Tortle

Tortles live a life of thrills and survival. What some might consider a treacherous or dangerous upbringing, tortles would consider a normal life. Birthed near sandy coasts, as soon as they are able to walk erect, they begin their nomadic lifestyles.

Somber Beginnings

When a tortle hatches from its thick-shelled eggs on the sandy beach shores, their parents stay with them, old and near the end of their life span. They spend the remainder of their lives tending to their young and teaching them stories of their pasts, preparing them for their lives ahead. Within a year, the parents wither and die and the young inherit whatever supplies are left behind. With heavy hearts, the tortle leaves their place of birth and set out on their own paths.

Adventurer's Life

A common tortle saying is that "We wear our homes on our back." They tend to only carry what they need with them, often having various pots and pans, and other supplies dangling directly from their shells. Tortles love to discover new places and treasures hidden from the world.

Art By: Bryan Syme

Gods Not Our Own

Unlike many other races, tortles do not have their own pantheon, instead, they often worship the gods of other races or cultures. It is not uncommon for the tortles to worship and gravitate to good-aligned deities such as Celestian, Fharlanghn, Pelor, Pholtus, and Saint Cuthbert. They also have a unique belief that the night and day protect them and other creatures and often worship Orbis itself as a deific entity. When there is no celestial body such as the sun or moon in the sky, they tend to be uneasy, but often gain comfort by looking to the rings of Rybis.

Withering Numbers

Due to their adventurous and dangerous lifestyle, many tortles never see old age. For their short natural lives of 50 years, this makes it even more dangerous. The Scholars of Oryth have classified the race as endangered and many of the Scholars have suggested setting up reservations to preserve the shelled people. However, the tortles do not seem worried by this premise and state that it is in their nature to wander and that if death takes their people, then they died doing what they loved, making it all worth it in the end. To sit in one place and await a slow death is a worse fate to the tortle race. So they continue to wander the world of Oryth and seek their adventures across the globe.

Shellish Collectors

Being the adventurers they are, the tortles are a people who love to wander and visit different customs and see how the other races of Oryth live. They will often find something native to the region they visit and affix it to their shell. This can be something as simple as a shell from a shore, to something more complex such as an instrument prominent in the lands' culture. They will often rub soil and plant life onto their shell, allowing moss and plant life to grow, creating a whole ecosystem that exists solely on their backs.

Art By: Gaston S. Garcia

Tortle Insights

Characteristics (d8)

1. "Oh, now this will make a fine addition to my collection."
2. "Yes, I know my name was Vugi, but now it's Odu."
3. "Now this looks like it'll be a good challenge!"
4. "I long for the open-road. I think I'll move on soon."
5. "Hungry? Have a seat."
6. "Am I not as slow as you thought?"
7. "I will train my body so that I am better suited to survive."
8. "Cowabunga, dude!"

Art By: Jose Arias

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Secundus

Scientific Name

Testudinidae Sapien

Lifespan

~50 Years

Conservation Status

Endangered

Average Height

5'2" - 6"3"

Average Weight

~450_lbs

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Greenish Gray Spotted Skin

"I caught a big fish.
Now I search for a good friend.
To share my lunch with."

— Common Tortle Haiku

Tortle Names

Tortles prefer simple, gender-neutral names that usually are only a couple of syllables long. A tortle that does not care for its name is free to change it whenever they wish and have it be socially acceptable to tortle society. It is not uncommon for tortle to change its name more than a dozen times in its life should it choose to.

Art By: Richard Whitters

Unisex Names. Baka, Damu, Gar, Gura, Ini, Jappa, Kinlek, Krull, Lim, Lop, Nortle, Nulka, Olo, Orli, Ploqwat, Quee, Queg, Quott, Sunny, Tibor, Ubo, Uhok, Wabu, Xelbuk, Xopa, Yog