Daask & Droaam: Monstrous Races
In Eberron, many creatures deemed monstrous by the "civilised" folk of the Five Nations have built their own societies at the fringes of Galifar. The goblinoids of Darguun have built a recognised nation in the south of Khorvaire, and the Daughters of Sora Kell seek to do them same for the myriad races of Droaam. Others have achieved a degree of relatively peaceful co-existence, especially in the cosmopolitan city of Sharn. Organisations such as the criminal syndicate Daask and the mercenaries companies under House Tharashk have been eager to introduce Khorvaire's diversity to the Five Nations. However, centuries of prejudice is never easy to overcome.
Harpy
Flights of harpies are a common sight in the Byeshk mountains in the north of Droaam, and several flights now nest in the great city of Graywall. As Daask builds its presence in Sharn, many harpies have left the mountains for the City of Towers, and can often be seen soaring between the towers of Malleon's Gate and other neglected districts of Sharn.
A harpy who finds herself elsewhere in the Five Nations is likely to be mistrusted at best. The magic behind a harpy's song is well known, and tales have a habit of exaggerating their antagonists. An accused harpy may find herself struggling to convince the folk around her that she isn't working her magic on the local constabulary.
Harpy Traits
Harpies have the following traits.
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Age. Harpies reach maturity at fifteen years old and can live to see seventy years.
Alignment. Most harpies are cruel and fickle, tending towards chaos and evil. However, adventurous harpies are known to reject the sadism of their kin.
Size. Harpies have stand as tall as humans, but weigh half as much. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 20 feet.
Flight. You have a flying speed of 30 feet. To use this
speed, you can’t be wearing medium or heavy armor.
Collector. When you make a Dexterity (Sleight of
Hand) or Wisdom (Survival) check to acquire items
worth less than 1gp, you can add twice your
proficiency bonus, instead of any proficiency
bonus you normally apply.
Siren Song. Each note of your song is woven with magic. As an action, you can cast the charm person spell as 1st-level spell, and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. You can cast this spell using only verbal components. When you reach 3rd level you can cast this spell as a 2nd-level spell. When you reach 5th level, you can cast it as a 3rd-level spell. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
Monstrous Humanoid. You have two creature types: humanoid and monstrosity. You can be affected by a game effect if it works on either of your creature types.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common.
Medusa
Two hundred years ago, a force of medusas emerged from the depths of Khyber and laid claim to the ancient city of Cazhaak Draal. The Kingdom of Stone rose from their ruins and remained an isolated nation until Sora Teraza brought Queen Sheshka into her service. Now, medusas often serve in positions of power in Droaam and in Daask cells scattered about the Five Nations.
Eyeblind Medusas
The petrifying gaze of a medusa is beyond the expected power of player races in a typical game of Dungeons & Dragons. The traits presented here represent a medusa who has either lost or does not use her ability to instantly turn creatures to stone. Consider one of the following models for medusa player characters:
Cursed. Your eyes have been damaged or magically sealed and you can no longer use your gaze to its full potential. You may be considered a pariah or be pitied by even the lowliest of Droaam's monstrous citizens.
Bound. You have chosen to lock your gaze behind an "eyeblinder", a sturdy blindfold that takes significant work remove. Attempting to remove it without the key may just as soon kill you. If you have chosen this path freely, you may be accepted into less open minded communities in the Five Nations.
Medusa Traits
Eyeblind medusas have the following traits.
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1.
Age. Medusas reach adulthood at fifty years old, and maintain their youthful beauty for many centuries. Medusas suffering old age often choose to be petrified by their peers rather than decline.
Alignment. As natural leaders, medusas favour careful action and consider themselves a caste above all others. They are most often lawful and evil.
Size. Medusas have similar size and build to humans. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Eyeblind. You can see through the eyes of your serpents, but only in relatively limited fashion. You have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks based on sight.
Fearsome Presence. You have proficiency in the Intimidation skill.
