Homebrew Fasach Species Details

Sometimes you may find villages in deserts, with buildings made from hardened sand turned nearly to stone. In these buildings, you might find a Fasach, tinkering away with weaponry or armor that they've found among old battlefields. Fasach enjoy tinkering with old discarded weapons and armor, making it into their own but still keeping a modicum of the original designs, out of respect for the items' creators. 

Sand and Dust

Fasach appear orcish in ways, but their skin takes on a specific texture nearly akin to that of sandstone. Their skin is usually yellow or green, or sometimes even tan or gray, and their teeth resemble those of beasts. 

To Fasach, their customized armor and weapons are their pride and joy. Nearly all Fasach go into blacksmithing early in life, learning to use their own special way of working metal. They use the sand around them to grind blades to such sharpness that it's said they could slice a hair into thirds vertically. If any non-Fasach is taught in the ways of Fasach forging, it means that that person is seen as very very special to the Fasach teaching them, as it's something that nearly never occurs.

Fasach tend to be covered in tattoos, usually with each tattoo marking an item they've created, but could mean other things. They also tend to have ear or nose piercings. Perhaps a little less noticeable are the small horns on the head of each Fasach, or their eyes with black sclera. Like orcs, they may also have many scars, but they're not always from true battles. 

Sometimes, Fasach will test weapons they've made or found and fixed on a fellow Fasach, who may simultaneously be using the opportunity to do the same with armor. To a Fasach, it's a kind deed to allow yourself to be a test subject for a fellow Fasach's creation, being detrimental in the short term for the self, but ultimately helping others to learn. Rarely will a Fasach die from a weapons test, but it's not impossible for it to mistakenly happen, in which case the victim is buried and remembered with great honor, having died helping someone. 

The Mark of Gruumsh

The one-eyed god Gruumsh—lord of war and fury—created the first orcs, and even those orcs who turn away from his worship carry his blessings of might and endurance, Fasach included. Some Fasach claim to hear the whispers of Gruumsh in the winds blowing the sand, calling them to unleash the rage that simmers within them. Others feel Gruumsh’s exultation when they join in melee combat — and either exult along with him or shiver with fear and loathing.

Unlike half-orcs and some orcs, Fasach tend to hide their emotions. The only emotions really shown very often are happiness over their latest weapon, or rage over their latest enemy. When a Fasach is happy, they will be more efficient in anything they do. When they are enraged, they might find themselves more efficient in combat, but not much else.

Fasach Names

Fasach names tend to be similar to the names of orcs, but they may sometimes instead be adjectives or nouns involving a desert or sand.

Male Fasach Names: Dench, Feng, Gell, Henk, Holg, Imsh, Keth, Krusk, Mhurren, Ront, Shump, Thokk, etc

Female Fasach Names: Baggi, Emen, Engong, Kansif, Myev, Neega, Ovak, Ownka, Shautha, Sutha, Vola, Volen, Yevelda, etc

Misc. Fasach Names: Dusty, Rough, Flow,  etc

Fasach Traits

Your Fasach character has certain traits deriving from your orc ancestry.

Ability Score Increase

Your Strength score increases by 3, and your Intelligence score increases by 1.

Age

Fasach mature a little faster than humans, reaching adulthood around age 14. They age noticeably faster and rarely live longer than 75 years.

Size

Fasach are somewhat larger and bulkier than humans, and they range from 5 to well over 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

Thanks to your orc blood, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. 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.

Menacing

You gain proficiency in the Intimidation skill.

Relentless Endurance

When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

Savage Attacks

When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon’s damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Orc. Orc is a harsh, grating language with hard consonants. It has no script of its own but is written in the Dwarvish script.