Homebrew Dawnpetian Species Details
The graceful beam of light from the day's first rays tears into the attunement room, the cheiftain of the Dawnpit, Clatenebris Umbracusto holds up a mystical staff. When the dawnlight hits the staff the crystal inside begins to glow yellow as Clatenebris' skin starts flaking off and burning. After a few moment's passing the light stops and Clatenebris is left breathing heavily and severely burnt. That goes to show the unhealthy balance of light and dark in these creatures.
Thousands of generations lived in the Dawnpit, halls carved into the ancient extinct volcano, the light from the first dawn of the day charges and attunes their weaponry and armour, a life lived underground, for the sun burns into their bodies and souls, and a burning hatred of all outsiders—the Dawnpetians are a force to be reckoned with.
Short, Stout And Elven
Bold and hardy, Dawnpetians are known as skilled warriors, wizards, and scholars of the magical properties of Carcimia's dawnlight. Though they stand under 5'6" tall, Dawnpetians can be slender as a drow or as broad as a dwarf, they can weigh as much as an elf standing nearly two feet taller or more. Their cunning and patience are also easily more than a match for any of the larger folk.
Dawnpetian skin ranges from dark grey to a paler hue tinged with salmon, but the most common shades are light grey or pale tan, like certain tones of Drow. Their hair, worn long but in simple styles, is usually black, gray, or white, though paler dwarves often have a striking violet hair colour. Male Dawnpetians value their beards highly and groom them carefully, similar to dwarves.
Long Memory, Long Grudges, Long Lifespan
Dawnpetians can live to be more than 700 years old, so the oldest living Dawnpetians often remember a very different world. This comes from the long lifespan of a dwarf and that of an elf. For example, some of the oldest dwarves living in the Dawnpit (on the island of Carcimia) can recall the day, more than five centuries ago, when orcs conquered the forest and drove them to the mystical Dawnpit in the first place. This longevity grants them a perspective on the world that shorter-lived races such as humans and halflings lack.
Dawnpetians are solid and magical like the volcano they love, living through the centuries with stoic patience and little change. They don't conform with other races and keep to themselves, keeping their traditions unchanged through the many centuries. Part of those traditions is devotion to the gods of the sun, who give the Dawnpetians their magical equipment, longevity, and devotion to the Dawnpit. They seem to completely devote themselves to the sun no matter how much it burns their sensitive skin and body.
Individual Dawnpetians are patient and cunning, they are silver-toungued and decisive in action, sometimes even hypnotic. Many Dawnpetians don't care about others, and they are slow to stop their manipulative ways. A wrong done to one Dawnpetians is a wrong done to the Dawnpetian's entire clan, so what begins as one orc's hunt for vengeance can become a full-blown race war.
The Dawnpetian Clan
Since the entire Dawnpetian race resides in a single volcano in the numbers of just one dwarf clan, they value each and every member of the clan and deeply grieve the loss of a single member. They love the beauty and artistry of the sun's rays and corona, although their imagery of it is slightly skewed as they cannot veiw it for too long or they'll burn. They don't value money and rarely trade with other races. They dislike any ways of travel apart from walking, so unsuspecting humans and halflings frequently end up with dead horses and ruined carts during trade attempts. The only successful trades have been achieved on foot. Trustworthy members of other dark races, such as darklings and drow clerics and bards are welcome in the Dawnpit, though some areas are off limits even to them.
The chief of the Dawnpetian clan, Clatenebris Umbracusto controls all aspects of life in the Dawnpit, because the Dawnpetians highly value social standing. Even the darklings and Drows understand and conform to Clatenebris' rules and laws, and defend his honour and life, and invoke his and previous chiefs' names in oaths and curses and spells. To be exiled from the Dawnpit is the worst fate that can befall a Dawnpetian. Not only from the shame but also when the sun arises they will be burnt alive.
Exiled Dawnpetians usually go to live with drow tribes or as nomads, if they survive the sunlight. Some become mercenaries or bounty hunters, highly sought after for the money and thrill of the hunt.
