doctorbadwolf
Heretic of The Seventh Circle
So, I've reworked the two races as different phenotypes of the same race, including giving Vryloka two subraces.
The basic story is that in the ancient island kingdom of Vas Shadar, there was a race who were tied deeply to their land, and to the spirits and fey who lived alongside them. When war came to them, they summoned deep fog and walked cloaked in silence, their wolves next to them, and their raven allies flying high above, screeching the movements of their enemies in a language known to the people and the ravens and crows alike.
Then calamity came to their island. History does not record what it was, but it was more than their cultural magics could defend against, and they turned to the most powerful of their kin, three nearly identical sisters who were equal parts mortal, Fey, and something approaching demi-gods.
The sisters loved their people, and would not see them erased from history. In a dark ritual, the three sisters were able to save their people, and their island home, but at great cost. Vas Shadar was moved through time and space, and all the three could say is that it is somewhere in the Otherworld. (in my world, the Feywild and Shadowfel are one plane with regions that resemble one or both places) Their people were scattered throughout the planes, and each sister found herself tied, blood and soul, to one third. Lastly, the ritual demanded, through the unknowable rules of great Fey magic, that the Three never willingly reveal their names to any being but their sisters, but, that if their names are ever discovered, and spoken in their presence, Vas Shadar will be returned to it's rightful place.
The three became known as; The Raven Queen, The Red Witch, and The Silver Knight.
The Raven Queen's folk became known as Shadar-kai, blessed with an affinity for death, and shadows.
The Red Witch's and Silver Knight's thirds became the Vryloka, and found that they were possessed of a frightening affinity with blood, and undeath, but soon found themselves quite different from one another.
The Silver Knight's people were more charismatic than their kin, and could become the deep fog they had once summoned at will, while her sister's folk were stronger than their cousins, and could take the form of the wolves they once called allies.
All that set up, here are my write ups for the races:
[sblock=[/B]Shadar-kai]
Stats: +2 Dex, +1 Int
Speed: 25 ft. (see, Natives of Darkness)
Alignment: Shadar-kai tend toward Chaotic, due to their need for constant stimulation. They swing Good, Evil and Neutral in roughly the same rate as humans.
Raven-kin: Due to their origins, Shadar-kai have Advantage on death saving throws.
Dark-vision: 60ft
Natives of Darkness: Shadar-kai draw strength from the shadows, and can become one with them at need. Your speed increases by 10ft while in dim light or darkness, and you can use a Bonus Action to gain a teleportation speed equal to you speed, so long as you or your destination are in dim light or darkness. If you and your destination are in bright light, the teleportation speed is equal to half your speed, rounded up. This can be maintained for 1 minute, requiring Concentration. Once you have used this ability, you cannot do so again until you have completed a long rest. At level 6, you regain the ability when you complete a short or long rest.
Languages: Common, Vaes Shadar (language of body language, trilling, coughs, and other vocalizations which is known only to Shadar-Kai, their Vrylocka cousins, and to crows and ravens.
NoD is different from Misty Step by intention. I think it balances with it, since it is half speed in bright light, and isn't extra movement, like Misty Step grants. Part of me wants to add something, like refresh on a short rest at level 3, and something like resistence to physical damage types during a turn where you use NoD at level 6, but I think it should be fine as is, for now. Maybe a race feat to expand teleportation and give resistance after teleporting? [/sblock]
and,
[sblock=Vryloka]
+1 Cha, +1 Str
Speed: 30ft
Vampiric Heritage: You are both Living and Undead. Whenever an effect on you would change based on whether you are Living or Undead, you can choose which you “are” for the purpose of that effect. Additionally, you have Resistance to Necrotic damage.
Human Heritage: You look pretty human, so you have Advantage on checks made to pass as one.
Eyes of Night: You have Darkvision out to 60ft.
Blood Price: You gain vitality and strength when you defeat your enemies. When you reduce an enemy to 0hp, you gain 1 Hit Die. Any Hit Dice gained beyond your normal maximum expire after 1 hour. You can use your Hit Die as a bonus Action, or as a Reaction, when you gain one through this trait, once per round, to do one of the following:
o You can move your speed. Attacks of opportunity made against you during this movement are made with Disadvantage.
o You gain Advantage on your next attack roll, or your next Ability Check to Intimidate or Charm a single target.
o Gain Temporary HP equal to your Hit Die + Your Constitution Modifier.
Blessing of The Sisters: Choose one of the following. This is your Subrace.
Silver Knight’s Blood:
o +1 Charisma
o Blessing of Creeping Mist: You can spend 1 Hit Die as an Action, or as a Reaction when you gain a HD via the Blood Price trait, to turn into mist. This works the same as the Gaseous Form spell, with some exceptions.
o You retain your speed.
o Fire or Radiant damage cause you to have disadvantage on the concentration check to maintain mist form.
