Homebrew Ashborn Species Details

Ashborn

Living in quiet solitude in dense forests and rocky mountains, live the peaceful Ashborn folk. Existing within tribes, built with stone pillars and claws formed from the earth, and in the trees high above. Quiet nature is where they tend to live out their short lives, hidden from most civilization, and wary against those that wander into their homes. 

 

Hardy and Passionate

Strong and Adaptable, an Ashborn's skin is made from smooth, though hardened magma rock. Making them resilient to heat and natural ailments. Being birthed from the ground and ash, they tend to that which they came from, making their culture economy based around farming. Harvesting certain foods, breeding animals, and mining when they can. They treasure their history, and prideful towards their ways, making them often wary or bashful towards outlanders who intrude on their soil. When they find themselves corned and threatened, they often exploit the fire within themselves to defend themselves, making them dangerous foes, if a hardened stone fist to the face wasn't bad enough.

Ashborns are generally agender, being elementally created through a combination of Aether and Infernal magics. They adopt humanoid forms of either gender identity in early adulthood at the age of 15, or can choose to remain as they are. This is so they may resemble a more natural appearance, though they do not accept the outside world, there is still much they learn from it. Their rocky skin can range in colors from dark browns, from greys, to dark blacks. Cracks in their stony bodies show glowing lines where intense heat resides within, fueled by the Ashborn's aether consumption. They have mouths, eyes, and general facial features that resemble a humans, only that the skin surface is stony and cracked in places. Along their necks there are lines where gills can be seen, acting as a method to intake the aether from the elements around them, rather than breathing in air. Their stone skin and heated surface disallows the growth of hair, only long, stone horns on their heads that can vary in shape. 

 

Short Lived, the Ashing

Ashborn are given life through a mixture of the elements and infernal magics, as they are raise themselves through the ashen ground and first breath, they learn and grow at a rapid rate. Living only 60 years in Human time, the Ashborns spend much of their time tending to the ground they came from, teaching their kin the ways of life and to separate themselves from the outside world. 

In the Ashen culture, a week to them is categorized by the phases of the moon, with eight days in a week rather than the average seven. The eldest Ashenfolk live up to the age of 50 before the fire within them begins to fade, and their bodies start to wither or solidify into ash sculptures. At the age of 5 is when they reach childhood, and when their tar-like skin solidifies into stone and they join the ranks of the commonfolk of the Ashen groves. Adulthood is commonly reached at the age of 15, though rarely do some require more maturing before they're able to join their Grove elders in farm-work, tending to the foundries, or many other suites of life. At each stage of life, the color of the glow within the body of an Ashborn changes with their ages; Blue for Childhood, Red during adulthood, and Yellow during Elderhood (which occurs around their mid-thirties).

Born from the Ashes, and then returned to them, every Ashborn life begins and ends the same way. There are grand celebrations within the Ashfolk to commemorate the life that was lived, and the life that will be created. After the Elder's fire fades within them, and their bodies become an ashen husk, very similar to a Pheonix, a brand new Ashborn (Grovelings, as children are named) rises from the ashes from the body of the passed elder. This new Groveling grows as any other Ashfolk, with brand new memories, a completely new personality, though with very vivid remembrances from past lives, if any. The Ashfolk call this process of Death and Rebirth, "The Ashing", as symbology towards how volcanoes erupt, but from the destruction and loss, comes a new and greener forest. It is a ceremony they cherish. This process however can only be done when an Ashborn reaches it's fullest maturity and passes naturally. If an Ashborn's life fire is extinguished prematurely, then there is no possibility of rebirth. This realization makes the folk shun adventuring or leaving the safety of their homes, making them overprotective and loyal to their kin, even wary of any rare outsiders that befall their Groves. 

 

Groves, Quarries, and the Ashenfolk

In deep parts of the forest, or high mountain crags, or where heat runs deep within caverns below, Ashfolk live their lives in solitude and grace, living each moment to the fullest. They pride themselves in their philosophy of Care and Nurturing the earth, making their homes filled with expansive farms or large rock foundries. Mixing their Aetheric magics with the soil beneath their feet, they're able to create valleys of a special herb known to them as "Bluesprout", a plant similar to wheat in shape and size, though has been infused with natural arcane growth that makes them faintly glow blue. At night these fields light up in spiraling patterns, rows separated by lines of fresh water where shallow fish thrive. While they themselves are not miners, and do not set upon the task of burrowing into the earth, they instead use their magics and natural strength to build structures of stone that looks similar in shape to a claw. 

