Tad
Frogfolk Born from Song and Adventure
The Tad are cheerful frogfolk known for their expressive personalities, love of storytelling, and endless curiosity about the world. Most are encouraged to travel while young, seeking adventure, friendship, and experiences worthy of retelling around a crowded tavern table. Beneath their humor and carefree charm lies a deeply loyal people who believe life should be lived boldly and shared with others.
The Tad are a youthful race of humanoid frog folk, brought into existence less than a century ago by Kav'wa, the Bard Prince, the primal deity of festivals, joy, poetry, and song. Unlike many cultures of Erenel that merely claim divine lineage, the Tad can point directly to the moment of their creation. Through the Bard Prince's charismatic charm, and some say need to entertain, Kav'wa transformed nearby frogs and toads into intelligent frogfolk after years of wandering the planes in search of stories, laughter, and unforgettable experiences.
Today, the Tad are celebrated as cheerful explorers, gifted storytellers, and surprisingly skilled adventurers. Most Tads are encouraged to leave their colonies at a young age, roaming the world in pursuit of excitement and forging meaningful friendships before returning home with tales to share. To the Tad, a lifetime without stories is a life wasted.
Today, the Tad are celebrated as cheerful explorers, gifted storytellers, and surprisingly skilled adventurers. Most Tads are encouraged to leave their colonies at a young age, roaming the world in pursuit of excitement and forging meaningful friendships before returning home with tales to share. To the Tad, a lifetime without stories is a life wasted.
"Kav'wa gave us long legs for travel and loud mouths for retelling what happened along the way."
Basic Information
Anatomy
Although they stand at a similar height to Dwarves, Tads often appear shorter because of their hunched posture and bent legs. Their powerful lower bodies are built for swimming and leaping, allowing them to move through wetlands, rivers, and marshes with remarkable ease. Webbed feet make them naturally agile in aquatic environments.
A Tad's skin ranges from smooth and slick to rough and warty, depending on ancestry. Most display dark emerald or muddy green tones, though brighter shades of yellow, blue, orange, and crimson occasionally appear within certain bloodlines. Their large, bulbous eyes often reflect amber or red light, giving many Tads an alert, expressive appearance.
Tads cannot grow hair naturally. Instead, they decorate themselves with beads, paint, jewelry, scarves, or carved accessories to express personality and accomplishments. Their mouths are broad and expressive, often revealing a perpetual grin that unaware outsiders sometimes mistake for mockery.
Growth Rate & Stages
Tads mature at roughly the same rate as humans and usually live between 70 and 90 years. Older Tads are often respected not for age alone, but for the stories and experiences they carry.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Tad names are usually short, melodic, and easy to shout across noisy taverns or crowded festivals. Many names contain soft consonants, repeated syllables, or rhythmic sounds inspired by croaks, songs, and spoken poetry.
Masculine Names: Brolo, Dembri, Finn, Kavik, Marn, Oad, Udden
Feminine Names: Brila, Cyla, Luma, Merna, Selka, Tulli, Vessi
Feminine Names: Brila, Cyla, Luma, Merna, Selka, Tulli, Vessi
"A good story ain't about surviving. It's about surviving with something worth singing about after."
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Tad culture values experience over status and stories over wealth. A Tad who has crossed distant lands, survived impossible situations, or made lifelong friends is often respected more than a Tad who simply holds power or riches. Most Tads believe every person should leave behind stories worth singing about.
Humor and hospitality are central to Tad society. Music, food, drink, and celebration are deeply woven into daily life, and most colonies maintain open gathering spaces where travelers can share news and stories. Tads are known for their loud laughter, dramatic retellings, and tendency to exaggerate details when recounting adventures.
While outsiders sometimes mistake them for carefree fools, the Tad possess a strong emotional wisdom. They value companionship deeply and rarely abandon those they consider true friends.
Humor and hospitality are central to Tad society. Music, food, drink, and celebration are deeply woven into daily life, and most colonies maintain open gathering spaces where travelers can share news and stories. Tads are known for their loud laughter, dramatic retellings, and tendency to exaggerate details when recounting adventures.
While outsiders sometimes mistake them for carefree fools, the Tad possess a strong emotional wisdom. They value companionship deeply and rarely abandon those they consider true friends.
Tad Communities
Tad communities, known as colonies, are often established near rivers, lakes, wetlands, or flooded ruins, providing ideal environments for the Tad to thrive both on land and in water. These colonies are usually colorful and lively places filled with hanging lanterns, lively music, intricately carved wooden walkways, and expansive communal areas.
Leadership within a colony tends to be informal. Elders, storytellers, musicians, and successful adventurers wield more influence than nobles. Decisions are often made through open discussion, sometimes during festivals or feasts where the entire colony gathers to share in the spirit of community.
