Homebrew Valenar Hound Species Details
"I have never imagined such beauty existed,” Goldmoon said softly. The day’s march had been difficult, but the reward at the end was beyond their dreams.The companions stood on a high cliff over the fabled city of Qualinost.
Four slender spires rose from the city’s corners like glistening spindles, their brilliant white stone marbled with shining silver. Graceful arches, swooping from spire to spire, soared through the air. Crafted by ancient dwarven metalsmiths, they were strong enough to hold the weight of an army, yet they appeared so delicate that a bird lighting on them might overthrow the balance. These glistening arches were the city’s only boundaries; there was no wall around Qualinost. The elven city opened its arms lovingly to the wilderness.
Valenar Hounds are awakened to advanced intelligence and power by the touch of an ancestral spirit. Traditionally, Valenar animals choose Valenar elves as companions, reflecting a bond between the ancestors of elf and animal. To be chosen by a Valenar animal is a great honor, and any such elf is treated with respect and reverence. Still, on the rare occasions when a Valenar animal chooses an adventurer of a different ancestry as a companion, it is universally accepted.
Faithful and Wise
With their visual similarity to common hounds, Valenar hounds are usually written off as unusually-intelligent dogs. They are variable in size based on breed chosen, ranging from the small size of a chihuahua to the massive Great Danes. Their weight varies similarly; being anywhere from a few pounds to a few hundred . Males and females are about the same height, and males are only marginally heavier than females.
Valenar Hounds’ coloration encompasses the normal canine range and also includes fur in shades of copper, bronze, and almost bluish-white, hair of green or blue, and eyes like pools of liquid gold or silver. While clothing is not the usual, they still tend to favor some unique accessory, such as an elegant collar or tag.
A Timeless Perspective
Due to their origins, Valenar Hounds inherited the agelessness of elves and can live well over 700 years, giving them a broad perspective on events that might trouble the shorter-lived races more deeply. They are more often amused than excited, and more likely to be curious than greedy. They tend to remain aloof and unfazed by petty happenstance. When pursuing a goal, however, whether adventuring on a mission, aiding their bonded companion, or learning a new skill or art, Valenar Hounds can be focused and relentless. They are slow to make friends and enemies, and even slower to forget them. They reply to petty insults with disdain and to serious insults with vengeance.
Like the branches of a young tree, Valenar Hounds are flexible in the face of danger. They trust in their wits, in diplomacy, and in compromise to resolve differences before they escalate to violence.
Hidden Among Us
Generally, Valenar Hounds can be found integrated with Elven society. Most tend to stay close to their family, blending in with society until they find someone worthy of their bond. To be chosen by a Valenar animal is a great honor, and any such elf is treated with respect and reverence. Still, on the rare occasions when a Valenar animal chooses an adventurer of a different ancestry as a companion, it is universally accepted.
Like most elves, Valenar Hounds dwell in small forest villages hidden among the trees. Valenar Hounds hunt game and gather food alongside the Elven hunters. While primarily carnivores, they will gather fruits and herbs, and accept vegetables given to them by farmers.
Valenar Hounds encountered outside their own lands are very rare; those that do have generally formed a bond with a traveling minstrel, artist, or sage.
Valenar Hound Names
Valenar Hounds are considered pups until they declare themselves adults, some time after the hundredth birthday, and before this period they are called by puppy names.
On declaring adulthood, an Valenar Hound selects an adult name, although those who knew him or her as a youngster might continue to use the child name. Each hound's adult name is a unique creation, though it might reflect the names of respected individuals or other family members. Little distinction exists between male names and female names; the groupings here reflect only general tendencies. In addition, every hound bears a family name, typically a combination of other Elvish words. Some houndstraveling among humans translate their family names into Common, but others retain the Elvish version.
