Homebrew Chaszmyrian Species Details
Children of The Devastation
When Chaszmyr achieved apotheosis and ascended to godhood he destroyed a swath of land now known as the Grey Blight, the Wastes, or the Leagues of The Lich. In one event miles of landscape and cubic miles of the Deep Realms were stripped of life. It's not surprising that most of what moves in that region now is undead, but what surprised many was how much of those dead still claimed to be people. The chasmyrians are a race of the dead, but a race that is just now beginning, just starting to define itself as a culture.
Old Body, New Self
To understand what a Chaszmyrian is, it's important to know that the deadfolk aren't who they used to be. Each is a new being who has awoken to a new existence in a body vacated by its previous owner. They arrive in this world with basic awareness inherited from their body's old inhabitant. They know at least one language, as well as a rough smattering of social norms and practical facts. They don't know who they are or how they came to be. Of the world they know just enough to know that corpses aren't supposed to get back up. More than a few awaken in a grave, in a ruined home, or entwined in the arms of another corpse. It's often impossible not to wonder who the last occupant was. Knowing that name or a few related facts is rarely enough. Most will find their minds wandering back to that subject for the rest of their existence. These are the dead haunted by the living.
Some savants argue whether the Chaszmyrians are properly undead, or should be considered ‘unalive’, or fall into some other category. A new person is created in the awakening of each of the deadfolk, and most magical theories agree that shouldn’t be possible due to their connection to the negative energy plane. In many ways they are truly dead, vulnerable to being turned by the pious, but in other ways they seem alive, such as healing naturally and responding to most healing magics as if alive. For now, this remains a mystery.
Dead Pride
Early on in the existence of Chaszmyrian culture it was decided that they shouldn't allow one another to face existence alone. To that end, collectors are sent out to retrieve newly awakened deadfolk. Most react to knowledge of their new existence with crushing horror. The collectors often find themselves talking up the state of undeath, as a way of helping the neonates come to terms with their existence. In a kind of gestalt cultural response to this tendency, a form of 'dead pride' has arisen, with Chaszmyrians emphatically defending the value of being undead to the living. Many won't accept any line of reasoning that suggests being undead is at all a bad thing. In part, this is a psychological necessity, one that supports a healthy self-image. In excess though, as it sometimes is, it can be offensive to the living.
Naming Conventions
Chaszmyrian names have no association with family, as the deadfolk never have family in the biological sense. They use an adverb-adjective-noun pattern chosen by the individual once they have decided to accept their new existence. The noun is often used as the casual form of address, with the whole name used in more formal situations, or for dramatic effect. They sometimes add prepositions and conjunctions if it feels appropriate. The two subraces tend toward slightly different naming goals, with the Fleshed often aiming for dramatic allusions and the Unfleshed more often wanting to sound spiritual or intellectual. Some Chaszmyrians rename themselves, whole or in part, after experiencing important life events, or just start collecting names as if it were a hobby. Examples include Coy & Careful Truth, Heart Song Riot, Simply Verdant Resolution, Iron Fire Horizons, Wryly Vengeful Flight, First & Foremost Drama, Calmly Falling Star, Far Hallowed Memory, and Jaggedly Gruesome Music.
No Law Out of The Grave
The term 'Chaszmyrian society' really only refers to the handful of conventions that have arisen in the short time the deadfolk have been around. New corpses arise all the time in the Wastes, but no government of the dead has been standardized. A few individuals here and there can claim to be 'bosses', 'chieftains', or 'leaders', but their influence rarely extends beyond two dozen individuals. There is widespread cooperation, and there are those who talk about becoming queen, autarch, minister or some other title, and have plans in the works. For now though, the only native inhabitants of the Wastes are without direction.
Chaszmyrian Traits
Your Chaszmyrian character has certain characteristics in common with all other Chaszmyrians.Immunities.
Poison and Destroy Undead.
Ability Score Increase
The physiques of the undead are simple and robust. They gain a +1 to their Constitution.
Undead 'Nature'
Chaszmyrians are undead, like most undead they do not need to eat, drink or breath.
As undead, Chaszmyrians are vulnerable to Turn Undead, though they recover more quickly. The character may attempt to end the effect early on each subsequent turn by rolling a new Wisdom save. They are immune to Destroy Undead.
Undead Fortitude
If damage reduces the Chaszmyrian to 0 hp, and the damage is not radiant, the deadfolk is Stunned, and can immediately use one of their hit dice to heal, if it has any remaining. It's assumed to take the stunned round to address the damage in some way. This can model some truly horrific events, including retrieving a head after beheading, or cramming one's guts back into place. Deadfolk do not get death saves. If reduced to 0 hp and out of hit dice, they are slain instantly.
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