Homebrew Arcanalin Species Details

Some of the most bizarre humanoids one could ever see, its a truly strange place where they aren’t the elephant in the room. Arcanalins stand out wherever they go, and not only because of their appearance. They never truly live a childhood; rather they manifest as functional beings with a spectrum of random knowledge. Most of them end up as either scholars or adventurers in attempt to find the reason for their existence.

Strange Features

Nearly all Arcanalins have features of vibrant colors. While sometimes confused for Genasi or Tieflings, they will almost never have skin features similar to common humanoids. The transition between these colors can be all sorts patterns, some looking like runes, others tattoos, and some gradient. Some Arcanalins change color over time, when they cast spells or change emotional state. When an Arcanalin’s life is drained from excessive damage or incapacitated, their vibrant colors fade and become gray. When one dies, they are completely drained of color and leave behind a gray husk.

They also tend to have strange features such as an odd amount of fingers, a very long tongue, strange textured patterns on the skin, horns or antennae, and such. Sometimes they have random arcane effects, like levitation a few inches off the ground, hair that always has a static effect or reverse gravity, skin that water beads off of instantly, glowing eyes, or footprints that stain the ground for a short time.

Questionable Origin

Many can only speculate how Arcanalins came to be. Scholars suggest influence from the Far Realms seeping into the weave. Society is mostly baffled by them; bizarre looking humanoids with the ability to speak appearing out of nowhere with no former memories or place to call home. They are often taken in by wizards and sages for the first years of their life. Others find alternate places to reside and find purpose in life.

Often Arcanalins manifest with many bits of random knowledge of the realms, and more appear in their minds over their lives. Sometimes all it takes is the mention of a name or event and they instantly know a thing or two about it. 

Arcanalin Names

Arcanalins have no real pattern in what name they take, but it’s typically one they come up with themselves. Some name themselves after the color they are or one that represents their personality. Many take the surname of a person they considered their guardian figure, or make one based on what they did in the first years of their lives. Otherwise, their names can be just about anything.

Arcanalin Traits

Arcanalins are quite diverse, but have a few things in common.

Ability Score Increase

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

Age

Arcanalins live for a long time. As they manifest and aren’t born, they don’t mature and can live up to 500 years.

Alignment

Aarcanalins have no alignment trend and can be any. Typically, it’s shaped by the area they manifest in.

Size

Arcanalins range between 5 and 7 feet in height and are unusually light; weighing betweeen 50 and 80 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

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.

Eldritch Nature

Your magical nature has given you a strange ability. Choose one of the following Eldritch Incocations.

Armor of Shadows- You can cast mage armor on yourself at will, without expending a spell slot or material components.

Beast Speech- You can cast speak with animals at will, without expending a spell slot.

Devil’s Sight- You can see normally in darkness, both magical and non-magical, to a distance of 120 feet.

Eldritch Sight- You can cast detect magic at will, without expending a spell slot.

Eyes of the Rune Keeper- You can read all writing. You can comprehend any written word or symbol, should it hold any linguistic meaning.

Gaze of Two Minds- You can use your action to touch a willing humanoid and perceive through its senses until the end of your next turn. As long as the creature is on the same plane of existence as you, you can use your action on subsequent turns to maintain this connection, extending the duration until the end of your next turn. While perceiving through the other creature's senses, you benefit from any special senses possessed by that creature, and you are blinded and deafened to your own surroundings.

Innate Magic

You know one wizard cantrip of your choice. 

Twist of Fate

When any creature you can see within 60 feet of you makes a d20 roll, you can use your reaction to steal that roll and replace theirs with your own d20 roll. The next time you make the same kind of check, you use the stolen roll.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest. If you still have a stolen roll when you finish a long rest, you loose it.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, Deep Speech, and one other language of your choice.