Homebrew Skeleton (Reborn) Species Details
Rebirthed Skeletons:
Despite her hatred for the undead sometimes after a creature has fallen, The Raven Queen does not see these rebirthed skeletons through the path of death and into their next step in the afterlife. If she judges that they must be damned to a life of suffering (or at least another very painful death); or if she judges that they still have more to do in the material plain (like a burning need for vengeance, or protection of a loved one on a dangerous journey - often involving the slaying of undead), she may on a rare occasion send them back as a skeleton. In this skeletal form, the creature usually retains it's memories and abilities from it's previous life (depending on how it died, if the head was caved in then often memories are lost) After her judgement, the soul of the creature re-embodies it's recently still corpse, where it loses it's flesh in an excruciating process of "rebirth" that only few endure without becoming a shivering mess or dying in the process. If the creature is driven enough to withstand this and complete what they are set out to do, then they are given the option of a peaceful death, or to live the rest of their life out as a skeleton. In the case that they have been sent back as punishment for terrible deeds, after experiencing this torturous return to their bodies the creature is forced to experience death (often a recreation of their first death again) before they can finally move on, if they survive the rebirth at all. The Raven Queen does not see these Reborn skeletons as 'undead', as they never pass truly through into death, and still possess the same soul and natural life span that their natural form would. It is a earned and deserved prolonging of life similar to natural medicines and magical potions of healing , rather than what she sees to be a twisted manipulation of the soul.
Past Life
Reborn skeletons hold memories, and some attributes from their past life, and their size and bone structure stays the same. Where their flesh has been stripped away though, sometimes so are some of a creatures former traits and outlooks. Jovial and joyful creatures can become so scarred by their rebirth, that only the insatiable voracious and passionate desire to complete whatever task they are set on remains. Or calm and docile creature can be blinded by unending rage. Even those who are largely the same as they once were still carry the weight of what they have experienced in some form or another. In the very few cases of rebirths that have occurred, the vast majority choose death when they have fulfilled their duty. Those who don't are forced into hiding, as they know that their new form will never truly be accepted by others. The result of this, is that all animated skeletons are assumed to be undead or magically controlled and animated by almost all inhabitants of the material plane, rather than truly alive.
The Raven Queen's Blessing
In order to keep a reborn skeletons previous strength and allow them to move freely, The Raven Queen bestows a blessing of strength to their skeletal frame during the tortuous process of rebirth. This allows skeletons to be much more resilient, even when compared to their previous selves. Although the process is agonizing, the pain and suffering endured does serve some use as well. The experience of 'death', coming so close to The Raven Queen herself and suffering so much to gain life back grants the surviving Skeletons an incredible will to grasp onto their lives until every gasp of it is gone. This makes it so that a skeleton who has survived past it's first day is much more difficult to kill again. During the process of this blessing, payment does not only take form of the hellish physical test of having your flesh stripped away though, but also requires the subject goes on a journey. This journey of illusions differs in each case, but in every case of The Raven Queen using the second life as punishment the illusions have consisted of horrifying memories, deepest fears and relentless tormenting. In the case that The Raven Queen wants to test the subject, some of these same tactics are employed but alongside them she offers up various challenges to overcome. These problems are often demoralizing and can sometimes at first seem to be dead ends. Only the most driven and fiery souls can pass them but this is necessary, as if they do not have a heart that can allow them to endure these tests, then they will not be able return and will be destroyed by The Raven Queen herself in order to ensure they do not become the corrupted undead she so despises.
Skeleton (Reborn) Traits
Skeletons are weathered and hardened by the experience of death and rebirth, and as such are less vulnerable in their second life, whilst still retaining some previous attributes.Reborn Resistence
Once per long rest. After taking non-critical damage dropping you to 0 hit points, as long as the damage is not equal to your full maximum hit points, you may instead roll one hit dice (plus constitution modifier) and return on that number of hit points.
A second chance of life should not be wasted. You have experienced 'death' before, and now you know how to fight it. Where most would fall unconscious, reborn skeletons cling onto their second lives with the ferocity only a creature that has been so close to death can. Where successful, skeletons can extend their lives and sometimes turn the tides of their unfortunate situations until their have fulfilled their self-set duties.
Robust Constitution
Resistance to Poison damage
Due to being nothing but a skeleton with organs and flesh stripped away, poisons are much less effective against you.
Skeletal Constitution
All skeletons benefit from +2 to their Constitution score.
Stripped of their fragile fleshy husk, reborn skeletons are left with strengthened bones that make them much less vulnerable than their previous forms.
Past Life
Pick a ability score to +1, relating to the race that the skeleton previously belonged to. (e.g. undead elves would receive +1 to their dexterity score)
Skeletons still hold on to some traits of their past life after rebirth, which they can utilize to help them on their journey.
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