Homebrew A'Kwo'Nai Species Details

 

The A'Kwo'Nai are an amphibious race who's nature and culture are largely a mystery to much of the material plane, and they're even feared by most as savage slave mongers and raiders. In truth, these tribal people are deeply in love with life as a race, and often refuse to kill even their enemies as a result of their own low birth rates, and inability to breed amongst themselves more than the rare purebred child.

As such, A'Kwo'Nai tend to be a mix of races, with their native Kwo'nai blood dominating their appearance and genetics. Though many believe these people to be cannibals -or perhaps feeding their victims to their renowned aquatic predatorial pets- since they never leave a village with any bodies or blood; in actually A'Kwo'Nai raiding parties rarely kill the civilians and warriors they fight, instead capturing them and adopting them into servitude for their culture. Though it is their spiritual rite to bring any they defeat into service, they do not mistreat those they take from their homes, always offering them different ways to add to their small civilization of Kwo'Ra.

Once an A'Kwo'Nai servant's "sentence" is up, they may choose to return to their life or become one of the tribe, though few choose to return to their prior existence once they are accepted into the tribe -- having found a new home and rich culture that values them. They receive their Tat'Wa'Un, a tattoo with ink infused across generations with arcane and divine magics that represents a rite of passage for these long-lived, tribal and spiritual people. Each of the four Tat'Wa'Un refines and focusses certain talents of the individual's body or mind, even morphing them to closer represent the anatomy of their new tribal heritage. For those natural born as A'Kwo'Nai, these Tat'Wa'Un also mark their rise into adulthood once they mature.

A'Kwo'Nai Traits

Your character shares the following traits with other A'Kwo'Nai.

Age

A'Kwo'Nai reach maturity in their twenties and live up to 300-years of age or longer.

Size

A'Kwo'Nai, aside from Kwo'Rai, tend to be as tall and lean as humans, with most between 5-feet 4-inches and 6-foot 5-inches in height.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet. You also have a 30 foot swim speed, as your Tat'Wa'Un makes water ebb and flow to aid you in swimming.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Aquan.

Cold Resistance

All A'Kwo'Nai, even those of half blood, are adapted to the natural environment of their home waters. They are resistant to Cold damage and immune to any cold-based weather and environmental effects (IE making saving throws against cold temperatures, and avoiding fatigue when travelling through blizzards and freezing waters.)

Subdermal Lungs

Natural born A'Kwo'Nai, both purebred and hybrids, have primitive lungs used almost exclusively for speech. For breathing, they instead have organs laced throughout their skin that passively absorb oxygen from the environment around them, allowing them to breathe underwater and be immune to suffocation unless their surroundings are completely deprived of oxygen. However, this means they are unable to hold their breath, making them vulnerable to inhaled effects caused by gases, inhaled poisons and airborne diseases.

A'Kwo'Nai are Immune to suffocation, can breath underwater and in smoke, but have disadvantage to saves against inhaled poisons and cloud effects. They also cannot choose to hold their breath to mitigate these effects.

Darkvision

You have Darkvision up to a range of 60 feet.

Ability Score Increase

All A'Kwo'Nai are hardy, given the rugged, frozen environment of Kwo'Rai. A'Kwo'Nai gain a +1 to their Constitution score.

Kwo'Maga

Often associated as the arcanists and scientists of A'Kwo'Nai culture, Maga are few and far between in the isolated culture of their people. Despite these, those who choose the path of studying foreign magics and technology are often one of the most beneficial to their culture, adding great scientific or arcane innovation to the A'Kwo'Nai people as a whole. Given their keen minds and arcane inclination, Kwo'Maga Tat'Wa'Un are a bit more flexible than their fellow A'Kwo'Nai, and are often blue or purple in color.

Natural Scribe

Kwo'Maga are well versed in arcane and technology. Focusing the Magus within their Tat'Wa'Un, Kwo'Maga with spell slots from any class may cast a scroll from any spell list, as if it were on their class spell list, only having to roll a casting ability check if the spell is of a level beyond their current ability to cast.

In addition, they can use the flexible Magus in their tattoos to aid in infusing or assembling magical items. Any item created by Maga is done in half the time, and any spell that can be made permanent through multiple castings is also able to be done in half the castings listed in the spell (IE a Teleportation Circle can be made permanent with 6 months or 182 castings instead of the normal 12 months or 365 castings.)

Ability Score Increase

Kwo'Maga tend towards the study of the arcane, or technology. Your Intelligence score is increased by 2.

Arcane Tat'Wa'Un

Tat'Wa'Un of Kwo'Maga are intentionally left more flexible than most of the Magus-infused tattoos of their people. This adaptable arcane energy allows Maga to cast some minor spells or scripts innately. A Kwo'Maga may select a cantrip from Either the Wizard or Artificer spell list, which they can cast at-will. They may also select a 1st level spell from the Wizard or Artificer spell list, which they can cast once per day at 1st level without consuming a spell slot, or cast using spell slots as normal from any of their spell casting classes. The casting ability for both of these spells is Intelligence.

Kwo'Maga may change each of these spells whenever they gain a level with another from the Wizard/Artificer spell lists, using the same level of spell with the one they are exchanging.

