Homebrew Azolugh Species Details

Nomadic and Neighborly

Every clan of Azolugh is tightly knit together through the hardship of a constantly moving lifestyle. The creatures and monsters of their world are dangerous to encounter, and other peoples who would view them as warlike and inherently violent are often quick to attack them if they should stop too close to settlements, so it is very rare to see an Azolugh alone. While safety is a large concern, Azolugh are generally exceptionally social not only among themselves, but with others. Even a introverted member of a clan will initiate conversation with others if no one else will, seeking to put others at ease and establish camaraderie quickly. If they aren’t actively attacked, a clan will often send a goodwill party to the community they have come to rest near, bearing gifts, food, and pieces of their oral traditions that their would-be hosts might enjoy. If their hosts enjoy mock battles, pit fighting, and other contests of might, Azolugh clans meet the challenge with gusto and mirth, ready to exhibit displays of hard earned physical prowess.

Their children are raised communally, to aid in learning and bonding, as well as to promote a sense of trust and safety amongst the entire clan. A child’s natural talents are encouraged to be explored, and it’s considered only natural that a child hop around in their interests. No amount of mentoring and learning is considered a waste of time, for learning it it’s own muscle to be exercised as much as possible. You can never know too much, especially when it comes to the complete oral history passed down from generation to generation.

Attention Grabbing

Azolugh are a horned people with dark skin with multitudes of undertones, including purple, blue, teal, red, gray, and pitch black, and have prominent displays of bioluminescence along their bodies, their mouths, clawed fingers, and glowing eyes most prominent among them. Their mouths are wide and display large upper fangs that typically curve outward, as well as slightly smaller lower fangs, the bone glowing faintly along with their long tongues and the insides of their mouths. Glowing facial and body markings are also common, and grow more numerous with age and wounding. It’s quite common for younger Azolugh to participate in ritual scarring, especially if they’re known explicitly for their physical prowess. The older the Azolugh, the more the chemicals contributing to their bioluminescence shows through their thinning skin. They are born with no external bioluminescence, aside from their mouths, nail beds, and inside of the nostrils. The coloring of these markings are neon colored, and often differ from the skin tone itself. One with dark brown skin might have teal markings that occur naturally and bear scars that are bright yellow for example. Their hair is thick, and holds styles and bright with minimal fuss, leading to many treating their hair to be as bright and glowing as other parts of them.

Gender and sex are very malleable among Azolugh, due to their bodies being highly receptive and adaptable to different chemicals, minerals, radiation, etc. that can be manipulated to change their sex at will and have tight control over their reproductive cycle. It is nearly impossible for a child to be born unwanted among the Azolugh as the process of reproduction is one that is begun deliberately and through a calculated diet meant to produce and prepare a body for the laying of a large, dense egg which must be then fertilized externally, yet again facilitated most commonly by another deliberate manipulation of their bodies’ workings through diet or medicine. Nearly all Azolugh can lay an egg or fertilize one at their choosing. Procreation and sex for pleasure are very, very different beasts, and Azolugh are often baffled or confused to learn that the two are so closely connected in other creatures.

Azolugh Names

Names are gender neutral and quite often tend to be syllables that sound good together, rather than focus on meanings. However, it’s not uncommon for names to be portmanteaus of words in Deep Speech that parents wish for their children to embody. Labial sounds such as v, b, f, and p for example, aren’t common, given the shape of their teeth.

Azolugh Names: Azak, Azri, Chiral, Donagg, Errsi, Holru, Kuroza, Qoranala, Thitik, Zezech

Azolugh Traits

Azolugh have the following traits.

Ability Score Increase

Your Strength increases by 2. In addition, your Intelligence and Charisma each increase by 1.

Age

Azolugh age at roughly the same rate as humans do, though are longer lived, reaching about 300 years in age.

Alignment

In all things, Azolugh tend to be adaptive yet principled, leaving many of them to tend towards neutrality and lawfulness.

Size

Azolugh range between 6 to 7 and a half feet. 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.

Bioluminescent Glow

Azolugh’s Glow bestows advantage on Intimidation checks and disadvantage on Stealth checks. Additionally, dim light extends out from you 5 feet, and you can use a bonus action once a day for an hour to intensify the glow to shed bright light for 10 feet and dim light an additional 10 feet. For each hour the effect is sustained beyond the first, roll a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or suffer 1 point of exhaustion.

Oni Regeneration

As a distant relative of trolls and oni, you have the ability to regenerate health faster than most. Roll a d6 for every Hit Die you use during your short rests. Add the result to the total health you regain.

Near Flight

You possess a small amount of that same magic that allows oni to fly. As a reaction, you glide, slowing your falling speed to 60 feet per round, and taking no falling damage for heights under 60 feet, after which you begin to take half damage. Additionally you can always jump 5 feet higher, and 10 feet farther. 

Azolugh Adaptabilty

Due to the highly reactive nature of your biology, you have advantage on saves against poison and resistance against poison damage. Work with your DM to determine how a poison, venom, spore, or otherwise harmful substance might affect your character’s biology.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, Deep Speech, and Giant.