Homebrew Dullahan Species Details

"The Headless Horseman, who had been heard several times of late, patrolling the country; and, it was said, tethered his horse nightly among the graves in the churchyard."

— Washington Irving

A dullahan is a type of fey creature born of the Unseelie Court. Dullahan resemble undead due to their headlessness but both head and body are kept alive by a curse. Inclined to travel at night by Unseelie magic and their own appearance, grim folklore has sprung up about them. Dullahan are created by Unseelie fey when they decapitate a human, or a similar race, as part of a dark ritual. Due to this ritual, most dullahan tend to retain most of their characteristics of their human self, but memories of their human life is mostly forgotten, only a few dullahan manage to remember a few memories from their human life due to a trigger or a lasting impression that can never be forgotten. Dullahan are also capable of producing offspring, but much like a tiefling, the offspring will be a dullahan, regardless of the partner's race.

Physical Appearance

Dullahan resemble humans with either dark tan or pale blue skin. Their eyes are black, but their iris's can be any natural or unnatural color. A dullahan's hair can be any natural color but is frequently black, gray, or white. Dullahan mouthes can become very wide, reaching to the sides of their heads, but not all dullahan share this trait due to years of evolution to appear more human than monster to other races. While a dullahan's head is separated from their body, an ethereal, non-lethal flame forms on top of their wounded neck as a means for the body to see and hear, but this flame is invisible to the naked eye and can only be perceived by magical means.

Life of a Dullahan

Since they resemble humans so strongly, most dullahan are able to integrate into society more easily than most tieflings or half-Orcs. However, the differences they do have and their headless nature are still viewed negatively by other races, often being described as creepy, sickening, and often being compared as a monster. Dullahan tend to keep their nature hidden as much as possible in order to save themselves some unwanted attention and discrimination. All things considered, dullahan are still a rare race to encounter in most large cities or towns as they mostly prefer to travel, often due to their profession or to simply live a nomadic life.

Society

In the present day, dullahans rarely form large clans and tribes as they did in the past. They instead live a nomadic life as incessant travelers. They migrate across the world, eventually finding another dullahan, courting them, and riding together for a few years before living separately once more. However, not all dullahans are condemned to this fate; some dullahan clans survived in exile, finding each other and reuniting on the other side. These clans have a strong sense of community, reinforced by the charismatic and trustworthy nature of their leaders. As before, the morality of these clans varies from place to place. The collective response to the dullahan race is quite different amongst the mortals of the Material Plane compared to those residing in the Feywild. Their lonely nature and intimidating appearance mean many humans treat them as otherworldly monsters.

The one major defining trait that all groups of dullahan share are the importance they place on a dullahan's steed. While they usually ride horses, each clan may have collections of any number of different steeds, especially those suited for their environment. Dullahan clans have ridden on the backs of camels, musk-ox, griffons, and at least one dullahan has been seen riding on a strange, two-wheeled vehicle that combines the arcane with the mechanical. Regardless of what they ride, each dullahan has their own steed from the day they come of age, and the life of their steed is more important than their own. No dullahan from any clan will break bread with a dullahan who lost their steed. Fortunately, the spell many dullahans know to bond with their steed extends the steed's natural lifespan to match their own.

Dullahan Names

A dullahan's true name tend toward repeating syllables, often times adopting a human name, but not limited to that culture. They don't willingly reveal their true names to anyone but another dullahan, only because they don't want to become targets from people who fear dullahan. As a solution, some dullahan take on nicknames when interacting with other races, only revealing their true name to someone they absolutely trust or even love. Very rarely, a few dullahan take on their human name from their previous life through a potential memory.

Male: Mnoh Vis, Khit Tuc, Frur, Tor, Ultán, Raghnall, Tiernán, Eolann, Dagda

Female: LaLa, LeeLee, MeiMei, ViVi, Lasair, Doireann, Mairin, Eimhear, Siobhan

Dullahan Traits

Your dullahan character has a variety of abilities, the result of powerful fey and necromantic magic.

Ability Score Increase

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

Hybrid Nature

You are Fey and Humanoid. You can become the target of any ability, spell or effect that affects either of your creature types.

Headless

Your head and your body are separated, the wound that separated them never healing, although you may always attach or detach your head at will as an action. While your head is separated from your neck you gain the following effects:

• You cannot be killed by decapitation.
• You always know the distance and direction to your head unless it is on another plane or if an effect prevents divination magic it will also prevent this effect.
• Unless your head is being carried by you or another creature, it can be targeted, its AC being equal to yours but without the benefit of Dexterity or armor that does not include a helmet, and has a speed of 5 feet. Your hit points are reduced if either your body or head takes damage.. You cannot be damaged twice by an area of effect due to this. Your head automatically fails Dexterity saving throws.
• When separate, both head and body can see and hear.
• Your headless body cannot speak but it can consume food and drink as well as cast spells, even spells with verbal components as long as the separated head is not silenced or gagged.

Age

Whether they were born by a dark ritual or reproduction, dullahan mature at the same rate as humans, but live far longer. They become adults when they are 20 and can live for 300 years.

Size

Dullahan are about as tall as the average human. 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.

Frightening

You have proficiency in the Intimidation skill.

Unseelie Magic

You know the Chill Touch cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level you can cast Find Steed once per long rest. The mount conjured is considered a fey creature. Additionally, the steed can be stored in your shadow as an Action and can be retrieved as a bonus action. Once you reach 5th level you can cast Knock once per long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Trance

Dullahan do not need to sleep. Instead, they enter a dormant state and remain semiconscious for 4 hours a day. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan. Sylvan is often seen as the language of nature, as its speakers are often nature spirits and creatures. The language itself is fairly old and has changed very little throughout the ages. It flows easily, similarly to Elvish; in fact, many linguists believe that the elven language is derived from Sylvan. Although it uses the Elvish script, the language is hardly ever written.

Spine Whip

Legends tell of those who have attempted to observe a dullahan collecting the souls of the dead only to have the dullahan lash out their eyes with a whip made out of a human spine. You have proficiency with whips and when you make a successful attack with a whip, you may attempt to whip that target's eyes. The target rolls a Dexterity saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier). On a failure, the target is blinded until the end of your next turn. After you have used this ability, you can't use it again until you complete a short or long rest.