Garoul
The legends and sources of lycanthropy are famous throughout many civilizations, but less well-known are the garoul. Descended long ago from the children of werewolves, these lupine folk are free to embrace their wolfish nature without fear of losing control, making many good neighbors, fierce friends, and even fiercer enemies. This common lineage aside, they are as varied as any heritage: travelers in obscuring cloaks pull up in their covered wagon, their eyes glowing from the shadows; a furry child with pointed canines knocks at the door, offering a freshly picked pumpkin as a gift; lupine figures gather on a remote, starlit hill, lifting their hands to worship the moon. Each of these people are the garoul.
The garoul are wolf-folk of lycanthropic heritage, gifted with deft hunting instincts and a deep connection to the wilds. Werewolves transform between a variety of forms, and this shows up for the garoul by way of physical diversity. Most garoul resemble bipedal wolves, harkening back to their ancestors’ hybrid form. Other garoul present more on the humanoid side of their lineage, and would be able to pass as humans and elves if it weren’t for certain distinctive lupine features, such as yellow eyes or sharp canines.
Garoul tap into their bestial ancestry to enhance their strength, but how they do so varies. Some garoul are intimately connected to their lupine instincts at all times, while others focus this connection to physically turn into wolves.
Garoul Traits
Characters with the garoul heritage share a variety of traits.
Age. Garoul mature and age at a slightly faster rate than humans. Even from middle childhood, many garoul cubs are intelligent and tenacious, and some become adventurers well before adulthood.
Size. Tall, strong garoul are easily mistaken for gnolls and werewolves , while others (especially cubs) might be mistaken for dogs even without transforming. Your size is your choice of Small or Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Bestial Humanoid. You have both the humanoid and beast creature type.
Bloodhound. You gain an expertise die on checks made to detect or track bloodied creatures.
Claws. The claws on your hands are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes dealing 1d4 slashing damage. They have the dual-wielding and finesse properties.
Lesser Darkvision. Your ancestors were nocturnal hunters, allowing you to see in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 30 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Wily Hunter. You gain proficiency in your choice of either Deception, Intimidation, Perception, or Survival.
Garoul Gifts
Some garoul enhance their form by diving deeper into their bestial characteristics, while others shapeshift into beasts entirely. In addition to the traits found in your garoul heritage, select one of the following gifts.
Lupine Ascension
Some garoul are more in tune with the four-legged form of their ancestors.
Garoul with the gift of Lupine Ascension have the following trait:
Lupine Shift. You can use this trait as a bonus action to shapeshift into a wolf. When you transform, you maintain your own hit point total and your armor class becomes 10 + your Dexterity modifier. Features that allow you to add another attribute modifier to your AC, such as an adept’s Agile Defense, still apply if they do not require armor. Any equipment you are wearing or wielding merges into your new form and has no effect until you leave the form.
This transformation lasts for 1 hour, which you can extend by another hour by using another bonus action to expend another use of this feature. You can end the transformation early as a bonus action, and it also ends early if you fall unconscious . You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain spent uses when you complete a long rest . At 10th level, your total uses equal twice your proficiency bonus.
If you gain the Wild Shape feature, this feature does not gain any of its benefits.
Lupine Vigor
For some garoul, their bestial ancestry is always present, granting them enhanced physical abilities. Garoul with the gift of Lupine Vigor have the following traits:
Enhanced Darkvision. The range of your darkvision extends to a total of 60 feet.
Thick Hide. Your dense coat and tough hide provides additional protection. While you aren’t wearing armor, your AC equals to 12 + your Constitution modifier even while not wearing armor. You can still use a shield and still gain this benefit.
Wolfish Fortitude. Once between long rests , you can use this trait as a bonus action to gain temporary hit points equal to 1d8 + your character level.
Garoul Paragon
When you reach 10th level, you are an exemplar among the wolf-folk, and you gain one paragon gift from the following list.
Huff and Puff
Choose one of the following: cone of cold , conjure elemental (air only), or wind wall . Once between long rests , you can use this trait to cast the chosen spell as a 6th level spell with no material components. Your spellcasting ability for this spell is Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (whichever is higher).
The Better to Eat You With
Your natural weapons are enhanced. If you chose Lupine Vigor, your claws gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls , and they count as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. They also gain the parrying property.
If you chose Lupine Ascension, your bite attack in wolf form now deals 2d6 damage. Additionally, it gains a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls , and counts as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
The Better to See You With
Once between long rests , you can use this trait to cast true seeing on yourself, requiring no material components. Your spellcasting ability for this spell is your choice of Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma.
Garoul Culture
As with many heritages, the origins of the garoul are shrouded in mystery. Nobody can truly define the cultural or magical moment when the children of lycanthropes were freed from their curse, but garoul oral traditions call this mythic moment “the First New Moon.” Each garoul group tells their own tales of the First New Moon—tales as varied as the garoul and as universal and undeniable as the moon.
Many garoul live at the edges of human and elf society—although some blend in with little issue. Others live in small enclaves, where they can pursue their own cultural priorities. Ubiquitous garoul cultural activities include hunting, storytelling, pranks, games of chase and hide-and-seek, and talking to the moon, but even garoul-led communities are diverse. Packs welcome found family as warmly as blood relations, and often recruit converts from other societies to their lupine lifestyle.
As an uncommon people, many garoul take care not to arouse suspicion in unfamiliar communities. Often this means lurking in the shadows of society or donning obscuring disguises (a frequently self-defeating tactic). Other times, garoul enclaves openly declare themselves to the neighboring community to differentiate themselves from the other canine-folk in their midst. While there is no inherent conflict between garoul an other canine-folk, garoul attempting to build public trust (especially with insular or xenophobic communities) often pledge their enmity against murderous lycanthropes and gnoll demon-cults. Otherwise, most garoul communities actively welcome beastfolk of all stripes (including gnolls and werewolves) who are willing and able to live as good neighbors.
Suggested Cultures
While you can choose any culture for your garoul character, the following cultures are linked closely with this heritage: caravanner , lone wanderer , nomad , wildling , as well as the new blood pack and moonkeeper cultures.