Homebrew Daelkyr Half-Blood Species Details

 Despite being sealed away under the earth, a Daelkyr can reproduce, after a fashion. A Daelkyr’s corporeal incarceration constantly leaks the virulence of its corrupting spirit. The unborn are especially vulnerable to this influence, and those innocents growing in the wombs of their mothers within the sphere of this beastly influence are born as Daelkyr half-bloods.

Anguish burns in the eyes of Daelkyr half-bloods, because their spirits are always in conflict. The most obvious outward sign that a creature has been “womb-warped” is the natural symbiont that is first birthed with a Daelkyr half-blood (the symbiont is sometimes mistaken for a disfigured twin or gruesome afterbirth), then later befriended, worn, and utilized by the adult half-blood.

 

Aberrant Origins

Daelkyr half-bloods are born of pregnant mothers who were either influenced by close proximity to a Daelkyr’s sphere of influence or infected by a breed leech. Transformed in the womb from the natural creature they might have otherwise become, half-bloods are instead born as aberrations, the knowledge of which each new Daelkyr half-blood can embrace or reject as its own true nature becomes clear. When a Daelkyr half-blood birth occurs spontaneously due to proximity to a Daelkyr’s corruption, that Daelkyr half-blood typically goes on to serve Daelkyr goals. On the other hand, if a Daelkyr half-blood is born after its mother’s unfortunate contact with a breed leech, the resultant creature is more likely to go on to fight their own kind. In either case the nature of a Daelkyr half-blood is not predetermined.

The birth of a Daelkyr half-blood is always accompanied by the afterbirth of a symbiont, twin to the Daelkyr half-blood, if different in form and ability. Child and symbiont share an unnatural attraction, despite the horror of parents who might be tempted to cast out both. Such hard-luck half-bloods, shunned by their parents, might be more drawn to Daelkyr ideals than those of their biological forebears.

Twin Minds

Daelkyr half-bloods and their symbiotic twins are inexorably linked. Sharing their mind, the siblings are lifelong companions. Half-bloods learn from a young age to hide their symbionts as the sight of their alien flesh tends to provoke reactions of fear and disgust in the people around them. More than a few half-bloods have been burned at the stake by terrified townsfolk. As a result, they tend to keep their distance. Many half-bloods choose a life of adventuring to escape the attention of a society that fears them.

Half-bloods instinctively know how and why they were created. Some embrace their monstrous birthright and become agents of the Lords of Xoriat. These half-bloods are the most powerful instruments of Daelkyr will in all of Eberron. Others choose to reject their Daelkyr sires, coming into conflict with their symbionts, which are driven by instinct to fulfill the wishes of their creators. The half-blood is usually the stronger of the pair, capable of exerting control over their symbiotic twin. However, decades of conflict can take a toll. If Daelkyr half-bloods want to avoid a slow descent into madness, half-blood and symbiont must come to an understanding.

Daelkyr Half Blood Names

Daelkyr half-bloods are usually born to human parents so they tend to have human names.

Daelkyr Half-Blood Traits

Your Daelkyr Half-Blood character's aberrant transformation grants you certain traits and abilities.

Ability Score Increase

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

Age

Like Humans, half-bloods reach adulthood in their late teens and can live up to a century.

Alignment

Half-bloods tend toward chaotic due to their dual nature and are more often evil than good, but nothing predetermines the eventual alignment of a Daelkyr half-blood — only the manner in which the half-blood is raised.

Size

Daelkyr half-bloods are most often born of human mothers, and as such share almost all physical features in common with humans. A Daelkyr half-blood stands between 5 and 6 feet tall and rarely weighs more than 180 pounds.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

As an aberration 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.

Xoriat Influence

Warped by Daelkyr magic, you are an aberration. As such you are vulnerable to spells and effects that target aberrations.

Unbalanced Mind

Your mind is in constant self-revolt, reflecting your Daelkyr “parent” mixed with the more standard mindset of your biological mother. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened and any creature that attempts to read your mind must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier) or be stunned for one round.

Personal Symbiont

All half-bloods are born with a bonded symbiont twin. Your personal symbiont shares your mental ability scores and you are never in conflict. You may select a symbiont from the table below. If your personal symbiont is killed, you can grow a replacement from your own flesh over a period of 1d4 days. You can’t regrow symbionts that you have gained in any other manner, nor can you grow a replacement for a symbiont if the original symbiont yet lives. As you advance in level, you can grow a new personal symbiont as indicated in the table below. Any new symbiont grown replaces the old symbiont, which is resorbed into your body.

Level	Symbiont Forms
1st	Breed Leech, Crawling Gauntlet, Throwing Scarab
5th	Stormstalk, Winter Cyst, Shadow Sibling
10th	Spellwurm, Tentacle Whip, Tongue Worm

All choices from an earlier level are also available to a higher-level Dalkier Half-Blood. Over the period of a long rest your personal symbiont may devour another symbiont that you have bonded. The other symbiont is destroyed and your symbiont takes its form. Symbionts copied in this way can be added to the table of symbionts known.

Symbiont Mastery

Daelkyr Half-Bloods have a level of control over their symbionts second only to the Daelkyr themselves. You have advantage in conflicts with any symbionts attached to your body and you gain vitality for each symbiont attached. You gain 2 bonus hit points per symbiont attached to you. If you detach a symbiont, you lose these hit points immediately. You are considered proficient with any weapons, armor, and abilities a symbiont provides and you can remove a symbiont without needing to cast remove curse.

 Items with the description Symbiotic Nature (such as Belashyrra’s Beholder Crown) are considered to be symbionts.

Symbiont Dependency

Your facility with symbiont usage comes at a price. If your personal symbiont is removed, you immediately suffer one level of exhaustion that cannot be removed by any means until your symbiont is replaced. In addition, for every 24 hours you spend not in contact with any symbiont you suffer an additional level of exhaustion. Levels of exhaustion gained in this way cannot be reduced by finishing a long rest unless you have a symbiont attached to your body.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, Daelkyr, and Deep Speech.