Homebrew Draki Species Details

Native to the 6th Dimension archipelago, the Draki are a reclusive and exclusive people who prefer isolation from the rest of society. With unwavering doctrines and almost cruel laws, the Draki all abide by a code from whichever court they belong to. Ruled by a Court Princess, they are constantly in competition with one another, almost to the point of all out war. The archipelagos have seen ruin after ruin numerous times, yet they always seem to bounce back. 

Driven Competitors

Every day brings a new challenge to a Draki. Food, water, and shelter are rare in the Draki society. A single mistake can bring doom to an entire tribe, while an individual’s heroic effort can ensure the entire group’s survival.

Draki thus place a premium on self-sufficiency and individual skill. They have a compulsion to keep score, counting their deeds and tallying their accomplishments to compare to others. Draki love to win, but they see defeat as a prod to improve their skills.

This dedication to competition has a dark side. Draki are ferocious competitors, but above all else they are driven to outdo their past efforts. If a Draki slays a beast, he or she might seek out a larger, more powerful monster to battle. Few Draki adventurers reach old age, as most die attempting to surpass their past accomplishments.

Fair Play

For Draki, competition exists only when it is supported by a level playing field. Competition measures talent, dedication, and effort. Those factors determine survival in their home territory, not reliance on magic items, money, or other elements that can tip the balance one way or the other. Draki happily rely on such benefits, but they are careful to remember that such an advantage can always be lost. A Draki who relies too much on them can grow complacent, a recipe for disaster in the mountains.

This trait manifests most strongly when Draki interact with other folk. The relationship between peasants and nobles puzzles Draki. If a king lacks the intelligence or leadership to lead, then clearly the most talented person in the kingdom should take his place. Furthermore, Draki are more confused with the prospect of male leadership, as they value female leadership heavily. Draki rarely keep such opinions to themselves, and mock folk who rely on society’s structures or rules to maintain power.

Survival of the Fittest

Among Draki, any adult who can’t contribute to the court is expelled. A lone Draki has little chance of survival, especially an older or weaker one. Draki have little pity for adults who can’t take care of themselves, though a sick or injured individual is treated, as a result of the Draki concept of fair play.

A permanently injured Draki is still expected to pull his or her weight in the tribe. Typically, such a Draki dies attempting to keep up, or the Draki slips away in the night to seek the cold will of fate.

In some ways, the Draki drive to outdo themselves feeds into the grim inevitability of their decline and death. A Draki would much rather die in battle, at the peak of strength and skill, than endure the slow decay of old age. Few folk have ever meet an elderly Draki, and even those Draki who have left their people grapple with the urge to give up their lives as their physical skills decay.

Because of their risk-taking, Draki courts suffer from a chronic lack of the experience offered by long- term leaders. They hope for innate wisdom in their leadership, for they can rarely count on a wisdom grown with age.

 

Draki Traits

Draki share a number of traits in common with each other.

Child of the Courts

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Court of the Dancing Flames

You gain a resistance to fire damage

 

Court of the Sleeping Frost

You gain a resistance to cold damage

 

Court of the Righteous Sun

You gain advantage on attack rolls during the day and you cannot be charmed

 

Court of the Blessed Moon

You gain advantage on attack rolls during the night and you have Darkvision

Ability Score Increase

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

Age

Draki have lifespans comparable to humans. They enter adulthood in their late teens and usually live less than a century.

Alignment

Draki society, with its clear roles and tasks, has a strong lawful bent. The Draki sense of fairness, balanced with an emphasis on self- sufficiency and personal accountability, pushes them toward neutrality.

Size

Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Natural Athlete

You have proficiency in the Athletics skill.

Stone’s Endurance

You can focus yourself to occasionally shrug off injury. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to roll a d12. Add your Constitution modifier to the number rolled, and reduce the damage by that total. After you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Powerful Build

You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Court Born

You’re acclimated to high altitude, including elevations above 20,000 feet. You’re also naturally adapted to cold climates, as described in chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Giant.