Homebrew Fenixborn Species Details
Fenixborn are an intelligent and strong race, most often found in the mountain ranges, while partners are found traveling throughout the world. They generally abhor evil and a great many outsiders, taking with the Druid way of thinking more often than not, due to their relationship with the class. Fenixborn make excellent scholars, blacksmiths, and adventurers, although partners sometimes avoid the latter way of life due to the possibility of loss and fear of grief. They have a shorter, less storied history than most, and tend to ally with creatures and people of good and neutral backgrounds, choosing to blend into the society that they inhabit rather than create their own. Fenixborn villages are strict and a tough mixture of academic excellence, law, and military-minded discipline. While those found out in the world are helpful to many, there are those that stick to the traditionalist isolation, choosing to speak only with their own kind, out of a long-standing fear of being treated as the half-elves are.
Physical Description
A hauntingly beautiful race with skin tone that matches the color and intensity of their flames everywhere from a pale white (rarest form) to a dark tan (matching deep orange or red). The plumage of the creature takes form in the skin age and texture with exotic combinations and possibilities abound. Fenixborn have eyes of gemstone hue, ranging between ruby red, carnelian orange, and topaz, as well as seldom sapphire blues and rarer still, diamond white. The pupils are humanoid and take more from the paired race than the Phoenix parent. Standing between 5'8" at the shortest and 7'2" at the tallest, most Fenixborn of full adulthood stand tall, but few best 6'9". Their build is slender and taut with wiry muscle when brought up within the Phoenix tribes, while those that grow up with the Druids (see below), tend to be more stocky, mostly due to the difference in diet.
Society and Relations
While the relationship can seem complicated, Fenixborn are more common than many think, although their population is small. The Fenixborn are cut into three tribes to separate the three different schools of thought regarding their upbringing. As transformative creatures, they possess the ability to shift between the two forms, although many can only manage to shift small aspects until they mature fully. The humankin tribe believes that mastering the ability to be a human falls first and foremost and teach their children to slowly master the abilities and form of a phoenix. The traditionalist tribe believes that learning humanity is tertiary, and slowly teaches the ways and form of a human. The balance tribe forms the government and are made up of matured phoenixes of both tribes that have a prerequisite of much travel and adventure as well as learning before they are allowed to join. Children in this clan are rare due to the age at which many join, but these join those of no partner, or the unbound. The balance tribe dictates the rule of law. All Fenixborn as per the law must take a partner, and many of these are chosen around birth. Some depend on parentage, while those remaining upon five years are given partners by the balance clan. Even numbers almost never occur, and those that have no partner are sent to the Druids to be raised among them. These partner with a young Druid, usually of highborn origin or special selection. The special selection process occurs within the Druid Circle with a secondary selection with the balance tribe of the Fenixborn, who have final deciding authority for the purposes of partnering with an unbound. Those unbound sent to live among the Druids are sent at a young age and receive their education therein. As per the law, every Fenixborn must receive an elementary education among their tribe and sign up with their partner to pursue further education. Those chosen receive further education that includes both academic and combat training, and none are allowed to venture out into the world without this further education. Druid-raised Fenixborn are often the animal companions of their Druids, and their bond is for life. While few become mates, this is not an entirely uncommon occurence.
Fenixborn partner and mate most often for life. Those that lose their partners or their mates often take to the skies or disappear into human society, while a select few join the balance tribe. Although it seldom occurs, those that lose both partner and mate occasionally choose the road of vengeance, becoming darkened and evil. These are hunted down by the Druid and Fenixborn partners as they venture out into the world to complete their respective missions and training as they are held to a specific standard by both the Circle of Druids and the Balance tribe. These Fenixborn that take to the skies are most often those found in the wild by adventurers and commoners alike. They are not inherently dangerous to others, and generally seek to aid them in some way, while those that disappear into human society are left to their own devices, and are thought to be the origin of the Fenixborn. This is considered a noble, albeit less traditional method of mourning.
Alignment and Religion
Fenixborn are driven by a strict military discipline and high academic standards. The three tribes dictate their true nature with the humankin being more helpful, always good, and ever-sharing in every way that they can. The traditionalist tribe tends to be closer aligned with neutrality and law, sticking to their own devices and seldom interacting outside of their education and adventuring to maturity. The balance tribe is most often neutral, and dictates that Fenixborn shall not fall to chaos or evil without being placed on a list to be hunted down by the Druid-Fenixborn partnerships, and leaving it up to those pairs to pass down judgement and imprisonment or execution if need be. Fenixborn prefer to worship deities such as those aligned with Good, Law, and Neutrality, however many align themselves with the Druidic nature-based faith and follow those tenets closely.
Fenixborn Traits
The Fenixborn have an uncanny ability to channel life force, have resistance to their element of being, and a slow, but sure ability to release aspects of their fiery inheritor to aid them in battle, as well as other supernatural traits.Darkvision
The supernatural genetics of the Fenixborn along with their home in the mountains have honed their skill to see in darkness, gaining darkvision up to 60 feet.
Natural Armor
Fenixborn have hardier skin than many of their humanoid hybrids, granting them a natural armor bonus.
Weapon Familiarity
Longswords, Longbows, Rapiers, Warhammer, Longhammer, Longspear
Languages
Fenixborn begin play speaking Common, Ignan, and the native language of their hybrid species. Fenixborn with high Intelligence scores can also choose from the following: Celestial, Draconic, Sylvan, Gnome, Dwarven, and Terran.
Ability Score Increase
Due in part to their upbringing, Fenixborn naturally have a higher level of intelligence than many, granting them a +2 to Intelligence
Ability Score Increase
Due to their size and training, Fenixborn have an inherently higher strength than most. Add +2 to Strength
Phoenix Life Force
Like their progenitor, Fenixborn are naturally inclined to have amazing healing capability. Though this affinity has dampened over time, Fenixborn will always stabilize when at death's doorstep.
Fiery Inheritor
As descendants from the fiery birds of legend, Fenixborn have an inherent resistance to fire that they build up over time.
Phoenix Aspect I-V
As Fenixborn grow and mature, they gain more access to their abilities as a half-Phoenix.
Aspect I (Level 1): Blistering Empowerment - All fire attacks, spells, or abilities that the Phoenix uses gain +1 per die of damage.
Aspect II (Level 5): Fiery Wings - Grants 10 minutes of flight per day as the user sprouts their wings of flame and takes to the sky.
Aspect III (Level 10): Telepathy - Grants 10 feet/level of telepathy (Hear and Speak). (Save DC:10+Fenixborn Intelligence Modifier)
Aspect IV (Level 15): Flame Wreath - When the Fenixborn is struck by a melee attack, they can create a wreath of flame around them that harms every adjacent square. The damage is equal to 2d6/5 levels and can be used 3 times/day. (Save DC: 10+1/2 Fenixborn level, rounded down)
Aspect V (Level 20): Transformation - The Fenixborn transforms, growing in size to Large and gaining all of the Aspects for usage, as well as purging all toxins, poisons, or diseases from its bloodstream as it is forcefully torched out by the flames. Additionally, those within 5 feet of the Phoenix take 1d10 points of fire damage per round.