The Skaven

The Skaven are a race of vicious humanoid rats who inhabit a huge underground empire. Skaven are cruel, vile and incredibly numerous. To make matters worse, every Skaven cares only about their own individual survival and to reign over other Skaven.

Pity, mercy, remorse and all other similar concepts know no place in Skaven society and, as a result, their society is incredibly unstable. But despite this instability they are somehow united under a single cause, which is to destroy and conquer the surface world.

Skaven History

From the longest times these rodents existed under the biggest cities of the world. Because of their numbers and their overall chaotic society they were deemed as a thread to the world. They had to be stopped!

So it began, The Skaven Purge, which culminated during the Great Monstrous War of Tuah. Since then the skaven were thought extinct, but new or reformed camps were spotted under the Triple Coast. All fear a new vermin tide.

Appearance

Skaven look like a hybrid of a thin human and a rat. They are shorter than humans, and appear almost frail. These creatures have heads shaped like rats, with an elongated skull, thin lips, a Rat's snout, and black, or red orbs for eyes.

The fur that grows on their bodies is thin, but dark, giving them an obscured appearance in dark conditions, though Skaven commonly have fur colors ranging from light browns to dark gray or black. Skaven walk on rat-shaped feet, not human-like feet. They have short, thin tails.

Skaven Names

Skaven names are harsh sounding and, more often not, quite short. Their surnames are as vicious as the Skaven themselves, names like 'Headtaker', 'Deathmaster' and 'Boneripper' are common.

Some examples of Skaven names: "Khrot Skullripper", "Qek Nightbough", "Srak Pinechewer", "Krel Lonechewer", "Tat Tuskbreath"

Skaven Traits

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Your Skaven character has the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2 to a maximum of 20

Age. Skaven develop much faster than humans, reaching maturity after 7 years, and have shorter lifespans, passing after roughly 50 years, though some rare individuals have lived up to 80.

Alignment. Given the nature and vices of these rodents they often stride towards the chaotic alignments.

Size. The skaven usually average around 4 feet tall and weigh about 100 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet.

Languages. You can speak,read and write in Common and Undercommon

Bite. You have large fangs, which are natural weapons you are proficient with. They deal 1d4 piercing damage, and have the finesse property.

Thinkering. You have a natural affinity with tools and their usage. You gain proficiency in one Artisan Tools of your choice and access to the Mending cantrip.

Subraces. Depending on their living conditions the skaven adapted in different ways to their supposed extinction:

Sewer Skaven

These rodents got away from the purge by hiding in the sewers of different cities around Candrama.

During their time there they learned to embrace the smell and trash often asociated with the sewers and evolved into using all that to their advantage, but still fearing what lies at the surface.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1 to a maximum of 20.

Darkvision. You have 60 ft. of Darkvision.

Putred. Your Bite attack now can deal poison damage instead of piercing and its die becomes a d6. You gain resistance to poison damage and are immune to diseases.

Rotten to the core. Your attacks and spells ignore resistance to poison damage and you make your saving throws against being poisoned at advantage.

Only Strong in Numbers. You have disadvantage on saving throws against being frightened if you can neither hear nor see any allies.

Feral Skaven

After years of hiding, some skaven decided to give another chance to living on the surface but the stigma formed pushed them to the edges of civilization.

The now called feral skaven usually live a stoic, hunter life, alone in forests and swamps.

Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1 to a maximum of 20

Darkvision. You have 60 ft. of Darkvision.

Fleeing Bite. If you take the Disengage action on your turn, you can make a Bite attack as a bonus action.

Keen Smell. You have advantage on Wisdom(Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Nimble. You can drop to all fours to increase your movement speed to 50 ft., but it takes half of your movement to stand back up. While on all fours, you cannot hold objects in either hand.

Deep Skaven

While some hid in the underground of the cities, others went and built their own cave system to survive. Unfortunately living underground has its ups and downs.

The harsh underground environment made these skaven value their strength and their small hunting packs more than anything else.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1 to a maximum of 20

Superior Darkvision. Due to living in nothing but darkness, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 120 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.

Delver You gain a borrow speed equal to your base walking speed.

Pack Tactics. You have advantage on attack rolls against a creature if at least one of your allies is within 5 ft. of the creature, and the ally isn't incapacitated.

Sunlight Sensitivity. While in direct sunlight, you have disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

Garian Skaven

To escape the purge, a bunch of skaven choose to traverse the Great Ocean. After months of sailing they were welcomed by the Garyan Empire onto the lush continent of Erdung.

Living mostly in the ports of Garya, these skaven learned to live a small life, which is reflected by their stature and their sharp tongue.

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 1 to a maximum of 20

Small Frame. You can move through a space small enough to contain a tiny creature without penalty.

Little Fella. You can move through a creatures space as long as it is a size larger than you. You are also considered to be of size Small instead of Medium.

Fury of the Small. When you damage a creature with an attack or a spell and the creature's size is larger than yours, you can cause the attack or spell to deal extra damage to the creature. The extra damage equals your level. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a short rest.

Well Versed Trader. You gain proficiency on Charisma(Persuasion) checks and have advantage on rolls when speaking to a shopkeeper, merchant, trader or customer.