Homebrew Dullahan Species Details
History
A dullahan is a type of fey creature born of the Unseelie Court. Dullahan resemble undead due to their headlessness but both head and body are kept alive by a curse. Inclined to travel at night by Unseelie magic and their own appearance, grim folklore has sprung up about them. Dullahan are created by Unseelie fey when they decapitate a human, or a similar race, as part of a dark ritual. Due to this ritual, most dullahan tend to retain most of their characteristics of their human self, but memories of their human life is mostly forgotten, only a few dullahan manage to remember a few memories from their human life due to a trigger or a lasting impression that can never be forgotten. Dullahan are also capable of producing offspring, but much like a tiefling, the offspring will be a dullahan, regardless of the partner's race.
Physical Appearance
Dullahan resemble humans with either dark tan or pale blue skin. Their eyes are black, but their iris's can be any natural or unnatural color. A dullahan's hair can be any natural color but is frequently black, gray, or white. Dullahan mouthes can become very wide, reaching to the sides of their heads, but not all dullahan share this trait due to years of evolution to appear more human than monster to other races. While a dullahan's head is separated from their body, an ethereal, non-lethal flame forms on top of their wounded neck as a means for the body to see and hear, but this flame is invisible to the naked eye and can only be perceived by magical means.
Life of a Dullahan
Since they resemble humans so strongly, most dullahan are able to integrate into society more easily than most tieflings or half-Orcs. However, the differences they do have and their headless nature are still viewed negatively by other races, often being described as creepy, sickening, and often being compared as a monster. Dullahan tend to keep their nature hidden as much as possible in order to save themselves some unwanted attention and discrimination. All things considered, dullahan are still a rare race to encounter in most large cities or towns as they mostly prefer to travel, often due to their profession or to simply live a nomadic life.
Dullahan Traits
...Headless
Your head and your body are separated, the wound that separated them never healing, although you may always attach or detach your head at will as an action. While your head is separated from your neck you gain the following effects:
- You cannot be killed by decapitation.
- You always know the distance and direction to your head unless it is on another plane or if an effect prevents divination magic it will also prevent this effect.
- Unless your head is being carried by you or another creature, it can be targeted, its AC being equal to yours but without the benefit of Dexterity or armor that does not include a helmet. You cannot be damaged twice by an area of effect due to this. Your head automatically fails Dexterity saving throws.
- When separate, both head and body can see and hear.
- Your headless body cannot speak but it can consume food and drink as well as cast spells, even spells with verbal components as long as the separated head is not silenced or gagged.
Trance
Dullahan do not need to sleep. Instead, they enter a dormant state and remain semiconscious for 4 hours a day. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep.
Hybrid Nature
Your creature type is fey in addition to humanoid. You can become the target of any ability, spell or effect that affects either of your creature types.
Weakness to gold
You have vulnerability to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from gold plated weapons. If you are carrying or touching anything made of gold make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or release the item. Repeat this save every turn you carry the gold.
Ability Score Increase
Your Intelligence score increases by 1, and your Charisma score increases by 2.
Age
Whether they were born by a dark ritual or reproduction, dullahan mature at the same rate as humans, but live far longer. They become adults when they are 20 and can live for 300 years.
Alignment
Dullahan tend toward neutral alignments as they believe death comes equally to everybody at their own pace and also to avoid being ostracized as monsters.
Size
Dullahan are about as tall as the average human. Your size is medium.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision
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.
Frightening
you're frightening presence invokes the fear of death in regular mortals
Unseelie Magic
You know the toll the dead cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the find steed spell as a 2nd-level spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. The mount conjured is considered a fey creature. Additionally the steed can be stored in your shadow as an action and can be retrieved as a bonus action. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the knock spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan.
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