Red Witch’s Blood
o +1 Strength
o Blessing of the Wolf: As a Bonus Action, or as a Reaction when you gain an HD via the Blood Price trait, you spend 1 Hit Die. Your body transforms into that of a Night Wolf. This transformation follows the rules of the Druid’s Wild Shape, except that you can only take the form of the Night Wolf. A Night Wolf is a normal Wolf, with glowing eyes, and fur ranging from coal black to crimson red. Additionally, your Hit Points in wolf form are determined by your level. In wolf form your hit die is 1d8, regardless of what it normally is, and you have 1 HD per level, and HP equal to 1d8 (or 5)/level + Con mod, using the Wolf’s Constitution mod. You can stay in wolf form for 1 hour per 3 levels, minimum 1. So, at level 3, you can stay in wolf form for 2 hours, and at 6th, you can stay in wolf form for 3 hours.
[/sblock]
[sblock=feats]
Spells of Old Shadar
Prerequisite: Shadar-kai or Vryloka
You know the forgotten magic of your ancient ancestors.
· You ignore the effects of fog, mist, or other similar natural phenomenon on your vision, out to a distance equal to your Darkvision.
· You also gain Advantage on Saving Throws and Ability Checks made to endure cold or wet conditions, as from winter weather.
· In addition, you learn Fog Cloud and Pass Without Trace, and you can cast the Fog Cloud spell as a 2nd level spell, without spell slot or components. You can cast each spell once. Once you have cast the spell, you cannot do so again until you complete a short or long rest.
Blood Wolf
Prerequisite: Vrylocka, Red Witch’s Blood
You have studied the old rituals of your kin, and the Red Witch who blessed you with the wolf’s blood. You gain the following benefits.
· Double the time you can stay in Wolf Form.
· You can Dash as a bonus action, and can track and move quietly at full speed.
· You can spend an action to heal yourself for 1d8+con mod HP, or to add 1d6 to the damage of your bite attack, and cause your bite attack to be considered magical. You can do this twice, after which you must finish a short or long rest to do so again.
· You can speak to wolves and other canids even while in your natural form.
Silver Knight’s Mercy
Prerequisite: Vryloka, Silver Knight Blood
While in Mist Form, you stretch out to cover a space equal to ½ your speed, filling that space with dense fog. You can exempt up to 3+your charisma mod creatures from the visual impairment. Such creatures see normally. Additionally, you can now spend an action to affect one or more creatures within the space you occupy, as an action. You can make one of the following attacks when you are in mist form, or when you are in a square of dense fog or mist. If not in Mist Form, range is 10ft.
· Mist Lance: Attack with Str or Dex +proficiency, 1d6+str/dex cold damage.
· Sleeping Fog: As Sleep. You can do this once/long rest. Can spend HD to increase by 1 level.
[/sblock]
let me know what you think
The basic story is that in the ancient island kingdom of Vas Shadar, there was a race who were tied deeply to their land, and to the spirits and fey who lived alongside them. When war came to them, they summoned deep fog and walked cloaked in silence, their wolves next to them, and their raven allies flying high above, screeching the movements of their enemies in a language known to the people and the ravens and crows alike.
Then calamity came to their island. History does not record what it was, but it was more than their cultural magics could defend against, and they turned to the most powerful of their kin, three nearly identical sisters who were equal parts mortal, Fey, and something approaching demi-gods.
The sisters loved their people, and would not see them erased from history. In a dark ritual, the three sisters were able to save their people, and their island home, but at great cost. Vas Shadar was moved through time and space, and all the three could say is that it is somewhere in the Otherworld. (in my world, the Feywild and Shadowfel are one plane with regions that resemble one or both places) Their people were scattered throughout the planes, and each sister found herself tied, blood and soul, to one third. Lastly, the ritual demanded, through the unknowable rules of great Fey magic, that the Three never willingly reveal their names to any being but their sisters, but, that if their names are ever discovered, and spoken in their presence, Vas Shadar will be returned to it's rightful place.
The three became known as; The Raven Queen, The Red Witch, and The Silver Knight.
The Raven Queen's folk became known as Shadar-kai, blessed with an affinity for death, and shadows.
The Red Witch's and Silver Knight's thirds became the Vryloka, and found that they were possessed of a frightening affinity with blood, and undeath, but soon found themselves quite different from one another.
The Silver Knight's people were more charismatic than their kin, and could become the deep fog they had once summoned at will, while her sister's folk were stronger than their cousins, and could take the form of the wolves they once called allies.
In Eberon, Vryloka are the product of blood ritual and breeding with Shadar-kai,
and were taught to do so by the sisters. Nearly all are Karrnathi, and most are Seekers.
and were taught to do so by the sisters. Nearly all are Karrnathi, and most are Seekers.
All that set up, here are my write ups for the races:
[sblock=[/B]Shadar-kai]
Stats: +2 Dex, +1 Int
Speed: 25 ft. (see, Natives of Darkness)
Alignment: Shadar-kai tend toward Chaotic, due to their need for constant stimulation. They swing Good, Evil and Neutral in roughly the same rate as humans.
Raven-kin: Due to their origins, Shadar-kai have Advantage on death saving throws.
