Homebrew Necropolitan Species Details

The Necropolitans were once humans of an ancient, forgotten empire. Though details are sketchy and differ based upon which Necropolitan you speak to, what can be gleaned is that their city was once the capital of a small empire. Either they were fighting a war or had been the victims of a sneak attack; either way, they were the victims of an attack of devastating power. Whoever their foes had been, they unleashed a terrible spell, attempting to wipe out the capital in one fell blow. The terrible energy unleashed opened up the earth below the city, burying it in a deep cavern in the Underdark at the same time the residents were slain. The attackers, assuming they were successful, are presumed to have headed home afterward.

However, a fortnight after the capital fell, its residents got back up and resumed their day to day lives, only noticing after a few weeks that their skin had started to become pale and sunken. They did not decay, but once they realized their fate, they also realized they did not need to eat, drink, or sleep. Instead of being an influence of evil, many of the folk who now called themselves Necropolitans started to devote themselves to longer-term projects and academic pursuits. 

Though the city itself is lost, occasionally one of the folk ventures out to gain knowledge of the world outside.

Necropolitan Traits

Necropolitans, thanks to their magic-warped bodies, share certain traits.

Ability Score Increase

Due to their necromantically reinforced bodies and academic pursuits, Necropolitans get the following Ability Score increases: Your Intelligence score increases by 1, and your Constitution score increases by 2.

Darkvision

Necropolitans have Darkvision out to 60 Feet.

Academic Training

The long life of a Necropolitan has given them the time to pursue an academic interest. Choose one from the following skill proficiencies: Arcana, History, Nature, or Religion. 

Necrotic Resistance

Thanks to your undead nature, you have Resistance to Necrotic damage.

Necromantic Constitution

The magic that warped the Necropolitans has made them into a unique type of Undead. Not quite alive or fully dead, their souls react strangely to magic, as noted below:

Any spell that restores hit points affects Necropolitans as though they were not Undead.

Revivify/Raise Dead/Resurrection: Has no effect.

True Resurrection: Restores the character to life as normal.

Animate Dead: Affects the character as though the Raise Dead spell had been cast upon them.