Homebrew Emrysian (Child of the Light) Species Details
“All are given breath by starlight.
The first of us lived in joy that we would one day return to the stars.
Together, we built a Kingdom in the clouds.
We connected the seven realms with the power of starlight.
But then the sky went dark, and our Kingdom shattered.
Many of us are still trapped in these realms.Please, Child… Bring your light to our fallen spirits.”
Emrysian are wanderers at heart, sent from the sky to learn and interact. Many will join groups, but they are just as likely to journey alone, offering help to a stranger and then vanishing in the wind. All of them have an innate sense of their Home, a place that they are typically able to teleport to with intense concentration. And yet, even in their Home, sky children will always feel the pull of a place called Eden, and a desire to someday return to The Light.
A Spectrum of Light
Sent from the stars, Emrysian have a very distinct appearance. Most have humanoid shells of clay or terracotta, but can be made of other stones. An individual sky kid can stand from between 1 feet to around 5 feet at their tallest, but they rarely weigh more than 100 pounds, as they are made solely of light and stone. Their "skin" color is usually determined by the type of stone their shell is made from. Their "hair" is a projection of light, and is almost always a softly glowing white (curly, kinky, or straight). In fact, Emrysian rarely wear physical clothing - most of a sky kid's defining characteristics are projections of light that they call "cosmetics." Sky children do not age as a biological race, but can use magic to change their base shell's material and size. They can live for as short or as long as time will allow them, and only die when they are completely drained of their light.
Cryptic Wanderers
Emrysian are typically shaped by the places they explore. As such, they are incredibly varied in how they express themselves and in what they consider polite. Underneath all of that, however, every Emrysian starts with the same type of Light, and because of this their similarities, as much as their differences, will consistently reflect a home that they have never known. They have an innate sense of knowledge in certain things, from the moment they form in this world, as if they are pre-programmed to walk, seek light, and offer help. No matter how an Emrysian evolves over time, it will always be open to learn more.
Where the Sun Shines
Sky children rarely settle, but all have a Home that they hold very close to their hearts. Whether this Home was built by the sky child or simply stumbled upon and marked, it is always a place of light that is considered sacred by all Emrysian. To destroy a sky kid's Home is to attack the Light itself, and any Emrysian who learn of it will consider you an enemy of the Light, while helping the sky kid whose Home you destroyed.
While sky children do not typically build cities, they will congregate anywhere that is full of light, and once a shrine has been built, many will consider an area to be part of their Kingdom, even if it is in another's land. Emrysian will defend any place they consider part of their kingdom, as well as those living within it.
Ever Helpful, Ever Curious
Sky children are naturally curious, taking inspiration from anything and everything. They will usually learn by offering to help, and will offer to help anyone that they perceive as needing it. They seek to learn everything that can be learned, and this can get them into trouble just as much as can be helped.
A LITTLE OVER-FRIENDLY
Emrysian have a tendency to attempt to befriend anyone who hangs out with them for any longer than an hour, and are typically polite unless actively provoked. That being said, "friend" as a meaning varies greatly between different sky kids - some may hold their friends as close as their own light, while others may be content simply waving from afar every year or so.
How other races tend to see them:
Dwarves. “They’re odd folk, but friendly, and true to their word, when they speak it. Their curiosity can be dangerous, but powerful.”
Elves. “They are sillier than the youngest human, yet occasionally wiser than the oldest tree. If you can withstand their odd mannerisms, you may have a thoughtful companion to debate with.”
Halflings. “Awfully curious creatures, poking their masked noses into everyone's business. But if you give them an answer, they tend to accept it and move on. Quiet folk, but they sure know how to party.”
Humans. "Weird little things. They're like if human children were raised by very curious elves and didn't have to eat or sleep."
Emrysian Names
As sky children are shaped by the place they form, Emrysian do not have any typical names. They usually choose or are given a name within their first few days of life, always after interaction with another person, from whom they learn the concept of a name, as well as typical names of the area in which they formed. If the person they meet is a fellow sky kid, they will make a name from a random assortment of letters, in a pattern of alternating vowels and consonants. (Note: Y can count as both a vowel and a consonant)
There is no difference in Male and Female Names for Emrysian because there is no difference between a "Male" and "Female" Emrysian. There is literally no difference, biological or otherwise. They don't even know what a gender is.
