Frostborn (5e Race)

Frostborn

“	Mourn ye not those killed today in the eye of the ice storm Fryll... For they will be back for a reckoning. And then... we will be the ones wishing they had died.	”
—Yeshum Erlough, deceased soothsayer of the frigid tundra

Physical Description

By Yanied

The frostborn are humanoids with frosty features. They are usually around the height of humans, with an interesting range of body types. It is much more common for a frostborn to appear emaciated than portly, though both are possibilities. They are known for appearing a pale blue color in skin tone, with a bluish light that faintly emanates from beneath their skin and also their eyes, as if they have some inner light. Touching their skin alerts one to the cold chill. Sometimes patches of skin on a frostborn have ribbed patterns that appear almost like old wounds that didn't close right. Any hair frostborn appear to have are actually stiffened needles of ice, making this "hair" straight and flaring out if it grows long. This cold touch in some are stronger than others, allowing them to freeze areas of liquid with a touch. Patches of crystalline refuse can also gather on parts of their body as a result, usually on the forearms, knees, and shoulder blades. As expected, the cold temperatures of frostborn make them highly inured to pain and bleeding. What runs through their veins is not blood, but a sort of frozen network of nerves that function both to transport necessary nutrients as well as signals from the control center. While they can seem frozen zombies sometimes, frostborn are very much living creatures.

History

A legendary phenomena known as the ice storm, named Fryll, is a phantom happening about the world of ice and tundras. It passes and appears in different parts of cold terrains, from ice-capped mountains to glacier lakes. After raging for only a few hours and causing devastating destruction, Fryll leaves as if it were never there, save for whatever death it leaves in its trail. Fryll is not only the source of grief, but also the source of frostborn. It is believed that those who perish in Fryll's chill are replaced by frostborn. Once upon a time, it was thought the frostborn were risen from those who died from Fryll. This has since been overturned, and it has been discovered that Fryll is a sort of portal phenomena that disposes frostborn in the Material Plane while sweeping up other souls into the Paraelemental Plane of Ice. Some suspect that Fryll is the creation of the God of Evil Creatures, Cryonax, and part of his machinations to influence the Material Realm.

Despite the ambiguity and ominous origin, frostborn are not innately malicious creatures by any means. They often surface from the deep snows days after Fryll leaves the area. Frostborn thus wander about the frozen world where they usually have some minor amnesia. Some people believe that frostborn are actually a cry for help by the immoths of the Plane of Cold, who are oppressed by Cryonax. The frostborn are supposedly meant to find help to overturn the evil god's reign from outside. While these theories exist, frostborn are more or less neutral or mixed creatures, similar to humans, with hearts able to tend towards good or evil.

Society

The frostborn generally form in droves following the devastation of Fryll. They move about as individuals. However, over time, communities of frostborn have become tribes that dot the frozen lands from which they were born. These communities are small and noncommittal, with members being able to leave and come as they please. They are very peaceful and almost meditative. It is said they are still connected to Fryll and can vaguely tell when such a storm is coming or where it will be in the world. Because they are born rather purely from the snow and ice, they usually seek out new frostborn to guide them. Frostborn are often treated with suspicion by other dwellers in the frosty lands, but are more or less viewed in indifference in other areas of the world where Fryll and its connotations are lesser known.

Frostborn Names

Names of frostborn are based on the language of Giant, as their communities are commonly located near ice giant lairs and cities. However, some also take from orc and even dwarven names due to their frosty homes usually being found by mountains frequented by these other races. Tribe names are taken as surnames, but are optional. Tribe names are based on the location and its geography of where the tribe is located.

Male: Oderth, Roren, Gorg, Urush

Female: Ithka, Sele, Ilya, Aran

Tribe Names: Resshus, Serth, Inerus, Rogthar

Frostborn Traits

A group of icy humanoids formed by a freak disaster storm of nature
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1 and one other score of your choice increases by 2.
Age. Frostborn are born from the storm physically mature. However, they take years to mentally mature, and their bodies age very slowly. They can live to be almost 200 years before dying of age.
Alignment. Some expect frostborn to be temperamental, like the storm they were born of. However, they are usually quiet and very neutral in demeanor.
Size. Frostborn height varies like that of humans. Their bodies tend to be thin rather than thick, but they can have a lot of body types. 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.
Frozen Body. Your frozen body and blood give you a different metabolic rate as well as the ability to endure extreme cold. You are resistant to cold damage and are immune to the effects of Extreme Cold, as written in the Dungeon Master's Guide. You also require only half as much food and water per day as a normal creature your size.
Fryll's Influence. The internal winter that you are born with exudes and empowers your abilities in combat. When you roll damage for a weapon or spell attack, you can roll an additional d4 and add that as cold damage. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and regain all uses after you finish a long rest. This dice increases to a d6 at 6th level, d8 at 11th level, and d10 at 16th level.
Chilled Resilience. Your body's slow processes make it so you don't bleed well or process pain as much, allowing you a greater chance of surviving otherwise deadly wounds. When you start rolling death saving throws, you can make the first roll with advantage.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and either Giant, Orc, or Dwarvish.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
4′ 10''	+2d12	120 lb.	× (2d4) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

1.00

(one vote)

---

Back to Main Page → 5e Homebrew → Races