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Ironback (Tortle)

Ironbacks are squat bipedal creatures that resemble turtles or tortoises. Though not as tall as a human adult, they are far wider and more heavily-built. Ironbacks come from the Valoran coasts of the Guardian's Sea, but have found huge success as sailors in the region. This popularity has shaped the ironback people into a culture of mercenaries, with most young being trained from birth to serve as soldiers for hire.

While Ironbacks don't tend to wear clothing like other humanoids (the giant shell makes that awkward), it's not uncommon to see them wearing belts or harnesses to carry their belongings. With little tolerance for the cold, those that made their way to more frigid regions may look for cloaks to stay warm but will usually stay away from water in these areas.
ability score increase: Your Strength score increases by two and your Wisdom score increases by one
age: Young Ironbacks crawl for a few weeks after birth before learning to walk on two legs. They reach adulthood by the age of 15 and live an average of 75 years.
alignment: Bananas
Size: Medium
speed: 30 ft.
Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common and one regional language.
race features:
Claws. Your claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
Hold Breath. You can hold your breath for up to 1 hour at a time. Ironbacks aren't natural swimmers, but they can remain underwater for some time before needing to come up for air.
Natural Armor. Due to your shell and the shape of your body, you are ill-suited to wearing armor. Your shell provides ample protection, however; it gives you a base AC of 17 (your Dexterity modifier doesn't affect this number). You gain no benefit from wearing armor, but if you are using a shield, you can apply the shield's bonus as normal.
Shell Defense. You can withdraw into your shell as an action. Until you emerge, you gain a +4 bonus to AC, and you have advantage on Strength and Constitution saving throws. While in your shell, you are prone, your speed is 0 and can't increase, you have disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws, you can't take reactions, and the only action you can take is a bonus action to emerge from your shell.
Survival Instinct. You gain proficiency in the Survival skill. Ironbacks have finely honed survival instincts.

The Ironwater Coast

Down on a peninsula in the far south east of Valoran lies the Ironwater Coast, where almost all Ironbacks are born. Many Ironbacks feel a call to wander once they reach adulthood and take to the seas to become mercenaries and merchants abroad for most of their lives before returning here to settle down. Because of this, the Ironwater Coast is mostly young Ironbacks and seniors that take care of the young before passing on.
  The Ironbacks of this regions usually form compounds along the beaches here in small groups. These compounds are usually fortified and enclosed in stone walls to make them easier to defend from any unwanted visitors and give the young a safe place to mature. Ironbacks will usually spend the last 5 to 10 years of their lives here after a life of travelling using this time to mate and prepare the young for their own lives as wanderers.

Created by

TheBlackHybrid.

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