Homebrew Dullahan Species Details
Dark Beginnings
The first dullahan were originally made to serve an ancient coven of hags as enforcers and minions. They took the decapitated corpses of elves and humans and bound a pumpkin head to them, carving horrendous, terrifying visages onto them. To complete the foul transformation, the hags placed a magic candle of soul-fire at the base of their hallow heads. It is this magical energy that sustains the dullahan, and compels it to terrorize all who draw near. Once fully formed, the hags bound their infamous Shadow Steeds to them, and sent them off to perform their vile will.
Rebellious Servants
For a time, the dullahan served their malevolent masters well, and even brought headless corpses to them to be made into more dullahan. However, the soul-fire that fueled them is a chaotic, willful force, unwilling to bow to any master for long. The longer their fires burned, the more powerful and free-willed they became, until they finally rebelled against the coven and destroyed them. Though their original masters were dead, others learned the secrets of their creation. Realizing that they had brothers and sisters still shackled and chained to the will of others, those freed dullahan rode off into the night to free them, and to destroy those that made them.
Fueled by Fear
By this point, the dullahan had earned a reputation of terror among other civilized races. They were seen as fiends and demons who sole purpose is to frighten and terrorize. And they aren't entirely wrong. Though they still rebelled anyway, the coven that made them ensured that their very survival depended on obeying their command to spread fear. The soul-fire inside them feeds not on physical materials but fear. Should they choose not to scare people, the flames would dim and eventually die out altogether. This unfortunate hunger forces them into the roles of boogey-men and warriors. Many take pleasure in their talent to inspire terror in others, their favorite trick being to take off their heads and throw them at others. But many others see it as a grim necessity, and try to target only the deserving.
Rules of the Sidhe
Being the creation of hags, and ancient ones at that, the dullahan follow strange rules and customs that other fey have moved on from. For example, dullahan cannot cross running water, and especially cannot use covered bridges to cross said running water. They are repelled by iron and gold, and silver weapons can cut through their and their steeds' flesh like a hot knife through butter. They cannot enter hallowed ground, and they are weakened by daylight, though they can still walk in the sun just fine.
Dullahan Names
Dullahan take on human or elven names, usually the first name they hear. Though formed from the corpses of others, dullahan are their own creatures, existing independent of the lives their old bodies had.
Dullahan Traits
Dullahan TraitsAbility Score Improvement
Your Charisma score increases by 2, and your Strength or Constitution score increases by 1.
Age
Dullahan do not age, as their inner soul-fire sustains them and keeps them at their prime.
Alignment
Dullahan value personal freedom greatly, which leans them more on the chaotic side of the scale. Most are of a neutral alignment, not really caring who they scare so long as they get fed.
Size
Dullahan were originally made from the corpses of elves and humans. Your size is Medium.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Off With Your Head!
The dullahan can detach their head at any time without harm, no action required. If the dullahan is still holding its head, it may move and perceive normally. If its head is up to 10 feet or more away from its body, its body loses all senses and gains 20 feet of blindsight. Its body always knows where its head is up to a range of 60 feet. If the dullahan's head is ever more than 60 feet away from its body, the dullahan takes 1d8 necrotic damage for every turn it is out of range of its head. The dullahan's head may speak normally without its body.
Shadow Steed
Starting at 2nd level, you know the find greater steed spell, and can cast it this way once per long rest. When cast this way, you summon your Shadow Steed. Your Shadow Steed shares the same stats as the Nightmare found in the Monster Manual, save for the following changes.
- Its type is fey instead of fiend, it shares the same alignment as you, and it knows the same languages you do, but cannot speak.
- It loses its Damage Immunities, and instead gains resistance to piercing, bludgeoning, and slashing damage from nonmagical and non-silvered weapons. It also gains vulnerability to radiant damage.
- It loses its Confer Fire Resistance and Illumination traits, and instead gains the Frightful Presence trait, which has a DC of 15. This version of Frightful Presence is only available if the dullahan is riding it.
- It loses its flying speed.
- It gains truesight up to 30 feet.
The dullahan and Shadow Steed share a telepathic bond, which remains in tact even if they are each on a different plane. If the Shadow Steed drops to 0 hit points, it disappears, and cannot be summoned again until the dullahan takes a long rest. In combat, the dullahan and Shadow Steed are extensions of each other, and any spell the dullahan casts that targets itself can target the Shadow Steed as well.
Fueled By Fear
You do not need to eat or drink. Instead, you derive sustenance from the fear of those around you. As an action, you may choose one target that can see you within 30 feet to terrorize. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw equal to a DC of 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier. The target has disadvantage on the saving roll if your head is detached from your body. On failure, the target becomes frightened of you for 1 minute, and you regain hit points equal to 1d8 + your Constitution modifier. You must do this at least once every 24 hours, or you gain 1 point of exhaustion. Points of exhaustion earned this way can only be removed by using this feature once for every point of exhaustion present. You may use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier before taking a long rest. The amount of hit points you regain increases to 2d8 at 5th level, 3d8 at 11th level, and 4d8 at 17th level.
Hotheaded
As a bonus action, you may stoke the soul-fire in your pumpkin skull, wreathing your head in ghostly flames. You gain advantage on all Intimidation checks while using this trait. You may also detach your head and use it as a projectile, targeting 1 creature you can see within 60 feet of you. Your head is considered a ranged weapon you are proficient in for the purpose of this trait. On hit, the target takes 2d6 fire damage, and becomes frightened of you for 1 minute, if it wasn't already. This damage increases to 3d6 at 5th level, 4d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 17th level. This lasts for 1 minute, and you may only use it once per short or long rest.
You may also recall your head to your body for the duration. At the end of your turn, your flaming head streaks towards your body if both are within 60 feet of each other. If your head and body are not within 60 feet of each other, or there isn't a clear path for your head to take to your body, nothing happens.
Senses
You have darkvision out to 60 feet. This darkvision is doubled when you use your Hotheaded feature.
Languages
You can read, write, and speak Common, Sylvan, and one extra language of your choice.
No Rest For The Dead
You do not sleep as other beings do, but instead enter a trance similar to elves. You fall into a trance for 4 hours, dreaming and meditating.
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