Homebrew Vril Species Details
His commander crouched on the top of a rocky outcrop. Below them lay the valley of sleeping enemy warriors numbering over a hundred. Grick looked around at his fellow Vril soldiers, the two dozen of them carried heavy weapons at the ready waiting for the command to strike. The silent tension of anticipated battle hung over them like a cloud, not that Grick knew what clouds look like. He had been born and raised underground, and now he would most likely die without ever seeing the sun. His commander's ears swivel around searching for the sounds of the duergar sentries, if they could be taken out without raising the alarm his small force stood a chance.
Grick holds up a clawed hand fingers extended to show the brand of the Vril Independence Army, the others return the gesture and easing the terrible tension with their shared bond. Together they will fight, for life and liberty of their race, whether they live or die no longer mattered only that they fight with every strength and skill they possess.
As the moment fades their commander barks the order to charge....
Created from goblins by evil drow wizards, the Vril traverse the Underdark in confidence. Designed to be the ideal shock troops and elite guards Vril have unexpected physical strength and resiliency for their small size. The world below knows to respect and fear the strength of the Vril. But above ground their strange appearance and heritage causes them to be met with suspicion and disgust. Some Vril remain loyal servants of the drow, others have rebelled against the drow and viciously fight their former masters, and still others leave the Underdark seeking to a new life they can choose for themselves.
Inbred Ferocity
Vril bear only a vague similarity to their goblinoid ancestors. The Vril have thick toughened skin that as difficult to cut through as armour, it's vibrantly coloured purple, blue, green, or crimson from the chemical mutagens fed to their ancestors. Generations of inbreeding by the drow have designed them with elongated muscular arms and hunched posture reminiscent of an ape. Their pointed ears were enlarged with a bird-like appearance to give them a superior sense of hearing. The Vril's powerful hands and feet are clawed with four fingers or toes and an opposable thumb on both hands and feet making them excellent climbers.
Loyalty and Courage
The Vril were designed to be the perfect soldiers. As such they have an innate sense of loyalty and courage in the face of battle bordering on recklessness. The greatest flaw to a Vril is cowardice, and many Vril would turn on their own family should they flee from battle. In contrast, even mortal enemies of a Vril can earn their respect by demonstrating their valour and courage. However, even a respected enemy is an enemy still and Vril have no qualms killing their enemies as necessary to achieve their goals.
While the Vril have an innate sense of loyalty, their designers could not control who or what they owe their loyalty to. Some Vril give their loyalty their masters and commanders, others to friends and family, and still others to ideals and ideas. However, once a Vril has chosen what they believe in they will maintain an unshakable loyalty to that person or cause regardless of changes in fortune or circumstance. Despite their sense of loyalty, Vril do not understand the concept of honour, and excel at dirty fighting and underhanded tactics.
Vril can act independently, but they prefer to work as a team either with other Vril or with those that have earned their respect. One cannot face down an army alone, as such the Vril have an innate sense of the strength in numbers. Due to their deeply loyal nature, the Vril expect the same of their comrades and may have difficulty working with more chaotic or independent individuals.
Vril Names
Vril have two names assigned-names given to them at birth by either their masters or their families, and self-names which they choose for themselves when they come of age. The assigned-name is the one used in common practice by the Vril. Only the most trusted friends of a Vril will be granted the honour of knowing their self-name. Due to their history of slavery to the drow, assigned-names are always a single syllable. and do not reflect any personal quality of the individual Vril. Whereas self-names are highly symbolic of the individual.
Assigned Names: Ard, Brok, Dun, Eit, Fryn, Ged, Hart, Pid, Quen, Mud, Mot, Nedd, Niz, Saa, Tem, Trez, Urk, Vreck, Zid
Female Self Names: Allindra, Autradie, Bestilia, Basunias, Cherist, Carselle, Fessilles, Ginnethir, Jalline, Mirella, Nyfle, Shorushun, Semmellina, Tressinni, Veshache, Wallilli
Male Self Names: Aurys, Arturo, Buertori, Caenenis, Dorutin, Duskormi, Ergosis, Ianador, Heflir, Geodrix, Murmillo, Murodor, Pallitrex, Regulis, Renkari, Suroto, Tremmillok, Virengar
Vril Traits
Your magically altered goblin form grants you certain abilities.Ability Score Increase
Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Strength score increases by 1.
Age
Vril grow and mature quickly. They walk days after being born, and reach adulthood by the age of 2. They can live to be around 20 but rarely survive more than 15 years.
Alignment
Most Vril live in close association with drow or other goblinoids and learn their tendencies. Vril tend towards Lawful Evil alignments.
Size
Vril are similar in size but heavier than goblins, standing 3-4 ft feet tall and averaging 80-90 pounds. Your size is Small.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Vril have small claws on their hands and feet giving them a 20ft climb speed while bare-foot.
Sonic Shriek
You can use your action to release a sonic shriek. When you use your shriek, each creature in a 30ft cone a Dexterity saving throw. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. A creature takes 2d6 thunder damage on a failed save, and half as much damage on a successful one. The damage increases to 3d6 at 6th level, 4d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 16th level. After you use your shriek, you can’t use it again until you complete a short or long rest.
Teamwork
The Vril excel at working together in a group. As a bonus action on your turn, you can take the Help action.
Natural Armour
Your toughened skin grants you a degree of protection. When you aren’t wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield’s benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.
Keen Hearing
A Vril's large bat-like ears provide them a superior sense of hearing compared to other race. They have proficiency with the Perception skill.
Sunlight Sensitivity
You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common and Goblin.
Comments