Homebrew Ashki-Dol Species Details

Ryujaka is a harsh mistress: it demands its inhabitants to survive harsh weather, unpredictable Kami, and cruel tyrants. Many races have been consumed by the continent: those who have survived must find a foothold to cling to. For the Ashki-Dol, this meant a truly unique and strange solution: the union of two very different races, mortal and spirit, bound together in the shared struggle against annihilation.

Outcasts and Fallen Gods:

The Ashki were once a minor humanoid race that struggled to survive in Ryujaka: with their strangely mottled skin that changes color constantly and their less than imposing physical properties, the Ashki were outcasts in their own land, driven out by their more war-driven neighbors. Targeted by Draconians, Gandar, and Humans, their numbers dwindled as this race of refugees wandered without a place of their own. Their extinction was almost certain, until a chance encounter with another, albeit very different, race of outsiders.

The Dol were once a race of very powerful Yokai, who long ago commanded large empires in the foothills of the Jade Valley as petty tyrants. Unrivaled in their pride and greed, they enslaved many races and slaughtered many innocents to maintain their strength. However, their pride proved to be their downfall, and when they challenged Yama-no-okami, the great kami of mountains, in an attempt to steal his legendary stores of gems, they were quickly put in their place. To teach them the price of their selfishness, the Kami stripped them of their power and physical bodies, reducing them to powerless gem-like forms. For centuries they remained trapped in isolation, and would have remained so had they not been discovered by the Ashki, to whom they offered a unique partnership. And so the first Ashki-Dol was born.

Cautious Survivalists:

The Ashki-Dol embody a unique symbiotic relationship between mortal and spirit: by replacing their eyes with the gem like spirits, the Ashki and Dol become permanently fused into one being. While individual aspects of both remain, ultimately the two view themselves as one person. The Ashki gained the ability to see through illusions and sense spirits, an exceptionally powerful ability in this land of magic. The Dol, meanwhile, gains a body through which they can once again interact with the world.

Decades of persecution and centuries of imprisonment has made the Ashki-Dol a very cautious race: they always assume the worst will happen and navigate life with careful, calculated steps. Others might view them as fatalistic, but for the Ashki-Dol, who have lived and live on the knife’s edge, such an attitude is necessary to live a long and happy life. Their pasts have also made them a humble race, as it’s easier to avoid trouble if you don’t go looking for it. Most Ashki-Dol are happy enough surviving peacefully in their well-hidden villages. After so much suffering, what more could one ask for.

Isolated Fishermen:

With their combined abilities, the Ashki-Dol were able to find a place where few would ever bother them: among the labyrinthian islands of the Shattered Coast. Typically inhospitable due to wild Yokai and unpredictable currents, the Ashki-Dol’s sight allowed them to easily navigate the region, finding safe spots to establish their communities. Their floating villages allowed them to enjoy the bountiful fish of the region and could be moved as need be, another reflection of their survivalist nature. Such communities are extremely tight-knit: every member of the village must support one another, lest they all perish. Inter-village relationships are universally friendly, and nearby villages regularly meet together. With an entire continent that could kill them fighting amongst each other would-be suicide.

Ashki-Dol communities are not only found in the shattered coast: their rough pasts have granted the Ashki-Dol a strange sort of perseverance, and their villages can often thrive deep within regions usually thought as inhospitable, from the Spirit Fringes to the Nephilim Wastes. However, just because they are well hidden does not mean their lives are without danger, indeed, their combined nature has opened them to a new danger. Their unique symbiotic relationship between mortal and spirit has made them a target for mages and shamans hoping to study and perform spirit summoning and binding, using them to power cruel rituals. The Gandar of the Bones of the World, in particular, consume the Ashki-Dol to strengthen their Oni Blood Binding. It seems the Ashki-Dol will never truly escape their fate as outcasts.

Watchful Adventurers:

Few Ashki-Dol ever leaves the safety of the village where they were born, but on occasion, exceptions exist. Perhaps they are on a mission to secure the safety of their village, were chosen by a prophecy their priests saw, exiled for a crime they must atone for, or simply felt that powerful curiosity of the wider world that infects people of all races. Regardless, such Ashki-Dol adventurers roam cautiously, as priests and shamans, using their unique sight to find the safest and the surest path forward. They only travel with those they truly trust or must out of necessity: such companions may find their cautious new friend as at times tiresome, but usually appreciate their careful planning and collected approach.

Ashki-Dol Names:

Each Ashki-Dol has two given names, one representing each side of their combined nature. The Ashki part of the name tends to be longer, with differences between female and male versions. The Dol names are short and simple, and as they are themselves genderless they have no concept of male or female names. 

Male Ashki Names: Grazel, Nandur, Doozon, Mandak, Momek, Curzon, Sukrak, Grarzon, Nervun, Kernex.

Female Ashki Names: Hethe, Jadzia, Sivua, Sozla, Cethi, Chasnil, Colkih, Auryx, Savath, Philkes.

Dol Names: Xur, Yol, Nim, Dax, Un, Eir, Kal, Pak, Rah, Zur, Qer,

Ashki-Dol Traits

Your Ashki-Dol character has the following traits

Ability Score Increases

Your Intelligence and Wisdom scores both increase by 1, and another ability score of your choice by 1.

Age

Ashki themselves have somewhat short lifespans, maturing by age 15 and rarely living past 50. The Dol, on the other hand, are theoretically immortal, with most being several centuries old.

Alignment

The careful Ashki-Dol don't regularly stray from Lawful alignments. While most remain good or neutral, some bearing old grudges can descend into evil.

Size

Ashki-Dol have short and thin frames, standing between 4-5 feet. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet

Truesight

You have truesight for up to 30 feet. Your gem-like eyes let you see through the secrets of the world.

Spirit Sense

You have advantage of Perception, Investigation, and Insight checks made with regards to sensing and investigating spirits. Your otherworldly self lets you sense beings that are not of this world.

Ancestral Skills

At the end of each long rest, you gain proficiency in the skill of your choice until the start of the following long rest. The Dol remember the experiences of their previous hosts and pass them on to you.

Languages

You can read, write, and speak Common, along with 2 additional languages of your choice.