Neanderthal

Neanderthals are a primitive race distantly related to humans, and tend to socialize and keeping with the same regions. Neanderthals make and use a diverse set of tools, control fire, live in shelters, make and wear simple clothing, and are skilled hunters of large animals. and occasionally made symbolic or ornamental objects. Neanderthals tend to adapt slowly compared to the human tribes, and seem content in their nomadic lifestyles. They have strong family units and tend to idealize the acts of bravery and strength.

Physical Description. Neanderthal tend to have a more feral or otherwise primitive look about them, even more so than the savage humans. Such features are noticeable such as a broad nose, wide shoulders, barrel chest, heavy brows and thick fingers. Also the neanderthal tends to have more body hair than a normal human and will be found wearing only raw hides if any form of clothing at all. Otherwise the neanderthal stands a bit shorter and weighs more than a human due to their impressive builds. Neanderthals have slightly better eyesight than humans, granting them a slight advantage in hunting and gathering.

Society. In their typical lifestyle, neanderthals live in familial groups with the primary focus of hunting. Depending on the availability of large game, weather conditions and various other factors, the entire tribe may hunt big game, or the adult males will hunt big game and the rest of the tribe will hunt small game and seek edible vegetation. Offspring may choose to leave the group to either join another or start their own at adulthood. Interaction with more civilized human tribes has changed their lifestyle; now pelts to trade for metal items they cannot forge themselves is just as important as food, many careers in manual labor have been opened, and the path of the adventurer has been laid before them. But all in all, the neanderthal is still the same rugged survivor.

Relations. Due to their strength, primitive lifestyle and brutish appearance, it is easy for races or individuals unfamiliar with neanderthals to write them off as dim-witted animals. Since they are raised in family groups and infrequently meet with anyone outside it, they do not learn social skills as children. However, a few weeks is usually all it takes to notice the strong behavioral resemblance to humans. After this point, a neanderthal is usually treated as nothing more than a strong, but slightly dim and strange looking, human.

Alignment and Religion. Neanderthals hold physically powerful creatures in similar regards to what others consider gods, often assembling shrines to their skeletons and adorning them with trinkets and crude paint. Most neanderthals tend to be chaotic in nature.

Adventurers. The neanderthal race has been dealt a cruel hand. Despite all their social ineptitude, they have the potential. Usually acting as the groups muscle, its guide in the wilderness, or more frequently both, the neanderthal is the best option for filling that niche without dealing with races even less suited for the social side of an adventure party.

Male Names. Cro, Kronk, Thak, Zug

Female Names. Auga, Cri, Mah, Zuu

Racial Traits

  • Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score by 1.
  • Age. Neanderthals mature a bit more quickly than humans, reaching maturity at roughly 11-13 years, and have similar lifespans, rarely living longer than 50.
  • Alignment. Neanderthals favour chaotic alignments, but not to exclusivity.
  • Size. Neanderthals have an average height of 5 feet, with females being only slightly shorter than males. Your size is medium.
  • Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
  • Hunter Gatherer. You have proficiency with the Perception and Survival skills.
  • Opportunist. If you make a weapon attack that has advantage, you can choose to reroll your damage once, and choose the higher of the two results.
  • Tough Insides. You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and have resistance to poison damage. Also, when eating a plant or animal that would normally be poisonous, you gain sustenance from that plant or animal without any harm or need for a saving throw.
  • Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and another language of your choice.
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Simple Settings: Savage Lands. © 2018, Fat Goblin Games; Author: Rick Hershey, Ismael Alvarez

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