Guardinal (5e Race)

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Guardinal

“

We were vanquished once for failing our duties... but, never again.

”

Beastly Guardians

Guardinals are bestial celestials that vary in appearance. For the most part, they had a humanoid shape with animal features. Some might appear more human or animal. There are seven subraces, each taking after a particular animal. The mustevals are the smallest and resemble anthropomorphous mice. Cervidals appear almost satyr-like, taking properties of goats. Lupinals appear as canids, with wolfish or dog-like features. Equinals have powerful limbs and hooved fists, resembling horses. Avorals have feathers and plumage like avians. Ursinals are bearish, being grizzly and big. Leonals have majestic manes like lions.

Failed Protectors

The guardinals believe they have existed for as long as the neutral plane of the House of Nature has stood. They were employed by the first incarnation of magic, Mystryl, as her guardians, and they were supremely peaceful in their home. Later, when Mystryl reincarnated into later forms, called Mystra, all guardinal continued to serve her faithfully in her home plane of Dweomerheart. However, they failed to protect her when the mad god Cyric came upon and assassinated her. As a result, Dweomerheart was not only destroyed, but much of the guardinal perished with the realm. Azuth, god of mages, luckily spirited a few of them away safely to the Fugue Plane and had them escape to the Material Realm. To this day, their failure to protect Mystra hangs over each of the guardinals heads, as well as their descendants, as they blame themselves for not having been able to prevent the Spellplague.

Exiled Without Purpose

Back in their home plane, the guardinals often lived simple lives, whether in groups or on their own. Their surroundings in Elysium allowed for peaceful lives in a beautiful natural environment. They only ever took what they needed to survive, leaving the rest for the land. The seven guardinal subraces were united and led by a single group known as Talisid and the Five Companions, which included all the guardinal groups except for the mustevals. However, with their failure at Dweomerheart, this has all changed.

The guardinal see their new home in the Material Realm as a sort of just punishment for their failed duty as bodyguards. The seven guardinal families are now forever fractured. While the feeling of shame bonds them together, some blame the other families for their failures. In the end, most remain scattered about the world, traveling as nomads and never settling down. They pass down their sordid tale to their descendants so they will forever know the great sin of negligence they committed.

Guardinal Names

Guardinals have a general naming across all the subraces, deriving from their primary and original leader. While this has long lost its honor, they retain this tradition. The seven original names are Talisid (leonal), Bharrai (ursinal), Sathia (avoral), Vhara (equinal), Kharash (lupinal), Manath (cervidal), and Harper (musteval).

Male: Tralis, Bharresh, Sathos, Vharak, Khar, Mannt, Harp

Female: Tali, Bhara, Sati, Vham, Khare, Mana, Harpa

Guardinal Traits

Beastly celestials who failed their duties
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Age. Due to the celestial blood still coursing through, the guardinals do not die of age and mature at around 18 years of age.
Alignment. Guardinals used to always be good. However, their faith has since been shattered. Though they may still try to do good, some may find themselves becoming a little neutral.
Size. Your size depends on the subrace which you choose.
Speed. Your base walking speed depends on the subrace you choose.
Celestial Beast. Your ancestry comes from the beasts of the cosmos. Your creature type is beast and celestial instead of humanoid. As such, you are immune to spells like crown of madness or dominate person because they specifically target humanoids.
Remnant Magic. Guardinal magic was once very thick in the blood. Post-Spellplague, their descendants use only watered down versions of their innate spells. You know either the comprehend languages or cure wounds spell. You can cast the spell you choose without using material components. As part of a short rest, you can change the spell you select to the other option. After you use either spell through this trait, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again. Wisdom is your spellcasting modifier for these spells.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and either Draconic, Celestial, or Infernal.
Subrace. Choose one from the cervidal, musteval, lupinal, ursinal, equinal, avonal, or leonal subraces.

Cervidal

Cervidals were the goat-like creatures that resemble noble satyrs. If they ever got in a fight, they would finish it.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity and Charisma scores each increase by 1.
Size. Cervidals usually are around five and a half feet. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Illusory Dowser. The horns of a cervidal are capable of detecting illusions. You have advantage in ability checks to discern illusions.
Alicorn Material. Within the horns and bones of the cervidal are properties like the magic of a unicorn's horn. You know and can cast the detect poison and disease spell once, without material components. You must finish a long rest to use this trait again.
Sprinter. When you move on your turn in combat, you can double your speed until the end of the turn. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you move 0 feet on one of your turns.

Musteval

Design Note: This subrace uses a Tiny Player Size instead. You may want to take a look at the Tiny Player Characters (5e Variant Rule)

These little mice people are often overlooked as guardinals, but they make up for what they lack in strength with cunning.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2.
Size. Mustevals rarely are over 2 feet tall. Your size is Tiny.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 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.
Innate Agility. You are not known for standing still. You have advantage in saving throws against being petrified and stunned.
Change Self. The musteval were famous for their espionage abilities. You know and can cast the disguise self spell once, without material components. Starting 3rd level, you can cast the invisibility spell once, without material components, at its lowest level. Once you use either spell via this trait, you must finish a long rest to use it again. Wisdom is your spellcasting modifier for these spells.

