# Leechlings I: Core Unit

##### A Homebrew Race for Fifth Edition Dungeons & Dragons

\page # Preface & Introduction Out of the many different skills I've learned over the course of my life, Dungeons & Dragons has provided possibly the single most enjoyable learning experience I've ever had. Few things are truly enjoyable as you're learning them and D&D as a skill is special in that way like few things can claim. Normally, learning a new skill is an awkward and even unpleasant experience. For most things, getting just good enough at something to realise you're terrible at it is embarassing and deeply frustrating, but if you approach D&D from the right angle and have the right group of friends to play with, you can embrace that awkwardness and discover a unique kind of creative freedom. It's a creative outlet that, like prose, allows you to find your own voice, but unlike prose, it's an outlet that's inherently social. The experience of practicing enough to find that voice is something you have to do with other people and it strengthens not only your creative abilities, but the bonds you have with the people you play with. With that attitude in mind, I present my first piece of homebrew content from my custom setting of Eretz and, in particular, the continent of Cathras, **leechlings**. ## On This Packet This specific piece of content is designed for use by DMs and players alike. Leechlings are hopefully a good addition for DMs looking for a unique, intelligent creature in the Underdark that might be friendly to a party of adventurers, but with which they can reasonably have a relatively normal, relatable conversation. Additionally, this packet provides insight on the setting leechlings hail from. Over time and with future releases, this packet will be part of a larger body of content I hope people will enjoy and maybe even be able to use in their own games. Of course, if just you just want to pluck leechlings out of their setting, they're very much designed for that. I won't mind and I'm sure they won't either! For players, my hope is leechlings are an option if you're looking for a homebrew race with strong tools for character-driven storytelling. A leechling makes for character who might be alien to the world they're exploring, but is eager to learn and probably able to move through it with relative ease. Players who approach D&D as a wargame likely might not enjoy leechlings (aside from their min/maxing potential), as a core part of their design is eschewing Fifth Edition's rough philosophy that any race can do anything. Leechlings occupy a niche in their natural habitat and their mechanical construction at least somewhat reflects that. That's not to say a leechling fighter couldn't be a great thing and, really, that's why there's one in the list of NPCs in one of the appendices. ``` ``` >##### An Important Thanks! > I want to thank my players. You let me jump feet-first into something I was new at and put up with a lot of growing pains while I figured out what I was doing and how, exactly, I was going to do it. > > Rin in particular, in the bizarre amount of time we've known each-other, you've given me so much good advice and specifically when it comes to D&D, you provided me with incredible inspiration, feedback, and when I needed it, grounding. > > I'd also like to thank the kind and helpful people at the subreddit, /r/UnearthedArcana. > > I was originally afraid of showing any of my homebrew stuff to people who weren't already my friends and the experience I had there was so pleasant I don't think I'd have put even a tenth of the excessive amount of *everything* that's gone into this without their reinforcement. > > **So if you think this packet is overkill, it's absolutely their fault for being so nice and encouraging.** > >Also, a HUGE thanks to [@fiship](https://twitter.com/Matilda_Fiship) on Twitter for offering to let me use their amazing leech queen art! Part of the reason I went all-out for this was I wanted to do right by that good, good leech! ## Picking and Choosing I want to stress that leechlings aren't hard-coded into their setting or, indeed, even 100% of their lore. If you're a DM who just wants to plop a few leechling NPCs down into a game or a player who only wants to use the core rules about them and figure out the rest as you go, you can! Every bit of extra detail is just that: Extra. You're welcome to use as much or as little as you like and if you want my advice for the "minimum optimal leechling experience", I'd look at the core leechling section and consider the feats section. As a DM, you can grab a leechling stat block, check out the traits section, and *maybe* do a quick skim of the lore section as it pertains to their general personality. The rest of it is there for people who, like me, love having a lot of lore written down to look to and learn from, not just to be able to fully explore a concept, but to find places where one can subvert an idea in interesting ways. I know that's not everyone's favourite thing in the world, but it's important to me to provide that option to people who want it because I know I always appreciate someone taking the time to offer that option to me! ### Committing to the Goof I see D&D as a cousin to improv and part of what makes good improv is being able to take a concept and run it down to its conclusion, right up until the moment it breaks. Along the way, you can find a lot of amazing ideas and even seeing where an idea breaks down is important. The "overwrought" nature of my content is very much intended with that perspective in mind and if you find that helpful or at least entertaining, I'm glad!