Curse of Stone. As a bonus action, you can channel the curse of stone through the gaze of your serpents. One creature of your choice within 30 feet of you must make a Constitution saving throw. The DC for this saving throw is equal to 8 + your Intelligence modifier + your proficiency bonus. On a failed save, the creature is restrained for one minute. The creature may attempt a new saving throw at the end of its turns. If it succeeds, the effect ends.
When you reach 3rd level, you can use your bonus action to cause a creature restrained by this ability to also become incapacitated. A successful saving throw ends both effects.
When you reach 5th level, you can use your bonus action to cause a creature incapacitated by this ability to become petrified for one hour. A petrified creature cannot end the effect with a saving throw. However, the spell greater restoration can end the effect early.
When you use this ability you must finish a short rest before you can use it again.
Serpent's Venom. You know the poison spray cantrip. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for it.
Monstrous Humanoid. You have two creature types: humanoid and monstrosity. You can be affected by a game effect if it works on either of your creature types.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and two other languages of your choice.
Variant: Gaze Unbound
Medusas that lose their curse or remove their eyeblinders may be given access to their natural petrifying gaze ability, perhaps only temporarily. DMs and players should consider that because medusas cannot necessarily prevent allied or neutral parties from meeting their gaze, the ability represents a significant disruption to typical gameplay. In many situations, it may be considered a disadvantage that must be carefully managed. In these situations, remove the eyeblind feature and replace the curse of stone ability with the following:
Petrifying Gaze. Your gaze turns creatures to stone, as detailed in the Monster Manual (pg. 214), except that it must affect all creatures within 30ft. The DC for the Constitution saving throw is equal to 8 + your Intelligence modifier + your proficiency bonus.
Troll
Trolls are dangerous, reckless, and often cruel giants feared for their ability to heal their wounds in little more than the blink of an eye. Although most trolls have little regard for the lives and schemes of the smaller folk of Eberron, exceptional individuals can and do make their mark on history.
Both House Tharashk and Daask have shown great interest in hiring trolls as mercenaries and enforcers. Though troll employees are rarely outmatched, they must be very carefully managed to avoid "unnecessary" violent outbursts.
Trollrot
Trolls are formidable giants, and their size and ability to regenerate from almost any injury within minutes means that they are not suitable as a player race for most games of Dungeons & Dragons. However, players may instead wish to create a troll character afflicted with "trollrot", an incurable mutation which hinders a troll's natural healing.
Trolls with trollrot regenerate at a fraction of the pace of their healthy kin, and their healing may even be intermittent. These trolls are exceptionally vulnerable to violence and death, and so are often shunned or killed by their brothers and sisters. However, trolls with slowed regeneration are still exceptionally hardy by the standards of other races, and can establish themselves as brutish mercenaries or bandit captains, tireless manual labourers, or even adventurers.
Troll Traits
Trolls afflicted with trollrot have the following traits.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength and Constitution scores increase by 2. Your choice of either your Intelligence score or your Charisma score decreases by 1.
Age. Trolls grow quickly and reach maturity by five years old. After approximately a century, most trolls succumb to the mutations caused by their rapid regeneration.
Alignment. Although exceptions always exist, most trolls are unpredictable brutes. They tend towards the chaotic evil alignment.
Size. Afflicted trolls are shorter and slighter than most of their kin, but still tower above humans. These trolls
stand between 7 and 9 feet tall, and can weigh
approximately 300 to 400 pounds. Your size
is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. You have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. 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 colour in darkness, only shades of grey.
Keen Smell. You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Claws. Your claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier.
Regeneration. As a bonus action, you can spend one Hit Dice to recover hit points as if you had completed a short rest. You cannot use this ability if you have taken fire or acid damage since the end of your last turn.
In addition, whenever you complete a short rest you can choose to regain one spent Hit Dice.
Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
Runt. You have two creature types: humanoid and giant. You can be affected by a game effect if it works on either of your creature types.
Languages. You can speak Common and Giant, but you are not literate. If you gain a bonus language from another source, such as a background, feat or class feature, you are able to read and write these languages in addition to the bonus language you select.
