Hanyo (5e Race)
Hanyo[edit]
“ | Not really a demon; not really human. I'm not either. That's all. There was no place for me, so I had to find one myself. And then I realized. I had a place, but I was the only one in it. I didn't know any other way to live. | ” |
—Inuyasha |
Physical Description[edit]
Hanyo vary in size and appearance as much as daiyokai, their predecessors. All hanyo are mostly human with some trait that labels them as being part daiyokai, even something as simple as oddly colored eyes, hair and skin. Others have more drastic appearances that mark them such as animal ears, large bulging eyes, etc. All are stronger, more durable, and quicker than humans. They all also have a human and demon transformation. Hanyo become completely human once a month. On the other end of the spectrum, when near death, hanyo can turn completely feral to their youkai form as a last resort. While in this state you are little more than a beast hellbent on killing everything; friends, family, even a lover, in the vicinity unless you can manage to get yourself under control or die. In rare cases these transformations turn into a form of therianthropy that happens every night except for the one night a month when you are human.
A Gumo-Hanyo, by Coolfirebird |
History[edit]
Hanyo literally means "half monster," reminding people they are part human, and part yokai. Hanyo have existed since time immemorial, as long as humans and yokai have existed. Due to the promiscuous nature on both sides, hanyo would often be born. They are more of an unwanted byproduct by both. After the act is done, both parents may seek to be rid of the hanyo. The one who conceives may sometimes be killed amidst child bearing. If the baby is born, they are often tossed to fend for themselves, growing up as the poorest of poor orphans. Both humans and yokai reject them due to their mixed, and often taboo, bloodline. As such, hanyo rarely have a pleasant upbringing, living like rats and feeding off the scraps of societies and fighting those who would wish them harm. They may find other hanyo and some solace in their company at times.
Sometimes hanyo are taken in by one of their parents. This does not mean a happy life, however, because the societies they grow up in continue to reject them upon growing up. They will often be isolated with little interaction and much abuse. As such, hanyo are very wretched creatures whose very existence is a struggle. There are legendary hanyo who, by concealing their natures, utilized their abilities and ascended human courts. There exist equal stories about hanyo stronger than even daiyoukai and becoming heads of tribes, leading other youkai.
Society[edit]
Hanyo are rejects of most societies, particularly that of humans. When hanyo gather in small numbers, they form little groups of kindred spirits and eke out livings together. They often are orphans, traveling, stealing and picking fights to try and survive. Those they designate families in their makeshift groups are closer than blood and hanyo can be fiercely loyal. Hanyo who successful taut their abilities while keeping their heritage a relative secret succeed often in manipulating societies to suit their needs. Some hanyo are inherently destructive and make it worse for others whose names they slander in violence.
Hanyo Names[edit]
Hanyo tend to have Japanese names.
Male: Inuyasha, Izumo, Jinenji
Female: Shiori, Ai, Asagi
Hanyo Traits[edit]
These humanoids are the offspring of daiyoukai and humans.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1.
Age. Hanyo can live to over 1000 years and reach maturity at around 25
Alignment. Hanyo have a tendency to be chaotic neutral because of the hatred they face at the hands of humans and yokai, but they are more like blank canvasses.
Size. Hanyo are usually the same size as a human, but some can be over 10 foot and others around the same size as a dwarf or halfling. Your size is Medium unless otherwise stated in your subrace.
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.
Tainted Blood. If you are reduced to 1/8 or lower hit points than your maximum, you enter a state of short term madness.
Languages. All hanyo can speak and read Common and one extra language depending on where they grew up.
Subrace. Choose from the Inu, Ryu, Kitsune, Tanuki, Tori, Same, Neko, Gumo, Saru, Usagi and Oni-Hanyo subraces.
Inu-Hanyo[edit]
These are the offspring of dog yokai and a human. They have dog ears and sharp claws, as well as feral eyes, but are otherwise very human looking.
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2.
Keen Nose. Your heritage has enhanced your olfactory senses. You have advantage in an Wisdom (Perception) checks that use your sense of smell.
Man's Best Friend. Despite being a race of outcasts, inu-hanyo are often more welcomed than other hanyo due to their loyalty and cute ears. You are proficient in the Persuasion skill.
Iron Reaver. You have a secret technique using your razor sharp claws to destroy enemies. By using an action, you may make an unarmed attack against a creature within melee range. On a hit, the creature takes slashing damage equal to 2d4 + your Strength modifier. This damage increases by one damage die at 6th (2d6), 11th (2d8) and 16th (2d10). You must complete a short or long rest to use this trait again.
Ryu-Hanyo[edit]
These powerful hanyo were birthed with dragon blood. They often sport horns or bits of scaled skin that show their heritage. Unlike dragonborn variety, the yokai heritage of ryu-hanyo is almost always fire-breathing.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2.
Osoroshīdesu. You, like your daiyokai parent, are scarier than most. You are proficient in the Intimidation skill.
Kisoku no Faia. You can exhale a burst of inferno on enemies by expending an action. When you use this trait, each creature in the area of the exhalation (15 ft. cone) must make a Dexterity saving throw. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. A creature takes 2d6 damage on a failed save, and half as much damage on a successful one. The damage increases to 3d6 at 6th level, 4d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 16th level. After you use your breath weapon, you can’t use it again until you complete a short or long rest.
Dragon Power. You hail from a powerful bloodline and you're not to be shoved around. You have advantage against saving throws that would move you against your will.
