Pingvin

Native to the icy islands far to the north, Pingvins are a short avian species that are terrific swimmers, bold hunters, and intrepid explorers.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Pingvins are short, flightless avians whose "wings" have evolved into flippers with an opposable "thumb" that permits them to grasp objects.  Pingvins possess a short but sharp beak with a lower mandible that is versatile enough to permit the species to create speech.  While their legs are short and stubby, Pingvins can hop quite quickly when necessary.
Pingvins are covered with feathers that are adapted to life in frozen water.  While they have tails, their tails are only useful to assist with swimming, permitting a Pingvin to make a sudden sharp turn while swimming underwater.  Pingvin feathers are typically a mix of black and white, with some gray feathers appearing in rare circumstances.

Genetics and Reproduction

Pingvins are egg layers.  A female Pingvin will typically lay one egg per year, although laying two eggs is not unheard of.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Pingvins are predators and meat eaters.  While omnivorous, the relative scarcity of fruits and vegetables in their native habitat means that the Pingvin diet consists almost exclusively of fish.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Pingvins form tribal communities around extended family units.  Leadership is determined by force of personality; typically, the most charismatic male Pingvin in the tribe is the acknowledged leader.  In practice, however, the oldest living female typically makes all critical decisions regarding the well-being of the tribe.
Pingvin tribes are nomadic, often following the migration of fish schools or avoiding predators like orcas in the water, and leopard seals and ghost sloths on land.
Despite living communally (or perhaps because of it), Pingvins prize individuality.  Pingvin stories and myths always follow a hero that boldly strikes out on their own for adventure.  Pingvins will encourage bravery and independent thinking.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Names are very important to the Pingvin. When born, all Pingvins are given the same name; Arnaq for females and Pakak for males. Pingvins claim this makes it simpler to call them to pay attention and teaches them to respect their tribe and its leaders.
Just after a Pingvin reaches adolescence, the Pingvin will demand a name and declare their desire to be called a certain name. For certain popular names, this will typically cause disagreement and even fighting, as a specific name can only be given to one Pingvin per season. As a result of this cultural tradition, Pingvin do not suffer from everyone being named John, for example.
Upon this demand and declaration, the leaders of the tribe will order the young Pingvin to complete a quest. If they succeed, the name becomes theirs. If not, they must wait a full year before demanding a name again.

Common Dress Code

Pingvins traditionally dress in furs, leather or wool.  They generally do not wear any footwear in their native land, although in foreign lands they may.  The two most prevalent articles of clothing for Pingvins are a mantle that covers the shoulders but leaves the wings free and unencumbered, and a hooded cloak.  Some Pingvins will will wrapped skirts made of wool or fur, and in the deepest winters, a Pingvin might wear a leather cap lined with fur. 
Among some tribes, the cloak takes on extra importance.  Families within many tribes will have a ritual cloak on which will be weaved the history and deeds of the family.  Cloaks like these are used to cover hatchlings when they are first born, worn by new adult Pingvins who have won their individual names, and are traded (briefly) between betrothed Pingvins during a wedding ceremony.  When tribes go to war with each other, it is the greatest mark of disrespect to burn or otherwise destroy an enemy family's ritual cloak.
While hunting and in general. Pingvin fashions tend to be skew towards natural tundra colors of black, white and gray.  However, Pingvin do enjoy wearing clothing in a wide variety of vibrant colors, and will often select a "signature" color for themselves and their clothing.  For some Pingvins, their signature color is as important and unchangeable as their name; for others, they may change their "favorite color" frequently.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Pingvin are primarily hunters and fishers, using spears and knives made from bone and wood to stalk and kill their prey.  Some tribes also use woven nets to fish, but other tribes consider this practice taboo.  Ranged weapons like bows are unknown to Pingvin, as the local trees to not provide useful wood for such weapons.  When hunting at a distance, Pingvins will use slings made from hide.
In battle, Pingvins will wear armor made from leather or hide, sometimes from shards of bone carved to resemble scales.  Movement and buoyancy are significant considerations for Pingvin; if they cannot swim in the armor, they generally will not wear it.  There are rumors that Pingvin tribes in the deep north have developed armor and weapons made from enchanted ice that resembles the plate armor of continental knights, but lighter and floats in water.

Common Myths and Legends

Pingvins do not believe in a creator being, but instead believe that the world and life came into being of its own accord.  They do believe in certain spirits that inhabit the world and embody natural phenomena, such as Grandmother Wind and Grandfather Ice.  Pingvin believe that some spirits inhabit animals, especially predators, as a prime exemplar or avatar of the species.  Many Pingvin hero myths tell of of their heroes conversing and battling these spirits in the bodies of dangerous beasts.
Just as they have no creator being, Pingvin believe that there is no god of death per se, but instead a great net that surrounds the world that snares the soul of a Pingvin as it dies.  As the net is made of black threads, it is dark and forms the night.  Pingvins believe that if a Pingvin is sufficiently great or heroic, their soul will not add to the darkness but will instead glow and become a star captured in the great net.
While every tribe has their own hero myths, all Pingvin know the legend of the Wellerman, a legendary Pingvin that annually visits every Pingvin tribe and delivers traditional gifts of codfish, whale oil, and Teppa, an alcoholic drink made from fermented shark's blood and served hot.

Lifespan

roughly 45 years

Average Height

Between 3 to 4 feet tall upon maturity

Game Attributes

• 10 Hit Points
• Powerful Swimmers: Pingvin test with Advantage in any swimming check. Pingvin can swim 50 feet (10 squares) per round. Pingvin can hold their breath for the same number of minutes their have current Hit Points without needing to make a test, and test with advantage in stamina tests afterwards.