Homebrew Apophis Lamia Species Details

   Iconic in their unmistakable appearance and disposition, the lamia are beings who combine the traits of a snake and a humanoid. The possess the top half of a humanoid, aand the lower half of a coiling serpentine body. In folk tales they are often described as fair, but cold and calculating seducers who lure folk with their upper halves to then entrap them with their snake bodies. These antiquated tales stem from a time in which lamia had not integrated themselves into the world at large and fortunately only contain small kernels of truth.

   Nowadays lamia are found in wide swaths of the world, though they commonly prefer warmer climates. They are found in villages of their own kind, as well as other communities they managed to slip into. Most of the lamia are not homebound beings and are comfortable with leaving a on a whim if a serendipitous opportunity presents itself. Lamia are not only independent, but head strong and persistent people who know what they want and their natural problem solving abilities aid them in getting it. These traits earned the lamia a reputation of being smart and determined, but also aloof and calculating, which some folk might interpret as a cold disposition. Nonetheless, lamia have been very successful in mingling with the rest of the world thanks to their merits and achievements in the communities they entered.

   Their ascribed aloofness causes many folk to believe that lamia are cold and uncaring creatures, but as anyone who has regular interactions with them can assure, this is far from the truth.

   Their humanoid upper half can make one easily forget that lamia are part snake. Their serpentine nature is not limited to their form, but also in mind and manners. In the way lamia express themselves, their facial expression and body language communicate in very subtle and unusual ways, which often go unnoticed by other races. Many unfortunate miscommunications resulted from this characteristic, which in turn caused many blunders in initial meetings between lamia and other people of the world. But this does not mean that lamia are completely stone faced. A lamia with express quite clearly when an emotion threshold is crossed and emotions boil over. For those unfamiliar with lamia, these outbursts of joy or anger can come unexpectedly and might be misinterpreted as sudden and out of nowhere.

   Fundamentally though, despite lamia expressing themselves in different ways as most folk of the world are used to, lamia possess a just as varied emotional spectrum as any other.

Apophis Lamia Traits

As a lamia you possess innate traits and capabilities.

Age

Lamia reach maturity at 30 years of age and live well beyond four centuries.

Alignment

Lamia are often times selfserving and logical. Their pragmatic tendencies make them lean towards neutral alignments.

Size

Head to tail end, Lamia commonly are about 12 ft. in length, but are rarely over 6 ft. high when standing upright. During combat you curl up you body to fit within one 5 ft. square. Your size is medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Swimming Speed

Your serpentine body allows you to move effortlessly through the water. You have a swimming speed equal to your walking speed.

Darkvision

A monster with darkvision can see in the dark within a specific radius. The monster can see in dim light within the radius as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. The monster can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. Many creatures that live underground have this special sense.

Tail

You have a long tail that you can use to handles items that weigh no more than 5 lbs within 10 ft. of yourself. You can't use your tail to perform complex tasks such as using tools, wielding weapons, or using items with it.

Constrict

Your coiling body is a natural weapon. If you hit with a melee attack instead of dealing damage you can grapple your target if they are size medium or smaller. On your turn you can use your action to constrict a target grappled or restrained by your tail dealing bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 plus your Strength modifier. Until the grapple ends you can't constrict another target.

Bite

Your fangs are natural melee weapons that have the finesse trait, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength or Dexterity modifier, instead of bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Venmous

You have the ability to inject venom with your fangs. When you hit a creature with your bite attack you can use your bonus action to inject venom into the creature. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw. The creature takes 1d10 poison damage or a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

This abilities damage increases by 1d10 when you reach 5th level (2d10), 11th level (3d10), and 17th level (4d10).

You can use this ability a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier, regaining all uses on a long rest.

Mesothermal

Your snake like nature limits your ability to regulate your body temperature, you have disadvantage on saving throws against spells and effects that deal cold damage and have disadvantage on Constitution saving throws made to withstand environments of extreme cold.

Slithering Body

You gain proficiency in Performance or Stealth.