Homebrew Vril Species Details

Vril (the name is both plural and singular) are a species of goblinoid engineered from goblin base-stock by drow wizards to create superior slaves.

Over the Course of years drow wizards not content with the ascetic of their creation, slowly set about changing it's appearance to make it more palatable. The bat-like cast to their face, enlarged back-swept ears, elongated gangly bodies, wide flat noses, all things of the past. Their body and facial appearance now resembles that of a  vicious halfling with mouths full of fangs, back-swept almost elven ears, long black manes, glowing golden eyes, and strikingly colored dark violet skin sporting tiger-like stripes of black. There also remains a slight elongation to the arms and legs that differentiates them from a halfing, as well as their claws, and small back-swept ebony horns atop their brows. That lends them a bestial vicious air, like that of some kind of fiend. Which if one did not know better they could be mistaken for.

The result of many long years of constant experimentation, vril have few traits in common with their ancestors and relatives; the drow sought to expunge as many of the traditional goblin weaknesses as possible from them. Though they do share the goblin maliciousness, they are ferocious, bold, daring, possess a strong sense of stubborn resolve, and are very well-organized. They consider themselves superior to goblins and look down on them, but a side-effect of their indoctrination as drow slaves is that they feel an instinctive cautious respect for all humanoids bigger than themselves, including non-evil ones like humans and elves.

To protect themselves against betrayal - having learned from their mistakes with the chitine - the drow have sought to not only indoctrinate the vril to instinctively fear and obey them, but also included a deliberate weakness in their creation; making them unnaturally susceptible to both the narcotic "drow sleeping poison" and the spider-based toxins that drow favor smearing on their weapons.

This has... not entirely worked out as they expected. Whilst the vast bulk of vril are slaves and rarely think to do more than grumble about their lot in life, some exceptional individuals have arisen in the past and rebelled against their creators. This has led to the foundation of colonies of free vril throughout the Underdark and on the surface, which zealously defend their independence. Worse still, some of these free vril have managed to throw off their poison vulnerability.

Vril Traits

Goblin in nature more vicious than most, but lacking most of the normal goblin weaknesses.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 2.

Age

Goblins reach adulthood at age 8 and live up to 60 years.

Alignment

 Vril goblins are typically neutral evil, as they care only for their own needs. A few goblins might tend toward good or neutrality, but only rarely.

Size

Vril goblins are between 3 and 4 feet tall and weigh between 40 and 80 pounds, your size is Small.

Darkvision

You can see in dim light within 60 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.

Natural Armor

When you aren't wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield's benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.

Poison Immunity

You are immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition.

Fury of the Small

When you damage a creature with an attack or a spell and the creature's size is larger than yours, you can cause the attack or spell to deal extra damage to the creature. The extra damage equals your level. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Nimble Escape

You can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of your turns.

Powerful Build

You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Strange and Deadly Surroundings

You have proficiency in the Stealth, Survival skills, and thieves' tools.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Goblin, Undercommon.

Innate Spellcasting

You know the Vicious Mockery and Message cantrips. Starting at 3rd level, you can also cast Shatter with this trait. Once you cast it, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.