Homebrew Alraune Species Details

Physical Description

These beautiful men and women, humanoid from the waist up but veiled by large petals are known as alraune. Vines sprout out of the base of their bulb, which they use to absorb nutrients out of the soil. These vines are strong enough to allow for movement should the alraune uproot him- or herself. Smaller vines grow up out of the bulb, wrapping around their humanoid forms. Alraune often distinguish themselves from one another with various flowers and leaves that they allow to grow out of their upper half.

Their skin comes in a multitude of green shades, although a light brown color is not uncommon in colder seasons when nutrients are scarce.

Alraune's anatomy is far closer to that of a plant than a humanoid. As a result thereof, their occurrence is limited to biospheres where the climate is temperate, supporting plant growth. While they are largely omnivorous, they are capable of generating energy for themselves through photosynthesis, which releases oxygen in the process. This process is especially useful in times of a food shortage.

History

Alraune are born under rare circumstances; it is only when the potent magic from the Feywilds seeps into the material plane and binds the soul of a recently deceased humanoid to a flowers' seed that they come into existence. Once all of the flowers' seeds are released into the soil, chances of survival are of course small. The infused seed, however, is capable of spending a long time in a "resting" state, waiting for the opportune moment to start growing. Once the seed germinates, it spends the first year growing into a bulb. It remains in the bulbous state, ever growing until reaching maturity and flowering into an alraune at around 5 years.

They do not practice history or keep written records of their exploits. Alraune tales are purely shared by word of mouth and often carry little significance. If anything, their existence is only recorded by the faint whispers of the forest.

Society

Although they don't form societies or even groups in the traditional sense of the word, alraune are still a part of nature and are willing to share their territory with allies if they find that this could be beneficial to themselves. Should their domain become endangered, they will fight alongside others to regain control. Alraune regard Druids highly, finding their ways with nature inspiring and fitting. Among the classes, druids are popular for them, and alraunes mostly respect their ways with the forests enough to not meddle in their business.

Alraunes tend to shy away from other races, hiding in the deeper parts of the forest - Should they come across a human it's often only from the treetops or as an inconspicuous form within their bulbs. There have been a few cases in which alraune have left the security of their forests with adventurers for a reason known only to them. It is possible that they left to gain experience and knowledge to bring back to their home one day because they have lost everything in a forest fire, or that their seclusion in an ancient forest is endangered.

In the inns, towns, and fields near the vast forests that alraune call home you may hear whispers of stories where adventures were taken captive by the alraune - where they were entangled and slowly digested until not even their bones were left. It is also speculated that consuming humans might be an important part of creating an offspring for alraune, as their origin is connected to the deceased.

 

Alraune Traits

Alraune Pollen. The alraune produce a powerful pollen with an innate property pertaining to each subrace.

Ability Score Increase

Your Wisdom score increases by 2.

Age

As a sprouting seed, the alraune grow within the bulb of a particular flower for about 5 years depending on the favorability of the soil, after which they bloom into their mature state. Their bodies don't age after that but instead exhibit signs of age when they are unable to gain the nutrients they need. These signs manifest themselves as wilting vines, molting leaves and browning skin. They can live up to 750 years before returning to the earth from which they were born.

Alignment

The alraune are often feral and unpredictable, as wild as the forests they live in, and as such are almost always chaotic.

Size

An alraune's height is anything 4 to 5 feet on average, and weigh anything from 50 to 110 pounds. Your creature size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 25 feet.

Alraune Pollen

The alraune produce a powerful pollen with an innate property pertaining to each subrace. As an action, you can release a puff of pollen in a 20-foot cone, forcing all creatures in range to make a Constitution saving throw. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Wisdom modifier + your proficiency bonus. On a failure, they come under an effect dependent on your subrace for 1 minute. An affected creature can repeat their saving throw each time they take damage. Once you use your pollen, you can't use it again until after you finish a long rest.

Floral Rest

Alraune do not need to sleep. Instead, they can root themselves in favorable soil, remaining semiconscious, for 4 hours a day and absorbing nutrients from the soil. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep. However, if the soil is not favorable you require a full 8 hours of rest to gain the equivalent of a long rest. As an action, you enter this state, rooting yourself into a patch of soft ground. While in this state your speed is reduced to 0. You can end this state, uprooting yourself as a bonus action.

Plant

Your creature type is considered to be both humanoid and plant, and you can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena. You are immune to poison damage and the poisoned effect, but you are vulnerable to fire damage.

Nature Knowledge

As a part of the forest it is only natural for you to be knowledgeable about the wilderness. You are proficient in the Nature skill.

Languages

You understand and can speak Common, Sylvan, and a choice of Gnomish or Orc.

Subrace

You can choose between Sunflower, Rose, and Ivy as your subrace.