Tortles (Wildemount)
TORTLES
For centuries, the people of Xhorhas and the Dwendalian
Empire believed tortles to be a hoax concocted by
Concordian hucksters. In truth, tortles are an ancient
and long-lived people who dwell within the jungles and
along the beaches of the Menagerie Coast. Most tortles
who journey far from the coast begin to feel pangs of
homesickness, which can develop into a depression.
Tortles are almost unheard of beyond the sunny
shores of the Menagerie Coast.
LIFE OF A TORTLE
A tortle hatches from a thick-shelled egg and spends
the first few weeks of its life crawling on all fours. Its
parents, old and near death, spend what little time they
have left telling stories to their offspring. Within a year,
the young tortle becomes an orphan, though not before
it learns to speak and to survive on its own.
A young tortle and its siblings inherit whatever tools,
weapons, and gifts their parents left behind. Each young
tortle is expected to fend for itself. It leaves the place of
its birth and finds its own corner of the wilderness in
which to hunt, catch fish, and get by. With each passing
year, a tortle hones its survival skills. It forms friendships
with its neighbors while also respecting their
privacy. At some point, a tortle feels an urge to see more
of the world. It gathers up its gear and travels, returning
months or years later with stories of its exploits.
When a tortle nears the end of its lifespan, it seeks
out a mate. Tortles lay their eggs (numbering as few as
one or as many as a dozen) in a fortified compound. If
no such compound exists, they build one. The parents
spend the remainder of their lives guarding it, defending
their offspring, and sharing their knowledge. When the
children grow up, they pick up whatever weapons and
tools their parents left behind and set out on their own.
TORTLE NAMES
Tortles prefer non-gender-specific names that are usually
no more than two syllables. Tortles don't have surnames
or family names.
Male and Female Names: Baka, Damu, Gar, Gura, Ini,
Jappa, Kinlek, Krull, Lim, Lop, Nortle, Nulka, Olo,
Ploqwat, Quee, Queg, Quott, Sunny, Tibor, Ubo, Uhok,
Wabu, Xelbuk, Xopa, Yog
TORTLE TRAITS
A tortle character has t h e following racial traits.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases
by 2, and your Wisdom score 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 1 5 and live an average of 50 years.
Alignment. Tortles tend to lead orderly, ritualistic
lives. They develop 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 favor of chaos.
Size. Tortle adults stand 5 to 6 feet tall and average
about 450 pounds. Their shells account for roughly onethird
of their weight. Your size is Medium. Here's how
to determine your height and weight randomly, starting
with rolling a size modifier:
Size modifier = 2d8
Height = 4 feet + 10 inches + your size modifier in inches
Weight in pounds = 400 + (2d4 x your size modifier)
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
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 ld4 + your Strength
modifier, instead of the 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 armor. 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 armor, 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.
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