Homebrew Homo-Sanguinem (The Afflicted Vampire) Species Details
Fact vs Fiction
Legends of vampiric demons and bloodsucking monsters have been passed down through the mortal realm since almost the beginning of time. Parents have told their children tales of horrifying beasts or charismatic devils with supernatural powers and a thirst for the pulsing red lifeblood of living creatures. And in dark whispers, townsfolk speak of the fearful and sanguine appetites of the walking dead.
In reality, true vampires, though they may share many traits with these legends and tales, bear little resemblance to the terrible monsters so commonly heard of in folklore. Simple men and women, set upon by a disastrous affliction, the modern Homo-Sanguinem is a more often tragic figure, who's morbid reliance on the blood of others is no more a fault of their own than the colour of a man's skin, or the serendipity of his birth.
Symptoms and Affliction
It is unknown to what degree the Sanguinem variation of Umbravirales was originally designed to resemble the traditional tales of vampirism, or what end the Madman Adam Virus sought by releasing the Umbravirales plague upon the world, however the resulting mutations have by this point been well documented.
The Sanguinem strain appears to exclusively afflict humans, with other strains of the Umbravirales causing separate mutations in other races. Early Symptoms most often manifest within the first 3 years of childhood, and include sunlight sensitivity, compounding anaemia, and rapid loss of natural pigmentation in the skin, eyes, and hair. As the disease progresses, syringe-like fangs begin to develop within the subject's upper jaw, and hyperaggressive behaviour is common as severe anaemia gives way to reliance on regular blood transfusions.
Infected individuals who survive into adolesence often develop secondary traits, such as more increased muscle growth, cognitive hyperactivity, or other, less quantifiable symptoms. Of particular note, subjects who pass through adolescence, and are able to maintain a healthy and regular schedule of blood transfusion seem to show no signs of cell death or genetic atrophy. It is Theorized that perhaps this type of "cellular immortally" was the trait sought by Virus in his experiments.
Unlike vampires of legend, persons afflicted by Homo-Sanguinem are not inherently contagious, and while it is possible to artificially contract the disease through repeated transfusion of infected blood, cases of this are understandably rare, and most often result in violent and painful death due to system shock.
Physical Appearance
Those afflicted by the Sanguinem mutation are in most cases easy to recognize by the time they reach adulthood. A lack of pigmentation in the skin, hair, and eyes results in marked albinoism. In addition, the severe anaemia and reliance on regular blood transfusions often leaves subjects affected by the disease with a frail or gaunt appearance - an appearance that oddly enough is often deceptive in lieu of almost supernatural constitution.
Names
Most afflicted individuals continue the traditions of their human lineage, and bear no more outlandish names than any other human of their upbringing.
Homo-Sanguinem (The Afflicted Vampire) Traits
Whether through birth, or unlikely infection, you are an otherwise human carrier of the Umbraverales plague, and gain the following traits and malformations.Transfusion
The most devastating ailment that the Sanguinem mutation bestows is a severe anemia such that the afflicted becomes reliant on regular transfusions. You cannot regain hit points as usual during a short or long rest, and must receive at minimum 1 pint of fresh blood each day or suffer a level of exhaustion.
Perhaps by work of Adam Virus, Umbravirales-Sanguinem provides mechanism for this transfusion by way of hypodermic fangs within the jaw of the afflicted.
You gain a natural weapon in the form of a bite with which you are proficient. Your bite is considered a finesse weapon, and deals necrotic damage equal to 1d6 + your strength or dexterity modifier (whichever is higher), and drains 4 ounces of blood from the target, using your choice of dexterity or strength for it's attack and damage rolls. If the target of your bite attack is not a construct, plant, ooze, or undead this damage reduces it's maximum hit points by the same amount until the end of it's next short or long rest, and you may spend a hit dice and recover hit points equal to it's rolled value + your constitution modifier.
