Ancestor Serpent Kyotei.

"Slice through the opposition and judge all those unworthy with your sword."

ពេលវេលានឹងមកដល់។. ತೆಗೆದುಕೊಂಡರೂ ಸಹ শতাব্দী, বা ক миң. жылан ദൈവം വീണ്ടും ഉദിക്കും, והשורשים של ต้นไม้วิญญาณศักดิ์สิทธิ์ וועט ווידער ברענען, пролевајќи ја кората како ஒரு பாம்பு என்று, மற்றும் адраджаючы сябе новым. Ошол күн келет. Качан මුතුන් මිත්තන් සර්පයා නැවත පැමිණේ, ពិភពលោកនឹងដឹងពីការឈឺចាប់របស់វា។.

Of arrogance and pride, the Greeks have but one word: hubris. It is a crime against Gods and Men, but a crime many commit with impunity. Even mighty Zeus is guilty. But when punishment is due, there is one from whom even the God of Thunder shrinks. She is Nemesis, the red-washed blade of Divine Retribution.

Recall the tale of Narcissus, so taken by his own beauty. Proudly, his visage was flaunted, to the detriment of all. Until, at last, he was led to a pond of crystal hue where his own reflection enraptured him. So long did he remain to gaze upon this self-image that hunger claimed his life. Thus does Nemesis respond to hubris. It is consequence equal to the crime.

Now, behold the war torn land, beset by the wrath of wanton Gods filling the air with blood and boasts. This battlefield is stained with hubris. Unwittingly, these foolish warriors have summoned their greatest adversary. Nemesis has come!

No longer will foul deeds engender success, no hoard of wealth held in undeserving hands, no legends told when falsely earned. Nemesis will unleash a tide of retribution. Punishment for the crime of hubris is death.

 BASIC RULES OF KYOTEI

1. Your Kyotei energy is like a meter, using Kyotei abilities takes up some of that meter.
2. Using Kyotei passively, such as using detection or coating, does not take up any of your meter. If you want to increase the reach of your detection or the thickness of your coating, however, then that would take meter.
3. Kyotei is a very specialized and personalized thing. The type of person you are will almost definitely reflect onto your Kyotei abilities. That being said, there are a few basic universal Kyotei abilities that everyone who has learned Kyotei can use:

• Kyotei Detection- The simplest means of Kyotei detection is through sight; Kyotei users will be able to physically see the Kyotei of others if enough energy is concentrated in their eyes. However, even without seeing for yourself, there are other ways to detect Kyotei. The user loosely spreads their Kyotei around the area. If their wisps of energy manage to come into contact with a different Kyotei energy's presence, then the user immediately knows, however, so would the other Kyotei user. Those who have extensively mastered Kyotei can mask the presence of their Kyotei wisps, making it so that they can detect others without them detecting them. Those who have mastered Kyotei can also detect the presence of other Kyotei users without even having their wisps come into physical contact with someone else's energy, just being in the general area works for them.
• Kyotei Coating- Kyotei coating is the standard form of Kyotei manifestation. A layer of Kyotei surrounds the body, protecting the user from harmful effects. While being coated in Kyotei energy, hunger, thirst, and the effects of aging happens at a decelerated rate. In addition, the user is protected by attacks that are not infused or coated in Kyotei. A novice may be able to nullify the damage of a non-Kyotei infused cannon ball, while a master should be able to nullify the damage of a nuclear bomb if it has no Kyotei energy. The downside to using Kyotei Coating constantly is that you run the risk of detection. If you exude absolutely no Kyotei energy, even an expert tracker would have trouble finding you, however that also leaves you defenseless, which is why most people would rather run the risk of coating themselves constantly. Those who have mastered Kyotei are able to mask the presence of their Kyotei perfectly, almost beyond detection, while still being able to keep their coat up. Kyotei coating also helps you on the offensive. Using Kyotei energy on weapons (and yourself) can increase the output of that weapon by 1.5x, but those who have mastered Kyotei have been shown to inflict 10x or more the normal damage of an ordinary weapon.
• Kyotei Creation. By channeling and condensing your Kyotei energy into a single shape, you can create weapons made of Kyotei. These weapons only follow the base stats of the weapons they are modeled after, for example, if you tried creating a +3 shortsword with your Kyotei, the end result would just be a normal shortsword.