Child Names: Ara, Bryn, Del, Eryn, Faen, Innil, Lael, Mella, Naill, Naeris, Phann, Rael, Rinn, Sai, Syllin, Thia, Vall
Male Adult Names: Adran, Aelar, Aramil, Arannis, Aust, Beiro, Berrian, Carric, Enialis, Erdan, Erevan, Galinndan, Hadarai, Heian, Himo, Immeral, Ivellios, Laucian, Mindartis, Paelias, Peren, Quarion, Riardon, Rolen, Soveliss, Thamior, Tharivol, Theren, Varis
Female Adult Names: Adrie, Althaea, Anastrianna, Andraste, Antinua, Bethrynna, Birel, Caelynn, Drusilia, Enna, Felosial, Ielenia, Jelenneth, Keyleth, Leshanna, Lia, Meriele, Mialee, Naivara, Quelenna, Quillathe, Sariel, Shanairra, Shava, Silaqui, Theirastra, Thia, Vadania, Valanthe, Xanaphia
Family Names (Common Translations): Amakiir (Gemflower), Amastacia (Starflower), Galanodel (Moonwhisper), Holimion (Diamonddew), Ilphelkiir (Gemblossom), Liadon (Silverfrond), Meliamne (Oakenheel), Naïlo (Nightbreeze), Siannodel (Moonbrook), Xiloscient (Goldpetal)
Valenar Hound Traits
Your Valenar Hound character has a variety of natural abilities, the result of thousands of years of refinement.Ability Score Increase
Your Dexterity score increases by 2 and your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Age
Although Valenar Hounds reach physical maturity at about the same age as elves, the Valenar Hound understanding of adulthood goes beyond physical growth to encompass worldly experience. A Valenar Hound typically claims adulthood and an adult name around the age of 100 and can live to be 750 years old.
Alignment
Valenar Hounds have a sense of Duty, but still tend to love freedom, variety, and self-expression, so they vary from chaotic to lawful, tending to further exaggerate towards the alignment of their bonded creature. They value and protect others’ freedom as well as their own, and they are more often good than not.
Size
Hounds vary in size based on breed. Your size is Medium.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 40 feet.
Languages
You can understand Common, Elvish, and Sylvan but can’t speak it save for telepathically with your bonded creature.
Darkvision
Accustomed to twilit forests and the night sky, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you 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.
Keen Hearing and Smell
The hound has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell. Additionally, you have proficiency in the Perception skill.
Fey Ancestry
You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.
Incisive Sense
You have advantage on Intelligence (Investigation) and Wisdom (Insight) checks.
Trance
Valenar Hounds don’t need to sleep. Instead, they meditate deeply, remaining semiconscious, for 4 hours a day. (The Common word for such meditation is “trance.”) While meditating, you can dream after a fashion; such dreams are actually mental exercises that have become reflexive through years of practice. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep.
Bonding
The hound can magically bond with one creature it can see, immediately after spending at least 1 hour observing that creature while within 30 feet of it. The bond lasts until the hound bonds with a different creature or until the bonded creature dies. While bonded, the hound and the bonded creature can communicate telepathically with each other at a distance of up to 100 feet.
Canine Jaws
Because of your canine form, your bite is a natural weapon. It deals 1D6 + your strength modifier in piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Natural Armor
Valenar Hounds gain +2 AC (Natural armor) while unarmored.
Ancestral Traits
Each Valenar animal can be customized with an ancestral gift, a supernatural trait granted by its ancestral spirit. Choose a trait or roll on the Ancestral Traits table for each Valenar animal.
| d8 | Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | Bestow Luck (1/Day). As a bonus action, the animal chooses one creature it can see within 30 feet of it. The next ability check, attack roll, or saving throw the target makes in the next hour has advantage. |
| 2 | Burst of Speed (Recharge 6). The animal can take the Dash action as a bonus action. |
| 3 | Camouflage. The animal has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks it makes while outdoors. |
| 4 | Lie Detector. The animal knows when a creature within 15 feet of it tells a lie. |
| 5 | Fey Ancestry. The animal has advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened, and magic can’t put it to sleep. |
| 6 | Fey Step (1/Day). The animal, along with anything it is wearing or carrying, teleports up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see. |
| 7 | Quickness (Recharge 6). The animal can take the Dodge action as a bonus action. |
| 8 | Shrouded Step. The animal can’t be tracked except by magical means, and it leaves behind no tracks or other traces of its passage. |
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