These claw structures can vary in size and material, and often last for fifteen years being used in varying utility. These structures of stone and arcane imbuement yield certain gems that can be turned into magic dust, that can have multiple uses. These claw Structures are called "Quarries", and can be found in certain locations of the Ashenfolk. They live in large huts of cut stone or tree alcoves built with wood and vine, and even though they produce no weapons or armaments, their craftsmanship is exceedingly fine and beautiful to behold. 

Ashenfolk are also not typically greedy, or lustful, as they are incapable of reproduction, and find little purpose in gold or monetary value with their lives being so short. They are however, Prideful, and trust little to others that are not of their species, even in their arcane and philosophical wisdom. They do feel emotion, and live and learn just as any race, if so more secluded. Adult Ashenfolk living within Groves are typically Farmers, Priests, Quarry Tenders, and varying Artisans. They don't have a direct leader in charge of a singular Grove, rather, they have five elders that are the oldest within the Grove, each member being a part of a different profession.

 

Adventuring

While their way of life is rarely threatened, and is plenty safe for all those living within a Grove, there are few who believe their lives are meant for more than the simplistic way of existing. Motivations might include, life being too dull, or not being able to get along, or maybe perhaps there's an adventurous urge to leave and explore. Since Adventuring in this culture is shunned and frowned upon, Adventurers are sometimes banished and cast out. Alternatively, in the rare occurrence the Grove is in danger, the Ashen Council might be obligated to send out various Ashborns in search for a solution, whatever that may be. 

 

Ashborn Names 

A Groveling sprout is given it's name by the Ashen Council within a Grove. Ashborn names are half inspired by their predecessor, who died before the Groveling was reborn in their ashes. It is as such that these names carry the weight of past lives, and a history worthy of remembrance. If it should be that an Ashborn is cast out from the Grove, then they have in turn disrespected their predecessors, and their name is taken from them. If the Groveling is the first of it's line, then the Ashen Council may bestow to them a new name. 

There are many Groves that can be found all across the world, even the deserts and frozen tundras. Grove names are mostly reminiscent to their situation, or perhaps a certain detail of their location: Wiseoak Grove, Scorchdune Grove, Highpeak Grove, Brightgarden Grove, as examples.  

 

Ashborn Traits

Your Ashborn Traits are derived from your Infernal and Elemental heritage, making you both chaotic and tranquil.

Ability Score Increase

 Your Strength Score increases by 1, and your Constitution Score increases by 2

Age

Ashborns live roughly to the age of 50 in their years. Childhood is reached primarily at the age of 5, while adulthood is reached at 15. Elderhood is reached at 35, and then they live out the remaining 50.

Alignment

Ashborns are chaotically balanced due to part of their Infernal magic heritage, and in part by their Material essence that binds them to nature. They Value what is ordinary to them, their way of life, their methods of building, creating, and giving back to the soil. They have no time for greed given their life expectancy, and not covet lust as they cannot reproduce. The value kinship within their own, and are wary to those who are not of their race. They admire order and nature, though often have unpredictable tenancies.

Size

Ashborns are about the same size as humans, ranging from 5 to 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Accelerated Proficiency

You gain Proficiency in a Skill of your choice.

Ashen Resistance

You gain Resistance to Fire Damage.

Burning Skin

As a reaction, you can ignite your skin to produce your inner flame. Any opponent who deals melee damage to you must make a Con Save equal to 8 + Proficiency + Constitution bonus, on a fail, they take 1d4 + Con Bonus fire damage. On a successful save, they take half damage rounded down. This Damage increases by 1d4 every 5 levels, (5, 10, and so on) and lasts for 1 minute unless dismissed as a free action. Burning Skin cannot be used again until you take a successful Short Rest.

Cold Weakness

You have Vulnerability towards Cold Damage

Ashen Tongue

You're able to speak, read, and write Ashen. You also gain proficiency in Primordial or Infernal.