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Kyotei Detection. (Your range for your Kyotei detection is 120 feet. For every 40 feet of your range you increase, you use up 5% of your Kyotei energy).

Kyotei Coating. (Damage absorption for normal attacks: 30 damage. Damage output increase for normal weapons: 2x. Costs 5% Kyotei energy to increase absorption by 10, damage increase by 0.5x, and attack range by 5 feet. Costs 15% to increase AC by 1). Attack range tops off at a max of 15 feet while damage output multiplier tops off at 4x.

Kyotei Creation. (You can create any weapon you are proficient with, as well as simple weapons)

Hollow Ground. Hydre being dead himself, is very attuned to the dead. Whenever Hydre kills a creature, he regains 25% HP and 20% Kyotei energy. In addition to this, whenever Hydre loses a body part (like two legs, two arms, his lungs), he can absorb a medium sized humanoid corpse and regain those body parts, however this process takes 6 minutes of uninterrupted focus to complete. He can also do this process on other people, however the body part being regained is only at the level of a single limb or other organ. The process also takes 13 minutes of uninterrupted focus if being used on someone else, and uses 20% Kyotei energy, however no Kyotei energy needs to be used if he's healing himself.

Past Life's Knowledge. Ever since regaining more of your soul, you've started to remember some of the things you knew when you were alive, including your knowledge as an artificer. Because of this, you are capable of using the following three infusions: Enhanced Arcane Focus, Enhanced Defense, and Helm of Awareness. These last for as long as you choose to keep them on, but they cost 10% per infusion being used as you use some of your Kyotei energy to pull the close yet distant memories back to your mind. This means that if you have all three active at the same time, you can only ever have a max of 70% at any given moment, or 80% if you have two, and 90% if you have 1 active. Like normal infusions, however, they each take 1 hour to be imbued.

Soul Surge. As an action, Hydre borrows 5 Yuan-Ti souls directly from the Soul Tree. On his turn, he can move these souls up to 50 feet in any direction he chooses, however if the souls reach their movement limit of 150 feet, they are instantly detonated. They are also detonated if they are active for more than one minute. Hydre can use his bonus action to detonate the souls whenever he wants to, and upon detonation all creatures within 10 feet of the souls must make a DEX save equal to Hydre's spell save DC. On a fail, creatures take 5d12 force damage, taking half damage on a success. A creature hit by the explosion that fails the save has their maximum hitpoints reduced by 7 until short rested. This ability uses 10% Kyotei energy.

Soul Detonation. As a bonus action, Hydre points to a corpse and detonates the lingering residue of its soul. Only fresh corpses have soul fragments, however, so the corpse must be no older than one day. Upon detonation, anyone within 25 feet of the corpse must make a DEX save equal to Hydre's spell save DC, taking 3d12 force damage on a fail or half as much on a success. Hydre may instead, however, choose to use this ability as an action. If he does so, he is allowed to detonate three corpses on that turn instead of one. A creature hit by the explosions has their maximum hitpoints reduced by 7 until short rested. Using this ability as a bonus action costs 5% Kyotei energy, while using it as an action costs 10% Kyotei energy. You may also use it as a reaction; if a hostile creature runs within 10 feet of the corpse, then you may detonate it as a reaction for 5% Kyotei energy.

Divine Retribution. A scale of justice appears in front of Hydre, and judges his opponents. Hydre can choose up to six hostile creatures to judge. Targeted creatures must make a wisdom saving throw against Hydre's spell save DC. If the scale decides that they are evil, then they will receive divine retribution, and Hydre will be paid reparations for their actions (roll a 1d6 for each creature that receives divine retribution). This ability costs 15% Kyotei energy for each creature being targeted.

• On a roll of 6, the creature takes 1d12 damage.
• On a roll of 5, the creature takes 3d12 damage.
• On a roll of 4, the judged creature takes 5d12 damage, healing Hydre for half the amount of damage they took.
• On a roll of 3, the judged creature takes 7d12 damage, healing Hydre for 75% of the damage that they took, as well as giving Hydre a +15 bonus to movement speed for 1 minute.
• On a roll of 2, the judged creature takes 10d12 damage, healing Hydre for all of the damage that they took, as well as giving Hydre a +30 bonus to movement speed and a +2 bonus to AC for 1 minute.
• On a roll of 1, the judged creature takes 13d12 damage, healing Hydre for all of the damage that they took, giving Hydre a +50 bonus to movement speed for one minute, a +4 bonus to AC for one minute, and restoring 20% of Hydre's Kyotei energy.