Lupinal

Lupinals often resemble elegant and intelligent werewolves. They are typically very suspicious of strangers, and were ferocious in a fight.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution and Dexterity scores each increase by 1.
Size. Lupinal were rather tall, around 6 feet. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Ambusher. Lupinals are well known for being stealthy. You are proficient in the Stealth skill.
Pack Empowerment. You have advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of your allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated. You can use this trait only once per combat.
Keen Nose. You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks using your sense of smell.

Equinal

Equinal look like anthropomorphic horses with a crest along their hooves to make them resemble fists.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2.
Size. Equinals are very tall, usually around 8 feet. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 35 feet.
Hooves. Your hooves make for wicked hard unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier.
Gallop. You can Dash as a bonus action. You must finish a short or long rest before you use this trait again.
Equine Endurance. You have advantage in saving throws against exhaustion.

Avoral

These avian guardinal served Aerdrie Faenya as well as Mystra. Having fallen from their previous status, most cannot even fly anymore despite wanderlust.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2.
Size. Avoral are rather tall, usually reaching 7 feet. Your size is Medium.
Speed. You have a base walking speed of 30 feet.
Keen Eye. You are proficient in the Perception skill.
Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
Regain Flight. As you grow stronger, you can eventually re-access your lost flight. Starting at 5th level, you gain a flying speed of 30 feet. You cannot be wearing heavy armor to use this speed.

Ursinal

Despite their ursine appearance, the ursinals are actually incredibly intelligent and acted as advisors to the leonal leaders. They were fiercer spellcasters than they were fighters.

Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom and Constitution scores each increase by 1.
Size. Ursinals are rather tall, like equinals. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Magic Scholar. You are proficient in the Arcana and History skills.
Spellcaster. You know one cantrip of your choice from the wizard spell list. Starting at 3rd level, you know and can cast the detect thoughts spell once, without material components. Starting at 5th level, you know and can cast the fireball spell at lowest level once, without material components. Once you use either spell via this trait, you must finish a long rest to use it again. Wisdom is your spellcasting modifier for these spells.
Learned Mind. You have advantage in saving throws against being charmed.

Leonal

The natural leaders of the guardinal, the leonal retain the regal majesty they always had.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2.
Size. Leonal are about 6 feet tall and very well-built in stature. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Leader's Rally. As an action, you can let out an inspiring roar. All allied creatures within 30 feet of you have advantage on their next ability check, saving throw, or attack roll. You must finish a long rest to use this trait again.
Leonine Gaze. You have the eyes and face of a menacing predator. You are proficient in the Intimidation skill.
Lionheart. As a leader, you hold the line and never back down or rest. You have advantage in saving throws against being frightened and magic cannot put you to sleep.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
4′ 5''	+4d12	140 lb.	× (1d10) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
2′ 0''	+1d4	30 lb.	× (1d4) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

Suggested Characteristics

When creating a guardinal character, you can use the following table of traits, ideals, bonds and flaws to help flesh out your character. Use these tables in addition to or in place of your background's characteristics.

The guardinal are a race descended from disgrace in the Material Realm. Now having fallen from their original celestial status, they carry with them a load of regret, yet still try to stay positive and true to goodness.

d8	Personality Trait
1	I am very nervous about sticking my neck out.
2	People are prone to lie and so I tend not to believe in things I don't see.
3	I have an intense need to prove myself to others.
4	Choices do not come easy to me, even minor ones.
5	You'll have to ask me a question many times before I answer.
6	I like to ramble on past the point of a conversation.
7	I want to always do things fast.
8	If I do things right, then no one can say anything.

d6	Ideal
1	I want to redeem my race's place as cosmic guardians. (Good)
2	We are now travelers who must learn to live off the land. (Neutral)
3	People are here that we can help even as failed guards. (Good)
4	The blood to vanquish evil runs thick in my veins, and I will destroy all evil I see. (Chaotic)
5	Perhaps it was meant to be that we now live mediocre lives of shame. (Neutral)
6	Optimism is something that this world needs more of. (Good)

d6	Bond
1	I have a tribe to lead.
2	While defeated, we remain one people and ought to be thankful.
3	Sometimes I feel the entire universe to be against us.
4	I resent the shame my ancestors cursed me with.
5	Those who will fight evil alongside me are the best of allies.
6	All innocent life ought to be protected.

d6	Flaw
1	I am ultimately a coward pretending to be a warrior.
2	I can't help but steal if it aids someone.
3	I'll give up if the going looks bleak.
4	I like to drown my troubles and purse in alcohol.
5	I am easily distracted.
6	I ramble way too often and it turns people off.

5.00

(one vote)

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