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I | PREFACE & INTRODUCTION
Made by Eva Cantor, @PoRiverJamBand

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## Leechling *I thought the stories I’d heard the tall tales of merchants wanting for excuses to avoid the Underdark’s roads right up until our excursion nearly met our end with that hulk. It was then I saw one of the little blood-suckers with my own eyes.* *It was odd indeed when those mouths so full of vicious-looking teeth smiled so easily. Odder still was when they offered to help. The leader of their party said they’d been following us for a few days and we were upsetting their hunting grounds. She said it would be best for all of us if we got back to the highroad. She was a clever, warm little thing and I felt well enough by the time we reached the hold that I didn’t begrudge her request before parting ways.* *Just a bit of blood.* -Ludran Carras, Cleric of Vergadain of the Haven Temple

In the places where the Underdark grows with an alien lushness, where purple fern trees and immense mushrooms reach towards an obsidian sky pockmarked with faintly glowing stones, there exists a harsh cycle to life in the shadow of terrors imaginable and otherwise. It takes a unique creature to survive in such a place and most life there takes on terrifying forms capable of tremendous violence. Rarely, something not just unique but truly odd finds a niche. In one such strange little niche, the leechlings exist. A small, peaceable, communal people who hunt and hide in the shadows of the terrors that threaten even the things that would hunt them, leechlings thrive where others cannot by finding a balance few on the surface can fathom. ``` ``` ### Small and Slippery In a home filled with towering horrors, leechlings are a conspicuously petite presence in the Middledark. Fairly light in build, adult leechlings usually reach slightly more than 4 feet tall and weigh in at around 100 pounds. Their thick tails add a fair bit to their weight, though they’re rarely long enough to drag along the ground unless the leechling is especially well-fed. Being lukewarm-blooded creatures, leechlings are warm to the touch when awake and active, but easily become cold when still or sleeping. Leechlings’ skin ranges from a pale, papery near-white to a dusky dark grey and from shades of peachy pink to muted violet. Whatever their shade, they're always of a somewhat ashen tone. The fleshy, segmented frills on their heads and their tails are black but the occasional leechling has markings in various vibrant colours and individual patterns. Fairly common though only visible when sated on blood are bioluminescent markings. Their looks can best be described as “polarising”. Most find their sharp-toothed mouths, oversized eyes, pallid skin, and pliant builds bizarrely endearing or absolutely repulsive with few thinking much in between those extremes. ### Clever Hunters and Warm Families Leechlings are a warm, pleasant, and even openly friendly people when the opportunity presents itself. Lasting conflict between leechlings is rare and as precious as the comforts of friends, family, and a safe home are, it’s even rarer such a conflict escalates to violence. Leechlings are no natural-born crafters, but they are masters of the art of making do with what they have. Given their resourcefulness, leechling villages are comfortable, well-built places often decorated with treasures discarded by or stolen from the more hostile societies around them. Though leechling hunters and the uncommon adventurer may take pride in their skill, they’re not a people who revel in violence. Their cares and aspirations tend to be ones for worldly comforts, safety, and the pleasure of good company. Curious, affectionate, and communal, leechlings make fine friends both to one-another and the occasional outsider. >##### Strange Companions > >Some find the experience of first encountering a leechling offputting and uncomfortable, strange as they are, but rare is the good-hearted person who doesn't warm to them in time. > >Rarer still is the good-hearted person who the leechlings don't warm to.

