Prerequisite: Vanae race, 8th level, must not possess the Eternal Maiden or Hain Mother feats.
“She stood when the forests fell, her light dimmed by time but unbroken by the wind.”
— Vanae proverb
Lore
Among the Vanae, there are rare daughters who choose neither the path of the womb nor the path of the spirit — those who walk alone beneath the Sky Mother’s silent gaze. These are the Lone Boughs, the Enduring Lights, wanderers who refuse to be bound by lineage or sanctity.
To the tribes, they are both revered and pitied. A Lone Bough bears no kin, no divine tether — yet she carries the jungle’s whisper in her heart. Her glow becomes muted and steady, like moonlight seen through fog.
Legends tell that when a Sky Home burns or a tribe is lost, a single Lone Bough always remains — watching, surviving, remembering. Their endurance is said to be the Sky Mother’s hidden gift, her promise that the forest always regrows from a single root.
Ability Score Increase: +1 Wisdom or +1 Constitution
Traits:
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Enduring Vitality: You gain resistance to poison damage, and you have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned, charmed, or exhausted.
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Still the Tempest: When you take damage that would reduce you to 0 hit points, you can instead drop to 1 hit point. You can use this feature once per long rest.
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Silent Glow: Your bioluminescent markings can be dimmed or extinguished at will. When dimmed, you gain advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in dim light or darkness.
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Warden’s Resolve: Once per short rest, when you succeed on a Wisdom saving throw, you regain a number of hit points equal to your proficiency bonus.
Flavor Notes:
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Your light pulses slowly, like the rhythm of a heartbeat.
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Animals grow quiet when you pass — sensing the weight of ages upon you.
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You rarely speak in haste, and your milk (if expressed) glows faintly gray-blue — neutral, devoid of the potent enchantments of other Vanae.
Cultural Standing
Lone Boughs are treated with a blend of sorrow and reverence. They are often invited to witness sacred rites, but never to lead them. Their wisdom is prized, their detachment misunderstood.
When a Vanae tribe loses a queen or matriarch, a Lone Bough is sometimes chosen to guard the Sky Home until a new mother rises — serving as the Keeper of the Roots. She does not rule, nor does she breed, but she ensures that the home endures.
Vanae say:
“When the Sky Mother weeps, the Lone Bough shelters he
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