Kitsune-Hanyo[edit]
Hanyo born of foxes are often said to be the wily ones. Thus they are often abused when they turn out to be kind of midgets with bushy tails and fox ears.
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 2.
Size. Your size is Small.
Shifty Eyes. You are able to avoid traps easily and see illusions better than others. Whenever you make an Intelligence (Investigation) check to find traps or discern illusions, you are considered proficient in the Investigation skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.
Kitsune-bi. You know the dancing lights cantrip. Your casting ability for this is your Intelligence.
Tanuki-Hanyo[edit]
Raccoon dog yokai often took forms of humans and mated with them, producing tanuki-hanyo. Like kitsune-hanyo, they can shapeshift. They have large genitals and a bulbous tail.
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 2.
Playful. Tanuki often like playing games. You are proficient in one gaming set of your choice.
Boisterous. You know the booming blade cantrip. Your spellcasting ability for this is Wisdom.
Tubby. You're a pretty heavyset creature thanks to the tanuki blood. You’re acclimated to Extreme Cold, as described in chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide and you have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks while in artic environments.
Tori-Hanyo[edit]
You are the product of a bird yokai and a human. You may have a beak on your face or feathers on your skin.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity increases by 1.
Size. Your size is Small
Shrill Cry. By using an action, you can emit a brief shriek with your avian vocals. Creatures within 120 feet of you must succeed a DC10 Constitution saving throw or be deafened until the start of your next turn.
Pseudoflight. Your wings are not able to fly due to your wings being rather underdeveloped compared to your parent yokai, but they do keep you safe when descending. As a reaction, when you would take damage from falling, you can buffer your wings and instead take no damage
Same-Hanyo[edit]
Same-hanyo are the fearful product of a shark yokai and a human. They have smooth skin with wicked teeth and creepy dark eyes.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2.
Amphibious. You can breathe in water as well as on land.
Jaws. The most fearful thing about a shark is their jaws, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
Swift Swim. You have a swim speed of 30 feet.
Neko-Hanyo[edit]
Cats, particularly of the yokai variety, often would play tricks and entice humans into breeding with them. Neko-hanyo have cat ears and sometimes a split tail instead of just one.
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2.
Cat-like Reflex. You are proficient in the Acrobatics skill.
Unnatural Magic. Cat yokai often played tricks on humans through illusory means that bewitched their senses. You know the cantrip minor illusion. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this cantrip.
Landing. You take no fall damage if you fall from a height of 20 feet or less.
Gumo-Hanyo[edit]
These hanyo are often very feared due to their arachnid bloodline. They look like pale humans with dark hair. They hide two pairs of small, often underdeveloped spider legs on their back. Some have it growing out of their abdomen instead. These allow them marvelous mobility like that of a real spider.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2.
Spiderclimb. You can climb difficult surfaces, including walls, but not ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. You must use your hands and feet to do this. At 3rd level, your climbing speed is equal to your walking speed and you can climb difficult surfaces, including walls and ceilings without needing to make an ability check. You can do this with your hands free.
Spider Skill. As part of a short rest, you can harvest spider silk from your spinneret to construct a net.
Multieye. You may expend a bonus action to reveal your extra pair of eyes on your face. While these eyes are revealed, you have advantage in Charisma (Intimidation) checks but a disadvantage in Charisma (Persuasion) checks. You may retract the eyes on your face and re-conceal them as a bonus action.
Oni-Hanyo[edit]
Probably no hanyo are as feared or hated as the oni variety since they hail from infamous ogres. They often have crooked teeth and horns on their head.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2.
Menacing. You are proficient in the Intimidation skill.
Oni-bi. Oni are creatures heavily associated with Hell. They have an affinity for flames. You know the produce flame cantrip.
Heavy Weaponry. The best weapons an oni knows to use innately are those that are large and heavy. You have proficiency in clubs, greatclubs, maces, and mauls.
Saru-Hanyo[edit]
Rare hanyo don't get any weirder than the saru-hanyo, who hail from human progeny with monkey or ape yokai. They are very human-like and known to be intelligent. They're just maybe a bit hairier.
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 2.
Tool Users. As a curious simian creature with prehensile limbs, you can tinker and play with tools. You are proficient in two sets of tools of your choice.
Hardy. Like regular humans, saru-hanyo are able to adapt to environments. You are proficient in the Survival skill.
Fast Learner. You are intelligent enough to learn languages fast. You know an additional language of your choice.
Usagi-Hanyo[edit]
Usagi-hanyo are bred from that of rabbit or hare yokai and are humanoids with a bit of fluff at their tail bone and buckteeth, as well as conspicuous rabbit ears
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2.
Hare-brained. Your ancestor's scattered thinking and skittish nature are passed down to you. You have a disadvantage in Intelligence (History) checks. However, you have advantage in saving throws against being charmed.
Swift. You have an additional 10 feet of movement when you take the dash action.
Keen Ears. Your long ears are an asset. You have advantage in Wisdom (Perception) checks that use your hearing.
Random Height and Weight[edit]
Base Height |
Height Modifier* |
Base Weight |
Weight Modifier** |
---|---|---|---|
5′ 4'' | +2d6 | 150 lb. | × (2d4) lb. |
*Height = base height + height modifier |
Base Height |
Height Modifier* |
Base Weight |
Weight Modifier** |
---|---|---|---|
3′ 8'' | +2d6 | 70 lb. | × (2d4) lb. |
*Height = base height + height modifier |
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