Chort (HB)

Though far from the mightiest creatures in Zamanora, few beings have sown as much chaos in mortal lives as the mischievous Chorts have. Known for their cunning and cruelty, these creatures emerge to the surface from the dark depths of the subterranean Gloomlight in search of quarry or for the sheer delight of mischief. A pack of Chorts is called a bogey, a name which these Fiends vehemently live up to. Due to their reputation for ruthless trickery, the sighting of a Chort is widely regarded as an ill omen. While most village dwellers would pick up arms against a bogey of Chorts, a single Chort is rarely treated as a threat to the well-being of a community, and it is oftentimes bribed with food or mundane objects so that it does not cause any trouble. Solitary Chorts are mostly harmless, resorting to the theft of small animals—like rabbits, hens, and young goats—which they later present to their bogey as trophies. Rarely, however, during nights when the veil is thin, Chorts often indulge in darker activities: such as snatching children, putting granaries to the torch, or butchering a community's livestock. These activities are usually perpetrated by the more zealous bogeys with great numbers, as most Chorts are content with sticking to pranking and petty crime.

Chorts commit their vile acts for their own rapture, as well as to appease Warthog, their demonic progenitor; an unforgiving entity most Chorts worship and fear to an equal extent. Warthog's word to his offspring is encapsulated in a simple edict:

Dread nothing more than you dread my own wrath. Fear my name as you should, and you shall hold fear for nothing else.

It is this notion that spurs chortkind into action and emancipates it from fear of its seemingly more formidable adversaries. Warthog is depicted as a gigantic twin-headed boar with eight legs that sweats black blood and gorges itself on the souls of the Chort that failed to please him, as well as those of the unfortunate creatures that have been claimed by them. While not viewed as a true deity by most, the very belief of Chorts has raised Warthog into a status of demi-godhood. At the same time, scholarly arcanists and researchers speculate that he could in truth be a brooding Archfiend that reigns supreme over the sunless and abysmal bowels of the uncharted Gloomlight.

For most Chorts, pleasing Warthog is viewed as a question of survival rather than choice. They seek to prove themselves in the eyes of their god and die in fearlessness so that he, in turn, does not feast upon their souls after death and torment them for all eternity. To that end, they also strive to conscribe the souls of mortals, in order to appease their voracious master with less tasty, yet satisfactory delicacies. The way Chorts usually achieve that is through tricking other creatures into pledging their souls for a proposed recompense, without realizing the stakes of the bargain. This usually begins with the Chort tormenting an individual by pulling cruel pranks against them and harassing their daily life, eventually leading to direct threats and extortion for an end to these baleful activities. Whether this transaction truly involves something metaphysical or it is purely a notion that Chorts believe in, is a question that none may provide an honest answer to. This long tradition of trickery has made the identity of a prankster the Chort's most defining mark. Yet not every Chort is driven by zealotry or malice. Some prank simply out of habit, others treat it as a kind of cultural inheritance or a way to gain something, yet all pursue it with zest.

Chorts that fail to contribute to the pack and their chief, or are viewed as weak by their peers, are often banished from the bogey. These outcasts are then left to fend for themselves, facing the dangers of Zamanora outside the safety of a larger group. Some obsess over finding ways to demonstrate their mettle and be allowed to return to the fold. Goaded by desperation, these are usually the most vicious kind of Chort one may encounter. Others strive to carve a path of their own, making unlikely allies along the way while picking up new skills, deviating further and further from the stereotype of their kin. Though at first glance, a Chort is bound to be treated with caution and distrust, there have been multiple cases of Chorts shedding their malicious ways and integrating into other Zamanori societies. These exceptions to the rule include Chorts who have earned tentative trust to settle in villages, or make their living as roamers, becoming peddlers and even adventurers.

Fiend

Your size is Small. (2-3 feet tall)

You have a Burrow Speed of 15 feet. To use this Speed, you can't be wearing Medium or Heavy armor.

You have Darkvision with a range of 60 feet.

You have Resistance to Fire damage.

You need double the normal amount of rations to gain enough nourishment for the day.

When you take the Attack Action on your turn, you can forgo one of your attacks to attempt a Mischief against a creature within your reach. Make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check contested by the target's Passive Perception score. On a failure, the target can use their Reaction to make an opportunity attack against you. On a success, you perform a Mischief from the Mischief table. You may use this trait a number of times up to your Proficiency Bonus before you finish a Long Rest.

Mischief: