- Art: Starfield of Nyx by Tyler Jacobson
Heritage and Half-breeds: Startouched
The Material Plane is the sane corner of the multiverse. Beyond its borders lies the Far Realm, the home of the Elder Evils and creatures of madness. Startouched are humanoids cursed and twisted by the influence of these malevolent eldritch forces.
Twisted by the Stars
Though a startouched may have once been any humanoid race, the influence of the Elder Evil has utterly twisted their nature. They may still resemble a human, tiefling, or elf, but have little else left in common. Their skin typically loses all color, becoming a pallid shade of gray or even translucent. Their eyes glow with the color of their star.
Corrupted Souls
Many startouched lose their memories from before their corruption, only coming to them in bits and pieces in their dreams. Some make it their quest to find out who they once were, and who they are now.
However, for many startouched, their minds are warped by the madness of the Elder Evils, so they revel in the freedom from morality and their past. Many startouched are fanatic cultists of the stars, and it is not uncommon to find a few among such cults.
Startouched Names
Some startouched try to hold on to the identity they had before they were twisted by eldritch forces, and thus keep their previous name.
Others have been twisted by the far realm, and take names inspired by the whispers in their minds.
Startouched names: Grausk, Qhel, Ausgussk, Drergam, Drasax, Tulball, Danchulaosk, Sragregom, Veldaman, Kessidale, Chendra, Dhedlyhn, Qhermohn, Xoldorse, Zaghose, Dathoqsiahn
Quirks of Madness
Startouched have had their minds affected by powerful eldrich beings of the far realm. One may have a quirk bordering on madness, or another may have a strange ritual or practice to stay sane.
| d12 | Quirk |
|---|---|
| 1 | You must repeat a specific activities 3 times, such as washing hands, touching things, or counting. |
| 2 | You seek to perfectly mimic the practices and mannerisms of the people around you. |
| 3 | You compulsively lie about small things, even when the truth is blatantly obvious. |
| 4 | You always hear the whispers of the stars in your ear, giving you advice and warnings. |
| 5 | You drink to drown out the whispers. When you're drunk, you start talking in Deep Speech. |
| 6 | When you smile, it never reaches your eyes. |
| 7 | There is only one person you trust. No one else can see this person. |
| 8 | You feel compelled to speak in rhyme and become distressed if you do not. |
| 9 | You cannot stay on the second floor on any building for a length of time without becoming paranoid. |
| 10 | You can't take anything seriously. The more serious a situation, the funnier it seems. |
| 11 | Sometimes mid conversation with someone you space out become entranced by your surroundings. |
| 12 | You feel the need to name all your actions as you do them, ranging in volume from a quiet murmur or an earsplitting yell. |
Startouched Traits
Startouched share certain racial traits due to their heritage.
Age. The twisted nature of startouched can cause them to live longer than their birth race by some centuries.
Alignment. Startouched are typically neutral evil, as they have been twisted to only care for their own needs. A few may desperately cling to their former identity, and may then tend toward good or neutrality.
Size. You are the size of whatever humanoid you were before, which is typically Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1.
Darkvision. Due to your ties to the stars, 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 color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Telepathy. You can speak telepathically to any creature you can see within 30 feet of you. You don’t need to share a language with the creature for it to understand your telepathic messages, but the creature must be able to understand at least one language or be telepathic itself.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Deep Speech.
Subrace. You have a subrace related to one of the Elder Evil Stars.
Mark of Acamar
Acamar is a corpse star whose motions and behemoth size send celestial objects that draw too close spiraling to their doom. Those touched by Acamar have skin and eyes as black as the void.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2.
Pull of Acamar. You have a supernatural pull about you that makes it difficult for creatures to escape your grasp. The area within a 5 ft. radius of you is considered difficult terrain for creatures moving out of the area.
Consuming Touch. You have the obliterating touch of Acamar. As an action, you can make a special unarmed strike. One a hit, the target takes 2d10 force damage and you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to your level. Once you use this ability, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
Mark of Caiphon
Caiphon, the dream whisperer, a purple star usually on the horizon. It has the guise of a helpful guide star, but sometimes betrays those who rely upon it. Those touched by Caiphon have solid purple eyes.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity and Charisma scores increase by 1.
Caiphon's Beacon. The deceptive light of Caiphon favors you. You are proficient in the Deception and Stealth skills.
Fevered Certainty. You focus on the whispers in your head, giving you a flash of an eldritch vision and filling you with mad certainty. As a bonus action, you can give yourself advantage on all skill checks until the beginning of your next turn. Once you use this ability, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
Mark of Delban
Delban is an ice-white star often visible only during winter, it might surprise the star-gazer with an impromptu flare during any season. Those touched by Delban have eyes like balls of ice.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2.
