Homebrew Revenant - CV Inspired Species Details

-Disclaimer: I do not own all the content listed and described hereafter. Ideas and references are based on the Code Vein franchise and its associated adaptations.-

Revenants:

Revenants are immortal, vampiric creatures who were once human but were revived after death. To be more specific, revenants are humans who have been implanted with a scientifically engineered parasite that allows their revival into immortal-like enhanced beings that won't die unless their heart is destroyed. The Biological Organ Regenerative Parasite; or the BOR Parasite, was originally created for medical purposes, however growing conflicts led to it being used in military application.

Biological Organ Regenerative Parasite:

While Revenants are near-perfect immortal soldiers, there was a a disturbing problem that arose as conflicts prolonged. Blood-thirst (Also stated as thirst or blood-lust). The parasite fed on blood, often human blood, to sate itself and keep its host from starving out. However, due to the conflicts, the amount of donors at the time started to wane and thus these immortal creatures began to starve. 

Frenzy:

As the host starved, the parasite branched outwards from the heart it had been implanted into and spread its control in an attempt to sate itself. This state of thirst would eventually reach a critical point and the parasite would take over and become a mindless entity that sought only to feed an increasingly insatiable hunger. This state would eventually be deemed to be when the host Frenzied. Should the host not receive blood to feed on, each hour that passed brought them closer and closer to losing control of themselves. After approximately 8 hours, they'd be lost and beyond saving. Shortly after that point, they would mutate at a horrific rate, their form drifting from human to merely that of a monster in human proportions. These beings would eventually come to be called, the Lost. As time progresses in this form, they can further mutate as they feed on more victims. These entities would come to be called Greater Lost.

When properly fed, these revenants are in complete control over themselves and gain multiple benefits from the parasite within them. However, before they can even think about this, one must consider the time needed to revive them in the first place. Reviving a corpse could range from seconds to years before the effects of the parasite kick in; though it is known that converting a living entity into a revenant will only range the course of a few days. Once the parasite comes out of its dormant state, it injects its blood into the host, facilitating the functions of each organ for the host. This is what allows the host to come back from death. The host would then keep the parasite's invasion at bay with their unconscious will, unless starved, of course. Though, revenants can eat actual meals and other organic material too, it just merely has no benefit to them besides taste and giving them a sense of their former humanity.

If you wish, you could use these pre-built items for to expedite confusion and general ease of access. search via my name if you can do that, if not go to magic items homebrew and simple type in; "BOR Parasite: Satiation Level, and BOR Parasite: Frenzy Activation".

Dispersal and Death:

To explain the immortal nature of revenants is quite simple. When the host is critically injured or killed, they will Disperse into a cloud of golden particles and reform at an area they've been to prior; more often than not, the place where they most recently rested. The parasite will regenerate the injured areas to full health so long as the BOR Parasite itself isn't what's injured. Should the heart and more likely the parasite be destroyed or injured beyond repair, the revenant will turn into a pile of ash; effectively being the only true death for a revenant.

Vestiges:

That aside, there's another risk, especially when consecutively dispersing and reviving. That risk is memory loss. Every revenant has had memory loss of some level, be it small, large, or even vital portions to one's life. An example of this is common when a revenant is first revived by the BOR Parasite or upon receiving fatal injuries. However, most revenants are unaware of their lost memories. Those that are aware appear to be those who have lost significant portions of their memory. Lost memories of a revenant are left as Vestiges, a red crystallized residue that remains when forced to disperse multiple times over. To avoid leaving a vestige, the revenant in question must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw upon dispersal.

This red, crystallized residue has varying effects to those who encounter it. Whether it had dropped from a Greater Lost or merely another Revenant, it matters not. Within these fragments, memories of the past call out to the present, having been said to entice those nearby to reach out to it. Should one actually touch the vestige, they could be overwhelmed by the lost memories and become one of the Lost themselves. To avoid this, they need to succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw. If they fail this, then they can attempt to succeed a DC 18 Strength saving throw to release the crystal, less they be consumed.

However, if a revenant finds and picks up their own vestige, they can regain the memories lost and cure any affliction they may have gained from losing it initially. They will be able to tell if it's theirs via the memories of the past that call out, as they will feel and sound familiar to their owner. Most revenants have a subconscious idea as to where one of their vestiges may be, this sense growing stronger the more impactful the memory.

