Armadi

Armadi are seldom seen in the civilized world. It is rare for them to venture outside of their enclaves, and rarer still for them to draw attention to themselves. The Armadi are isolationist by nature, instinctively forming protective sanctuaries around places of power. They gather to places of religious or historical significance, guarding and preserving the echoes of the past. Armadi communities hold a semi-religious reverence for relics and ruins, often giving up their lives to safeguard them.

To the Armadi, the world is slipping inexorably toward entropy. To preserve is to fight back against the encroaching darkness.

## Hidden and Determined

The modest Armadi are almost always found in their isolated enclaves. These scattered handful of tribes each center around some supernatural phenomenon or wonder from the distant past, which they refer to as their Reverence. The enclave is united in a common purpose: to shield their Reverence from all that would harm or abuse it.

Armadi are small, armadillo-like humanoids. They have plates of dermal bone on their backs, which they use to curl into armored balls when threatened. Their heads are small, with beady eyes and a long snout evolved from eating insects. They have long thin tails, which are covered in segmented armor plates as well.

## Small and Hardy

Armadi are a good natured but cautious people. They are slow to trust outsiders, and as a result can sometimes veer towards xenophobia. However, if someone does manage to win the enclave over, they are welcomed within its ranks as an honorary Armadi.

Every Armadi is born with a strong protective instinct. While most express this in service to their enclave, an Armadi adventurer can also find fulfillment in protecting their allies on the battlefield.

## The Adventurous Few

Armadi adventurers are rare, simply because they only rarely leave their communities to begin with. However, it is not unheard of for Armadi to be sent on journeys to the outside world for the greater good of the enclave. It could be to find new Reverences to guard, to neutralize threats to the tribe, or simply to win wealth and knowledge to bring home.

There are also Armadi who leave the enclave on worse terms. On occasion the enclave's elders are forced to exile one of its members. Whether it's for an unforgivable crime or an unwillingness to cooperate in their shared duty, Armadi outcasts are forced to forge their own paths in the outside world.

## Armadi Names

An Armadi has an Enclave Name, which they use only with their community or closest friends, and a World Name that they use otherwise. World Names are usually words that the Armadi has chosen because they find it beautiful or interesting, regardless of meaning.

Male Enclave Names: Aoweno, Ikachi, Arnoa, Hoa, Kearke, Kapula, Atacama, Marloa, Palulo, Akiliano, Nainoa, Chakata, Ornola, Kachali, Naherti, Keo, Chali

Female Enclave Names: Koa, Tachi, Mele, Lihau, Karia, Lachai, Hoako, Kirama, Chiri, Aumoe, Markota, Pacha, Orpolo, Maluhi, Iachea, Hekiri, Keao, Harata

World Names: Ardency, Fandango, Peregrine, Lush, Prismatic, Moss, Meridian, Odontalgia, Anaphora, Purloin, Cornucopia, Recalcitrant, Petrichor

## Subrace

There are two Callings in Armadi culture: the Meek-Guardian and the Secret-Keeper. Choose one of these callings as your own.

## Armadi Traits

Your Armadi character has a number of natural traits, evolved after centuries of isolation.

### **Age**

An Armadi reaches adulthood at the age of 15 and generally lives into the middle of their second century.

### **Alignment**

Most Armadi are lawful, with a trend toward good. Their protective instincts push them toward close-knit communities.

### **Size**

Armadi average about 3 feet tall and weigh about 40 pounds. Your size is Small.

### **Natural Armor**

You have tough, armored plates on your back. When you aren’t wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield’s benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.

### **Tuck & Roll**

You can use a bonus action to enter a roll. Until the start of your next turn, your speed increases by 10 feet and you have resistance to all damage except psychic damage. While you are in a roll, you cannot take any actions or reactions except to Dash. After you use this ability, you can’t use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

### **Languages**

You can speak, read, and write Common and Armadi. The Armadi language is kept almost entirely secret, except among very closely trusted outsiders.

## Meek-Guardian Armadi

As a Meek-Guardian Armadi, you know that the small folk have to stick together. You can bear more hardship knowing that it's all to protect your allies.

### **Hardy Bulwark**

Whenever you expend a hit die to regain hit points, you regain additional hit points equal to your proficiency bonus.

## Secret-Keeper Armadi

To protect the hidden places of the world, the Secret-Keeper Armadi learn the true value of information. A Secret-Keeper's mind is a difficult vault to crack.

### **Armored Mind**

You have proficiency in either the History or Religion skill. In addition, magic cannot read your thoughts or force you to tell the truth.