Gorgon, Variant (5e Race)

Gorgon

"You're going to decorate the patio nicely."

Description

Female Gorgon by Tatiana Hordiienko, [Source].

As deadly as they are ravishing, the serpent-haired gorgon suffers a horrific curse brought on by its own vanity. They lurk in quiet exile among the tumbled ruins of their former lives, surrounded by the petrified remains of past admirers and would-be heroes. Though often enough the ambition that drove many of them into this state still burns and they use their curse to break, bend and dominate lesser creatures into submission as they endlessly seek to gain back what was promised to them.

Society

While ambitious humanoids seeking eternal youth, beauty, and adoration are common, those that go to the greatest lengths or are simply unlucky eventually find a being powerful and typically malicious enough to inflict the medusa curse. A gorgon may go several human lifetimes before ever meeting another one of their kind. All the while finding comfort in the presence of other serpentine beings such as the yuan-ti, who often hold them in high regard. Gorgon also get along well with tieflings, sharing as they do a shared cursed ancestry and the suspicion of the common people. A less than known fact about the medusa's curse is the infertility that comes with it, causing them to be unable to produce more of their kind and further dooming them to solitude.

Gorgon Names

Gorgon are created from a curse, and as such, they use the same naming conventions as their native culture. Given the origin of the real-world medusa legend, name from Roman and Greek culture ethnic groups would also be appropriate

Gorgon Traits

As deadly as they are ravishing, a serpent-haired medusa suffers an immortal curse brought on by its own vanity.
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 1, and your Charisma score increases by 2.
Age. Gorgon can live for thousands of years, some can even be immortal.
Alignment. Created from a paradoxical curse, a medusa is a creature of vanity and hubris tending towards lawful evil. The mortals that are afflicted by this curse often becoming so before the curse takes place as they methodically take what they want to achieve their ultimate vanity.
Size. While a medusa typically stands a bit taller than the average human, they weigh almost as much as a goliath as they move with a haughty grace that rivals elves. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Dark Vision. 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.
Parseltongue. You can communicate with snakes as if you shared a language and have advantage on all Charisma checks you make to influence them.
Petrifying Gaze. Your look can turn other creatures to stone. As an action, you can target one creature that can see you within 30 feet of you with your gaze. At the start of that creature’s next turn, as long as you aren’t incapacitated and it can still see you, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier. On a failed saving throw, the creature begins to turn to stone and is restrained. The restrained creature must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn, becoming petrified on a failure or ending the effect on success. The petrification lasts for 1 minute, or until the creature is freed by the greater restoration spell or other magic. Unless surprised, a creature can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If the creature does so, it can’t see you until the start of its next turn, when it can avert its eyes again. If the creature looks at you in the meantime, it must immediately make the save. You may use this once, being able to do so again after finishing a short or long rest.
Snake Hair. Your scalp is teeming with living snakes. You can use your hair to make melee weapon attacks with. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Dexterity modifier.
Poison Immunity. You are immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition.
Quick Read. You gain proficiency with the insight skill.
Natural Armor. You have tough, scaly skin. When you aren’t wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield’s benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.
Languages. You can speak, read and write Common and one other language of your choice.

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
4′ 10''	+2d10	180 lb.	× (2d6) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

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