Homebrew Dark Fey Species Details

 

Exiled to underground caverns and caves, the dark fey are the living embodiment of the wild in all of it's ferocious power. While they once inhabited every continent and biome across the world, their domains were reduced and ground away inch by inch and yard by yard, until now only a few havens for their kind remain. Tall and imposing, these noble creatures long to restore the world to it's deepest connection with the fey wild from whence they came, and to remove or control the human blight that eats away at their ever-shrinking wilds. 

Feather and Horn

The dark fey are very elven in appearance, albeit with two large spiraling horns rising from their heads, of different styles and colorations depending on the family of the Dark Fey in question. All bear massive wings, that drag along the ground when these elegant creatures condescend to walk alongside their grounded kin. 

Each brood of Dark Fey bears different traits- some bear iridescent multicolored wings perfect for gliding among jungle treetops, while others bear tanned or dark wings of a solid hue and solid build. Most dark fey have extremely pronounced cheek bones and relatively long, pointed ears, and eyes of a general amber or resin color. 

Sky Wardens

The dark fey are the most noble and powerful of the fey races found in the world. As such, wherever there is a large concentration of fey creatures in the mortal plane, there will often be one or two of these majestic creatures presiding over and protecting their patch of the wild. Their palaces and domains often become entrances to the fey wild, and they will make frequent patrols of their borders. A Dark fey takes to the sky with ease, and can easily detect a hare through the canopies of trees, and a mortal thief seeking to take advantage of the spoils of their vibrant realms. 

The Dark fey find their greatest joy from flying. To soar through the air, uninhibited and free, between crisp mountain peaks and through thickly wooded valleys, is the epitome of a Dark Fey's existence. They sometimes forget or ignore vertical distances, and they have nothing but pity for those earthbound people forced to live and toil on the ground, seeing them as lesser beings condemned to a duller existence. 

Noble Bearing

The Dark fey are powerful and strong. They do not take insult, or offense, with any measure of levity. Their wings and horns are carefully cared for, and they have a strong sense of pride in their status as fey creatures. While they may be gracious and elegant, they are still fey, and are less concerned with acts of good and evil as they are with the concept of "fairness" and of a punishment "meeting the severity of the crime." A Dark fey who is left out of a prestigious event may force their way in, curse the daughter of the king who neglected to invite them, and leave. 

To kill one of their race is a declaration of war, in the eyes of any of the dark fey, and they will reciprocate such an offense against all who were even remotely involved in the events that led to that death. 

Homelands

 

The Dark Fey all originate from the fey wild, as a pure personification of the biomes where they reside. They then migrated from the Feywild to the Material plane, taking up residence originally on a single island in the sea. When this volcanic island began to erupt, they fled, taking up residence in the different parts of the world, before eventually returning to their island home, their fey blood allowing them to slowly adapt and change to match and personify the biome where they reside. 

A typical colony consists of one large, open-roofed nest made of woven vines, that often extends down into their underground caverns where they house their young, built in secluded, out of the way locations that are hard to find.  The eldest among them acts as leader with the support of a shaman, who can feel the life of the world and who is most familiar with the will of their ancestors. 

Names of the Dark Fey

Dark Fey are rare, in the mortal realms, and almost no mortal scholar has encountered one in favorable circumstances. 

Known male names include: Conall and Borra.  Known female names are: Maleficent and Brie. 

 BACKGROUNDS FOR THE DARK FEY

Backgrounds that are most appropriate for Dark Fey include the outlander, the hermit, and the sage.

The small colonies of Dark Fey are insular and remote, and few Dark Fey live away from their roosts. Those that do were typically accidentally left behind as the Dark Fey fled the advance of the humans. Those that do wander beyond their nests are usually rangers or fighters, constantly patrolling for outside threats.

Dark Fey Traits

As a Dark Fey, you have certain traits in common with your people. Being able to fly at high speed starting at 1st level is exceptionally effective in certain circumstances and exceedingly dangerous in others. As a result, playing a Dark Fey requires special consideration by your DM.

Fey Vunerability

As a pure fey, you are vulnerable to Cold Iron, although not as bad as some variants that are encountered. An attack against you made with an iron or steel weapon is automatically a critical hit if successful. 

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Strength score increases by 1.

Age

The Dark Fey reach maturity at the same rate as normal humans. Compared to humans, they age somewhat slower once they reach maturity, often maintaining their physical beauty into old age, though they do weaken and become more easily injured as they reach their elder years. 

Alignment

Most Dark Fey are of Neutral alignments. There is a large range among them beyond this point. They care most about the preservation of their people and their wilds. 

Size

The Dark Fey are about 6 feet tall. They have sturdy, agile bodies that weigh between 100 and 200 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Flight

You have a flying speed of 45 feet. To use this speed, you can’t be wearing medium or heavy armor.

Talon-tipped wing

Your wings bear powerful talons as potent natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Slylvan