Homebrew Ajatar Race Details

"May the deal be struck," The King agreed, offering a tentative hand to the gold-toothed smuggler. Before the criminal could begin to extend his own, the shadows between them shifted, and a knife swiftly cut through the King's wrist, leaving the dismembered hand in a pool on the floor and the regent screaming.

"Not so quickly," A woman's whisper seethed, the shadows turning into the shape of a dark figure. The King fell to his knees, trembling before the cloaked assassin - the ajatar. With one hand she grasped the hood of the smuggler, and with the other brandished her knife down to the King, "We've been listening, my liege. Your people have some strong opinions about your business dealings."

Life in the Shadows

The ajatar are said to have been birthed directly from a god of the night-time, and the shadows. They are dark, but holy children, and thus the cover of night is in their blood. All ajatar have the ability to disappear into shadows - at least to the untrained eye - and it is this fact that has defined them for their entire existence. Being able to hide to completely, they have been lauded as some of the spies in all the land.

Ever-Changing Identity

Being natural-born shapeshifters has it’s ups and downs. On one end, it allows for one to be exactly whom they believe themselves to be; and they can better hide, or better be seen as needed. On the other, it begs the question of who exactly are you. Even an Ajatar's parents are unlikely to look as genetics intended, due to how often they themselves have shapeshifted in their lives.

Throughout puberty, an ajatar’s ability to change shapes becomes most apparent. Most cannot control it at first, and find themselves tumbling through numerous skin and hair colours, heights and weights, sexes. Once they’ve found control of themselves, they then find their ideas influenced by society, and what they feel they should be - leaving one without much clue of who they really are. Many ajatar become restless due to these things, looking for ways to define themselves and make sure that not only they, but the world, know just who they are.

Loved and Hated

Ajatar have been defined as a group that the honest love, and liars hate. They have unveiled criminals, adulterers, and the politically corrupt throughout the lands, being the cause of much worldly change and demanding a higher standard from world leaders. Of course, many think that some things are better not asked, and certainly better not told, and dislike the strict requirement of truth the ajatar seek. Then there are the ajatar who use the secrets they glean not for justice, but for blackmail.

The ajatar people are oft in high demand as spies and officers of peace throughout the lands in which they are respected. In countries dirty with revolution, corruption, and one dictatorship after another, they are seen less as paragons of integrity, and more as painful reminders of what cannot be righted.

Ajatar Names

Ajatar communities have often been heavily influenced by others, what with their kind being highly desired additions to other societies. Many of their kind have been spread throughout all the land, leading to a diversity of names and cultures. For the few who have stayed true to Ajatar roots, however, these are some of the most common names.

Female Ajatar Names: Arim, Roshanek, Sappha, Vega, Krishna, Lamya, Nila, Terah.

Male Ajatar Names: Brahm, Cecino, Gethin, Igi, Orpheus, Maurius, Saude, Seket, Revys, Cander.

Ajatar Traits

Ajatar use their innate talent to their advantage.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 2 and your Intelligence score by 1.

Age

Ajatar mature at a similar rate to humans, though reach maturity in their early 20s, and live over one hundred years on average.

Alignment

Due to their dislike of secrets, many Ajatar are Lawful, though a greater number entirely tend towards Neutral.

Size

Ajatar are built like well-proportioned humans. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

Thanks to your shadowed heritage you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 120 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.

Sunlight Sensitivity

You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.

Shadow Walk

Once, replacing your movement or a Dash action, you may teleport up to 30 feet through shadowy areas. You cannot enter the same space as another creature through this movement, and you are considered hidden until you leave the shadowy area, attack, or cast a spell. You regain use of this feature when you complete a short or long rest.

Shapeshifting

Once per long rest you may cast Disguise Self at no cost. At the end of the spell’s duration you may roll a Constitution saving throw against a DC of 10 + the number of times this save has been made consecutively. If successful, the spell’s duration refreshes with the current form.