Homebrew Couatlborn Species Details

Created by authors Gimmicks and Jeromous for D&D Module Snakes & Saloons. Check it out!

 Derivatively Crafted The Couatlborn are a race of people which were created by ancient Couatl as servants, or slaves. Couatl originally used early human worshipers, who believed them to be gods, as servents. But as humans evolved from living in caves, they began to doubt the divinity of these giant serpants. As such, humans moved beyond the lands in which these Couatl inhabited and formed their own religions. The Couatl were left without followers to serve them. Eventually, they grew desperate enough to start experimenting with their own eggs. Through the innate arcane adaptivity granted by their celestial ancestry, the Couatl manipulated their eggs into producing smaller, more human-like, versions of themselves. After more experimenting, the Couatl were able to produce these Couatlborn in such a way that they were able to reproduce themselves and no longer had to be birthed from the Couatl's own eggs.

A Strong Sense of Clan Like most divine, or at least demi-divine, creatures, Couatlborn source their power from the devotion and faith of their followers. As such, Couatl have institutionally created a sense of community and "one-ness" within their congregation. To Couatlborn, being a worshiper of your patron Couatl and serving them is your life's work. Service of your god is the sacrifice which will guarantee the ascendance of your soul. To denounce your clan is to denounce god. Your clan is your family and you are all united under your Couatl god.

Beyond a Life of Service Some Couatlborn are able to escape the cult of their patron Couatl god. This apostasy is no easy feat as it often involves the complete abandonment if their entire lives, every single family member they've ever had. Sometimes those who escape these cults have a hard time adjusting to life outside of it, having to remind themselves that they don't have to save their money in order to make an offering or that most people's families aren't composed of hundreds of individuals.

Couatlborn Names Couatlborn's first names are derived from names given to their ancestors, who were originally created to serve Couatl demi-gods. Their surnames are often simply the name of whatever ancient Couatl demi-god their family once served. Androgynous Names: Ka'lix, Ikli, Ip'tal, Otl, Tepu Female Names: Cit'ma, Mi'zel, Nen'l, Pipna, Talli Male Names: Akan, Etzli, Ix'lan, Ma'lum, Paxlon Surnames: Aax, Apchua, Choek, Gamil, Inkna, Kruum, Okan, Vinntab, Zimli

Couatlborn Traits

Your couatlborn character has certain characteristics in common with all other couatlborn

Ability Score Increase

Your wisdom score is increased by +2

Age

It takes the average Couatle born about 30 years to reach full maturity. Because they are only about 2 feet long when they are hatched, they must spend decades shedding their skin in order to reach their full height. Couatlborn experience puberty around their mid-20's in which they experience a growth spurt which brings them from 3-5 feet tall to 6-8 feet tall. Couatlborn can live up to 300 years and are not considered elderly until their final few decades.

Alignment

Those who serve benevolent Couatl are often good. Those who serve malevolent ones, evil. Those who are removed from their clan often shift their alignment to one that opposes their Couatl demi-god. Regardless, Couatlborn are almost always lawful, being institutionally raised to be strict believers in rules and laws.

Size

Your size is Medium. Couatlborn younger than 20 years old range between 3 and 5 feet tall and are considered Small.

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.

Innate Spellcasting

Once per long rest you can cast one of the following spells 'at will': Detect Good and Evil, Detect Magic, Thaumaturgy.

Inherent Shapeshifter

Couatl are known for their notorious ability to shapeshift, their Couatlborn descendants also receive a rudimentary ability to change their shape. Once per long rest, you may shapeshift which follows the same boundaries as the Disguise Self spell. However, your shapeshifting can only affect yourself, not any items, clothing, or equipment you are carrying. But the way in which you shapeshift is not illusory. For example, if you were to shapeshift into a human with long hair, the hair would be real and tangible, even if you do not have any hair in your true form.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan. As a method of acknowledging their fey ancestry, Couatlborn often teach their children Sylvan. Couatlborn are often driven by their connection to the fey.

Subraces

Couatlborn are separated into two categories based on the dominant traits of which they inherited from their Couatl ancestors: Inheritors of Might and Inheritors of Mind.