Thri-Kreen

Thri‐kreen ("Kreen" for short) are insectoid beings born from eggs with a mindset very different from other humanoid denizens. Before the Convergence, they roamed the desert in packs, hunting for food day in and out as they require little sleep. Thri‐kreen are quick and agile and make fearsome fighters, feared throughout the lands. Due to the Convergence, they sought shelter within the Shona Haven Cities and had to adapt to a life in larger social groups among other cultures. Over the centuries, the Shona people came to rely on the Thri-Kreen as an inexhaustible workforce. Mature Thri-kreen stand about 7 feet tall, with a rough body length of 11 feet. Reaching Maturity at only 5 years, the short lived Kreen only ago to be 30 years, 40 years at most. Their four arms end in claws; their two legs are extremely powerful, capable of incredible leaps forward but struggle to do the same backwards. Their body is covered with a sandy–yellow chitin and is reinforced with a tough exoskeleton. Their head is topped with two antennae, their two eyes are compound and multifaceted and their mouth has small pincers. Male and female Thri-kreen are physically indistinguishable despite not usually wearing any more clothing than harnesses to carry weapons and food. Thri-kreen own only what they can carry and what little clothing they do wear takes the form of bands, bracelets, and rings. While most Thri-kreen appear emotionless their pheromone release shifts their eye coloration and gives away their true feelings: the brighter the eyes the more positive the emotion while darker colours are generally negative. As carnivores Thri-kreen typically become sick when they consume plant matter with the exception of a handful of common spices and fruits. The Kreen do not require sleep and as such have difficulty understanding this state of "laziness" or exhaustion in other races. Many similar behaviours of other humanoids seem unnecessarily complex to them, for their life is simple: A continuous hunt that only ends when they do. A Kreen lives for this hunt not because it is what they were taught but because it is a deep racial instinct pass down through the generations. Even lessons learned and observations of the environment are passed down within a Thri-kreen clutch, the young already knowing the best places to hunt and what dangers to look out for. This makes them largely predisposed to tasks and activities they already know,

some Thri-kreen might go their entire lives repeating activities they inherited from their ancestors. The Kreen have a strong pack mentality which dominates their relationships with other creatures. Thri-kreen in any group has an inherent need for strong leadership. If they believe themselves to be the most powerful and capable, then they will assume leadership; if someone challenges their authority then they will wish to test whether they are in fact stronger leader. It is not a question of vanity for the Thri-kreen, they don't want to fight to the death, but merely to ascertain who is the most capable to lead the party. This can be disconcerting to those unaware of a Thri-kreen intent but once the matter is settled, they are steadfast members of any party willing to dive into walls of flame at a leader’s command. Thri‐kreen view humanoids as possible sources of food but rarely hunt them as humanoids are not simple prey. Many Kreen have a particularly fond taste for elves; as such, meetings between these two races are often tense. Through all of this Thri-kreen have an innate fear of any water smaller than a puddle as they cannot swim nor float. Unless changed by heritage or feats, the vestigial extra pair of arms has no gameplay consequences since they are not strong enough to do any meaningful tasks, outside of simple item interactions.

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You might • be very driven, looking to make the most of your short lifespan • have difficulty understanding the mannerisms or other ancestries, especially political scheming or other interpersonal affairs that do not directly relate to survival and instinctual behaviour • look out for strong leadership, or strive to claim leadership yourself
Others probably • perceive you are animalistic, even off putting in your straight forwardness, ignoring social norms • assume you to be nothing but a savage beast, incapable of complex thought or reasoning • rely on you for your physical prowess and survival instincts
Sample Names
Cha'ka, Chak-tha, Chuka-tet, Drasna, Drik-chkit, Hakka, Ka'cha, Ka'tho, Kacht-ta, Kat’chka, Klik-chaka'da, Lakta-cho, Pak’cha, Pik-ik-cha, Ptekwe, Qhak'cha, Qhik-ik-cha, Sa'Relka, T'Chai, Tak-tha, Tik-tik.

Mechanics
HP: 8

Size: Medium

Speed: 25

Ability Boosts Wisdom
Dexterity
Free

Ability Flaws Intelligence

Languages: Common. Additional languages equal to your Intelligence modifier (if it's positive).
Torpor. Thri-kreen are known to enter a state of decreased physiological activity to prolong their survival. You only require 1 gallon of water each week, you do not require sleep and don't suffer exhaustion from lack of rest. When you are resting, you must spend at least six hours of it in an inactive, motionless state, rather than sleeping. In this state, you appear inert, but it doesn’t render you unconscious, and you can see and hear as normal.

