Enthraller (5e Race)

Enthraller

“	At the altar of the abandoned temple, deep in the yuan-ti jungle, we thought we found the bowl used for holding Zehir's venom. It would fetch a pretty penny. What we found was some dark tarry stuff, untouched for millennia. We never should have disturbed it, because in the next moment, half the men were spellbound by some giant snake thing rising out of it. It had eyes of a million colors and I thank Corellon I was not bewitched as I ran out of there as fast as my legs would carry me...	”
—Haryk Fenserios, elven adventurer

Physical Description

By Jack Kaiser

Enthrallers are creatures that sometimes are mistaken to just be black cobra-headed yuan-ti. In truth, they are a group of seeming humanoids that, like the elan, are actually aberrations in disguise. Their skin is a glossy black, with scales smooth to the touch. Their body is largely humanoid, and they have clawed feet and hands. Their heads are very serpentine and can unfold to reveal the cobra hood. Notably, their eyes are normally dark and black like pebbles. But when they work their enthralling effect, those orbs become luminescent kaleidoscopes of colors that hypnotize and hold other creatures in a thrall.

History

According to ancient sarrukh writings preserved by the yuan-ti empire, a creature of the Far Realm descended upon the world from the era of the creator gods. It was a black amorphous thing that the sarrukh initially made contact with. It took the shape of a serpentine being to interact with them. They recorded it being an alien being that was highly dangerous due to its ability to change other creatures into miniature versions of itself so as to propagate. Eventually, the yuan-ti had been able to lock it down in a dormant state with the power of their gods. They were always wary of black yuan-ti among them, who were usually of the alien being. They called them enthrallers simply due to the nature of their eyes. For a while, all enthrallers were wiped out and its alien origins were restrained from creating more. However, after the fall of the empire, treasure hunting groups came to disturb the grounds and reawakened this horror.

At first, groups would disappear, particularly those of races without resistance to charm. The alien being used their bodies as vessels and tormented them with its thrall until they came completely under its influence, changing into enthrallers. It is said the alien substance imparts a part of itself into each enthraller it makes, and the subsequent enthrallers can change others in the same way when they gather and hold a creature long enough in their thrall. It is believed the original alien substance remains within the old ziggurat of the ancient yuan-ti empire, guarded with enthrallers. Those who are not guards are supposedly sent out to be spies among the rest of the races.

Society

Enthrallers occupy old holdings from the yuan-ti empire. Their numbers are not large and they rarely stray from the main temple where their alien deity is enshrined. They reproduce by capturing curious travelers treasure hunters, and even kidnapping from nearby humanoid settlements and imprisoning them, slowly changing them into one of their own. Those who remain in the main city are usually in complete sway of the central alien mind which permeates much like out an elder brain does an illithid colony. Enthrallers which leave to pursue espionage and infiltrations sometimes are capable of independent thought and can grow ther own minds.

Personality

Individual enthrallers are usually curious about the outside world. As a result of their transformation, they have no recollection of their previous selves. They seek to elevate their alien deity by spreading its influence. Those who eventually shirk this duty sometimes feel compelled nonetheless distantly by the alien influence in all of them. The ones who tend to the alien and remain in its thrall nearby are virtually cold and aloof creatures seeking only to capture and change prisoners.

Enthraller Names

The alien being was likely very interested in the sarrukh and their races, which is why enthrallers not only share yuan-ti appearance, but also their tongue. Among their own, they need no names. Outside, they use yuan-ti names.

Names can include: Ssetz, Itsuli, Rutil, Zasshezu, Shoashu

Enthraller Traits

Jet-black cobra-like beings
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2, and either your Intelligence or Dexterity score increases by 1.
Age. They emerge from creation mature and only deteriorate after a few hundred years or so into black sludge.
Alignment. Enthrallers follow their own morals and tend towards evil due to their want to convert all other creatures.
Size. Enthrallers are roughly the same size as yuan-ti. Your size is Medium.
Speed. You have a base walking speed of 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.
Damage Resistance. You have resistance to poison damage, and you have advantage on saving throws against becoming poisoned.
Alien Makeup. Your creature type is aberration instead of humanoid. As such, you are immune to spells like crown of madness or dominate person because they specifically target humanoids.
Snake's Cunning. When you make an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throw, you can add a 1d6 bonus to the save. Once you use this trait, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
Thrall's Hold. You know the sleep spell and can cast it at 1st-level without material components once. At 3rd level, you can cast hold person as a 2nd-level spell once, without material components. At 5th level, you can cast hypnotic pattern as a 3rd-level spell once, without material components. You regain use of these spells when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting modifier for these spells.
Languages. You can speak, read and write in Common and Undercommon.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
5′ 8''	+2d12	150 lb.	× (1d4) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

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