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II | Leechlings
Made by Eva Cantor, @PoRiverJamBand

\page ### Villages Amid Shadows There are two elements to the leechling diet: meat and blood. The former may be cooked to taste or eaten raw, but upon reaching adolescence, every leechling requires regular blood meals--the fresher the better. Though able to eat and happily enjoy other foods, leechlings require meat to live and the scale of their societies scattered about the unforgiving hunting grounds of the Underdark reflects that. Their comfortable, hardy communities rarely extend beyond the size of a village of more than 300 comprised of a handful of families, though these villages keep in contact whenever possible. Leechlings make their homes near bodies of water as they have a strong affinity for swimming and fishing in the relative safety of shallow water. Leechlings in drier climes dry out easily and are prone to thirst. Thankfully, the Underdark is rife with damp, dark corners. The small size of their communities explains in part how leechlings survive at all in spite of the threats of their home. Possessed of a natural resistance to psychic sensing and manipulation and with so few leechlings in any one place, they easily avoid the influence and even attention of the Underdark’s more dangerous telepathic denizens while their cleverness as opportunistic hunters makes up the difference with most anything else. This doesn’t mean they’re without predators. Leechling teeth, flesh, and saliva are sometimes seen for sale in the markets of the various races of the Underdark. In turn, leechlings are often deeply wary of outsiders and tend to be shrewd judges of character. The family is the fundamental unit of leechling society, be that family by blood or a collection of dearly loved friends. Leechlings have an innate need to belong. Solitary leechlings are not only more exposed to the dangers of the Underdark, but almost always unable fend for themselves and it's the rare individual who can manage the feat. Far rarer still is the leechling who would care for such a life.

``` ``` ### A World Beyond Leechlings who find a life in adventuring often do so simply to follow their friends out of a sense of belonging or more practically to defend their village. Adventuring, like hunting, isn’t a question of glory or personal honour, but a chance to make their part of the world somehow better or maybe just protect it as it is. Clever and curious things, upon hearing stories of the surface, some leechlings develop a deep interest in exploration and perhaps even a desire to find a home above. While the bright light of the surface is oppressive, there are few leechlings who wouldn’t embrace a quiet home surrounded by the safety and affection of friends. ### Leechling Names Like their daily speech, leechling names draw on the surrounding influences on their language, the most significant of which being Undercommon. There's usually a strong note of elven and occasionally dwarven influence in leechling names. Leechling parents are more concerned with how a name sounds than it fitting a tradition and it's not uncommon for an adult to change their name if they find something that feels truer to themselves. Leechlings don't always take surnames and usually identify their family members by face and simply knowing who's connected to who and in what way. These family names rarely last more than two generations except in cases when the name chosen or, indeed, the leechling who chose it was especially nice. >##### Aesthetic Nomenclature >Names that feel like bragging are awkward to most leechlings, so names that sound pleasant in spite of being mostly meaningless tend to last longest. These names are left untranslated when spoken as to do otherwise would be missing the whole point. **Female Leechling Names:** Aela, Andree, Cassandra, Correa, Daefri, Enna, Helenth, Iendra, Lia, Llela, Moiri, Myria, Niash, Norrli, Orina, Saria, Syl, Thera, Velera, Woona **Male Leechling Names:** Aelon, Amsel, Aston, Berran, Carric, Ebrol, Eldon, Flinton, Heian, Immal, Istani, Ivellon, Lukan, Mistran, Nossin, Ormas, Perren, Valan **Family Names:** Amandel, Deep-Swimmer, Fishes-By-Hand, Keeneye, Lirassan, Lovegarden, Moirannath, Roof-Mender, Seawatcher, Torrel, Unsel

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Made by Eva Cantor, @PoRiverJamBand

\page ### Leechling Traits Your leechling character has a number of traits in common with all other leechlings. **Leechling attributes.** Your Strength score decreases by 1. Your Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores each increase by 1. **Age.** A leechling reaches adulthood at the age of 30 and generally lives not much longer than 200 years. **Alignment.** Most leechlings are neutral good. As a rule, they’re a kind, warm people with little desire to see others harmed unfairly. While they understand of the importance of law, leechlings view the needs to survive and care for others as fundamentally more important. **Size.** Leechlings average about 4’2” and 100 pounds, your size is medium. **Speed.** Your base walking and swimming speed are 20 feet. **Languages.