Homebrew Fireborn Species Details

Fireborn are a magical people of otherworldly grace, living in the world but not entirely part of it. They live in places of ethereal beauty, in the midst of ancient volcanos or in silvery spires glittering with faerie light, where quiet bubbles drifts through the air. Fireborn love the sun and magic, art and artistry, music and poetry, and the good things of the world.

Slender and Graceful

With their unearthly grace and fine features, Fireborn appear hauntingly beautiful to humans and members of many other races, including elves. They are slightly taller than humans on average, ranging from well over 6 feet tall to just over 7 feet. They are more slender than humans, weighing only 120 to 165 pounds. Males and females are the same height, and males are only marginally heavier than females.

Fireborns’ coloration encompasses skin in shades of copper, bronze, and almost bluish-white, hair of red or orange, and eyes like pools of liquid gold or silver. fireborns have no facial and little body hair. They favor elegant clothing in bright colors, and they enjoy simple yet lovely jewelry.

A Timeless Perspective

Fireborns can live well over 900 years, giving them a broad perspective on events that might trouble the shorter-lived races more deeply. They are more often amused than excited, and more likely to be curious than greedy. They tend to remain aloof and unfazed by petty happenstance. When pursuing a goal, however, whether adventuring on a mission or learning a new skill or art, elves can be focused and relentless. They are slow to make friends and enemies, and even slower to forget them. They reply to petty insults with disdain and to serious insults with vengeance.

Like the branches of a young tree, fireborns are flexible in the face of danger. They trust in diplomacy and compromise to resolve differences before they escalate to violence. They have been known to retreat from intrusions into their fiery homes, confident that they can simply wait the invaders out. But when the need arises, fireborns reveal a stern martial side, demonstrating skill with sword, bow, and strategy.

Hidden Fiery Realms

Most fireborns dwell in small volcano villages hidden on the ledges of the inner volcano. Fireborns hunt game, gather food, their skill and magic allow them to support themselves without the need for clearing and plowing land. They are talented artisans, crafting finely worked clothes and art objects. Their contact with outsiders is usually limited, though a few fireborns make a good living by trading crafted items for metals (which they have no interest in mining).

Fireborns encountered outside their own lands are commonly traveling minstrels, artists, or sages. Human nobles compete for the services of fireborn instructors to teach swordplay or magic to their children.

Exploration and Adventure

Fireborns take up adventuring out of wanderlust. Since they are so long-lived, they can enjoy centuries of exploration and discovery. They dislike the pace of human society, which is regimented from day to day but constantly changing over decades, so they find careers that let them travel freely and set their own pace. Fireborns also enjoy exercising their martial prowess or gaining greater magical power, and adventuring allows them to do so. Some might join with rebels fighting against oppression, and others might become champions of moral causes.

Comets in the sky

The fireborn can fly for short hops. 20 feet up and forward.

Fireborn Names

Fireborns are considered children until they declare themselves adults, some time after the two hundredth birthday, and before this period they are called by child names.

On declaring adulthood, a fireborn selects an adult name, although those who knew him or her as a youngster might continue to use the child name. Each fireborn’s adult name is a unique creation, though it might reflect the names of respected individuals or other family members. No distinction exists between male names and female names. In addition, every fireborn bears a family name, typically a combination of Elvish words. Some fireborns traveling among humans translate their family names into Common, but others retain the Elvish version.

Child Names: Ara, Bryn, Del, Eryn, Faen, Innil, Lael, Mella, Naill, Naeris, Phann, Rael, Rinn, Sai, Syllin, Thia, Vall

Male Adult Names: Adran, Aelar, Aramil, Arannis, Aust, Beiro, Berrian, Carric, Enialis, Erdan, Erevan, Galinndan, Hadarai, Heian, Himo, Immeral, Ivellios, Laucian, Mindartis, Paelias, Peren, Quarion, Riardon, Rolen, Soveliss, Thamior, Tharivol, Theren, Varis

Female Adult Names: Adrie, Althaea, Anastrianna, Andraste, Antinua, Bethrynna, Birel, Caelynn, Drusilia, Enna, Felosial, Ielenia, Jelenneth, Keyleth, Leshanna, Lia, Meriele, Mialee, Naivara, Quelenna, Quillathe, Sariel, Shanairra, Shava, Silaqui, Theirastra, Thia, Vadania, Valanthe, Xanaphia

Family Names (Common Translations): Amakiir (Gemflower), Amastacia (Starflower), Galanodel (Moonwhisper), Holimion (Diamonddew), Ilphelkiir (Gemblossom), Liadon (Silverfrond), Meliamne (Oakenheel), Naïlo (Nightbreeze), Siannodel (Moonbrook), Xiloscient (Goldpetal)

 

Fireborn Traits

Your fireborn character has a variety of natural abilities, the result of thousands of years of fiery refinement.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 2.

Fiery soul

You know the Wizard spell, burning hands. The Wizard cantrips Produce flame and control bonfire. You are also immune to fire.

Age

Although elves reach physical maturity at about the same age as humans, the elven understanding of adulthood goes beyond physical growth to encompass worldly experience. An elf typically claims adulthood and an adult name around the age of 100 and can live to be 750 years old.

Alignment

Elves love freedom, variety, and self-expression, so they lean strongly toward the gentler aspects of chaos. They value and protect others’ freedom as well as their own, and they are more often good than not. The drow are an exception; their exile into the Underdark has made them vicious and dangerous. Drow are more often evil than not.

Size

Elves range from under 5 to over 6 feet tall and have slender builds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

Accustomed to twilit forests and the night sky, 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.

Keen Senses

You have proficiency in the Perception skill.

Fey Ancestry

You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.

Trance

Fireborn don’t need to sleep. Instead, they meditate deeply, remaining semiconscious, for 4 hours a day. (The Common word for such meditation is “trance.”) While meditating, you can dream after a fashion; such dreams are actually mental exercises that have become reflexive through years of practice. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Elvish. Elvish is fluid, with subtle intonations and intricate grammar. Elven literature is rich and varied, and their songs and poems are famous among other races. Many bards learn their language so they can add Elvish ballads to their repertoires.