Where other small folk rely on speed or cunning, Shellbacks rely on endurance. Compact and powerfully built, with natural chitinous plating over their shoulders and spine, they are the unbreakable shields of small folk society. A Shellback community might protect an entire street's worth of smaller folk from predators, building fortified homes from tin cans and bottle caps and enforcing their own brand of stubborn justice.

Culturally, Shellbacks are community-oriented, pragmatic, and slow to anger but implacable once roused. They don't back down. A Shellback who has decided to hold a position will still be there long after everyone else has given up. This makes them natural guardians, engineers, and arbiters of disputes.

Among the small folk, there is a legend that all Shellbacks share the same ancient ancestor — a great tortoise spirit who taught them to carry their home on their backs. Whether this is literally true is debated, but Shellbacks treat the concept of home and shelter as sacred duties.

Racial traits

Natural Shell — Shellbacks have a natural carapace. When unarmoured, they count as Medium armour (ignore flat modifiers from damage). When wearing actual Medium armour, they count as Heavy armour instead.

Steady Footing — Shellbacks are very hard to move. They gain a +1 Boon on saves against being knocked Prone, pushed, or restrained. Difficult terrain has no extra effect on their movement speed when they're walking normally (not rushing).

Slow but Enduring — Shellbacks have a base Speed of 5 (instead of the standard 6), but they never tire from sustained activity. Long marches, carrying heavy loads, and maintaining concentration under physical stress impose no Bane on them.

Builder's Instinct — Shellbacks have a natural talent for construction, fortification, and improvised engineering. They gain a +1 Boon on INT tests related to building structures, assessing stability, or crafting tools and weapons.

Roles

Shellbacks have one fully detailed role and a second in development.

Stalwart (Guscio Risoluto)

The unyielding defender and protector of allies.

The Stalwart is the frontline fighter and shield-bearer — the one who stands firm so others can act. They embrace defence not as passivity, but as an active, powerful stance. A Stalwart Shellback doesn't just block attacks; they turn every defensive action into an opportunity to retaliate or create openings for allies.

Mechanically, the Stalwart is a tank and support, relying on STR for physical power and WIL for the iron will that keeps them standing.

Class features (Levels 1–10)

• Level 1
  Defender's Stance & Shield Training

  Armour Proficiency (Passive): You are trained in using all armour types. When wearing Heavy Armour, you only have your movement speed reduced by 1 (instead of the usual 2). Defender's Stance (Action): Declare a defensive stance. Until your next turn, any ally adjacent to you can use your armour type against one attack instead of their own.

• Level 2
  Shell Shock

  When you bash an enemy with your shield or body on a successful melee hit, you can attempt to Stagger them. The target must make a STR save or be pushed 1 space away from you and become Dazed (−1 action) until the start of your next turn. Once per turn.

• Level 3
  Hold the Line (Passive)

  When an enemy attempts to move past you or out of your melee reach without using a special ability, they must stop adjacent to you and spend 1 additional action to move away. If they don't have the action to spare, they simply cannot pass.

• Level 4
  Attribute Improvement & Second Wind

  Increase STR or WIL by +1. Second Wind (Action, 1/Safe Rest): You draw on your immense endurance. Spend 1 Hit Die and immediately heal that result + STR modifier HP. You can use this even while Dying.

• Level 5
  Hammer and Anvil

  You've learned to combine offense with defense. When an ally hits an enemy that is adjacent to you, you can immediately make one melee attack against that same enemy as a Reaction (costs 1 action). This does not count as a rushed attack.

• Level 6
  Immovable (Passive)

  You cannot be knocked Prone by any effect unless you choose to be. Forced movement effects that would push you more than 1 space move you at most 1 space. You gain a Boon on all saves against being grappled or restrained.

• Level 7
  Counterstrike (Reaction)

  You've mastered timing to exploit openings. When you use Interpose or Defend successfully, you can immediately make one melee attack against the attacker as part of the same reaction (costs no additional action). This attack cannot be rushed.

• Level 8
  Attribute Improvement

  Increase STR or WIL by +1. By now, both stats are likely high, cementing your role as an unstoppable force of defence.

• Level 9
  Siege Breaker

  You possess the strength and technique to batter even big threats. All your melee attacks now have the Shattering property: if your attack roll Primary Die shows its maximum value (a critical), you also destroy one piece of enemy armour or equipment (GM discretion on effect). Against bosses, Siege Breaker removes one layer of their damage resistance instead.

• Level 10
  Master Stalwart — Unbreakable

  You are the unbreakable shield of the small folk. You gain the following permanent benefits: you no longer die at 6 Wounds (your cap increases to 8). Once per day, when you would gain the Dying condition, you can instead remain at 1 HP (Dying condition does not apply). All allies within 4 spaces of you gain a permanent +1 Boon on saves while you are conscious and standing.

Second role

The second Shellback role is not yet written. Stay tuned for future updates.