Homebrew Abyss Angel Species Details

“You are a confusing existence, born of both devils and angels"

The black eyes, within which were irises of pure radiant gold, seemed to inspire both a deep fear and adiration to all that looked into them.

“What is it that brought someone like you about?” he asked. “I despise, yet at the same time I must worship you”

“I tend to have that affect on people” he finished. “You'd think it be more of a point of contention?”

“I know what I know.” When she glared at him, she added, “You carry a heavy burden, for many must have the same reaction as myself, to some extent” He tilted his head, scrutinizing her, with a mishieveous glint in his eyes. “You fight, don’t you? Like a young dragon, I wager. Every little jab and comment just sharpens your claws, as well as your words.”

— Grindaz Torchbearer, Priest of the Holy Church

To be greeted with stares and whispers, to suffer both violence and cult-like worship, to see mistrust and fear in some, yet deep admiration in others: this is the lot of the Abyss Angel. And to twist the knife, Anyss Angels know that this is because some see them for their cursed blood, some for the blessed half. They do not have to deal with the same misgivings as their devilish parent, but neither the angelic one's blessings, but both to a lesser extent.

Intertwined Bloodlines

Abyss Angels are derived from human bloodlines, and in the broadest sense, they still look human. However, their dual heritages have left a clear imprint on their appearance. Abyss Angels have large horns that take any of a variety of shapes: some have curling horns like a ram, others have straight and tall horns like a gazelle’s, and some spiral upward like an antelope. They smaller tails than the thick tails of tieflings, two to three feet long, which lash or coil around their legs when they get upset or nervous. Their canine teeth are sharply pointed, and their eyes are solid colors—black, red, white, silver, or gold—with visible pupils that are typically either bright gold or firey red rings. Their skin tones cover the full range of human coloration but also include various shades of red of their tieflings parents, and the grays and pale whites of their aasimar parents. Their hair, cascading down from behind their horns, is usually bright white, silvers, light golds, or a spectrum of prismatic colours. They have feathery wings that grow from their backs, not quite large, but they can use them for limited forms of flight.

Self-Reliant and Suspicious

Abyss angels subsist in even smaller minorities than their of their parent's races, they can be rarely found mostly in human cities or towns, often in the roughest quarters of those places, where they grow up to follow one of their parent's ways of life. They are treated with much more respect than their tiefling parentage, though not quite as a human or elf may be treated

Lacking a proper homeland, abyss angels know that they have to make their own way in the world and that they have to be strong to survive. They are not quick to trust anyone who claims to be a friend, but when their companions demonstrate that they trust him or her, the abyss angel learns to extend the same trust to them. And once they give someone loyalty, they are as firm a friend or ally for life can be.

 

MISUNDERSTOOD WARRIORS

People tend to be confused by abyss angels, assuming that their infernal heritage has left its mark on their personality and morality, not just their appearance, but also that their celestial heritage has done the same. Shopkeepers keep a close eye on their goods when abyss angels enter their stores, the town watch might follow them around for a while, and preasts look and ask whether they should be worshipped or burnt alive. The reality, though, is that an abyss angel's bloodline doesn’t affect his or her personality to any great degree. Years of dealing with mistrust does leave its mark on most abyss angels though, and they respond to it in different ways. Some choose to live up to the wicked stereotype of their infernal half, but others follow the virtues of their celestial half. Most are simply very aware of how people respond to them. After dealing with this mistrust throughout youth, an abyss angle often develops the ability to overcome prejudice through charm or intimidation.

Abyss Angel Traits

The Abyssal Angels share certain racial traits from both the bloodlines of their Aasimar and Tiefling parents..

Ability Score Increases

Your Dexterity is increased by 1, Constitution by 1, and Charisma by 1.

Age

Abyss Angels mature slower than humans, and live nearly twice as long.

Intertwined Legacies

You can use your firey blood to damage or heal others, using this ability, known as Lesser Holy Hellfire Touch, you can either heal or damage another person by 1d6+2, on a hit when used to attack it also applies 1d4-1 fire damage, this ability acts as a cantrip.  When you reach 5th level, you gain the ability to cast three spell-like abilities thrice with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells. The first spell is called Holy Hellfire Smite, it is cast like any other smite from the paladin's spell list, doing 2d8 fire damage. The second ability is called Holy Hellfire Cloak, and when cast on yourself or an ally gives +3 AC, as well as burns anything that touches the one it is cast on for 1d8 damage. The third ability, called Greater Holy Hellfire Touch, acts similar to its lesser version, allowing for more power in either range, you can either heal or damage another person by 2d8, on a hit when used to attack it also applies 1d8 fire damage.

Holy Hellfire Consumption

Your transformation lasts for 1 minute or until you end it as a bonus action. During it, you have a flying speed of 30 feet, and on each of your turns, you can deal extra fire damage (1d10) to one target when you deal damage to it with an attack or a spell. Your racial abilities double in strength while in this form. While in this form you are both stronger in a sense, as well as weaker in another, you lose both half of your armor class as well as health, and once the transformation is over your health remains at half for another minute until it restores back to what it was before the transformation. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Alignment

Abyss Angels might not have an innate tendency toward evil or good, but many of them end up there. Evil or good, an independent nature inclines many tieflings toward a neutral alignment.

Size

Tieflings are about the same size and build as humans. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet and your base flying speed is 15 feet.

Darkvision

Thanks to your infernal heritage, 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.

Hellish and Heavenly Resistance

You have resistance to fire and celestial damage.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, Infernal, and Celestial.