** You can speak, read, and write Undercommon, Dwarvish, and one other standard language. Most of a leechling’s education comes from the discarded (or stolen) fragments of other cultures and their speech reflects that. Between themselves, leechlings speak a casual, idiomatic form of Undercommon non-leechling speakers have little trouble understanding. **Superior Darkvision.** Your darkvision has a radius of 120 feet. **Sunlight Sensitivity.** Without eye protection, you have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, your target, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight. **Clever Hunter.** You gain proficiency in the Stealth and Insight skills. **Mostly Boneless.** Much of the leechling skeleton is cartilage and, for the purposes of squeezing through a gap, their size counts as small. If a leechling can fit their head through something, they can reasonably fit the rest of themselves through. **Bloodsucker’s Fortitude.** You have resistance to poison damage. **Underdark Survivor.** You have resistance to psychic damage as well as advantage on all saving throws against being charmed. #### Haematophagy To stay healthy and happy, leechlings require blood meals in addition to their carnivorous diet ideally once a day but no less than once every five days. To be full, the leechling must consume an amount of blood equivalent to a portion of their own maximum hit points drained from a willing or incapacitated host. If this meal comes from a single source, the leechling only needs to drain their host of blood equivalent to 1/4 of their own maximum hit points. If the meal comes from multiple sources, the hit points drained from all sources must collectively total 1/2 of the leechling's total hit points and take place over the course of a single day. A host must be a creature with blood that is itself not a haematophage and be either alive or have died within 15 minutes of the blood meal. For the purposes of feeding, a dead host has available hit points equivalent to 1/2 of their maximum hit points when they were alive. Given the exposure required by a feeding leechling, blood meals cannot take place during combat and to avoid harming (or waking) a host, blood meals can't be rushed and require 1 minute per 4 hit points drained. After a successful blood meal, a leechling is visibly hardier and will usually display a cheerier disposition, their pale skin possessing a warmer flush and a distinct plumpness they might have previously lacked. **For two days after this meal, a leechling's movement speed is increased by 20 and they receive +1 AC from feeling more nimble and energetic. Additionally, a blood meal heals a leechling for 1/2 of the hit points drained from the host during the feeding.** Leechlings cannot consume more than 1/2 of their HP in blood without taking a short rest. As with any kind of overeating, an overfull leechling is visibly bloated and likely looking forward to a nap. What this means is up to the DM. **A leechling must have a filling blood meal at least once every five days or suffer one level of exhaustion with an additional level of exhaustion for every following day without a blood meal. While this first level of exhaustion cannot be avoided, additional levels of exhaustion can be avoided by the leechling consuming twice their usual ration of meat to at least tide them over until their next blood meal.** These extra rations rarely do anything for the terrible mood of a deprived leechling. Most leechlings when underfed struggle to focus, experience mood swings, and generally lose the affability common to their kind. The only way for a leechling to restore their lost vigour is with blood. Once they have a filling blood meal, a leechling loses all levels of exhaustion incurred by their deprivation. >##### Friends Bound by Blood > >Like connoisseurs of fine wine, leechlings can discern subtle notes of flavour in blood others can't and have preferences their hosts. These preferences can be a product of anything ranging from race, blood type, diet, and even personality. > >Some leechlings can actually tell if their host has been in a good mood or is under emotional stress, especially if it's a host they're familiar with. > >Even as friendly as they might otherwise be, a leechling’s bond with a willing host who makes for not just a delicious meal but pleasant company is a precious thing... hopefully to both parties inolved. While perhaps unsettling, blood meals are not painful as leechling saliva contains a natural analgesic that dulls pain and reduces inflammation. The bite of a feeding leechling mostly just feels briefly odd and rarely leaves a scar though it can happen with frequent feedings from the same place. Between the sharpness of their teeth and this unique saliva, it is wholly possible for a sufficiently careful leechling to sneak up on a sleeping host and feed without waking them. In some corners of the Underdark, this saliva is refined and used as a mild painkiller and, in a more concentrated form, a moderately powerful hallucinogen.

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II | Leechlings
Made by Eva Cantor, @PoRiverJamBand

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