Homebrew Berbalang Species Details

Berbalangs creep across the petrified remains of dead gods adrift on the Astral Plane. Obsessed with gathering secrets, both from the gods they inhabit and from the bones of dead creatures, they call forth the spirits of the dead and force them to divulge what they learned in life.

Berbalangs prefer to speak only to dead things, and specifically only to the spirits they call forth in the hope of learning secrets. They record their stories on the bones that once belonged to these creatures, thus preserving the information they gain.

Pursuit of knowledge drives everything berbalangs do. Although they mostly learn their secrets from the dead, they aren’t above spying on the living to take knowledge from them as well. The knowledge that berbalangs accumulate makes them great sources of information for powerful people traveling the planes. Berbalangs ignore petitioners, however, unless they come bearing a choice secret or the bones of a particularly interesting creature. Some githyanki have been able to strike deals with the creatures, using berbalangs to spy on their enemies and to watch over their creches on the Material Plane.

Berbalang Traits

As an berbalang, you have the following racial traits.

Creature Type

You are a Aberration.

Size

Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your walking speed is 30 feet.

Flight

Because of your wings, you have a flying speed equal to your walking speed. You can’t use this flying speed if you’re wearing medium or heavy armor.

Talons

You have talons that you can use to make unarmed strikes. When you hit with them, the strike deals 1d6 + your Strength modifier slashing damage, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Secrets of the Dead

Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the speak with dead spell with this trait, without requiring a material component. Once you cast the spell with this trait, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast the spell using any spell slots you have of 2nd level or higher.

Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for it when you cast speak with dead with this trait (choose when you select this race).