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Heritages

Hunter Your ancestors were famous trackers, and you carry in your blood that same gift of the hunt. You gain a special sense - imprecise scent - with a range of 30 feet. This means you can use your sense of smell to determine the location of a creature, but it remains hidden. In addition, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Survival checks to Track creatures that you have previously sensed with your scent.
Gatherer You are native to the Withered West and likely grew up traveling large distances, looking for scrap and food. You have a leaner build than other Kreen, and your vestigial second set of arms has evolved to an extra set of Legs. Your Speed increases to 30 feet as you run on all fours, leaving your hands free. In addition, environmental heat effects are one step less extreme for you, however unless you wear protective gear or take shelter, environmental cold effects are one step more extreme for you.
Cavedweller Your ancestors lived deeper underground than other Kreen, granting you the ability to see in the dark. You gain low-light vision as well as the terrain expertise (underground) feat.

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Feats

(1) Vicious mandibles You've got vicious mandibles able to serve as formidable weapons aiding in your hunt. You gain a mandible unarmed attack that deals 1d6 piercing damage. Your mandibles are in the brawling group and have the finesse and grapple traits.
(1) Deepvision (requirement: Cavedweller) Your vision is even more developed, you gain darkvision and increase the circumstance bonus from terrain expertise to +2.
(1) Chameleon Carapace. 1 action: you can change the colour of your adaptive carapace to match the colour and texture of your surroundings. When you do, you gain a +1 circumstance-bonus to Stealth checks for as long as applicable (DM decision). In addition, if you continue to use Sneak actions and succeed at your Stealth checks, you don't become observed if you don't have cover or greater cover and aren't concealed at the end of the Sneak action, if you have cover or greater cover or are concealed at the end of your turn.
(1) Skittertalk You can ask questions of, receive answers from, and use the Diplomacy skill with insects. The GM determines which creatures count for this ability.
(1) Kreen Lore. Growing up in Kreen society, you learned the value of survival, strength, and hard work, even during trying times. You gain the trained proficiency rank in Athletics and Survival. If you would automatically become trained in one of those skills (from your background or class, for example), you instead become trained in a skill of your choice. You also become trained in Kreen Lore.

(5) Drop to all six – You can duck to the ground, evading foes and scurrying around the battlefield with ease. You gain a +1 circumstance-bonus to Acrobatics checks to Tumble Through the spaces of medium or larger enemies, and the presence of an enemy doesn’t make the squares difficult terrain.
(5) Follow the leader Trigger (Saving throw next to an ally) – In stressful circumstances, you find strength in your allies' example. Roll the save using an adjacent ally's modifier for that type of saving throw instead of your own.
(5) Bloodletting Mandibles Requirement (1) Vicious Mandibles – You Mandibles grow even fiercer, dealing an additional 1d4 persistent bleed damage on a critical hit.
(5) Stalker Ambushes are an honoured Kreen tradition. You gain the Terrain Stalker feat and can extend its effects to a single ally so long as they remain within 10 ft. of you. If you have master proficiency in Stealth, you can extend the effect to two allies. If you have legendary proficiency in Stealth, you can extend it to four allies.

(9) Insectoid Physiology Your unusual physiology has developed in a way that makes it difficult for parasites and other infestations to prey upon you. You gain immunity to diseases.
(9) Tough Tumbler Requirement (5) Drop to all six - You’ve taken your share of licks while scurrying around the battlefield and know how to defend yourself against opportunistic attackers. Your movement ends only when you critically fail an Acrobatics check to Tumble Through an enemy’s space (or when you don’t have enough Speed to move all the way through its space). You still trigger reactions on a failure to Tumble Through, but you gain a +2 circumstance-bonus to AC against attacks that you trigger in this way.
(9) Raptorial legs A hunter mustn’t lose their prey. Your arms and legs grow hooked appendages granting you a climbing speed equal to your speed.
(13) Compound Eyes Your eyes don’t miss anything. While you're adjacent to an undetected creature of your level or lower, it is instead only hidden from you. You only need a successful DC 5 flat check to target a hidden creature.
(13) Ganglionic Reflexes You are hard to surprise. You gain a +2 circumstance-bonus to Perception checks attempted as initiative rolls. Additionally, you gain a +2 circumstance-bonus to any saves to avoid traps.
(13) Augment Senses (1 action) You focus and call on your instincts. Until the start of your next turn, you gain the following benefits: you can't be flanked; when you Seek for creatures, you can scan a 60-foot cone or a 30-foot burst instead of the normal area; and when you Seek for hidden objects, you can search a 15-foot square instead of the normal area.

(17) Queen’s Wings (2 actions) You’ve grown to be a leader. Spreading Wings, you can fly for 1 Minute (1 long rest to recharge) at 60 feet/round.

Related Ethnicities

• Shona