Cervid

Tall, slender, and graceful in their movements, the deer-like cervids are known for their attunement to nature. They're naturally drawn towards the wilderness and its beauty, and many spend their lives protecting nature. Many cervid adventurers get their start in the wilderness, and make capable rangers, druids, and shamans.  

On Nimble Hooves

Cervids have a lanky profile: they have long, slender legs that end in hooves, lithe bodies, short tails, and narrow heads topped with large ears. Their movements are often graceful, even when walking or working a craft, and when running or leaping a cervid can look something like a dancer. Cervid fur tends to come in browns, though yellow, red, and grey are common as well. Men grow antlers, some quite huge, and they'll regrow if they snap in battle or from an accident. Women occasionally have white spots or stripes on their sides and back, though this isn't common to all ancestries of cervid.   Over time, the species has split into four distinct subspecies: The odoca, what most people think of when they hear "cervid"; the wakel, whose shaggy appearance and affinity for magic gives them a haunting aura; the ribou, a smaller ancestry adapted for life in the cold; and the almoon, who stand eye-level with Minotaur and have massive antlers.  

Keepers of the Wild

More than most species, the cervids have an innate connection to the natural world around them. In ancient times, they were said to be able to slip between this World and the spirit world of the dead to bring messages back and forth. Other ancient tribes saw them as the wise folk of the woods, guarding hidden natural secrets. Others still saw them as witches and warlocks, gifted with dark magical powers and dominion over nature, cursing children who strayed too far from home.   The truth is far more mundane: the ancient cervids were best adapted to living in the forests and tundra, building their villages far from the eyes of other species. Isolated in nature, their tribes were led by druids, shamans, and wise men who could attune their magical abilities to the environment around them to better aid the tribe. Rangers and woodsmen became their defensive lines, keeping beasts at bay and leading curious travelers away from the village.  

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Fluff   Table intro  

Names

Cervid given names are often taken from natural features or objects in the World around them, typically related to where one's family lives.   Female Names: Autumn, Ivy, Lake, Meadow, Winter.   Male Names: Aywin, Cedar, Glen, Oaken, River.   Family Names: Calarel, Falar, Gaelen Syivs, Yellen.  

Cervid Traits

  Your cervid character has the following species traits:   Ability Score Increase Your Charisma score increases by 2.   Age Cervids live similar lifespans to other medium species.   Alignment Cervids lean towards good alignments.   Size Your size is medium.   Speed Your base walking speed is 35 feet.   Wild Cloak You can attempt to hide even when lightly obscured by foliage, terrain, weather, or other natural features.   One with Nature You gain proficiency in either the Medicine, Nature, or Survival skill.   Antlers Your antlers are natural weapons which can be used to make unarmed attacks. If you hit with them, you deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier.   Language You speak Common and one other language of your choice.   During character creation, select one of the following four subspecies of cervid and apply those traits to your character.  

Odoca

Deer classic   Ability Score Increase Your Dexterity score increases by 1.   Size Odoca average 5'9" and 140 lbs. Your size is medium.   Nimble Hooves You are proficient in the stealth skill, and ignore stealth penalties from armor.  

Wakel

The ancient stories of cervid shamans living deep in the woods evoke the image of the wakel - tall, bearded folk moving sneakily through the trees, singing in eerie tones and playing instruments to create otherworldly music. Wakel tend to have darker fur on their heads and neck and lighter on the torso.   Ability Score Increase Your Wisdom score increases by 1.   Size Wakel are the second largest subspecies of cervid, averaging 6'2" and 180 lbs. Your size is medium.   Wild Magic You know the Druidcraft cantrip. Starting at 3rd level, you can also cast Animal Friendship with this trait. Your spellcasting ability for these spells is your choice of Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma.  

Ribou

The smallest cervid subspecies, the ribou have thick fur on their torsos and necks that helps them stay warm in the coldest of environments. Unlike other cervids, both male and female ribou grow antlers once they reach adulthood. Ribou come from a nomadic culture - their ancestors trekked across the frozen fields of Ranesh, rotating between summer and winter camps to find available food.   Ability Score Increase Your Constitution score increases by 1.   Size Ribou are the smallest subspecies of cervid, averaging 5'4" in height. Your size is medium.   Snowborn You are resistant to cold damage. You also know the Frostbite cantrip. Your spellcasting ability for this spell is your choice of Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma.  

Almoom

The largest of the cervids, almoom stand shoulder-to-shoulder with loxodon and minotaur, and have huge heads and torsos compared to their smaller kin. They're also capable swimmers, and many almoom build their communities near bodies of water.   Ability Score Increase Your Strength score increases by 1.   Size Almoom are the largest subspecies of cervid, averaging 7' in height and over 300 lbs. Your size is medium.   Charge Immediately after you use the Dash action on your turn and move at least 20 feet, you can make one Athletics check as a bonus action against one target. If the check succeeds, choose to either knock the target prone or shove them 10 feet.