Boondaburran
Platypus Folk
Hazza the Crook
Race Details
Boondaburrans are a platypus-like shorter, stout folk adapted for life along the waterways. Webbed hands and feet, a water repellent fur covering their form, small eyes, and a soft skin covered bill make them perhaps one of the strangest looking folk you could meet but makes them talented swimmers, spear fishers, and able to move unnoticed through their natural environment.
Life along Waterways
Much of Boondaburran society exists in small communities along the banks of rivers and creeks. Waterways are their lifeblood; being used for various forms of aquaculture and spear fishing, and their main form of travel; through the use of the wide, flat-bottomed boats unique to their people.
Being that many different cultures use waterways to travel, it’s not uncommon for Boondaburran communities to engage in quite a lot of trade with passersby. Boondaburran settlements on large rivers often grow into small towns as a main trade hub for many diverse people in the region. Other Boondaburran groups may prefer to live on smaller creeks where they are left to their own devices.
Today You, Tomorrow Me
Maybe it’s got something to do with their interaction with a wide variety of people (many of whom aren’t adapted to the water), maybe it’s due to the seasonal changes in their waterways from abundance to scarcity; Boondaburrans believe in helping others and mutual aid. Many stories are told of the hospitality and general willingness to help others which characterise most Boondaburrans.
When asked why they regularly perform acts of selflessness, they often respond with a Boondaburran saying: “today you, tomorrow me”. They believe that everyone, no matter who, can have bad times and moments of need and that you should always help people in these moments because one day you’ll be the one in need, then you won’t have to go it alone. This can lead to them being taken advantage of by some with more nefarious or selfish motivations, but Boondaburrans often don’t seem too bothered by this as they believe it all balances out in the long run.
Boondaburran Names
Traditionally, Boondaburran names are taken from positive, strong, or hopeful aspects from observing nature around the time of their hatching. When a Boondaburran mother is caring for her eggs, she often spends the day doing light activities and observing the world around her. If the creek is turbulent, the child may be given names like: Steady, Swift, or Rapid. If there is a drought, the child may be given names inspiring hope during the period, like: Rain, Shade, or Relief.
Boondaburrans that interact with many different cultures may adopt names from other people if they respect the person or just like the sound of the name.
Boondaburran Traits
Your Boondaburran character has the following racial traits.
Ability Score Increase
Your Wisdom score increases by 2 and your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Age
Boondaburrans have lifespans equivalent to humans.
Alignment
Boondaburrans tend towards Good alignments due to their beliefs in helping others and mutual aid, though a Boondaburran who disregards these beliefs could tend toward any alignment.
Size
Boondaburrans stand between 4 and 5 feet tall and average about 150 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 25 feet and you have a swimming speed of 30 feet.
Sneaky
You are proficient in the Stealth skill.
Electrolocation
You have sensitive electroreceptors located in your bill which allows you to sense signals as subtle as the electrical pulses given off by muscles. Boondaburran have blindsight out to 10 feet specifically for perceiving anything electrical or with muscles.
Venomous Barb
You have venomous barbs sheathed in your wrist. As a bonus action, you can make a special attack with your barb using Dexterity as the modifier. If you hit, you do 1d6 + your Dexterity modifier poison damage and the creature must make a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the end of your next turn. The damage increases to 2d6 at 6th level, 3d6 at 11th level, and 4d6 at 16th level.
The DC of the save equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier. Once you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Hold Breath
You can hold your breath for up to 15 minutes at a time.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language of your choice.