Names: Aladinet, Rehijak, Talamir, Olip, Elimun, Qilutari, Udata, Gunaretu, Masahe, Hynutire, Kalasehid, Uyinog, Kenyyoti, Edatu, Ilinem, Odet, Meli, Katu, Laseniro
Emrysian (Child of the Light) Traits
Sky Children are created by Megabird, and It bestows upon them certain gifts.Languages
You communicate through melodic honks and telepathy, and can read and write one other language. Emrysian will typically learn how to read and write in whatever language is most common where they first form. They have a tendency to use any expressions they encounter once they figure out what it means.
As Emrysian cannot make vocal noises aside from their musical honking, they communicate telepathically with people that they have connected their light to. They cannot communicate with another being if the light between them is not strong enough.
Ability Score Increase
Due to your inner Light and non-biological body, your Dexterity, Constitution, Wisdom, and Charisma ability scores increase by 1.
Age
Emrysian do not have a limit on their age. They are "adults" (yet still considered children) as soon as they finish forming, and do not die unless they are completely drained of light.
The newer-formed sky kids are called "moths," as Emrysian all start with the same original "cosmetics" in their appearance, and are slowly altered by their experiences over time.
Size
An individual sky kid can stand from between 1 foot at the smallest to around 5 feet at their tallest. Regardless of your position in that range, your size is Small.
Speed
Your base walking and gliding (flying) speed is 30 feet. You also have a climbing and swimming speed of 15 feet.
Inner Light
The Light that gives you life and shape also gives you a variety of magic side-effects.
Damage Types
You are healed by Radiant and Fire damage, and are resistant to most non-magical damage. You are, however, weak to Necrotic and Cold damage.
Candle
Your Light can be physically manifested as a red candle with a small flame. This candle cannot be forcefully taken from you, as it is merely a representation of your Light. if your Light is damaged, your candle's flame will dim. Additionally, you can take light and wax produced by various light sources to create Light Tributes, which are larger white candles that can be offered to strengthen the bond of light between you and another person.
Winged Light
When you use your Winged Light, you are propelled upwards or forwards in the air, where you can glide. The number of times you can use your Winged Light before recharging is half your level plus proficiency. Winged Light is recharged when you are near light sources. The stronger the light source, the faster the recharge (i.e. one charge per action when near a candle, 10 charges per action when On Fire, etc.).
Winged Light typically appears as a cape or cloak on a sky kid's back, with stars signifying how many charges they have currently.
Meditate
Emrysian can Meditate, concentrating to use their Light for a specific purpose.
Teleport Home
After a minute of Meditation, a sky kid will be transported Home, but only if they have a Home to teleport to.
Activate/Use Shrine
If a Light Shrine has already been created, you can Meditate as an action to activate it or access its information.
Use Ascended Shrine
Ascended Shrines are the most powerful Light Shrine that can be created. They are difficult and exhausting to use, giving a level of exhaustion whether or not the Emrysian successfully accesses the shrine's power. This spell requires an hour of Meditation to activate, a Wisdom save with a DC of 12, and it can only be cast once per short rest.
Create Shrine (Small)
Starting at level 7, sky kids can create a small Light Shrine, with a simple purpose. This requires an hour of Meditation and a Wisdom save with a DC of 10.
Create Shrine (Large)
Starting at level 14, sky kids can create a larger shrine, with a more powerful or complicated purpose. This requires 3 hours of Meditation and a Wisdom save with a DC of 16.
Create Ascended Shrine
Ascended Shrines are the most powerful Light Shrine that can be created, and can only be created by a level 20 Emrysian. They are extremely difficult to create, requiring a solid 24 hours of Meditation in front of a pre-constructed shrine shell, as well as a Wisdom save with a DC of 16. This spell can be cast once per week (Resets at 7 Dawns).
Truesight
Emrysian have Truesight while Meditating.
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