Delban's Embrace. You are blessed by the cold light of Delban. You have resistance to cold damage.
Claws of Ice. You are filled with Delban's frigid touch, which allows you to form icy claws. Your claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal cold damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
Mark of Gibbeth
Gibbeth, the Endless, is said to be unknowable. Better not to write on this maddening greenish point in the sky. Those touched by Gibbith have glowing green eyes, and are most likely among the startouched to be mad.
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 2.
Mind of Madness. The madness of Gibbith is already roiling in your mind. You have advantage on saving throws to resist madness.
Visions of Gibbeth. You can cause a creature to go mad from a glimps of Gibbeth's true form. Once per short rest, you can force a creature that can see you with 30 feet to make a Charisma saving throw. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. On a failure, the creature is subjugated to an effect from the madness table below for 1 round.
The duration of the madness increases to 2 rounds at 5th level, 3 rounds at 11th level, and 4 rounds at 17th level. The creature can repeat its saving throw at the end of each of its turns.
MADNESS
| d6 | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | The creature becomes incapacitated and spends the duration screaming. |
| 2 | The creature becomes frightened and must use its action each round to flee from you. |
| 3 | The creature becomes frightened and its speed becomes 0 until the condition ends. |
| 4 | The creature becomes charmed by you, and will spend its action doing whatever its told to do that isn't obviously self destructive. |
| 5 | The creature becomes blinded by the horror for the duration. |
| 6 | The creature must use its action each round eating dirt, slime, or something similar |
Mark of Hadar
Hadar, the Ebon Hunger, is the extinguished cinder of a star lurking within the cloaking nebula of Ihbar. Those touched by Hadar have inky blood and eyes like dull red embers.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength and Charisma scores increase by 1.
Grasp of Ibhar. Hadar lies within the grasping nebula of Ibhar. As an action, you can target a creature you can see within 15 feet. The target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pulled up to 10 feet in a straight line toward you and then take 1d8 necrotic damage if it is within 5 feet of you. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus.
Hadar's Hunger. You can use your pull upon the life force a creature. You target a creature that you can see within 30 feet of you, which must make a Constitution saving throw. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. A creature takes 2d6 necrotic damage on a failed save, and you gain half as much hit points. The damage increases to 3d6 at 5th level, 4d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 17th level. Once you use this ability, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
Mark of Khirad
Khirad, the Burning Flame, is a piercing blue star, its radiance sometimes reveals secrets and gruesome insights. Those touched by Khirad are naturally insightful and have shockingly bright blue eyes.
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 2.
Steady Mind of Khirad. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed.
Piercing Insight. You have Khirad's ability to bring dark truths to light. As an action, you can target a creature you can see within 15 feet, which must make a Charisma saving throw. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Wisdom modifier + your proficiency bonus. On a failed save, a creature can't speak a deliberate lie for 1 minute. You know whether the creature succeeds or fails on its saving throw. An affected creature is unaware of being under the influence of this ability. Once you use this ability, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
Mark of Nihal
Nihal, the Red Worms, is a reddish star that writhes around the position it should hold in the heavens. Those touched by Nihal often appear sickly or with serpentine traits. They tend to have dull red serpent eyes.
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence and Charisma scores increase by 1.
Resilience of Nihal. You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage.
Plague of Worms. You know the Infestation cantrip. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
Mark of Ulban
Ulban, the Messenger, is comet of blue-white fire and the morning glory. Its blue-white light disrupts cognition and the ability to recognize danger. Those touched by Ulban have glowing blue-white eyes.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity and Charisma scores increase by 1.
Shroud of Ulban. The blue-white star Ulban maintains a fickle presence among the stars, fluttering into view only to herald a dire omen. As a bonus action, you can magically turn invisible until the start of your next turn or until you attack, make a damage roll, or force someone to make a saving throw. Once you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Radiant Flare. You know the Word of Radiance cantrip. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for this spell. When cast with this ability, the spell requires no material components.
Mark of Zhudun
Zhudun is a corpse star with a blank face. It was once the brightest star in the sky when the Fey wild city of Cendriane fell. Those touched by Zhudun may appear undead at first glance, or may have gray featureless faces.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength and Constitution scores increase by 1.
Horrifying Visage of Zhudun. You have the ability to curse a creature with a vision of the formless face of Zhudun. When a creature you can see makes an attack roll against you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the roll. You must use this feature before knowing whether the attack hits or misses. Once you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
The Dead Never Die. You have the tenacity of the Dead One. You can regain hit points equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1 hit point) when you succeed on a death saving throw. Once you use this ability, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.