Alternatively, you may choose to bite a willing creature, draining blood from their body. The target takes no damage, but instead spends hit dice as they would during a short rest, gaining no hit points. Any hit points the target would normally gain by spending hit dice in this way you gain instead. You drain 1 pint of blood for each hit dice spent
Sunlight Sensitivity
You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in bright light. In addition, you take 1 radiant damage each round while your skin is exposed to direct sunlight.
Radiant Aversion
Your body is weakened by even relatively low doses of radiant energy. You have vulnerability to radiant damage, and take damage from healing spells with a radiant source equal to the hit points they would normally restore.
Darkvision
A lifetime of avoiding the light has adapted your vision to the dark. You can see in dim light within 120 feet as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Sleepless
Whatever mutation the disease causes within the brain and body, it seems that those afflicted do not require rest in the same way as normal humans. You do not require sleep, so long as you have received a transfusion of at least a pint of blood in the past 24 hours.
Blood Sense
The disease has made you acutely aware of the flow of blood, even within other creatures. You can sense the presence and location of all creatures within 30 ft which have flowing blood.
Saguine Affinity
Something dark and powerful flows within your blood. You gain one of the Blood Feats listed:
Blood of the Heretic
(Constitution 16, Ability to cast at least one spell)
Whether by natural affinity, or heretical study, you have mastered the forbidden rites of blood magic. When you cast a spell, you may use a bonus action to expend a hit dice, and gain one of the following effects:
- Scarlet Binding. By consuming one ounce of a creature's blood and dealing slashing damage to yourself equal to the spell's level + the maximum value of the hit dice spent, you may target that creature from any distance, even if you do not have line of sight.
- Blood Channel. When casting a spell which requires concentration, you may choose to ignore the concentration requirement of the spell and instead take slashing damage equal to the spell's level each round that the spell remains in effect. To willingly end the spell before the end of its duration, you must succeed on a constitution saving throw against your own spell save DC.
- Sanguine Empowerment. You deal slashing damage to yourself equal to the spell's level + the maximum value of the hit dice spent to empower your casting, adding your constitution modifier to your spell attack modifier or spell save DC.
Damage you take as part of this feature cannot be reduced in any way.
Blood of the Beast
(Constitution 16, Strength 15)
Your blood is empowered with a ferocity for battle and a thirst for violence. As a bonus action on your turn you may expend a hit dice and deal slashing damage to yourself equal to the maximum value of that hit dice to release the violent power of your blood, and gain the following effects:
- You have advantage on saving throws against spells and magical effects.
- If a creature within 5 ft of you takes any action other than the disengage action, you may use your reaction to make an opportunity attack against them.
- You gain an additional number of reactions each equal to half your proficiency bonus. These reactions can only be used to make opportunity attacks.
This release lasts for 1 minute or until you are knocked unconscious. At the beginning of each of your turns while this release is in effect, you expend an additional hit dice, and take a slashing damage equal to the maximum value of the hit dice expended. As a bonus action on your turn, you may attempt a wisdom saving throw with a DC equal to 12 + your constitution modifier. On a success, the release ends early.
Damage you take as part of this feature cannot be reduced in any way.
Unnatural Ability
Your specific incarnation of Umbravirales-Sanguinem has heightened some aspect of your body or mind. Choose either Strength, Dexterity, or Charisma. Your ability score for this ability increases by 2.
Ability Score Increase
Your constitution score increases by 2
Age
Those afflilicted by Umbravirales-Sanguinem seem immune to the normal process of cell-death, and are functionally immortal so long as they remain regular blood transfusions.
Size
Although often slightly taller than relatives, infected individuals tend towards the same range of height as normal humans. Your size is medium.
Speed
The Sanguinem mutation often grants a level of unseemly quickness to the afflicted in their adult years. Your speed is 40 feet.
Alignment
Despite unfounded rumours to the contrary, those affected by the mutation have no innate leaning towards evil, or any other alignment.
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Posted Apr 23, 2020I personally love this race and its concept. But I was beginning the game and it gave me bonuses in all my skills :/ . If I may ask can that be fixed? I have dealt with it but I am sure others haven't. Again I love this race and love playing it, Thank you.