Tortles were reptilian-looking humanoids with large shells on their backs that were capable of containing their entire bodies and provided ample protection. Most tortles had the notion of having their houses on their backs, which meant that they rarely felt homesick or the need to lay roots in any single place. They were eager to learn new customs and found beauty in the most ordinary things. Despite spending much of their lives isolated, tortles liked to form strong friendships.
They had leathery skins that varied between olive-green to blue-green hues. The dorsal portion of their shells was usually darker than their skins, while the ventral portion was lighter, usually with yellowish tones.
Tortles rarely wore any clothing, favouring instead belts and harnesses to carry their belongings. They had little tolerance for cold and usually migrated away from temperate areas when winter approached.
Although generally poor swimmers, tortles were capable of floating on water and could hold their breath for over an hour. Their high buoyancy granted them the ability to cross swamps, mud, and quicksand with little difficulty.
Besides being able to wield weapons and shields, tortles had claws that were effective as natural weapons and could retreat into their shells for protection if necessary. The shape of their bodies made it impossible for tortles to wear armour, however.
Tortles only reproduced near the end of their natural lifespans. When their young hatched from their eggs, they spent the remainder of their lives sharing all their life experiences and teaching survival skills. Young tortles would become orphans after about one year, by which time they were expected to be able to fend for themselves.
RACIAL SKILLS, ABILITIES & FEATURES
- Ability Score Increase: Your Strength increases by +2, and your Wisdom increases by +1.
- Age. Young tortles crawl for a few weeks after birth before learning to walk on two legs. They reach adulthood by the age of 15 and live an average of 50 years.
- Alignment. Tortles tend to lead orderly, ritualistic lives. They develop customs and routines, becoming more set in their ways as they age. Most are lawful good. A few can be selfish and greedy, tending more toward evil, but it's unusual for a tortle to shuck off order in favour of chaos.
- Size. Tortle adults stand 5 to 6 feet tall and average 450 pounds. Their shells account for roughly one-third of their weight. Your size is Medium
- Claws. Your claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
- Hold Breath. You can hold your breath for up to 1 hour at a time. Tortles aren't natural swimmers, but they can remain underwater for some time before needing to come up for air.
- Natural Armor. Due to your shell and the shape of your body, you are ill-suited to wearing armour. Your shell provides ample protection, however; it gives you a base AC of 17 (your Dexterity modifier doesn't affect this number). You gain no benefit from wearing armour, but if you are using a shield, you can apply the shield's bonus as normal.
- Shell Defense. You can withdraw into your shell as an action. Until you emerge, you gain a +4 bonus to AC, and you have advantage on Strength and Constitution saving throws. While in your shell, you are prone, your speed is 0 and can't increase, you have disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws, you can't take reactions, and the only action you can take is a bonus action to emerge from your shell.
- Survival Instinct. You gain proficiency in the Survival skill. Tortles have finely honed survival instincts.
- Languages. You can speak, read, and write Aquan and Common.
HEIGHT AND WEIGHT TABLE
| GENDER |
BASE HEIGHT |
HEIGHT MODIFIER |
HEIGHT RANGE |
AVERAGE HEIGHT |
| MALE |
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| FEMALE |
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| GENDER |
BASE WEIGHT |
WEIGHT MODIFIER |
WEIGHT RNAGE |
AVERAGE WEIGHT |
| MALE |
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| FEMALE |
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