Kwo'Rai

Known as the warriors, raiders and enforcers of A'Kwo'Nai culture, Kwo'Rai are renown for their strength, rage and resilience. Kwo'Rai Tat'Wa'Un are typically red or orange in color, and help their body flow with Magus to enhance their physical abilities. Among their people, Kwo'Rai tend to be taller and admonished as heroes that venture beyond the borders of Kwo, gathering more individuals to add to their populace, as well as riches and technology through pirating and raids.

Kwo'Rai tend to be taller and bulkier than the rest of their race, their Tat'Wa'Un patterns bringing their muscles to a constant swell, and reinforcing their bones. They stand between 5 feet 11 inches and 6 feet 7 inches tall, with a muscular build.

Ability Score Increase

Kwo'Rai's Tat'Wa'Un increases your Strength score by 2.

Kwo'Rai Rage

Kwo'Rai can harness the Magus generated by their Tat'Wa'Un, swelling their bodies with unrivalled strength and destruction. Once per a long rest, as an Action, Kwo'Rai can cast Enlarge/Reduce at 2nd level with a target of self without using a spell slot. They may only cast enlarge in this way, but for the duration their unarmed attacks becomes a slam attack that deals 1d10+Strength modifier bludgeoning damage, and deals double damage to structures and non-magical objects. Kwo'Rai still gain the benefits of the Enlarge spells damage with this slam attack.

Kwo'Rai with spell slots may use their spell slots as appropriate to cast enlarge in this way, with a target of self and only using the enlarge portion of the spell.

Ancestral Weapons

Kwo'Rai are born into the warrior side of their people's culture; they train in their ancestral weapons from a young age. All Kwo'Rai are proficient in any weapon with Kwo'Nai in the name.

Kwo'Yath

Both the social mediators and spies of the A'Kwo'Nai, Kwo'Yath are considered to be cunning conversationalists and keen deceivers. Though open interactions with other cultures beyond their own is rare -barring the costal raids to gather people and resources- any peaceful or discreet interaction with the rest of the world will universally include at least one Kwo'Yath to ensure smooth results. Yath Tat'Wa'Un tend to be lighter, or more exotic colors and emit a gentle glow. Some even have several colors in their skin patterns.

Domestically, though the spiritualists of their people hold true power, Yath act as arbitrators of disputes and the laws set by the Saru'Nai. Not unlike their tribe's version of courtiers or other political powers that other cultures have adopted, they are often held in high respects for their opinions among their people. Some Yath with unique bloodlines, either achieved from within or without their tribe, pursue the path of sorcery or pacts with outer beings to achieve power or assist in their travels of the world.

Kwo'Yath Enchantment

Kwo'Yath Tat'Wa'Un cause them to have a mystical aura of influence about them, and even contain some spell effects they can use at the ready on others. The DC of saving throws associated with this racial feature are equal to 10 plus your proficiency plus your charisma modifier, or your spell DC from any casting class for which you have levels.

Whenever you cast a spell that would cause a creature to be charmed or frightened, if they fail their saving throw against the effect, they do not remember the source of their charmed or frightened condition as being the influence of a spell. If the spell requires no saving throw, they make a wisdom saving throw at the casting of the spell against your spellcasting or racial DC above. On a failure for either condition, their mind will rationalize their feelings pertaining to the situation as anything except a spell cast by you. A Remove Curse or Greater Restoration cast on the target will restore their memories of being manipulated by a spell, however.

Ability Score Increase

Kwo'Yath are persuasive and socially cunning. Your Charisma score increases by 2.

Natural Enchanters

Yath tattoos, much like their Maga tribesmen, have the potential to contain spell effects, though to a lesser flexibility than their arcane tribe members. You gain the ability to cast one cantrip of the enchantment school at-will. In addition you may select one 1st level spell of the enchantment school, which you can cast once per long rest, or cast normally using the spell slots from a spell casting class in which you have levels. 

If you do not have levels in a class that has spell slots, the ability modifier for each of these spells is based on your Charisma.

Saru'Nai

Spiritual tribe leaders among their people, Saru'Nai are often the source of religion, spiritualism and guidance to A'Kwo'Nai. The Saru'Nai often are inclined into roles of clergy, druidism or other forms of connections with religion, spiritualism or the land. Their Tat'Wa'Un are often shades of green, teal or light blues in color, magically infuse them with keen senses, and protect their minds from unnatural influences.

Saru'nai, literally meaning "child of Saru," intimates their connection with their believed creator, and protector of their land. Saru, their most commonly followed deity, is a creature thought by the A'Kwo'Nai people to have created the oceans, and thus is the originator of life on the material plane, or at least the progenitor of their people. As such, the Saru'Nai are believed to be closer to the purebred descendants of this deity, usually earning them a unique admonishment and respect among their people -- though all tribesmen are usually considered equal.

Ability Score Improvement

Saru'Nai are keen of sense and mind. Your Wisdom score is increased by 2.

Saru'Nai Senses

You are proficient in Perception and Insight. Your Darkvision treats dim light and nonmagical darkness as bright light within 60ft.

Guidance of Saru

Your Tat'Wa'Un are infused with protection against unnatural influences. You gain advantage on saving throws against effects that would alter your mind or senses (ie charm, fear, blinded, deafened, etc.) You also gain advantage on any ability checks to see through illusions, detect hidden creatures, items, traps or secret switches/entrances.

In addition, invisible creatures do not gain advantage on attacks against you, and you do not have disadvantage to locate invisible creatures.

Previous Versions

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5/11/2022 7:15:24 PM
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