Dark-vision: 60ft
Natives of Darkness: Shadar-kai draw strength from the shadows, and can become one with them at need. Your speed increases by 10ft while in dim light or darkness, and you can use a Bonus Action to gain a teleportation speed equal to you speed, so long as you or your destination are in dim light or darkness. If you and your destination are in bright light, the teleportation speed is equal to half your speed, rounded up. This can be maintained for 1 minute, requiring Concentration. Once you have used this ability, you cannot do so again until you have completed a long rest. At level 6, you regain the ability when you complete a short or long rest.
Languages: Common, Vaes Shadar (language of body language, trilling, coughs, and other vocalizations which is known only to Shadar-Kai, their Vrylocka cousins, and to crows and ravens.
NoD is different from Misty Step by intention. I think it balances with it, since it is half speed in bright light, and isn't extra movement, like Misty Step grants. Part of me wants to add something, like refresh on a short rest at level 3, and something like resistence to physical damage types during a turn where you use NoD at level 6, but I think it should be fine as is, for now. Maybe a race feat to expand teleportation and give resistance after teleporting? [/sblock]
and,
[sblock=Vryloka]
+1 Cha, +1 Str
Speed: 30ft
Vampiric Heritage: You are both Living and Undead. Whenever an effect on you would change based on whether you are Living or Undead, you can choose which you “are” for the purpose of that effect. Additionally, you have Resistance to Necrotic damage.
Human Heritage: You look pretty human, so you have Advantage on checks made to pass as one.
Eyes of Night: You have Darkvision out to 60ft.
Blood Price: You gain vitality and strength when you defeat your enemies. When you reduce an enemy to 0hp, you gain 1 Hit Die. Any Hit Dice gained beyond your normal maximum expire after 1 hour. You can use your Hit Die as a bonus Action, or as a Reaction, when you gain one through this trait, once per round, to do one of the following:
o You can move your speed. Attacks of opportunity made against you during this movement are made with Disadvantage.
o You gain Advantage on your next attack roll, or your next Ability Check to Intimidate or Charm a single target.
o Gain Temporary HP equal to your Hit Die + Your Constitution Modifier.
Blessing of The Sisters: Choose one of the following. This is your Subrace.
Silver Knight’s Blood:
o +1 Charisma
o Blessing of Creeping Mist: You can spend 1 Hit Die as an Action, or as a Reaction when you gain a HD via the Blood Price trait, to turn into mist. This works the same as the Gaseous Form spell, with some exceptions.
o You retain your speed.
o Fire or Radiant damage cause you to have disadvantage on the concentration check to maintain mist form.
Red Witch’s Blood
o +1 Strength
o Blessing of the Wolf: As a Bonus Action, or as a Reaction when you gain an HD via the Blood Price trait, you spend 1 Hit Die. Your body transforms into that of a Night Wolf. This transformation follows the rules of the Druid’s Wild Shape, except that you can only take the form of the Night Wolf. A Night Wolf is a normal Wolf, with glowing eyes, and fur ranging from coal black to crimson red. Additionally, your Hit Points in wolf form are determined by your level. In wolf form your hit die is 1d8, regardless of what it normally is, and you have 1 HD per level, and HP equal to 1d8 (or 5)/level + Con mod, using the Wolf’s Constitution mod. You can stay in wolf form for 1 hour per 3 levels, minimum 1. So, at level 3, you can stay in wolf form for 2 hours, and at 6th, you can stay in wolf form for 3 hours.
[/sblock]
[sblock=feats]
Spells of Old Shadar
Prerequisite: Shadar-kai or Vryloka
You know the forgotten magic of your ancient ancestors.
· You ignore the effects of fog, mist, or other similar natural phenomenon on your vision, out to a distance equal to your Darkvision.
· You also gain Advantage on Saving Throws and Ability Checks made to endure cold or wet conditions, as from winter weather.
· In addition, you learn Fog Cloud and Pass Without Trace, and you can cast the Fog Cloud spell as a 2nd level spell, without spell slot or components. You can cast each spell once. Once you have cast the spell, you cannot do so again until you complete a short or long rest.
Blood Wolf
Prerequisite: Vrylocka, Red Witch’s Blood
You have studied the old rituals of your kin, and the Red Witch who blessed you with the wolf’s blood. You gain the following benefits.
· Double the time you can stay in Wolf Form.
· You can Dash as a bonus action, and can track and move quietly at full speed.
· You can spend an action to heal yourself for 1d8+con mod HP, or to add 1d6 to the damage of your bite attack, and cause your bite attack to be considered magical. You can do this twice, after which you must finish a short or long rest to do so again.
· You can speak to wolves and other canids even while in your natural form.
Silver Knight’s Mercy
Prerequisite: Vryloka, Silver Knight Blood
While in Mist Form, you stretch out to cover a space equal to ½ your speed, filling that space with dense fog. You can exempt up to 3+your charisma mod creatures from the visual impairment. Such creatures see normally. Additionally, you can now spend an action to affect one or more creatures within the space you occupy, as an action. You can make one of the following attacks when you are in mist form, or when you are in a square of dense fog or mist. If not in Mist Form, range is 10ft.
· Mist Lance: Attack with Str or Dex +proficiency, 1d6+str/dex cold damage.
· Sleeping Fog: As Sleep. You can do this once/long rest. Can spend HD to increase by 1 level.
[/sblock]
let me know what you think
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