Otterfolk
Society & Settlements
Traditional Otterfolk settlements are built along the banks of rivers, lakes, or coastal regions. Their dome-shaped homes primarily consist of semi-submerged structures, made of wood, reeds, stone and clay. With entrances positioned above the waterline, for easy access, which blend harmoniously with the surrounding landscape.
A typical otterfolk home is divided into dedicated areas for sleeping, food storage, socializing, and crafting. Beds lined with furs are arranged on raised platforms that allow them to sleep comfortably above the waterline, creating a surprisingly cozy and comfortable environment. High shelves and storage areas hold tools, utensils, and preserved food. Wax-sealed pottery keeps perishables cool under the water. Outside you will see nets, traps and spears, used for hunting fish and water fowl.
To protect against potential threats, otterfolk homes are often equipped with ingenious security measures such as underwater entrances, concealed pathways, and alert systems to detect intruders.
Otterfolk decorate homes with intricate carvings in wood and stone as well as, paintings, and woven decorations. Their art is usually inspired by their aquatic surroundings.
Sea otterfolk tend to build seaside settlements more reminiscent of the human style.
Settlements are run by the grand matriarch, or otterfolk queen. Very rarely does a male ascend to a leadership position. Likewise, households are run by their individual matriarch. Otterfolk have litters; and families are large. Typical adult otterfolk have 4 to 8 siblings.
Otterfolk love to work and travel on the water in the same way dwarves are drawn to their mines. Many Otterfolk succumb to this urge at some point in their lives. With this comes trade. Most trade goods are shipped on Otterfolk boats before making their way to markets across Ataland.
Otterese Language
Otterese speech is a series of cheep, coo and squeak noises, which are quite intelligible to a non-speaker. The Otterese writing system is borrowed from Common, with the words being scribed phonetically. This means often the same Otterese word will be spelled differently depending on the author.
Carnivorous By Nature
Otterfolk are primarily meat eaters. Fish and frogs are a favorite. However they are happy to eat any meat and are known to farm all types of livestock. Meat is roasted, stewed or grilled before being served. Or, when it needs to be preserved, baked into pies and pastries. Otterfolk will sometimes even eat fish raw. Raw salmon filleted 'otterfolk style' is considered a delicacy. Children (known as pups) will also eat fish roe and frog spawn as a rare treat.
Otterfolk don't exclusively eat meat, and can sustain themselves with plant-based food if necessary.
Love of Games
Otterfolk are playful and love games. The Otterfolk games Dens and Riversticks are popular choices.
Otterfolk Personality
You can roll or pick an optional quirk for an otterfolk character from the following table.
Otterfolk Quirks
| d8 | |
|---|---|
| 1 | You like all your meat fresh and ideally uncooked. |
| 2 | Your whiskers tremble when you are upset or afraid. |
| 3 | You run on all four paws. |
| 4 | When speaking you sometimes slip into Otterese without realizing. |
| 5 | You prefer to sleep floating on water. |
| 6 | As a result of your many siblings, you have a competitive nature. |
| 7 | You have bestowed your fate to the currents of destiny. You go where it flows. |
| 8 | You grew up in a matriarchy and expect everywhere else to work the same way. |
Otterfolk Names
Otterfolk names are derived from the Otterese language. Otterfolk that frequently interact with other races are used to their names being pronounced phonetically. Some otterfolk choose to use a "Common" name when speaking that language.
The family unit and it's matriarch are the pillars of otterfolk society. For this reason, some otterfolk adopt their mother's name with the suffix "pup" as a surname.
Example Names: Chuluma, Clookol "Clooey", Driep Cheelapup, Feemeep, Feyemeek Frelipup, Fleana, Kooll Thrieteepup, Llulukin "Lulu", Niereep Teyelapup, Pluluru, Rheali Rheerepup, Sheeru "Sherry", Thell, Weall, Wheru.
Otterfolk Name Generator
Roll 3 d10 and consult the table below to generate a random Otterfolk name.
| d10 | Start | Middle | End (Male) | End (Female) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ch | ee | rup | n |
| 2 | F | ee | kin | tee |
| 3 | Fr | e | reep | tu |
| 4 | K | e | meek | ru |
| 5 | L | ea | meep | la |
| 6 | P | ea | kol | na |
| 7 | R | ulu | rit | ma |
| 8 | Sh | oo | ll | re |
| 9 | Th | ie | lee | li |
| 10 | Wh | eye | lo | y |
Otterfolk Traits
Your otterfolk character has the following racial traits.
Ability Score Increase. Your dexterity score increases by 2.
Age. Otterfolk are considered adults by age 17 and rarely live to 75.
Size. Otterfolk are slightly shorter and smaller than humans on average. Female Otterfolk are usually smaller than males. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a swimming speed of 30 feet.
Bite. Otterfolk have a vicious bite and aren't afraid to use it when cornered. You can use your bite to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the normal damage for an unarmed strike.
Born Sailor. Otterfolk are taught to sail from childhood. You have proficiency in athletics. You also have proficiency with Navigator's tools and vehicles (water).
Hold Breath. You can hold your breath for up to 30 minutes at a time.
Water Vision. The unique construction of your eyes allows you to see better when submersed. You gain +2 to your passive perception while underwater. Additionally, the distance you can see while underwater is doubled.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Otterese.
Subrace. River Otterfolk and Sea Otterfolk are very closely related and difficult to tell apart. Choose one of these subraces.
River Otterfolk
River Otterfolk travel the waterways in search of trade opportunities, paying passengers or simply a good fishing or frog catching spot. Those otterfolk who have heard the calling of the rivers consider travelling them a spiritual pursuit. Some have settled in villages near lakes or larger rivers.
Ability Score Increase. Your charisma score increases by 1.
Otter Tumbling You may stand up (removing the prone condition) as a bonus action. This ability can also be used as a reaction to an attack that causes you to be knocked prone.
Sea Otterfolk
Many young Sea Otterfolk can spend years at a time on boats, treating landfall as an inconvenience. Sea otterfolk make their fortunes on trade routes or in private hire. Sea Otterfolk pirate ships are also a regular sight on the waves. Despite their disarming appearance, otterfolk pirates are infamously ruthless and cruel. Sea Otterfolk build bustling coastal villages, which serve as trading hubs for the surrounding area.
Sea Otterfolk have a strong constitution and thick fur, both helpful for long sea voyages.
Ability Score Increase. Your constitution score increases by 1.
Thick Fur Your thick fur provides some resistance against the elements. You are resistant to cold damage.