Homebrew Nephilim Species Details

Nephilim take on the physical characteristics of their mother - appearing as beautiful humanoids with fine features in the case of a Celestial mother. Their complexity is often a few shades paler than that of a human, their skin unblemished by birthmarks or imperfections. Fine faces are adorned by eyes that resemble pools of liquid gold ichor. Or, in the case of an Infernal mother, they appear still as beautiful humanoids; but with more menacing features. Dark skin the color of pooled blood is the norm for these types of Nephilim. Even rarer a Infernal Nephilim may have skin so dark that it appears jet black depending on the mother. Red eyes, with black sclera to match their dark skin as well as small horns that may appear around their head, shoulders or elbows may appear as well around puberty.

They are slightly taller than humans, standing taller than 6 feet on average. They are, however, far more muscular than humans, weighing in at around 175 to 200 pounds, with a naturally fast metabolism. Males and females reach the same height, with males being only marginally heavier than females. They lack any and all bodily hair, taking after the perfectly sculpted bodies of the creatures they were born from.

History

Nephilim is a term for a hybrid conceived from a infernal and a celestial creature. This offspring inherits powers from both parents, but a majority of power comes from the father, while most characteristics come from the mother. Nephilim are considered unholy beings and abominations of the multiverse. Conceiving such a being is strictly forbidden by the laws of upper planes and the punishment is death for the celestial parent. The moment of conception is felt by all celestials as a surge of energy, causing otherwise unknown feelings of spitting pain and nausea throughout their being. It is also felt by higher demons and devils in the Infernal plain who generally want to turn the Nephilim into a weapon for their own gain.

A group of up to ten Celestials lead by an Planetar will be tasked to smite the nephilim. If the Nephilim survives to the age of 50 without dealing devastation, and without being killed by a Celestial being, it may challenge the law demanding it's death, and if accepted by a higher Celestial, get it overturned and get the chance to live without persecution in the material realm. 

Few things get the positive plane in such a fiery state and the sudden scrambling of such celestial powers is hard to miss. Powerful beings like archdevils, eldritch entities or fallen celestials may seek out a nephilim, perhaps for their infamous strength and out of the nephilim’s need for protection or to hold them as a trophy, to be coveted and swayed in front of those of the upper plane.

A nephilim, when procreating, will never produce another nephilim. Instead, they produce a watered down version of their mothers race, unless they are able to find another nephilim of the same type they are. This is called the Defiers Curse, and generally resolves in tragedy.

Outnumbered and Alone

Due to the celestial laws surrounding the conceiving of a nephilim thousands of of years may pass between the conception of one.

Contrary to popular belief being born a nephilim is nothing like being an aasimar, whose births are celebrated and they each have a connection with a divine being to guide them through the harshness of the world. A nephilim, on the other hand, if it doesn't feel the holy blade of an angel tear through it before it can grow up, experiences life on the run, not only from the evil of the world but the good as well. Hunting parties of aasimar, celestials hiding in plain sight, religious factions and religious states are all additions to a long list of creatures and beings that would like nothing more than to either possess or kill them. It is because of this they are a slow to trust, careful and evasive people.

Few are capable of understanding how they may feel. Nephilim may find solace with other fallen celestials and fallen aasimar. Nephilim may find adventurers good company in an adventuring party, the constant traveling and odd job type of life fits into their runaway lifestyle and their aversion to garnering fame or renown is only to their allies benefit.

Nephilim will often attempt to conceal their true identities at all costs and may go years without using their powers even in the most dangerous situations, often hesitating out of a personal fear of what could come of it if they were discovered.

 

Nephilim Traits

An abomination spawned of the unholy union. Who would ever want to be you.

Ability Score Increase

Your Charisma score increases by 2 Your Strength by 1, and one other ability score of your choice increases by 1.

Age

They age rapidly in response to their cursed predicaments once born and physically mature over the course of a year. There is a sense of unfamiliarity and oddness as they learn what it means to be alive. Nephilim don't visibly age and have never lived long enough for their lifespan to be categorized. The oldest known and recorded nephilim managed to survive 173 years before he was slain.

Alignment

Nephilim generally share the tendency of their mother's heritage depending on how long the mother lives before being killed. They value both personal freedom and privacy, demonstrating neither love of leaders nor desire for followers. They resent others' demands, but follow their own set of guidelines. While they skew towards good, the circumstances of their births, the lives they are forced to live out, and more will often lead them down a neutral if not a darker path.

Size

They are slightly taller and more muscular than humans on average at taller than 6 feet, weighing around 175 to 200 pounds for Males, and 145 to 165 for Females. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 35 feet.

Cursed Heritage

You have resistance to Necrotic and Radiant damage as a member of both races. You are considered a fiend and celestial, however based off of your mother's heritage is the group you were raised with. Refer to the heritage table below and roll a d6 to determine your parents. You also get the Eldritch Blast and Sacred Flame cantrips as a member of both races.

1. Mother - Empyrean / Father - Incubus
2. Mother - Solar /  Father - Armanite
3. Mother - Deva / Father - Balor
4. Father - Empyrean / Mother - Succubus
5. Father - Solar / Mother - Erinyes
6. Father - Deva / Mother - Marilith

Ancestral Wings

You have a pair of ethereal wings in the likeliness of your parents. One Demonic, one Angelic. Any creature with truesight or that can see into the ethereal plane can see these wings. In combat they become corporeal. You can use them to fly

Ichor

The blood that runs through your veins is a golden ichor regardless of mother. It proves your divinity, even though it may still be rejected by others. You may share your divinity with others, but only if you trust them completely, as due to your cursed heritage, it may bring about tragedy. It may also be used to bring a dead or dying being back to life, healing them until stabilized.

If you do decide to share your divinity, roll a d6 to determine what happens:

1. A higher Celestial instantly knows your location
2. A higher demon / devil instantly knows your location.
3. You instantly become exhausted at 3rd level, due to the stress of the ordeal.
4. The landscape around you dies and becomes a Dark Spot, letting all who pass through it know that something horrible happened here. 
5. You are transported to The Infernal Realm
6. You are transported to the Celestial realm.

Language

You can speak, read, and write Common, Infernal, Abyssal, and Celestial.

Truesight Heritage

You have Truesight out to 30 feet.