Kha'Zath (5e Race)

Kha'Zath

“

We need no invitations. We are everywhere, watching, whispering...

”

Fungal Aliens

A brain and scout kha'zath, by Riveet099

The kha'zath are a race of alien beings that resemble a cross between a praying mantis, a crab, and some fungoid. They have one glaring eye atop what looks like a mushroom cap that is their head. At the front rim under one glowing eye is their mouthparts, which shift with multiple tiny mandibles that shovel and shred food. They have a pair of blades for arms that grow prehensile tentacles underneath the wrist joint. Their body is insectoid, with a thorax and abdomen connected under their large head, and pointed, multi-jointed legs. Their entire body is covered in a pliable shell, with their head being the hardest. The color of their body varies in hues of red.

There are two notable subraces of kha'zath. The scouts are the smaller, faster variety. They have gills under their mushroom cap head that allows them to filter air. The other subrace is the brain, and they have an enlarged forehead area. That is believed to be an expanded nexus for their brain, which explains their enhanced psionic abilities.

Stranded Extraterrestrials

The kha'zath are beings that originated from the Far Plane, and are considered an alien horror on Abeir-Toril. They are later arriving than the gith or illithids to the Material Realm, and are said to have initially flown here on wings that could carry them across the cosmos. However, ever since the Living Gate was sealed and held shut once more by Ioun, the kha'zath lost their wings due to the gravity of the new environment and essentially became stranded. They now live for survival, hiding from creatures like shardminds who oppose the alien influence of the Far Plane in the world. This lifestyle has led them to disperse about the world to preserve themselves.

Colony Mentality

Kha'zath are alien beings who organize in what appears to be colonies scattered about the world. These colonies are usually found in dense areas like forests or caves where little light may reach or are extremely isolated and abandoned. This hints at their behavior from before entering this realm, as they have displayed mixtures of multiple cultures and techniques in their infrastructure that likely originated elsewhere. Within their colonies are mainly scouts, who prowl about the local areas for viable food stores. Above, they are controlled by a psionic class of brain kha'zath, who are fiercely intelligent and can communicate mentally. The brains and scouts work together to ensure they can eliminate threats and protect the colony. While this sounds like mutualism as for ants and bees, that is not how the kha'zath mind works. They are shown to be cold and rather impassive, acting solely in accordance to some alien logic. To them, there is not even such a thing as morality.

Religion

The kha'zath, despite their coldness, seem to have a focus of worship. While their ways remain strictly scientific and mechanical almost, they show reverence for a dark being that supposedly is the most intelligent they know in the cosmos from whence they came. Intelligence alone seems to be something the kha'zath seek greatly in other beings, and they treasure it among their own, which is why brain kha'zath are the higher ranked of the two subraces. In worship of this being, the kha'zath supposedly seek out the smartest and brightest minds they can and thoroughly remove their brains as an offering. This grotesque practice has often labeled the kha'zath as a menace.

Kha'Zath Names

The kha'zath are very bad at enunciating. While brain kha'zath can communicate telepathically perfectly, scout kha'zath end up usually butchering pronunciations of anything they say due to their mouth parts being inappropriate for most languages of the Material Realm. There is also no way to tell males from females, as all kha'zath seem able to reproduce asexually and have no concept of gender or sex.

Names: Srrghshh, Miigho, Kreshh, Jzzth

Kha'Zath Traits

Frightful insectoid fungus creatures from the Far Plane
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2.
Age. Kha'Zath grow from spores that latch and grow into eggs. They are said to mature at around 3 and live until 60.
Alignment. The alien minds of the kha'zath shrouds their meanings in mystery. Most say they would be neutral.
Size. Kha'zath are a bit shorter on average than humans. 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.
Armored Body. Your body is covered in a stiff shell that makes you very hardy. While unarmored, your Armor Class is equal to 12 + your Dexterity modifier. You may use a shield and still gain these benefits.
Blade Arm. You have razor blades as arms to use as unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength or Dexterity modifier.
Aberrant Being. Your creature type is aberration instead of humanoid. As such, you are immune to spells like crown of madness or dominate person because they specifically target humanoids, but you are able to be affected by spells like detect evil and good because they specify aberrations.
Languages. You can read and write in Common and Deep Speech. You can speak Common and Deep Speech insofar as you can make vague words and sounds that are not at all literate ("Krsshtzz...maag...cake...", e.g.).
Subrace. Choose from the brain and scout subrace.

Brain

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 1.
Mind Shield. Your powerful intellect protects you from outside influences. You are resistant against psychic damage.
Psionic Speech. The bulging cranial area on a brain kha'zath is not just for show. You can communicate mentally with another creature that knows at least one language within a 60-foot radius. This creature doesn't need to share a language with you but unless they have telepathy themselves they can only receive and respond but can't initiate or terminate a telepathic conversation. You must be conscious to use this trait and cannot telepathically communicate with multiple creatures at once. When you are communicating with another kha'zath, this range extends to 120 feet.
Mental Fortitude. Your alien mind is not so easily beguiled by normal means. You have advantage in saving throws against illusions and being charmed.

Scout

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Scurry. You need to move fast to cover ground and elude visage. Your base walking speed increases to 35 feet.
Alien Anatomy. The scouts need to be able to take on a variety of dangers in the field, particularly in environments with possible new toxins. You have advantage in saving throws against being poisoned
Air Conversion. Kha'Zath scouts have special pseudo-gills on the underside of their heads that allow them to convert water and even toxic air when they need to traverse dangerous or aqueous territory. You can hold your breath for up to 1 hour at a time.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
4′ 0''	+2d8	135 lb.	× (1d4) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

Suggested Characteristics

When creating a kha'zath 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 kha'zath are very mysterious. Most believe them to have ill intention simply due to the feeling their appearance gives off. There is evidence, however, that they are merely overly curious and eager, which can seem aggressive.

d8	Personality Trait
1	I rub my mouthparts to click a lot as I speak.
2	I prefer to be left alone to my thoughts.
3	My eye is too bright to look at so I hide it with a hood or something.
4	New things make me hide on instinct.
5	My blades are ever thirsty for carnage.
6	Any oddity I find must be submitted to rigorous deconstruction to be understood.
7	There is something that bugs me about people who ask no questions.
8	Words are meaningless and easily misunderstood, so I use my mind.

d6	Ideal
1	This new world is just begging to be subjugated. (Evil)
2	We are fugitives who ought not draw attention to ourselves. (Neutral)
3	The survival of the colony above all! (Lawful)
4	This place has just too many things to see and do! (Chaotic)
5	So long as others do not come for us, we shall refrain from destroying them. (Neutral)
6	We are aiming to return to our home among the stars in the Far Plane. (Neutral)

d6	Bond
1	I have a particular interest in this group of people.
2	There was an interesting specimen I had let escape that I must find.
3	The colony stands above all individuals.
4	This new world and its inhabitants are beneath my race.
5	I have trouble connecting with those not of my race.
6	People are annoying due to unneeded complexities in their society. They ought to adopt our streamlined methods.

d6	Flaw
1	I am too curious.
2	My inability to process emotions leaves me tactless.
3	My bloodlust is uncontrollable.
4	I am too fixated on my own goals most of the time.
5	I make my displeasure known too easily.
6	People are frightened of my appearance and my cold attitude does not help.

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