Homebrew Abstrant Species Details
The plane of the Far Realm is peculiar indeed. To gaze into such an unfathomable abyss is to know the boundaries of reality and beyond. It is to shut the door on all things once known, and to open another into things beyond comprehension. I am all too familiar with the effects of Far Realm communion on the unguarded psyche, and the results are never pleasant. Now, imagine my surprise to hear of sightings of those who share qualities with the aberrant horrors that call the eldritch void home. Children born with a mantle of skin about their arms; a multi-eyed amnesiac wandering the streets, naked and confused; whispers of a telepathic vigilante, who rends the minds of criminals asunder with their own. The Far Realm's influence is growing, I fear, to meddle further in the lives of men... and for the first time, I haven't the slightest idea of how to answer to it.
-Ravenius Strifewarden, psionic researcher and aberration hunter extraordinaire.
While many individuals find the blood of the extraplanar in their ancestry, none are so rare as the race known as Abstrants. Infused with the alien energies of the Far Realm, these people struggle to find peace in their contradictory existence. The uncanny spark of the furthest plane was never meant to be contained within a mortal shell, and yet it is just so with an Abstrant being.
Eldritch Beginnings
No two Abstrants are the same, nor do they often share a common origin. One may have come into being through a beholder's dreams of mankind; perhaps one's parents were exposed to the unbridled energy of the Far Realm through an errant portal; one might be the result of Illithid experimentation on a pregnant test subject. In any circumstance, these individuals can be born to any mortal race, for any potential number of reasons.
Unfit for Companionship
By their very nature, Abstrants have an unsettling aura about them. The mentally invasive effects of the Far Realm follow them even into their closest relationships, risking those around them with exposure to alien energies and forbidden knowledge sealed beneath their subconscious. To most Abstrants, this means living a life of solitude, away from the friends and family they may otherwise harm. To others, it is a tool to be abused, burrowing into and manipulating the minds of their peers for their own gain. However, if an Abstrant is extremely lucky, they may find themselves surrounded by those who would put their psyche at stake, so long as it means that they could be by their side.
Dubious Physiology
Whereas most, if not all, races of the multiverse had intelligent design and intent behind them, Abstrants were made by the chaotic and unknowable forces of the Far Realm, seemingly by chance. As such, Abstrants are only faintly bound by many of the typical laws of biology. Some may slightly hover above the ground, some may age at an incredibly reduced rate, and some may have a literal eye at the back of their head. Though this seems like it might be a blessing, the opposite case is also common. An Abstrant may carry the unpleasantly acrid smell of space's vacuum about them, or they may have small, inky tendrils of darkness in place of fingers, or, perhaps worse yet, they may possess some other feature that is in no way concealable.
Abstrant Names
Abstrants do not often name themselves, typically adopting the name given by their birth parents. For those who are born from some other origin, however, their names are usually derived from words and identifiers from Deep Speech.
Abstrant Names: Phlyggeth, Obn'Tuur, Doegatahn, Vthnura, Immotach
Abstrant Traits
Your Abstrant character has these traits.Ability Score Increase
Your Intelligence and Charisma scores both increase by 1.
Age
Abstrants age at the same rate as their parent race, and tend to live slightly longer.
Size
Abstrants tend to be the average height of their parent race, but are almost universally of thinner build. Your size is Small or Medium.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Eldritch Intuition
Your alien ancestry has imbued you with a congenital knowledge for aberrant truths. When you make an Intelligence (Arcana) or an Intelligence (Religion) skill check, you can treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common and Deep Speech.
Beholderite
Beholderite Abstrants take traits of beholderkin. These traits manifest in physically distinct ways depending on what kind of beholderkin has influenced your character's birth, such as the pale white skin of a Death Kiss, or the striking, cross-shaped pupils of a Gazer. Though this is the case, all tend to have the same set of powers.
Ability Score Increase
Your Intelligence score increases by 1.
Enhanced Eyesight
Your eyes are augmented by your beholder-esque physiology. You have proficiency in the Perception skill.
Eye Ray
Your beholderkin ancestry allows you to channel your aberrant power into your eyes, causing harm to your enemy. As an action, you can use this trait to roll a d6 on the Eye Ray table, targeting one foe within 30 ft. The DC for your saving throws equal 8 + your Intelligence modifier + your proficiency bonus.
Eye Ray
1. Charm Ray. The targeted creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by you for 1 minute, or until you or an ally harms that creature.
2. Fear Ray. The targeted creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
3. Drain Ray. The targeted creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, roll a d10. The creature takes necrotic damage equal to the number rolled, and you gain temporary hit points equal to half the damage dealt.
4. Telekinetic Ray. The targeted creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, you may move the target 10 ft. in any direction you wish.
5. Stun Ray. The targeted creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn.
6. Antimagic Ray. The area within 10 ft. radius of the targeted creature is briefly affected by an antimagic field. Any spells cast in the radius are dispelled, and any magic items in the radius lose their magical properties, until the start of your next turn.
After you use your Eye Ray ability, you may not do so again until you finish a long rest.
Enmantled
Enmantled Abstrants share traits with Cloakers. Whether they also share their dark and pale color scheme, a long, barbed tail, or some other feature, they will always bear the organic cape of their titular counterpart.
Ability Score Increase
Your Charisma score increases by 1.
Camouflage
As a bonus action, you can cover yourself in your natural cloak. When in dim light or darkness and as long as you remain motionless, you make Dexterity (Stealth) checks with advantage.
Phantasm Duplicates
Once per long rest, you can cast the mirror image spell innately. After you use this ability, you must complete a long rest to use it again. You can also cast it using any spell slots you have of 2nd level or higher.
Illithidian
Illithidian Abstrants have the traits of Mind Flayers. This could be demonstrated through a thin layer of mucus covering the skin, or potentially a subtle-yet-gnawing hunger for brains; nonetheless, their otherworldly birthright makes itself known through their psionic prowess.
Ability Score Increase
Your Intelligence score increases by 1.
Telepathic Speech
You can telepathically speak to any creature you can see within 30 ft. of you. You don’t need to share a language with the creature for it to understand your telepathic utterances, but the creature must be able to understand at least one language.
Mind Probe
Once per long rest, you can cast the detect thoughts spell innately, using Intelligence as your spellcasting modifier. After you use this ability, you must complete a long rest to use it again. You can also cast it using any spell slots you have of 2nd level or higher.
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