Chosen Undead, Variant (5e Race)
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The Accursed Undead
You died. You might have already known this, but if not, surprise! There is something special about you. You were dead, but not brought back by a higher power. Nor by the magic of a spell caster. You came back to life by the greatest power in the world. Your willpower.
"You may have killed me, but I will die a thousand thousand times before I will be beaten!"
-A common Accursed Undead phrase
Physical Description
Accursed Undead tend to look generally like the race they were before they died. You may have lost the coloration in your skin. You may have started to wrinkle. Flesh doesn't always grow back to full. Your eyes may have recessed into your skull. There is usually something that marks you as "unnatural".
History
Accursed Undead don't really have much of a history. They have existed as long as mortals that really didn't want to die have. Most try not to make much of a name for themselves as to avoid attention to their living challenged status. Even more so the fact that they can go Hollow is something few Accursed Undead are willing to talk about.
Society
Accursed Undead tend to try and blend into a society they were part of in life. Some go on pilgrimages to understand what it means to be an undead. Others build secret towns where aware undead like themselves and live in peace and rest. Hallows are a sore subject around Accursed Undead. They are the result of an Accursed Undead that has lost the will to live or has been "killed". Hallows are simple and creatures. Most Accursed Undead just try to ignore them, and warn others to do the same. Others find pity, and try to give them their eternal rest. If an Accursed Undead loses the will to live, their Hallow self tends to just hang around were they lost that will. Trying to rekindle that spark. When they become a Hollow in this way, there is no reversing it. When an Accursed Undead is killed in battle or murdered, they usually try to finish what they were doing. Either going somewhere, fighting, or doing mundane things. Regardless of how thy hollowed, they become violent to anything that gets near them, or tries to interfere with what they were doing.
Accursed Undead Names
Accursed Undead usually just keep their old names they had in life. But it is not uncommon for Accursed Undead to make a new name for themselves to symbolize their "rebirth" Usually, males tend to start with Br-, Dr-, Fr-, ect, and ending in an -ang, -ing, -ong, -ung or any other ng sound. Females names usually start with Sh, Ch, Th, or Ph, ending with an en, in, on or and other vowel followed by an N
Male: Broddung, Dring, Frostang, Grondong, Tryteng
Female: Thirinon, Phrohilden, Shorotin, Chrivan, Shalen
Accursed Undead Traits
Accursed Undead are an enduring sort. Adversity is their driving force. They are the chisel that levels a mountain.
Ability Score Increase. You have a +2 Constitution score.
Age. Accursed Undead can arise from any age really. And they have no hard limit on how old they can get. Most go Hollow before they can be killed for good.
Alignment. Accursed Undead have no preference. Those that live in cities lean to Lawful while those that wander lean to Chaotic. Good and Evil can spring from all life. And unlife.
Size. Most Accursed Undead come from Humans, but other races are seen to become Accursed Undead as well. Your size was what ever race you were before you died.
Speed. Your speed is 5 less then your previous race.
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, only shades of gray regardless of the light level.
Undead:. You are resistant to poison damage and have advantage in saving throws against being poisoned. You only need to eat and drink half as much, and don't breathe. A sip from your Estus Flask is enough to sustain your thirst for the day. Necrotic damage from 1st level or higher spells and effects deal half as much damage to you, while normal healing spells and effects that aren't from the Estus Flask damage you. You do not regain Hit Dice naturally, and cannot use them naturally. You count as Undead for the purposes of spells and effects.
Estus Flask:. All Accursed Undead know how to make an Estus Flask. You start the game with one. Should it break, you can either buy one for 100 gp, or find a suitable flask and enchant it with a DC 25 Intelligence(Arcana) check. as an action, you can drink from the flask, and expend a hit dice to regain hit points equal to your hit dice.
Contemplation. You don't need to sleep when you rest. You still need to spend the normal amount of time to benefit from a rest, but are fully aware of what is happening.
Deterioration. Being immortal isn't the neatest. What about the afterlife? What happens when there is nothing to do? Discuss with your DM on a point system track that leads to your character giving up and becoming a Hollow. Maybe the track equals your level? Perhaps each failed death saving throw adds a point. It is usually a good idea to make coming back from Hollowing as a result from battle or murder should add a point on this track.
Hollowing:. Should you die in battle, are murdered(possibly again), or just lose the will to live, you become a Hollow. Your max HP is cut in half, you lose all proficiencies, all of your ability scores are reduced by one, you lose all spell slots, and you add your proficiency to all damage rolls. It is up to your DM if you remain in "control", as Hollows are mindless shadows of their former selves. It is possible to reverse this effect. By either tricking the Hollow into completing what it set out to do as an Accursed Undead, or being forced to drink a charge of their Estus Flask. however, if you are killed while you are a hollow, you die permanently, and your soul is destroyed.
Languages. You speak Common and one other language you knew in life.
Self Starter
Ability Score Increase. You gain +1 to Intelligence
New Life, New You.. You gain proficiency in a set artisan tools of your choice.
Thirsty Estus. You gain an additional hit dice at level 1, and regain expended hit dice equal to 1/2 your level (Min 1) after the sun rises.
Wandering Soul
Ability Score Increase. You gain +1 to Wisdom
Suvivalist. You are trained in the Survival Skill
Eat to Survive. Your stomach is mostly dead already, so it doesn't really care what you eat. You can eat any organic matter, regardless of its state. It could be raw meat, rotting fruit, or even tree bark. whenever you eat 5 pounds of food, you regain 1 hit dice. you can only regain 1/2 your level (min 1) hit dice per day using this trait.
Home Body
Ability Score Increase. You gain +1 to Charisma
Lie for Safety. You are trained in the Deception Skill
Look Alive. You can cast Disguise Self once per short rest or long rest. Charisma is your casting ability for this trait. while under the effects of Disguise Self, you have advantage on charisma checks dealing with humanoids that aren't hostile towards you.
Humanity. if you were to kill a humanoid, you can harvest its humanity. whenever you get the killing blow on a humanoid creature, you can spend your bonus action to harvest its humanity. you can expend a humanity to regain your use of Disguise Self, and regain a hit dice. you can only regain a number of hit dice equal to 1/2 your level (min 1) per day.
Suggested Characteristics
When creating a Accursed Undead character, it is a good idea to think carefully on the background your character has. Any background can fit your life before you died, but there are backgrounds that can benefit from your new undead form. Like the Revenant.
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