Homebrew Dvati Species Details

“It was like looking at two sides of a coin. The brothers moved in sync with each other in and out of battle. Supposedly they share a soul, although I’m not entirely certain that I find that likely. I asked them if they knew where one brother ended and the other one began, to which they laughed. The one in chainmail, Thomen, replied with “Can you tell me which are your arms and which are your legs? How do you know for sure? After all, they are part of the same body.” I must say, I was quite taken aback.” - Brigga Floss, Cleric of Pelor

Dvati are a strange race of humanoid creatures found in small enclaves scattered throughout the world and across the planes. All dvati are born identical twins, with the pair sharing a single soul between them. Dvati lore holds that their souls are so powerful that a single, mortal vessel is too weak to contain them. Thus, their minds occupy two bodies.

Identical in Every Way

From a distance Dvati look seemingly like identical twin humans, but upon closer inspection it becomes clear that they are far from it. A Dvati will have solid glimmering eyes with no pupil or iris. Their eyes will usually be blue, but can come in other colors, and some Dvati believe these are the color of their shared soul. Their skin is snow-white, and hair is solid black. Their noses are are extremely slight, and in most cases are nothing more than slits than barely protrude from their faces.  They have three fingers and opposable thumbs. Most humanoids find a dvati's appearance—particularly their unwavering eyes— slightly unnerving. Dvati are acutely aware of this, and many of them wear hooded cloaks around strangers.

Arts and Culture

Typically peaceful folk, dvati are concerned more with philosophy and art than material pleasures. Much of their culture centers on the close link between a dvati pair. A pair of twins might paint a mural together, with each twin starting from one end and meeting at the middle to finish the creation. Dvati twins debate philosophy with each other with an eye toward not only uncovering higher truths but also questioning and exploring their own beliefs, attitudes, and preconceptions.

While dvati enjoy intellectual pursuits, they are capable warriors and hard workers. They consider archery, fencing, and similar combat talents art forms worthy of study. Dvati twins duel each other to press their talents and hone their abilities. The natural link between dvati twins makes them a deadly team, and the small but powerful dvati military units are renowned for their tactical coordination. Many times in the past, a tiny dvati force has defeated a much larger army with intricate and delicately timed plans.

Two Sets of Eyes  

Dvati have a strong sense of duality in all things. They excel at seeing both sides of an argument. When faced with a problem, a dvati is likely to spend time considering multiple approaches from different angles. A dvati who must move a boulder that blocks a cave stands in front of it and surveys the scene. Meanwhile, the other twin climbs above the stone, looks at the stone from above, and considers the same problem. To dvati, one perspective is never enough.

 

 

Hidden Towns and Circles

Dvati are too few in number to claim their own sprawling kingdoms and empires. Instead, they build small settlements in out-of-the-way areas where few trouble them. While dvati appreciate other folk, they prefer peace, quiet, and solitude when they attend to their works.

Dvati artisans fetch high prices for their works, owing to the unique style of design they use. Dvati colonies are most common in realms that place a high value on philosophy, learning, and the arts.

 

When left to their own devices, dvati create small, orderly communities divided into four groups called rings. Each ring is ruled by a council of four dvati twins (two sets of twins), who in turn report to a smaller council of four more dvati. Dvati use a democratic system of elections, with each pair of twins allowed one vote. The rings are responsible for growing their own food, maintaining their section of the settlement, and so forth. When faced with an important decision,

The ruling councils call a gathering of the entire community. The twins separate into two groups, with one member of each pair in each meeting, to allow as many speakers as possible to present their views. The dvati as a whole then vote on a decision.

Hand in Hand

 

Dvati adventurers are rare, as most of them prefer simple lives of contemplation, honest work, and fellowship. Sometimes a dvati feels a deep sense of wanderlust. Bored with the often repetitive existence of their colonies and settlements, young dvati strike out in search of new adventures. Some of these dvati are fascinated by other folk and wish to learn more about them. Others study philosophies that require the dvati to seek out new experiences. Dvati rarely adventure for material wealth or accolades, as such things have little value to a dvati aside from their pragmatic uses.

 

Names

Dvati parents usually give their children names that compliment each other and make themselves easily recognizable as a pair. 

 

Female Names: Rima and Rime, Kia and Kira 

 

Male Names: Xephon and Xephar, Allen and Aden, Thomen and Thomaz

 

Dvati Traits

Dvati are a strange race of humanoid creatures found in small enclaves scattered throughout the world and across the planes. All dvati are born identical twins, with the pair sharing a single soul between them. Dvati lore holds that their souls are so powerful that a single, mortal vessel is too weak to contain them. Thus, their minds occupy two bodies.

Ability Score Increase

Your wisdom increases by 2, and your constitution by 1.

Age

Dvati mature at the same rate as humans, but typically live a few years longer. Should they die of old age, they will die within days of each other.

Size

Dvati twins are always identical in build, and are built similarly to humans. Your size is medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet, both twins have their own movement. 

Languages

You know common and Dvati.  Dvati is a song like language that requires two people to speak and is based on a variety of inflexions of the voice. Should only one twin be present they will speak common.

Twins

A 'single' dvati is a pair of creatures that share a single soul. They are inextricably linked, and can no more exist separately than a human can exist without his heart. In spite of having two bodies, dvati twins perform as a single character, with the following differences:

Actions Each twin has their own action, but share their bonus action and reaction. Only one action can between the two can be a spell.

Attack Both twins can use their main action to attack, but only one can use their bonus action. Should you take a class that gains extra attacks, one twin may use that extra attack.

Spellcasting The twins share their spell slots and can only focus on one concentration spell at a time, however only one twin needs to focus to maintain it. When casting a concentration spell you choose which twin is focusing on it. When casting a spell, either dvati can provide the spell components, and the spell can originate from the twin of your choice.

Class Abilities The twins share any class ability slots, and are treated as one creature where effects are concerned.

Magical Effects  If a spell or magical ability affects one dvati twin, such as charmed, it affects them both, unless that spell or ability affects hit points or if the two twins are further than 100 feet apart, in which case, it affects each twin separately.

Conditions A condition, such as being poisoned or grappled, affects only one twin, even if imposed by a spell.

Hit Points Due to their unique connection, the twins share the same pool of hitpoints and together have the same number of hit points as one human of the same class. If one is hurt, the other feels his twins pain but only takes damage once.

Armor Either twin has his own AC

Death Should they drop to 0 hit points, whichever twin took the killing blow will be placed into the down state. However the other twin will remain up with 1 hit point. If the downed twin is finished off or fails his death saves, the remaining twin will die in 3 (1d6) days unless his brother is restored to life.

Linked Souls

 As long as both twins are on the same plane, they can send messages to each other telepathically and can empathetically sense the other's emotional state. Each twin knows when the other takes damage. They also have a general sense of the direction that the other twin is in if they are separated. 

Dvati twins can communicate with each other using half the words and twice the speed of other creatures, even in combat.

Two Sets of Eyes

You gain proficiency in the perception skill.