Half-Medusa (5e Race)

Half-Medusa

“

While I can't make you stone, I can give you a stinging hell.

”

Physical Description

By Yanied

Half-medusae are humanoids with heads full of feelers that resemble snakes, hence their name. These feelers are not snakes, but tentacles, however. The end of each is tipped with sensitive feelers as well as a tiny eye, meaning half-medusae do have many optical angles. These tentacles also have stingers that activate on touch. Rather than actual medusa, half-medusae are actually humanoid anemones. Their heads, torsos, and necks are the thick columns of the anemone, and their face is where the oral disc is, from where the tentacles sprout outward. The tentacles center around a singular mouth and are able to grab food towards the orifice. Half-medusa have arms and legs, with three fingers per hand and four toes per foot. Their lower body is known to be able to compress and root them to the ground like the sessile anemone.

History

Unrelated to the history of the medusae, half-medusae actually come from the ocean. They are believed to be born from the influence of aberrant forces since the destruction of the Living Gate. However, they themselves are not aberrations, though they may appear so at first glance. Their initial appearance on land created fears of them due to their strange appearance, and they were also regarded with suspicion by beings like the triton. due to this hostile reception, the half-medusa largely withdrew to hiding among their homes in the coral reefs in the salty oceans. It is rare to see them on land, as they also require a supply of water to survive.

Society

In the sprawling coral reefs, half-medusae lurk as stationary hunters for most of their day. While they have gained a higher degree of sentience, they are rather selfish creatures that do not like to stay by one another to compete for food. The concept of sharing is slightly foreign to them, while they do so mutually with animals that symbiotically benefit from their tentacles (like clown fish). Thus, groups of 5 half-medusae or more is unusual. In their clusters, the half-medusae do little more than harvest nutrition from their waters. When reproducing, up to three half-medusae usually fragment their reproductive tentacles into water. These then merge with other fragments to create a new half-medusae baby. The baby spends its first few weeks as a sedentary anemone before growing enough of a body underneath that it can hoist itself out of its anchored area. After having been chased around by land and sea creatures, they have grown reclusive and wary of outsiders. Half-medusae tend to keep to themselves and are reluctant to reach out for fear of rejection. The few who venture beyond this fear are the ones who go seek adventure despite the possible dangers, often with a disguise.

Half-Medusa Names

Language can be a bit difficult for the half-medusae, who have no tongues. Their pronunciations are usually rough, even when speaking Aquan. Due to their asexual nature, they do not identify their names or selves in alignment with a gender or sex. Therefore, they usually use the "it" pronoun.

Names: Erddgr, Poolth, Brrmbgr, Mawawaw

Half-Medusa Traits

Humanoid sea anemones
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.
Age. These creatures commonly can live as long as 150 years and mature as fast as 10 years.
Alignment. Their reclusive nature lends itself to a more neutral alignment.
Size. Half-medusae are about the height and weight of humans, but with longer necks. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Sessile State. As an action, you draw up your arms and legs and crouch on the floor, rooting yourself to it. Until you revert, you appear as if you were a weird plant and creatures have disadvantage in checks to discern your true nature. You also have advantage against any effects that move you against your will and 60 feet of blindsight, though you are blind beyond this radius. While in this state, you are considered prone, your speed is 0 and can't increase, you have disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws, you can't take reactions, and the only action you can take is a bonus action to grow back to your normal state.
Limited Amphibiousness. You can breathe air and water, but you need to be submerged in water at least once every 8 hours to avoid suffocating.
Poison Touch. Using your stinger-tipped tentacles, you can deliver doses of toxins to your enemies who dare come close. Any creature that grapples you or otherwise comes into direct contact with your skin must succeed on a Constitution saving throw (DC = 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus) or become poisoned for 1 minute. A poisoned creature no longer in direct contact with you can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Poison Immunity. You are immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Aquan.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
5′ 5''	+2d10	180 lb.	× (1d8) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

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