Vestige Repercussions:

d20	Affliction
1	Lose an Essential Memory. You have disadvantage on Wisdom Checks and will have to deal with any repercussions caused by the lost memory.
2	Gain an Impairment. One of your five senses is impaired and creates disadvantages for which ever sense is affected, be it a skill check or a social interaction.
3	Acquire a Tick. You repeat an action unconsciously and have to deal with whatever situations it may put you into, they can occur in both physical and mental means.
4	Lose a Major Memory. You have disadvantage on History Checks and will have to deal with any repercussions caused by the lost memory.
5-7	Short-Term PTSD. For 1d6 days, you recall an event which causes you distress at the start of each day and must succeed on a DC 13 straight d20 roll or take 1d6 Psychic Damage. If you enter combat, you must do this save again.
8-10	Lose an Intermediate Memory. You have difficulty recalling the event, but it doesn't seem to be immediately important and life will likely go on without the memory. Nonetheless, you will have to deal with any repercussions caused by the lost memory.
11-13	Tone Change. Your manner of speaking alters on occasion, creating situations that aren't the most optimal. You have disadvantage on Charisma Checks.
14-16	Lose a Minor Memory. You lose a memory that may not have any importance, but it may have been a useful tidbit of knowledge.
17-20	Lose an Insignificant Memory. You lose a memory along the lines of any old generic day, it's of little detriment to yourself.

Blood Codes:

Revenants have physical capabilities that surpass the average human. There is one trait that is particularly unique to the revenants: Blood Codes. Blood codes are different powers each revenant has that courses within their veins. A revenant usually has one blood code that is unique to them. They cannot take on and use another revenant’s blood code without their body quickly rejecting it and becoming one of the Lost.

Personally, I'd recommend using another item I had created for the sake of balancing the innate bonuses the blood code grants, but I can't exactly force you to use it, eh? Just putting it out as a disclaimer beforehand, that the race is balanced with this in mind. (Search in Magic Items Homebrew: BOR Parasite)

 

Revenant - CV Inspired Traits

-Pulled from your eternal slumber to fight in a conflict you had no part in, one can only wonder what you will do when it's all said and done.-

Ability Score Increase

As a Human intended to be turned into an undead soldier, you've become more specialized. +1 to any three ability scores, can be stacked onto each other (ie; +3 to one). However, the Ability Score cannot surpass 20 from these bonuses.

Age

You stop aging completely, remaining at the age you were revived at. Believe it or not, you aren't rotted! You also look just as you had before you died.

Alignment

Humans tend toward no particular alignment, Revenants are no different as undead humans. The best and the worst are found among them.

Size

Revenants vary widely in height and build, from barely 5 feet to well over 6 feet tall. Regardless of your position in that range, your size is Medium.

Speed

Becoming a Revenant has enhanced your physical body.Your base walking speed is 35 feet.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common. Humans typically learn the languages of other peoples they deal with, including obscure dialects, as a former Human and immortal you have plenty of time to learn another language of your choice.

Keen Senses

You have proficiency in the Perception skill. The parasite's blood has allowed your senses to surpass human standards.

Dispersal

When your hit points reach 0, you automatically lose a week on your satiation level. While you are fighting off dispersal, you will be immobile but conscious. After two failed death saving throws, you will be sent back to the latest location of long rest in a gust of golden particles. For each failed save, you will lose 1d4 weeks on your satiation level and may notice a sudden urge to feed again.

Additionally, you will also roll a DC 15 WIS saving throw to determine whether or not you lose part of your memory and leave behind a vestige. On a a failed saving throw, you will have a permanent -1 debuff to WIS until the vestige is retrieved. There's a chance to lose large or even vital memories at times, so one must be careful about dying often.

Living Dead

You have been raised from death, and regaining your autonomy has returned to you some of the spark of life. You are immune to disease. You do not need to eat or sleep, but you can ingest food and drink if you wish and sleep if you prefer to. Additionally, you have two creature types: humanoid and undead. You can be affected by a spell or ability if it works on either of your creature types, but you can also use a spell or ability of either of you creature types.

Bloodvision

For 60 feet, you can see blood in a brighter shade of red and uncovered wounds with clarity, regardless the time of day. In the darkness, the area 5 feet around any blood drops, splotches, or even dried, is illuminated to you in shades of white, black, and gray.

Frenzy

Once this state is entered by lack of feeding, you will have 8 hours to feed before you get taken over by the parasite within you. Your eyes will glow a hue of red and your primal instincts will claw at your mental fortitude. Your STR gains a temporary +4 and DEX a temporary +2 on top of any other modifiers in place while in this state. However, your INT, WIS, and CHA are temporary decreased by 2 on top of any other modifiers in place, but you temporarily gain +5 to the Intimidation skill. This state ends upon sufficient feeding, returning all statistics to as they were prior to entering Frenzy.

Dense Blood

Due to the Parasite's blood, it has made your own more dense and it is tougher for you to be injured, increasing your AC by 1.

Blood Code

Blood Codes are a unique set of skills that each Revenant possesses, however they only have one. You may choose one from the options listed. The skills gained through blood codes are gained by character level, as such they become useable at that level, it is NOT based on the type of spell slots you have access to. 

Artemis, Atlas, Darkseeker, Eos, Prometheus, Queenslayer, Surt, Vali, or Ymir