Homebrew Blood-Cursed Species Details
Biology. The blood-cursed are tall, gaunt humanoids covered in fur except for their head and claws, which are bony, sporting the features of an animal, usually of an elk, goat, or wolf. Their eye sockets burn with a spark, usually red, but can be other colors; even black, rendering their eye sockets looking empty. Emaciation is common among the blood-cursed, as they carry with them an eternal hunger, their metabolism ensuring they can never eat quite enough to sate it. Most blood-cursed prefer eating raw meat and live prey, but can technically digest anything edible. Blood-cursed do not age, but may die as any other creature can.
Society. The blood-cursed are, as the name indicates, inflicted with a curse; they are not born blood-cursed. It is said that those who find themselves starving and alone, about to die, will be visited by an enigmatic and powerful creature known only as The Envoy of Blood, who will offer them immortality in exchange for their humanity. This immortality is the Coronation of Blood, the spreading of the curse. Blood-cursed can also commit this ritual themselves, spreading the curse to those who will willingly take it on, either for a shot at eternal life, for power, or for other reasons. Blood-cursed tend to be outcasts of society, often living outside of it, due to the stigma that comes with their curse.
Names. Blood-cursed usually retain the names they had before the curse, but sometimes take a new name of their choosing.
Blood-Cursed Traits
You are a blood-cursed, gifted with immortality but burdened with hunger.Ability Score Increase
The blood-cursed tend towards being hardier and stronger than others of non-cursed species, but this is not always the case. Choose any ability score to increase by 2, then choose any other ability score to increase by 1.
Size
Blood-cursed are tall but gangly, often being up to 8 feet tall. Your size is Medium.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Natural Weapons
Your teeth are sharp, your claws long. You have two natural weapons, your claws and your bite, which have finesse and deal 1d8 damage, dealing slashing and piercing damage, respectively.
Thick Fur
Your fur is thick and your blood runs hot. You have resistance to cold damage.
Bloodlust
The hunger drives you into an animalistic fervor once the hunt is on. You have a resource called bloodlust points, with a maximum amount equal to your proficiency bonus. Every time you roll an attack against a target (be it a melee, ranged, or spell attack roll), you gain one bloodlust point. If you make an attack roll against a target different than your last, your bloodlust points reset to zero. You deal +1 damage with attacks and spells for every bloodlust point you have. Bloodlust points also reset to zero after a short or long rest.
Fearful Visage
Your skeletal visage and inhuman stature is unnerving. You have proficiency in Charisma (Intimidation).
Coronation of Blood
Your blood carries the ability to share the curse with others, if they are in need of your form’s power. The ritual to turn another into a blood-cursed is called the Coronation of Blood. To commit this ritual, you must procure a skull of an animal Large or greater, which then you must carve runes in and infuse with herbs, the materials for which costing 500gp in total. Finally, the skull must be filled with your blood, and the recipient must drink all the blood from the skull. If successful, the recipient will warp and change into a blood-cursed over the next 24 hours, replacing their original race. Upon completing the Coronation of Blood, both parties involved gain one level of exhaustion until their next long rest, as the ritual takes quite a bit of life energy to complete.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common and one language of your choice.
Comments