True Equality. In order to use this ability, two conditions must be met:

1. Hydre must be grappling his target
2. Hydre must have exchanged Kyotei infused blows with his target

Once these conditions have been met, Hydre can enact his true equality. As an action, Hydre resets his and his target's power, making it so that they cannot use any magical abilities, Kyotei abilities; they can only use the physical strength of their own body. The target must make a CHA saving throw equal to Hydre's spell save DC + 1d4. This ability lasts for one minute, but the effects can be ended early if Hydre is more than 60 feet away from his target or if he hasn't made contact with his target in the past round. This ability leaves Hydre vulnerable, as he doesn't have much except for physical weapons left to defend and attack, but the reverse is also true for the enemy, no matter the difference in power. Using this ability takes up 40% Kyotei energy.

SOUL STATES

Every single mortal, god, devil, and monster has a soul. These souls are constantly letting out small pieces of their energy, which mortals use to manifest their powers, this manifestation, in so many words, is Kyotei. However, people can train their bodies to sustain a higher percentage of the power that their soul is letting out. Soul Release is a term that refers to such a release in power. Soul State is a term that refers to the elevated state a creature sustains once their soul's power has been released at 80% or higher, although less than a dozen people in recorded history have ever been able to hit 100% without dying, let alone hitting it at all. Soul State grants a tremendous boost in power, but also causes strain on the body. For every 5 rounds one is in soul state, negative effects begin to pile on, however these effects don't hit immediately, they all come at you at the same time the moment Soul State is released. After the first 5 rounds, you gain 1 level of exhaustion and have your hitpoint maximum reduced by 15%. After the first 10 rounds, you gain 2 levels of exhaustion, have your hitpoint maximum reduced by 35%, and make a critical injury roll. After the first 15 rounds, you gain 4 levels of exhaustion, have your hitpoint maximum reduced by 75%, make two critical injury rolls with disadvantage, and you are knocked unconscious immediately, after 20 rounds, roll a d20. On a roll of 1-6, you die. On a roll of 7-19, you live but you are unable to use Kyotei anymore for the rest of your life, and you also get a little flavor condition from me the DM (for example I can say "you are now paralyzed from the legs down"). On a natural 20 roll, make a saving throw for each category, with the DC being the spell save DC of the enemy you were fighting when this happened. If you pass the majority of these, you gain the effects of 15 rounds of Soul State, but are otherwise fine. You cannot reroll the initial d20 roll in anyway (for example, you can't lucky it or use inspiration), but you can use your abilities to reroll the 6 saving throws you make after rolling a natural 20 if you have such abilities. Because Soul State is merely the increase in how much of your soul's power you are using, it costs no Kyotei to enter your Soul State normally. Additionally, once you enter Soul State, your Kyotei Meter is instantly replenished as your soul energy skyrockets and you are able to use more Kyotei. Those who rigorously train their souls can even imbue their Soul State release with a grand attack, with Hydre's being the following ability:

Soul State: Jormungandr. As Hydre sheds his skin, he takes on a more serpentine look. His sclera turns bright blue and his pupils turn white and thin like a viper. His hair, which is now a clear snow white color, stands up sharp and slanted backwards like a spiny bush viper, he grows taller and becomes more lean, and his mark, which is now a brighter blue, begins to let out an intimidating bright blue smoke. You gain the following instant effects: 75% of max HP healed, remainder turned into temp HP (max temp HP = 30), inspiration, gain two charges of previously used abilities (for example, regain two charges of lucky, or regain a charge of lucky and a spell slot), +3 AC, x2 movement speed, attack/spell/Kyotei range doubled, Kyotei usage halved, Kyotei damage multiplied (1.5x), all scores increased by 3, and you gain double concentration for the duration. You also regain 5% Kyotei energy per turn.

Thick Skin. While in your Soul State, your skin becomes tough, like scales, and you now have resistance against bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing damage. In addition to this, your skin is coated with a thin layer of lethal poison, any creature that comes into direct contact with you takes 4d6 poison damage and must make a CON save, becoming poisoned on a fail. You also gain advantage in DEX and CON saves as your more snakelike build allows you to move more swiftly with more resilience from your scale-like skin.

