Homebrew Dakuin Species Details

The dakuin are a race defined by their history. Millennia ago they were servants of Beimos created to patrol the River Styx, safeguard the souls traveling it, and hunt those who'd exploit them. The perfect hunter and protector alike, the dakuin served proudly. Yet when the now-god Shuzi snuck past their watch, Beimos entered a rage. For their failure they were banished from the River Styx and granted tattoo-like marks on their skin that would forever depict their failure.

Seeking a semblance of their old life, many dakuin sought the extremes of the Feywild and the Shadowfell. The former provided them with endless glades to protect, while the latter gave them a land of infinite prey to hunt and be hunted by. A choice few established themselves in the Material Plane, taking this as the chance to decide their own destiny beyond what their creator intended. Regardless of destination, later dakuin began to notice a phenomenon; that their tattoos could grow based on their deeds and be passed on to future generations.

With each new generation the deeds of the last would manifest in sections of the tattoo, with dakuin of storied bloodlines often having near complete coverage across their entire body. Emulating an ancestor's ideals could make their part of the tattoo clearer and sharper, while rejecting them could cause it to blur if not fade altogether. This has led to two schools of thought in modern dakuin culture: some try and emulate their ancestors to the best of their ability while others try and perform great deeds to be immortalized in their family's tattoo.

Beyond their tattoos the dakuin boast strength and speed, with a natural affinity for the water and the ability to enter a furious state against those closer to death. This fury leads many dakuin to become barbarians, although historically many become rangers.

Dakuin Names

Dakuin names are way often very harsh sounding, and often contain k's, s's, z's, and similar sounds. Female names tend to be slightly more melodic, but this is often only because most female names end in a vowel. Those who don't are often just as harsh and sinister sounding as their male counterparts.

Male Names: Xarkes, Srosh, Vuthrakess, Kretak, Gothranesh, Kriss, Uluz

Female Names: Grapjuze, Sharra, Krassiza, Rulza, Irjuta, Hargu

Dakuin Traits

Your dakuin character has the following traits.

Ability Score Increase

When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one score by 2 and increase a different score by 1, or increase three different scores by 1. Follow this rule regardless of the method you use to determine the scores, such as rolling or point buy. The “Quick Build” section for your character’s class offers suggestions on which scores to increase. You can follow those suggestions or ignore them, but you can’t raise any of your scores above 20.

Age

Dakuin grow quickly. They can swim hours after being born and reach adulthood by 15. They live to be around 80.

Creature Type

You are a Humanoid.

Size

Dakuin are taller and heavier than humans, standing well over 6 feet tall and averaging almost 250 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a swimming speed equal to your walking speed.

Amphibious

You can breathe air and water.

Blood in the Water

Before you attack a creature with less than their maximum hit points, you can grant yourself advantage on all attacks you make against them until the start of your next turn. Once you use this feature you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Darkvision

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 discern colors in darkness only as shades of gray.

Family History

You have tattoo-like marks across your body that show your family's plane of origin. Choose one of the following:

• Feywild. You have proficiency in Deception.
• Material. You have proficiency in Nature.
• Shadowfell. You have proficiency in Intimidation.

Jaws

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

Perfect Hunter

When you roll for initiative you can increase or decrease your result by up to your proficiency bonus.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, Aquan, and one other language of your choice.