Most colonies encourage young Tad to leave their homes for a time to explore the wider world. Those who return are welcomed with warmth and are expected to share stories, songs, and lessons from their adventures, enriching the collective knowledge and culture of the colony.
Leadership within a colony tends to be informal. Elders, storytellers, musicians, and successful adventurers wield more influence than nobles. Decisions are often made through open discussion, sometimes during festivals or feasts where the entire colony gathers to share in the spirit of community.
Most colonies encourage young Tad to leave their homes for a time to explore the wider world. Those who return are welcomed with warmth and are expected to share stories, songs, and lessons from their adventures, enriching the collective knowledge and culture of the colony.
by Horacio
Religion and Belief
The Tad worship Kav'wa, the Bard Prince, not only as a deity but also as their literal creator and divine father. To the Tad, Kav'wa embodies the perfect life: one filled with laughter, music, friendship, adventure, and meaningful memories.
Kav'wa teaches his followers to live lives worthy of song. Wealth means little unless it is shared to create joy and celebration. A dull or stagnant life is considered tragic among the Tad, and many fear attracting Kav'wa's attention through boredom more than through failure. Festivals honoring Kav'wa are loud, colorful, and often chaotic, featuring contests, storytelling, dancing, and enormous communal feasts. Tad priests are usually performers first and spiritual leaders second, serving as musicians, poets, and entertainers.
Despite their playful nature, the Tad take friendship and loyalty seriously. Defending companions and preserving joy in difficult times are considered sacred responsibilities tied directly to Kav'wa's teachings.
Kav'wa teaches his followers to live lives worthy of song. Wealth means little unless it is shared to create joy and celebration. A dull or stagnant life is considered tragic among the Tad, and many fear attracting Kav'wa's attention through boredom more than through failure. Festivals honoring Kav'wa are loud, colorful, and often chaotic, featuring contests, storytelling, dancing, and enormous communal feasts. Tad priests are usually performers first and spiritual leaders second, serving as musicians, poets, and entertainers.
Despite their playful nature, the Tad take friendship and loyalty seriously. Defending companions and preserving joy in difficult times are considered sacred responsibilities tied directly to Kav'wa's teachings.
Lifespan
About 80 years
Average Height
Small (about 3-4 feet tall)
by Horacio
Songs of the Marsh
Music is deeply woven into Tad culture. A Tads vocal pattern blends spoken words, croaks, ribbits, humming, and rhythmic throat sounds into performances that range from playful and energetic to hauntingly beautiful. Large groups of Tad singing together frequently create layered harmonies that resemble the sounds of wetlands at night, filling the air with pulsing rhythms and overlapping tones.
Many Tads believe Kav'wa bestowed these voices on their people so they would never forget their origins. Among Tad bards and priests, the Songs of the Marsh are even used as musical instruments for spellcasting. Layered ribbits, croaks, and throat tones carry magical power through rhythm and vibration, similar to traveling through traditional instruments, allowing some Tad performers to cast magic with nothing more than their voice.
Many Tads believe Kav'wa bestowed these voices on their people so they would never forget their origins. Among Tad bards and priests, the Songs of the Marsh are even used as musical instruments for spellcasting. Layered ribbits, croaks, and throat tones carry magical power through rhythm and vibration, similar to traveling through traditional instruments, allowing some Tad performers to cast magic with nothing more than their voice.
Tad Adventurers
Most Tads leave their Colonies at least once in their lifetime. Young Tads are actively encouraged to seek adventure, explore distant lands, and meet new people so they can return with stories worthy of retelling. Remaining hidden from the world is considered unhealthy for both the spirit and the imagination.
Some Tads adventure in search of glory or excitement, while others seek inspiration for songs, poems, or performances. Many simply wish to see how large and strange the world truly is. Wherever they travel, Tad adventurers tend to form friendships quickly and bring an unusual warmth to the groups they join.
Some Tads adventure in search of glory or excitement, while others seek inspiration for songs, poems, or performances. Many simply wish to see how large and strange the world truly is. Wherever they travel, Tad adventurers tend to form friendships quickly and bring an unusual warmth to the groups they join.
by Gamingbrew
Tenets of Kav'wa
Live Worthy of Song
Live your life as complete as any life has ever been lived; sponsor laughter and delight with your wealth, give freely, and you will not want.
Spread Joy and Laughter
Free the world of pomposity and useless restrictions. Replace these instead with joy. Fill bellies with laughter and delicious food. Focus on spreading magnificent entertainment. Force the stoic to move their feet and change their frown - with mischief if necessary.
Unity in Friendship
Treasure those that you love, and do not forget that they may become lost to you. Be always ready to defend yourself and those worthy of your lifelong friendship. Lead others to live for their friends and family, so they may be wealthy in the true currency, joy.
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