Paths. As an action, you enter a prayer for 60 minutes. After 1 hour of uninterrupted prayer, you are able to summon yourself into the realm of the Soul Tree. Doing this costs 50% of your kyotei energy, however while you are there, your Kyotei fully replenishes after 10 minutes and does so every 10 minutes as the powerful soul remnants surrounding the tree give you more energy.

Poison Barrier. As an action Hydre can summon a green sphere of poison with a range of 60 feet and a radius of 30 feet. When inside the barrier a creature gains the following benefits/ debuffs which can be activated as a BA. It can be changed as an action if the barrier is still within 60ft of Hydre, however changing it costs 15% Kyotei energy while the initial creation costs 35% and this barrier only lasts for 1 minute and will be destroyed if Hydre is incapacitated, or is forced to roll two critical injury rolls in the same fight.

• Stabilization- Any creature who succeeds on a death save no matter the failures is automatically stabilized. This also treats nat 1’s as normal failures instead of. This barrier lets out a slight humming sound. You can see in and out of the barrier but everything is tinted green.
• Resting- A Creature is encircled in a green aura that gives the following benefits. They gain 2d12 Temp Hp and due to your new vitality you can take the dodge action as a BA. On your turn you can take an action and heal for 2d12 + 8 or a BA and heal for 1d12 + 4. Every 5 rounds you can choose to gain back 10% kyotei as a bonus action, 20% on an action, and you regain 5% Kyotei energy every 2 rounds with a free action. Also as a free action, per turn you can send 10% of your kyotei energy and transfer it to someone who is within 20ft of Hydre. (You also need to be within 20ft of Hydre and within 5 feet of this person as it is done by touch). When Resting is activated, a snake appears and takes an ethereal form, floating above the slightly green tinted barrier.
• Hunting- The barrier can be tethered to a creature, moving where they move. Any outgoing attack now does an additional 4d6 poison damage. A spell casted within the barrier cannot be counterspelled. Melee attacks give the poison debuff if the target fails a CON save against Hydre's spell save DC. When Hunting is activated, the shield seems to go clear but a slight outline can be made out. The eyes of the creature that the barrier is tethered to become serpentine if they aren't already.
• Shedding- A targeted creature must make a DEX save (equal to Hydre’s spellcasting DC). On fail creature takes 8d12 poison damage (half on pass) and is now entrapped in the barrier. While inside the barrier all incoming attacks have advantage, creature’s AC is reduced by 2, and max hp is reduced by half of the damage that they took. All temp hp is halved as well. To exit the barrier a creature can attempt to leave but must make a STR save against Hydre’s spell save DC. On failure they are thrown back into the barrier and take another 6d12 poison damage. On pass the barrier is disbanded and max hp is gained back. When shedding is activated a bright green glow seems to illuminate the weak points on that creature’s person.

Coil. A gargantuan serpent attempts to coil around the targeted creature and restrain all movements, Hydre can also choose to have the creature's mouth wrapped if he doesn't want them to speak. A targeted creature must make a DEX save against Hydre's spell save DC. On a failure, the creature is now restrained and cannot make any actions, BA, or reactions that require them to make any movements or say something verbally, however abilities that do not require the movement or speech of the user can still be made. If Hydre wills it, the creature's mouth does not have to be covered and they may speak freely, but only if specified. The creature also takes 3d12 bludgeoning damage and 5d12 poison damage on a fail, but none on a success. During this time Hydre cannot cast spells, use any other kyotei/ magic, and anything that isn't fully focusing on keeping the enemy in place. All attacks to the barrier are voided null below 130 damage (if damage exceeds this the barrier is dropped and creature freed taking no damage). The barrier is immediately dropped if Hydre takes damage over 15. Every 30 seconds the restrained creature may make a STR save to attempt to escape. This ability costs 30% Kyotei energy.

Notes: ពេលវេលានឹងមកដល់។. ತೆಗೆದುಕೊಂಡರೂ ಸಹ শতাব্দী, বা ক миң. жылан ദൈവം വീണ്ടും ഉദിക്കും, והשורשים של ต้นไม้วิญญาณศักดิ์สิทธิ์ וועט ווידער ברענען, пролевајќи ја кората како ஒரு பாம்பு என்று, மற்றும் адраджаючы сябе новым. Ошол күн келет. Качан මුතුන් මිත්තන් සර්පයා නැවත පැමිණේ, ពិភពលោកនឹងដឹងពីការឈឺចាប់របស់វា។.