Gods, Glory, and Clan
Dawnpetians who take up the mercenary/bounty hunter life might be motivated by a desire to prove themselves, or fuelled by anger against their clan—for their own sake, for a specific purpose, or even out of revenge for their expulsion. Other Dawnpetians are driven by the command or inspiration of a deity, a direct calling or simply a desire to bring glory to one of the Dawnpetian gods. Clan and cheif orders are also important motivators. A Dawnpetian might seek to restore the clan’s lost honor, avenge an ancient wrong the clan suffered, or earn a new place within the clan after having been exiled. Or a Dawnpetian might search for the staff wielded by a mighty ancestor, stolen by the angels of Skukrópoli or the orcs of Àite Neart.
MANIPULATIVE AND DANGEROUS
Dawnpetians don't get along well with most other races. “I'd rather have a darkling for a father than a human for a brother,” is a Dawnpetian value that shows their hatred to other races, but certainly points to how much the Dawnpetians are disgusted by humans by rather having a lowly creature such as a darkling as a father than an average human as a brother.
Elves. “It disgusts me to think that I have the blood of those petty people in my veins. Enourmous potential wasted on music and clothes; useless things, when it comes to a fight they’re as apt to start singing as to pull out a sword. They’re flighty and frivolous. Two things to be said for them, though: They don’t have many smiths, and the ones they have do very weak and pointless work. And when orcs or goblins come streaming down out of the forest, an elf’s as good as a horse. Not as much as us, maybe, but no doubt they hate the orcs with their lives, as we do.”
Halflings. “Sure, they’re pleasant folk. But they're weak, useless. At least we're short but have our strength to make up for it, they're just plain small and weak. Anything made by halfling hands is as useless as a horse. How can anyone take them seriously?”
Humans. “I'm not saying I like them, but they can make some mighty fine trades. If you kill one or do something bad to them they'll forget it ever happened after a decade or two, that's another thing I like about those humans. But I envy them, they frolic in the sun all day whereas its a risk of death to even charge a simple amulet for us.”
Dawnpetian Names
A Dawnpetian’s name is granted by a clan elder, in accordance with tradition. Every proper Dawnpetian name is different and last names are only given to the chief. A Dawnpetian's name belongs to the individual but their names can be easily identified as Dawnpetian. A Dawnpetian who misuses or brings shame to a clan becomes nameless, exiled and forbidden by law to use any Dawnpetian name in its place.
Male Names: Clatenebris, Umbrik, Tenebra, Solac, Rador, Anula, Crimus, Sovirg, Somulet, Soglad, Socur, Subdola, Callidum, Fiprinc, Honfect, Besfect, Resiso...
Female Names: Clatenebra, Umrika, Tenebra, Solicis, Radora, Anula, Crimusia, Sovirga, Somuleta, Sogladia, Socura, Subdola, Callida, Fiprina, Honfecta, Besfecta, Resisiora...
Chief Titles: The Bright Shadow, Sunheart, The Melted, Shadewalker, Resistor of Fire, Sun Harnessor
Subrace
The Dawnpetians are themselves a hybrid or a subrace of dwarves, the duergar and a subrace of elves, the drows.
In the confining walls of the Dawnpit live the Dawnpetians, thousands of generations of interbreeding have caused the Dawnpetians to become their own race instead of a subrace of a subrace of elves and dwarves.
Dawnpetian Traits
Your Dawnpetian character has an assortment of inborn abilities, part and parcel of dwarven and elven nature.Ability Score Increase
Your Constitution score increases by 2.
Age
Dawnpetians mature at the same rate as humans, but they’re considered young until they reach the age of 50. On average, they live about 700 years.
Size
Dwarves stand between 3 and 6 feet tall and average about 120 pounds. Your size is Medium to Small.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 25 feet. Your speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor.
Darkvision
Accustomed to life underground, 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.
Dwarven Heritage
You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage (explained in the “Combat” section).
Dwarven and Elven Weaponry
You have proficiency with the battleaxe, handaxe, light hammer, and warhammer, as well as with the shortsword, staff, wand, and magic rod.
Tool Proficiency
You gain proficiency with the artisan’s tools of your choice: smith’s tools, brewer’s supplies, or mason’s tools.
Suncunning
Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the origin of sun magics you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common and Dwarvish. Dwarvish is full of hard consonants and guttural sounds, and those characteristics spill over into whatever other language a dwarf might speak.
Comments