Shandra
The Shandra are odd creatures. They are large land-based intelligent octopuses, having eight arms and bulbous heads/torsos, who live in the frozen areas of the Great Woods. In their natural habitat, they most often live in small groups, moving between tree encampments and underwater hovels under cold or frozen lakes. They use simple tools and live in communion with nature.
When not among the treetops or swimming underwater, the Shandra tend to shape themselves in a somewhat humanoid form. Their tentacles pair up, intertwine, and form four limbs, by which they can move about much like a humanoid could.
The Shandra are called Os’megui by the Duchai, which means Tree-Witch in their tongue, as the legends among the Duchai paint them as horrid, evil, invisible woodland spirits who prey on the innocent. In truth, Shandra prefer to avoid strangers than prey on them. They usually live in small tribal groups.
While most avoid other cultures and societies, the Shandra, being a confident intelligent race have an inherent curiosity, especially in youth, which at times turns into an itch they just have to scratch. Those Shandra at times turn to live near or within human societies and make their living as trappers, hunters, guides, and military scouts, while hiding their true nature. However, once this curiosity is sated, nearly all Shandra return to their frozen homelands and leave the human world behind.
The Shandra are self-sufficient, confident, and intelligent people. They perform well under pressure, and their worldview is simplified, rarely resorting to terms like good and evil or right or wrong, and instead focusing on the here and now, and much more natural goals such as successful survival strategies. This leads them to be focused and resourceful individuals who are rarely flustered in the face of danger.
Shandra Names
The Shandra do not often have any traditional names to speak of, and there could be much variety between clans or groups. Some may name their offspring after natural things around them, after sentiments or emotions, and some who have lived among men may have a Duchai name they treasured from their past. Others still may choose names of symbolic sounds and meanings that somehow fit tonally with the Shanra culture. As a general rule, Shandra names are unigendered.
Tonal Names: Auniq (holed-ice), Aput, Cupu, Hura, Siguli (crystallized-ice), Siku, Siksik, Pana, Qimmiq, Utuk (year-round-ice), Sillia.
Shandra Traits
Creature Type: Humanoid
Size: Medium to Small (between 3–7 feet tall)
Speed: 25 feet, swim 25 feet, climb 25 feet
As a Shandra, you have these special traits.
Ability Score Increase Recommendation. Dexterity.
Amphibian. The Shandra can breathe and live both underwater and in the open air.Blue Blood. The Shandra’s blue blood allows them resistance to cold damage.
Camouflage. The Shandra have Advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks against being seen, as long as they change color and shape to match the surrounding environment.
Shape Self. The Shandra can change its shape to resemble a humanoid race between 4 and 7 feet in height. You gain adventage on Charisma (Disguise) checks to convince that you are indeed a member of said race. Most Shandra are not precise enough to allow them to resemble or imitate a specific person. This is not a magical ability and magical means can't reveal this disguise.
Soft Body. As an action, the Shandra can radically alter its shape, enabling it to squeeze through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide.
Climb. The Shandra can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, though a difficult climb of that sort may still require a climbing check.
Ink Cloud. As a bonus action, the Shandra can release a 10-foot-radius cloud of ink that extends all around it. The area is heavily obscured for 1 round, or 1 minute if underwater, although a significant current can disperse the ink. Once used you can use this ability again after a short or long rest.
Water Dependency. If you fail to immerse yourself in water for at least 1 hour during a day, you suffer 1 level of exhaustion at the end of that day. You can recover from this exhaustion only through magical means or by immersing yourself in water for at least 1 hour, in addition to a long rest as required. In extremely hot and dry areas this process may be exacerbated.