People of Retroggio: Cryptids
Emerging from the reborn Schizmwood a decade after the Paradox Upheaval, no one is sure they want to know the truth of the Cryptids.
In 1961, under the Bog Moon of Opus, the first definitive interactions with Cryptids and the post-Upheaval world began. They were viewed no different than several other threats and anomalies that had begun to emerge out of the Schizmwood for their appearance, but it was at this point that they began to make more desperate attempts to communicate, to belong outside of the otherworldly woods.Â
Enough Cryptids had come together at that point that they had begun to build lives together, in spite of their mysterious origins: awakening inside the Schizmwood with no true memories of themselves. For several years they tried to adapt, seeing that escape from the forest was just as dangerous as living in it, but even with the visible ruin of the outer world of greater Retroggio, they saw a preferable peace, and relative harmony. Like the Vulprine who escaped the Abyss, the Cryptids wished to escape from the poisonous and labyrinthine forest.
Appearance
From their three-fingered hands and feet, to their long stretching tongues and mottled patterns on their skin, it’s a challenge to say what stands out the most about a Cryptid. They come in many body types and frames, usually with an unnaturally long and strongly-built neck with pointed ears that spire out from the jawline, and a crest down the front of their throat to their navels.Â
Amongst all the other visual oddities, the last two that stand out are their pupils and their coloration. Their eyes are centered with spirals, as if they’re mimicking the gnarled knots in the bark of the Schizmwood trees. And somewhere on their person, to align with the weird woods’ crimson foliate, there will be a vibrant red mark of some sort; perhaps they’re an unnaturally vivid redhead, or their throat or tongue carry the color, or even their eyes. Sometimes it will be a bit more muted, and you see a bit more of the purple pigmentation of the trees in their place of origin, but there isn’t an instance yet that the scarlet and violet trademark of the Schizmwood does not betray a Cryptid.Â
CRYPTID TRAITS
Creature Type. You are a humanoid.
Age. Due to the nature of their sudden appearance in the timeline, the oldest known is 300, with no signs of old age setting in. They seem to mature at a similar rate to Humans, reaching their adult height by age 11.
Size. Though it is difficult to anticipate a Cryptid’s individual frame, you are Medium.
Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet.Â
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray.
Tongue. Your tongue is long and dextrous enough to be used as a limb. As an action, you can make a special attack targeting one creature you can see within 15 feet, up to one size larger than you. The target must make a Strength saving throw (DC = 8 + Strength modifier + your proficiency bonus). On a failed save, the target is pulled up to 10 feet into an unoccupied space straight towards you. If you’re able to make multiple attacks with the Attack Action, this Attack replaces one of them.
Your tongue can also manipulate an object, open an unlocked door or container, stow or retrieve an item from an open container, or pour the contents out of a vial in a 10 foot range.Â
Sneaky. You have proficiency with the Stealth skill. In addition, without squeezing, you can move through and stop in a space large enough for a Small creature.
Schizmwood Instincts. Your deep connection to the Schizmwood has bestowed you with additional abilities via your bloodline. Choose one of the following abilities for your Cryptid:
Toxin Training. You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the poisoned condition on yourself. You also have resistance to poison damage.
Arboreal Abomination. You have a climbing speed equal to your walking speed, and can make Strength (Athletic) checks to climb difficult surfaces with advantage.Â
Gift of the Trees. You know one cantrip of your choice from the druid spell list. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for that cantrip (choose when you select this Ancestry).











