Homebrew Ador'kai Species Details
"A steaming mix of blood and drool spilt forth from the beast's mouth as it descended upon him, shrunken like a mouse into the rotted wood at his back. It was unlike anything he'd laid eyes on before - its skin seemed to split at the seams, tearing to accompany the mass of bones and rotted tissue spilling from the open wounds etched into it. One slitted pupil slipped in his direction, and just as its gaping maw split open to swallow him whole, an arrow pierced the soft socket of its skull and sent it reeling.
A hoard of horned figures descended upon the beast like a pack of wolves, leaping over thorns and bushes with bare, calloused heels. At first, the adventurer thought he'd been saved by a shadow-cursed band of tieflings, but as their moonlit gazes and razor-toothed grins turned to survey the beast's prey, he could not place the faces of these creatures. Tall, slender creatures with elven features and prominent horns, eyeing him with gazes that seemed to burn with supernatural intensity. Their skin was like the night sky - almost eerie in the way it swallowed light, but the runes that seemed to be etched like tattoos across their bodies glowed with the grace of moonlight. Were it not for the lethal inquisitiveness in their gaze, he may have thought them beautiful."
— Alycone Ali, Phaerene's Haunted Waters
Following the collapse of the planes in the Age of Pertho, the vortex of layered planar energy surrounding the regions of Ixania and Lovaki - empires in the material plane, Aquiarth - sent the region spiraling into chaos magic. The inhabitants of these realms, a scattered civilization of primarily Drow, Tieflings, and Star Genasi, became enveloped in this chaos magic, and as the push and pull of the vortex shaped the landscape into the ever-evolving, curse-ridden lands they are today, they faced certain extinction.
The legends regarding the emersion of the Ador'kai differ by region, but within this folklore exists a single, common thread: divine intervention. The Ador'kai are said to be touched by Abyss, shaped by the divine to withstand the harsh, torturous landscapes of Ixania and Lovaki. Now, in the Age of Othala, these fierce, secretive beings are a rare sighting beyond their native realm, but a frightening one nonetheless.
Ethereal but Lethal
Ador'kai are unique in that they are both incredibly beautiful and incredibly off-putting. Their height may range anywhere from 5'0" to 6'0", although the length of their horns may extend their total height by a foot or more. Their statures are often slender and long-limbed, and their facial features tend to be more prominently elven and angular.
An Ador'kai's coloration may range from any monochromatic shade between white and black for their skin, as well as for their hair. Centuries cohabiting the Haunting with beasts of legend have dulled their eyes; their sclera may be black or white, however their irises tend to be pale and pupilless. They are a species touched by the ancients, and this bond shows itself in the form of Sylvan runes that cover their skin. These tattoo-like markings may be found anywhere on their body, and the shape and characters used is often determined by their bloodline. Ador'kai possess a need to move quickly and quietly through Ixania, so they tend to choose clothes with looser-fitting fabrics and dark colors.
Lost to Time
As Ador'kai are touched by chaos magic, their personalities can be incredibly fickle. Like the fey that have come to inhabit their homeland, they are known to strike suspicious deals, twist truths, and play with their food - they are not violent by nature, but such is the custom of Ixania. Though it is incredibly rare for a member of the Ador'kai to travel beyond the reaches of the Haunting, a suspicious drow-looking humanoid has been known to pop up in the surrounding lands of Phaerene or Azuros on occasion. Their unique physique allows for the Ador'kai to pass as tieflings or fey, should they wish, but with enough scrutiny, their lack of understanding of cultural customs for the rest of the Material Plane become apparent.
Ador'kai Names
Ador'kai do not reach full maturity until around 200 years of age, and the path to reaching adulthood can be a tumultuous one. Though they are capable of withstanding the effects of the Haunting, Ador'kai are touched by chaos magic that can become incredibly unstable in their youth. For this reason, parents often give their children virtue names until they reach maturity. Ador'kai often have children in accordance with their Lady's holidays, so these naming ceremonies have evolved into graduation ceremonies held by the entirety of Ixania. Following their graduation into adulthood, Ador'kai are given proper Sylvan names that reflect the life they've lived so far.
Child Names: Abyss, Cryptic, Dusk, Havoc, Bliss, Riot, Vice, Wonder
Male Adult Names: Rullan, Virrem, Malrath, Vefulon, Thovarin, Kersolleth, Maelen, Rymin, Lurrath, Daraphos, Caezon, Kirseth, Thaamnen, Mazith, Mirrenos, Vezith, Lozorrom, Vylorus, Maeletom, Dyfem, Thifan, Corrilliath
Female Adult Names: Huvalathri, Naffi, Sunalonni, Fintri, Vaelene, Thiavil, Faelri, Lolmen, Cotha, Attimel, Calaninno, Siothela, Oveta, Laenti, Folo, Iveras, Tiante, Anales, Vallerose, Sothamas, Celmis, Lelmah
Rune Magic
Ador'kai are branded from birth by Sylvan magic - an attempt by their Lady to contain the chaos magic inside of them, although the runes take the entirety of their adolescence to settle and bind properly. This magic effects them differently depending on the day - no amount of stabilization can change the nature of the energy itself.
Ador'kai Traits
Your Ador'kai character has a variety of abilities, cultivated after centuries with the blessing of their Lady.Curse Immunity
Due to their heritage, your character is immune to the effects of the Haunting and resistant to necrotic damage.
Rune Magic
After finishing a long rest, roll [roll]1d6[/roll] to determine the blessing granted by your Lady. This spell will be added to your prepared spells list, and can be cast once at will without expending a spell slot. For the remainder of the day, this spell may be cast using a spell slot of the respective level.
- You gain access to the Alarm spell.
- You gain access to the Detect Magic spell.
- You gain access to the Find Traps spell.
- You gain access to the Mage Hand cantrip.
- You gain access to the Friends cantrip.
- You gain access to the Message cantrip.
Ability Score Increase
Your Constitution score increases by 2.
Age
Although Ador'kai reach physical maturity at about the same age as humans, their understanding of adulthood goes beyond physical growth to encompass worldly experience. Should a member of the Ador'kai survive their adolescence, they reach proper adulthood around 200 years, but may live beyond 1,000.
Size
Elves range from under 5 to over 6 feet tall and have slender builds. Your size is Medium.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision
Accustomed to twilit forests and the night sky, 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.
Keen Senses
You have proficiency in the Perception skill.
Fey Ancestry
You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.
Trance
Elves don’t need to sleep. Instead, they meditate deeply, remaining semiconscious, for 4 hours a day. (The Common word for such meditation is “trance.”) While meditating, you can dream after a fashion; such dreams are actually mental exercises that have become reflexive through years of practice. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan.
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