They say this is when they return to the mother tree, though by what processes this is accomplished no one knows.
Companions
Chenille are often given as compaions to those suffering from depression, grief, loneliness, or illness. When the chenille senses a need it attunes to a specific humanoid to provide love and support. When the need is fulfilled, or a certain amount of time passes, they form a coccoon and become a papillon.
Purpose
Papillon come into the world by the will of Eternelle to serve a purpose. As a chenille that is to provide support to a wounded soul, but as a papillon they serve a higher purpose. That purpose might be to accomplish a quest, or build a community, teach, travel, or some other worthwhile endeavor.
Traits
Racial
Age
Papillon are mature the day they emerge from their cocoon, but will only live as a papillon until their purpose is fulfilled or their quest is accomplished, usually less than 5 years.
Size
Papillon size ranges from 1 foot to as much as 5 feet tall. Their size is small or medium.
Speed
The base speed for a Papillon is 30 feet flying (can hover). They must fully extend their wings to fly otherwise most papillon can walk at a speed of 20 feet. A few cannot walk, and some refuse to walk on the ground.
Names
Some common names for Papillon are: Hesperiidae, Papilionidae, Pieridae, Lycaenidae, Riodinidae, Nymphalidae.
Some less common names are: Pyrrhopyginae, Pyrginae, Hesperiinae, Coeliadinae, Euschemoniinae, Papilioninae, Parnassiinae, Baroniinae, Pierinae, Dismorphiinae, Theclinae, Polyommatinae, Lycaeninae, Poritiinae, Miletinae, Lipteninae, Liphyrinae, Riodinidae, Euselasiinae, Libytheinae, Nymphalinae, Heliconiinae, Acraeinae, Danainae, Morphinae
Ability Score Increase
Papillon increase their Wisdom by 1.
Heart Sight
If a chenille must spend an action touching a creature, or a papillon spends an action viewing of a creature with 60 feet they can magically know a creature's current emotional state (happy, sad, angry, nervous, etc), and if the rhopalocera chooses to, and spends a full round, they can force the target to make a Charisma saving throw (DC 10), if they fail the rhopalocera also knows the creature's disposition towards them (friendly, neutral, hostile); celestials, fiends, and undead automatically fail the saving throw.
Calming Influence
All rhopalocera can cast the spell calm emotions at will. Chenille can cast it targeting one create it can touch, while papillon can cast it targeting one creature see within 60 feet.
Community
Motivation
Selfless Balance - Rhopalocera are completely selfless, and have no notion of doing something for themselves. They do, however, have a strong sense of purpose and are often highy focussed, though not blindly consumed, with their purpose. (see motivation matrix)
Languages
A Papillon can speak Sylvan, and one language known to their companion while they were a chenille.
Ability Score Increase
Papillon increase one ability that was valued by their companion.
Class Selection
A papillon can train in any class known to the community in which it emerges, although it will rarely choose a physical-based class such as barbarian or fighter.
Familial
Papillon do not have a family as most humanoids do. Instead they rely on the community for social ques and training.
Personal
Ability Score Increase
Papillon increase one of their primary abilities of their first level class.