It's good to bring the Lapinites back. I have never shared the Lapinites on this blog, but they're actually the first player character species homebrew I've ever done. I first made this a few years ago, and I revisited it to make some revisions and touch-ups based on everything I had learned about homebrew and Fifth Edition design.
So, let's get into it!
The idea of Lapinites is pretty self-explanatory: they're rabbitfolk. From the art, you can probably tell that I read Beatrix Potter's stories as a kid, and I have fond memories. The lifestyle that her stories' rabbits portrayed inspired a lot of the Lapinite lore: burrow homes, rural dwellings, and civilized-yet-unorganized life on the edge of the wilderness.
However, if you have a keen eye and are familiar with the book, you may notice another influence in the names section. I drew all the traditional Lapine names from Watership Down, an excellent xenofiction novel from the perspective of ordinary rabbits. Watership Down's rabbits aren't anthropomorphic, but they do have a culture and society. The Daring Folklore section of the Lapinite document draws its inspiration from Watership Down's rabbits with their legends and folk tales about El-ahrairah, the "Prince with a Thousand Enemies."
Putting Beatrix Potter and Watership Down together yielded enough thematic ground for the Lapinite. While none of the traits are direct references, I think they play off the ideas introduced pretty well. I'm especially fond of Flight Reflex, which really digs into rabbit identity.
And that's the Lapinites! Enjoy.
No comments:
Post a Comment