Description: Grippli are amphibious humanoids with vibrant, moist skin that ranges across the entire color spectrum, from mossy green and ocean blue to fiery orange or sleek obsidian. While some appear sleek and smooth like dart frogs, others display mottled or pebbled skin textures more common to tree frogs and toads. Their bodies are lean and wiry, built for climbing, jumping, and slipping through dense undergrowth. Standing between four and six feet tall, most adult Grippli hover around five feet, though those trained in battle or physical professions may reach the upper end of the spectrum. Some Grippli sport bright tufts or crests of hair, often dyed or naturally hued in luminous tones of violet, crimson, or electric blue. Their large eyes, expressive and round, give them a near-permanent look of awe or alertness.
Society: Grippli culture revolves around kinship, tradition, and the quiet strength of perseverance. Most live in tight-knit tribal communities near water, swamps, jungle river deltas, misted waterfalls, and salt-crusted coastal groves. Their villages are humble but cleverly engineered, with stilted homes, rope bridges, woven leaf domes, and clay reservoirs that blend seamlessly into the environment. Respect is earned through loyalty, hard work, and contributions to the collective good, not arcane power or material wealth. Magic is respected, but rarely relied upon for daily life. To the Grippli, there is no substitute for honest effort and muddy hands.
They are known as a gentle and grounded people. Hospitality flows freely, songs are shared at dusk, and food is distributed communally. Most outsiders describe them as wholesome, trustworthy, and refreshingly sincere, though sometimes naïve. Grippli tend to view the world through the lens of their own values, which can make them slow to detect manipulation or malice from more cynical races. Still, when roused to action, Grippli can be ferociously determined, especially in defense of family or sacred lands.
While most remain close to their marshes and lagoons, every generation produces a few wandering souls who feel the call of the wider world. These brave few are often treated like folk heroes when they return, bearing stories of fire-breathing beasts, sky-faring machines, or cities that never sleep. In truth, many of these tales are exaggerated… but that’s part of the fun. The rare Grippli who does leave their homeland may become a hunter, herbalist, explorer, or lore-seeker, but they always carry their roots with them.
Relations: Most Grippli form fast friendships with elves, halflings, and gnomes, especially those with ties to nature. They are wary of loud or aggressive folk, particularly orcs, gnolls, and goblins, whose size and temper tend to upset the gentle rhythms of Grippli life. Dwarves and humans are treated with cautious optimism. Fenrics often confuse them, they’re like a storm of bark and fur, but Grippli usually try to find the good in everyone... even if they keep a polite distance from the more pungent ones.
Male Names: Croakli, Bramble, Toadwick
Female Names: Zik'Tal, Peppin, Loola
Standard Racial Traits
- Ability Score Modifiers: +2 DEX, +2 WIS, -2 STR
- Type: Humanoid (Grippli)
- Size: Medium
- Base Speed: 30ft
- Starting Languages: Grippli and Common
Other Traits
All Grippli characters also can choose 3 of the following abilities. If multiple abilities affect an attribute or skill, only the highest bonus is applicable.
- Glider: Take half of any fall damage. This ability is nullified if wearing heavy armor.
- Jumper: You are always considered to have a running start when making a Jump check with Acrobatics.
- Keen-Eared: Gain a +2 bonus on Perception checks that rely on sound. You can make Perception checks to act in a surprise round even while asleep or meditating, though you are still considered flat-footed until your turn.
- Low-Light Vision: Gain the ability to see twice as far as normal in dim light.
- Natural Climber: Gain +2 to Climb checks. Use up to half your movement moving vertically if a suitable surface is nearby, but must end your movement on a flat surface.
- Princely: Gain a +2 on Diplomacy checks.
- Quick: Gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC if wearing light armor or less.
- Toxic Skin: Once per day, activate a poison that deals poison damage equal to your CON mod to anyone touching your skin with their skin. Can be applied to an unarmed strike. Lasts 3 rounds. FORT DC 10+1/2 the Grippli's level for half damage.
- Treeborn: Gain advantage on Climb checks. Gain a climb speed of 30.
- Waterborn: Gain the ability to breathe underwater. Gain a swim speed of 30.