Homebrew Bestia Anima-plaga (by Baskerevil) Species Details

New Disease

A strange disease started spreading in various world. It affects mostly animals, biological creatures with low intelligence. Afflicted creatures start to mutate, change, and start to turn into something like an ooze. Moreover, infected creatures start to become ravenous and even cannibalistic. However, the more they consume - the more they change. Eventually the infected creature stabilize and turn into something like a humanoid creature, gain the ability to speak, learn and form social connections, emerging as a new race.

 

Biology

No two individuals of this race are alike. They are born when infected animals consume enough of other animals to have enough biomass and enough genetical material to attain a humanoid form, however, how both goals are achieved are always different for different individuals of this race.
Born out of strange new disease, these creatures inherit biological qualities of any animal they consume. As it is a new race and its emergence is very recent, it is not known whether they can assimilate monstrosities, aberrations, humanoids and other creatures, however, the ability to assimilate another organism seems to be connected to inherent qualities (especially the intelligence) of a creature they attempt to consume. It could be due to the reason that assimilated creature gets directly integrated into a member of this race, so doing so with a highly intelligent creature could create a negative feedback loop and cause some sort of rejection thus breaking down these creatures from within. 
The original infection which creates this race is typically short lived and doesn't reside within matured individuals of Bestia Anima-plaga race. The infection remains potent only in the initial infection and mutation stage when a singular animal is turned into a monstrosity. When a humanoid stage is reached, members of this race no longer house the infection within their bodies, thus they cannot infect others. At this point they reproduce like any other animal. Moreover, reproduction through spread of the infection is quite rare, because the pathogen spreads only through blood. It is quite likely that this infection was created by someone and was unleashed onto several worlds by someone deliberately injecting helpless animals with it.

 

Seeds of Civilization

Bestia Anima-plaga is a race of unknown origin. They do not know why they exists, thus instead of creating something for their own, members of this race try to integrate into any society they find themselves in. It is possible for them to blend in, though, it takes a lot of effort to do so.
When two or more members of this race find themselves in a company of each other, they do feel some kindship, so it is possible that in a future a large amount of them could gather together and build their own settlement, but it is not happening anytime soon.
Genetical composition and exposure to cultures built by other races would, of course, form the worldview of members of Bestia Anima-plaga race, thus any settlement built by them would most likely reflect it. Without information or experience, most other races would view this race as a dangerous monstrosity, so it only makes sense why members of this race would try to find others like them and try to build civilization of their own. Only time will tell whether they manage to do that or not.

 

Bestia Anima-plaga (by Baskerevil) Traits

As a Bestia Anima-plaga, you have these special traits.

Ability Score Increases

When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one score by 2 and a different one by 1, or increase three scores by 1. None of these increases can raise a score above 20.

 

Age

Creatures of your kind can live for an unlimited amount of time as long as they consume living animals. The average remaining life spam on any animal you consume is added to your remaining life spam, thus as long as you consume animals - you will never die from the old age.

 

Creature type

Your creature type is a monstrosity. Moreover, you are also considered as a humanoid for any prerequisite or effect requiring you to be a humanoid creature.

 

Languages

You can read, write, and understand common. Also, you also know one additional language of your choice.

 

Amorphous

You can squeeze through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide, provided you are wearing and carrying nothing. You have advantage on ability checks you make to initiate or escape a grapple. You typically maintain a humanoid shape, even while sleeping.

 

Assimilate

Over a course of a short or long rest you can consume a large or smaller beast type creature and gain any of the following features:

• Any special movement abilities (like swimming, climbing, flying, etc);
• Any natural weapon. Natural weapons attained trough this trait deal (1d6 + your Strength modifier) damage;
• Any innate sense (like Keen Smell, Darkvision, etc);
• Any innate environmental adaptation (like the ability to breath under water, natural camouflage, etc).