Tevi (5e Race)

Tevi

"How could you not love them is a better question. To go through what happened to them and still come out all cheerful and determined... Anyone who doesn't become friends with them at first sight at least respects them, and that goes a hell of a long way."

-Bori Knurlheim, Bartender at the famous White Castle.

Physical Description

The Maharajj's Field Journal

Tevi are sentient, bipedal, ambulatory plant creatures who have the amazing ability to comprehend all languages. They can only speak their own language, (Tevn) which is similar to birdsong, as they vocalize through four nostrils located on their throat. Tevi have extremely angular features and tough skin that comes in a variety of colors, and each individual is born with a unique marking that appears on each of their shoulders and the backs of their hands. Their legs end in a series of roots that they form into points and wrap with cloth when not rooted in the ground. This causes them to walk slightly slower than average, but they more than make up for this when in their element. Tevi do not sleep. Instead, they spend around eight hours per day buried up to their knees in dirt absorbing nutrients. They are alert for this time, but also immobile for obvious reasons.

History

Legend has it that long ago when magic was wild and untamed and the aftermath of wars scarred the very earth, a race of sentient plants set out to try and bring about peace by diplomacy. Kind-hearted and good, The Race Whose Name Was Lost sought to learn all of the languages of the world, even the elemental tongues of the sea and sky, fire and earth, heaven and abyss. Vāc, the goddess of language, looked down upon these people with growing disgust as they sought to overcome her triumphant creation. When at last a single member of that race learned the last word of the last language, Vāc flew into a rage and tore her face from her, making her unable to speak. She did this to each of the members of this race in turn so that they would never again speak a known tongue, and their race was named Tevi by an unknown (probably human) individual. The Tevi were crushed by this, but vowed to continue their work to bring about peace in other ways by turning to music and magic, the patron gods of which took pity on the Tevi. Today Tevi can be found almost everywhere in small numbers and are nearly universally beloved by the races of the world. Only the most severely mad or bloodthirsty can bring themselves to hate such kind and gentle people.

Society

Tevi often live in small, informally organized groups on the outskirts of towns and settlements. Due to the immobile nature of their young, they often design their supply houses and camp layout with the growing young rooted in the center for maximum safety. Most Tevi are farmers, though a good number of them are merchants and travelers. There is no Tevi hierarchy and most major decisions for a settlement are put to a public vote. This works very well most of the time simply due to their natural altruism and kindness. Tevi love people, and frequently make inroads into settlements and even large cities to trade and do business.

Tevi Names

Only Tevi can vocalize tevn, therefore their true names are unpronounceable to most. Tevn is a language of whistles and chirps that many describe as musical and soothing. It is sometimes mistaken for birdsong. The majority of Tevi pick up a nickname in the style of those they travel with. For example, a Tevi who deals frequently with dwarves might call him or herself Buri or Shonn.

Male: Choose from any race's name list that your character has had significant dealings with.

Female: Choose from any race's name list that your character has had significant dealings with.

Tevi Traits

Amorous, hyper-multilingual plant people.
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom, Intelligence, OR Charisma increases by 2. Your Constitution increases by 1.
Age. Tevi begin life as fist-sized sproutlings and grow to physical adulthood over a period of ten years before being able to safely uproot themselves and become mobile. They can live upwards of 3500 years, but most live to be around 1000.
Alignment. Demographically, nearly 90% of Tevi are good, around 8% are neutral, and slightly less than 2% are evil. They can be either lawful or chaotic, but most are neutral.
Size. Tevi are Medium size class creatures.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 25ft. You gain +10ft. in your native environment, however.
Inherent Magic. You learn two cantrips of your choice from any class' spell list. Your spellcasting ability is the same as your chosen +2 ability.
Comprehend Languages. You can understand any creature's verbal or body language if it has an Intelligence score above three. You can read any known writing system, and have advantage on rolls involving reading written cyphers.
Weapon Proficiency. You are proficient with quarterstaves, spears, and javelins.
Musical Prodigy. You can play one instrument proficiently, and may make a DC 15 performance check to improvise music on an unknown instrument. On a success, you are treated as proficient with the instrument for that instance and also from then on.
Limited Speech. Tevi can only speak Tevn due to their physiology.
Souls of Pure Light. you are Vulnerable to necrotic damage.
Languages. Tevn. No other language can be spoken, though a Tevi can understand and write all languages as seen above.
Subrace. Tevi gain special traits based on where they spent their first ten years.

Tevi gain +10ft movement as well as advantage on nature and survival checks while in their namesake environment.

Forest Tevi

Ability Score Increase. You are vulnerable to fire damage.
Freeclimber. You have advantage on climb checks involving trees and wood structures as well as acrobatics checks to move between trees in nature.
Coloration. You skin is bark-like with mossy patches and is a chocolate brown hue. Your markings are lime green.

Tundra Tevi

Ability Score Increase. You are vulnerable to fire damage.
Well-Insulated. You do not enter exhaustion stages from being in a cold environment regardless of duration. You have advantage on saving throws to avoid or mitigate cold damage.
Coloration. Your skin is smooth and white. Your markings are light blue.

Ocean Tevi

Ability Score Increase. You are vulnerable to lightning damage.
Water Breathing. You can breathe underwater due to your nostrils functioning as gills.
Natural Swimmer. You have a swim speed of 30ft.
Coloration. Your skin is navy blue and rubbery. Your markings are light blue.

Plains Tevi

Ability Score Increase. You are vulnerable to lightning damage.
Longstrider. Your base movement becomes 30ft.
Coloration. Your skin is tan with a texture similar to an orange. Your markings are emerald green.

Jungle Tevi

Ability Score Increase. You are vulnerable to cold damage.
Stealthy Movement. You can attempt to hide when only lightly obscured by foliage. You gain advantage on stealth checks when in a plant-dense environment.
Coloration. Your skin is light green and irregularly textured, as if your body was made of vines. Your markings are dark green.

Desert Tevi

Ability Score Increase. You are vulnerable to cold damage.
Thirsty Roots. You can finish a long rest in 4 hours and a short rest in 30 minutes.
Coloration. Your skin is matte black and smooth like a stone. Your markings are golden.

Mountain Tevi

Ability Score Increase. You are vulnerable to thunder damage.
Natural Armor. You gain +1 to AC.
Coloration. Your skin is light orange, rigid, and rough like sandstone. Your markings are ruby red.

Swamp/Bog Tevi

Ability Score Increase. You are vulnerable to radiant damage.
Immunosuperiority. You have advantage on saving throws against poison and you have resistance to poison damage.
Coloration. Your skin is shiny black and somewhat slimy to the touch. Your markings are lime green.

Underdark Tevi

Ability Score Increase. You are vulnerable to radiant damage.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60ft as if you are in bright light and total darkness as if it was dim light. You cannot distinguish colors like this, only shades of gray.
Coloration. Your skin is translucent purple and gelatinous. Your markings are pink.

Random Height and Weight

Table: Tevi Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier	Base Weight	Weight Modifier
5′ 0″	+1d12	130 lb.	× 1d4 lb.

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