Tortle
Tortles are a rare race on Azimuth. They are a turtle-like race of humanoids most common in the Northwest Seas region.
Tortles reach adulthood by the age of 15 and live an average of 50 years.
For centuries, the peoples of Gimora believed tortles to be a hoax concocted by the elves. It would not be until the human peoples of Santeem took over the abandoned elven colonies of Iluvitar in the late Third Age that knowledge of the tortles would become more widespread.
Tortles tend to lead orderly, ritualistic lives. They develop routines, becoming more set in their ways as they age. Most are lawful good. A few can be selfish and greedy, tending more toward evil, but it's unusual for a tortle to shuck off order in favor of chaos. As the cycle of life such a strong pull in their lives and their reliance on and love of the sea, tortles tend to worship both Gaia, The Allmother, the Goddess of Life, and Sehakora, The Maelstrom, the Goddess of the Seas.
A tortle hatches from a thick-shelled egg and spends the first few weeks of its life crawling on all fours. Its parents, old and near death, spend what little time they have left telling stories to their offspring. Within a year, the young tortle becomes an orphan, though not before it learns to speak and to survive on its own.
A young tortle and its siblings inherit whatever tools, weapons, and gifts their parents left behind. Each young tortle is expected to fend for itself. It leaves the place of its birth and finds its own corner of the wilderness in which to hunt, catch fish, and get by. With each passing year, a tortle hones its survival skills. It forms friendships with its neighbors while also respecting their privacy. At some point, a tortle feels an urge to see more of the world. It gathers up its gear and travels, returning months or years later with stories of its exploits.
When a tortle nears the end of its lifespan, it seeks out a mate and returns to the islands of the Northwest Seas where they were born. Tortles lay their eggs (numbering as few as one or as many as a dozen) in a fortified compound. If no such compound exists, they build one. The parents spend the remainder of their lives guarding it, defending their offspring, and sharing their knowledge. When the children grow up, they pick up whatever weapons and tools their parents left behind and set out on their own.
Description
Appearance
Tortles resemble oversized bipedal turtles. Their large shells account for roughly one third of their bodyweight. Their scaly skin ranges in mottled shades of green and brown.Statistics
Tortles stand between 5 and 6 feet tall and weigh in excess of 450 poundsTortles reach adulthood by the age of 15 and live an average of 50 years.
History
Early history and supposed creation
The tortle race is assumed to have been created as all were during the First Age: The Age of Creations by the gods that set forth their will during this time. If there was some greater role they were to play or a singular god that crafted them, it has been lost to time and to the Severance.Additional History
Outside knowledge of the lands in the Northwest Seas largely starts in the early Third Age, when elven colonists came and built many great colonies in places like Iluvitar. Here, the elves made friendly relations with the peoples and cultures they found, including those of the tortles.For centuries, the peoples of Gimora believed tortles to be a hoax concocted by the elves. It would not be until the human peoples of Santeem took over the abandoned elven colonies of Iluvitar in the late Third Age that knowledge of the tortles would become more widespread.
Society
Tortles are an ancient people who dwell within the jungles and along the beaches of the many small islands of the Northwest Seas. Most tortles who journey far from the coast begin to feel pangs of homesickness, which can develop into a depression. Tortles are almost unheard of beyond the sunny shores of the Northwest Seas. They have a single city, Chelonia, to the west of the Leviathan Sea and near the Lesovo Jungle.Tortles tend to lead orderly, ritualistic lives. They develop routines, becoming more set in their ways as they age. Most are lawful good. A few can be selfish and greedy, tending more toward evil, but it's unusual for a tortle to shuck off order in favor of chaos. As the cycle of life such a strong pull in their lives and their reliance on and love of the sea, tortles tend to worship both Gaia, The Allmother, the Goddess of Life, and Sehakora, The Maelstrom, the Goddess of the Seas.
A tortle hatches from a thick-shelled egg and spends the first few weeks of its life crawling on all fours. Its parents, old and near death, spend what little time they have left telling stories to their offspring. Within a year, the young tortle becomes an orphan, though not before it learns to speak and to survive on its own.
A young tortle and its siblings inherit whatever tools, weapons, and gifts their parents left behind. Each young tortle is expected to fend for itself. It leaves the place of its birth and finds its own corner of the wilderness in which to hunt, catch fish, and get by. With each passing year, a tortle hones its survival skills. It forms friendships with its neighbors while also respecting their privacy. At some point, a tortle feels an urge to see more of the world. It gathers up its gear and travels, returning months or years later with stories of its exploits.
When a tortle nears the end of its lifespan, it seeks out a mate and returns to the islands of the Northwest Seas where they were born. Tortles lay their eggs (numbering as few as one or as many as a dozen) in a fortified compound. If no such compound exists, they build one. The parents spend the remainder of their lives guarding it, defending their offspring, and sharing their knowledge. When the children grow up, they pick up whatever weapons and tools their parents left behind and set out on their own.
Tortles in Tarteria
Though they are rare outside of the Northwest Seas, tortles can be seen in the northern coasts of Tarteria, as the closest ports to the jungles and beaches where their people return to mate.Tortles in Northwest Seas
Tortles are an ancient people who dwell within the jungles and along the beaches of the many small islands of the Northwest Seas, where they return to mate at the end of their lifespans. Tortles are almost unheard of beyond the sunny shores of the Northwest Seas. They have a single city, Chelonia.Notable Tortles
Campaign Two: Lightbringers
Non-Player Characters
Type
Humanoid Size
Medium Age of Adulthood
Around 15 Lifespan
Around 50 years Average Height
Between 5 to 6 feet Average weight
Around 450 pounds Skin color
Ranging in shades of brown and green Planes
Material Plane Primary Locations
Humanoid Size
Medium Age of Adulthood
Around 15 Lifespan
Around 50 years Average Height
Between 5 to 6 feet Average weight
Around 450 pounds Skin color
Ranging in shades of brown and green Planes
Material Plane Primary Locations
- Chelonia