Dragonfly
“Ooo, ooo, Flamma! Goddess of Fire!” a child stretched out his hand, calling out the answer excitedly.
“That is right, we were blessed by Vita’s sister Flamma,” replied the priestess “From her blessing, our carapace turned red and we were gifted the element of fire.” The priestess from her hand summoned a flame. “With this flame we protect our clan, as well as use it to live, so remember to pray to the Vita and Flamma, for they have given you life and safety.”
The elemental clans of the Dragonflies are one of the oldest races. These warriors are very welcoming to bugs who come to their clan, but be wary of crossing a Dragonfly, for they never forget.
Dragonfly Clans
There are seven different Dragonfly clans. Each clan has its own culture and is made up of members that are attuned to a single element. These clans mainly live in remote places that are in tune with their element. However, there are certain clans that do not mind living with or near others.
Acid Clans
Dragonflies from this clan usually make their homes in swamplands, finding a raised area of earth or in some cases making one to build their homes, which are made out of clay. Acid Clans need sturdier homes because of their interests. Unlike other Dragonfly clans, they like to discover how their world works, leading them to experiment in different types of scientific studies, but most commonly studying alchemy. This has caused other clans to feel a bit uncomfortable around Acid Dragonflies. Though the Acid Clans are just as devout in worship to their gods as the other clans, their use of scientific logic to solve problems has other clans wondering if they truly believe.
Instead of always relying on magic to defend themselves, Acid Dragonflies have discovered that their ability to create acid can be used to create unique compounds, whether it be explosions, paralyzing gas or potions. This has allowed them to lay elaborate traps to defend their territory from invaders. Acid Dragonflies even sell their experiments to outsiders: unlike some clans they do not mind telling how they make their compounds. But there is a catch: to learn their recipes, you must live in the clan and study underneath an “Acid Master” for a couple years. Many bugs who want to be artificers come to study under the Acid Masters to learn to become one.
Earth Clans
Dragonflies that are from this clan usually make their homes in mountains, or mountainous areas and badlands. They are stubborn bugs, though they are the most level headed. Earth Dragonflies very rarely let their emotions get in the way of making decisions.
This clan is most known for its agricultural knowledge and their masonry skills. If bugs from towns need help with building or farming, they go to an Earth Clan if one is near, since Earth Dragonflies are also known for their generosity and will not turn a blind eye to a bug in need. Unlike other clans, this clan does not mind other bugs living in their clan, or in some cases being a part of towns.
Fire Clans
Dragonflies that are from this clan usually make their homes near volcanoes or rich sources of precious metals. Similar to their element, they are quick to anger and slow to cool down, though they make powerful allies if you can earn their respect. Out of all the clans, they are masters of the forge, their knowledge of making elemental weapons being passed down through the generations. Other clans know how to make elemental weapons, but the fire clans are known for making unique and customizable weapons. Though Dragonflies from other clans and outside bugs are welcome to come learn from the masters, outsiders are strictly forbidden to learn their secret elemental forging techniques. Any Dragonfly that is caught teaching an outsider a secret technique is killed along with the outsider, but if the outsider is young they are branded on the forehead and exiled.
Lightning Clans
Dragonflies from this clan usually make their homes in tropical areas. They are the fiercest warriors among the clans, almost having no fear as they jump into battle. They start training from a young age to become warriors, learning to strike silently and to hit hard like the element they embody. To become closer and enhance their lightning ability, they do ‘storm training’ where they go out in lightning storms and use their abilities to redirect lightning.
They rarely let outsiders in their clan, seeing them as a distraction from their training. Lightning Clans also look down on Dragonflies who are too interested in the arts. Most clans do not mind small hobbies, but if a Dragonfly is too invested in their art, they are shunned by the clan, or worse cast out.
Poison Clans
Dragonflies from this clan can be found in any environment, but they make their clans inside cave systems. These reclusive bugs form the only clan that is wary of outsiders, and are the most defensive in guarding their territory. When fighting other bugs, Poison Dragonflies prefer to make elaborate plans to trap and sneak attack their foes. Rather than fighting their foes head on, they like fighting at a range or using cover to go between attacking and hiding, using their poison breath and weapons to wear down their foe and then go in for the killing blow. Young poison dragonflies perfect these techniques in the cave systems where they make their homes.
Each weapon that is created by the Poison Clans is especially made for the user. During a young poison dragonfly’s training, they are first made to learn a variety of weapons, allowing them to see what weapons they prefer in battle. Then, as they get older, they are able to go to their forge master so he can forge their weapon and infuse it with their poison. They also can go back to the forge to ask for customizations. This is the only clan that rivals the Fire Clan with making unique weapons.
Water Clans
Dragonflies that are from this clan always make their homes by a source of freshwater, though it is most common for them to settle by lakes. They are the most peaceful out of all the clans, and do not have any warriors in their clan, but they are the most adaptable. While other tribes may struggle with environmental or social changes around them, Water Dragonflies are able to see the changes around them and adapt to them.
Water Dragonflies have the most important role in their society, as they are not only priests and priestesses, but doctors, teachers and caretakers. They start their training from the day they are hatched and finish their training when they turn 18. Young, fully trained priests are usually sent to join new clans, or to clans where their priests are becoming elderly.
Each clan has at least one Water Dragonfly living with them, but larger clans are known to have many. Their main responsibility is to take care of the eggs and babies of the clan while they grow in the Pool of Life, which is a bug-made pool of water that each clan makes where their young can develop. Though each clan has their own leader, priests’ and priestesses’ opinions are weighed heavily in decision making. Leaders, before making a decision, go to their priest to get their blessing, while in times of tensions between clans, their priests are sent to meet each other and find solutions to keep the peace. Every ten years, priests come back to the Water clan they were born in to share news on how their new clan is doing, along with meeting the new younger members in training.
Wind Clans
Dragonflies from this clan usually make their homes on hills, cliff sides or in plains. Their clans are known to be smaller, but there can be a lot of wind clans in one area. Unlike the other clans, where they are larger and spread out, Wind clans are smaller and share territories. Though they may not get along with other elemental clans, they are very friendly to other wind clan members, even those who come from far away. Wind Dragonflies while young are known to go off on adventures to test their skills as warriors. They like finding difficult prey and bringing back a piece of it as a trophy. Families usually have a special spot in their house to show these trophies, along with items from their adventures. The more or rarer items they have, the more respect they earn from the clan.
Their adventurous nature allows them to get along with adventuring parties, whether they pass through their clan, or they are in the adventuring party. Wind Dragonflies tend to jump into situations before thinking. Wind Dragonflies also tend to have a lot of merchants and inn owners in their clans. Since they are experienced adventurers, most Wind clan stores are supplied with gear or food that bugs may need while traveling. However, some Dragonflies, because of their travels, tend to sell items that are not native to where they live.
Religious in Nature
Dragonflies believe in a pantheon of elemental gods, though depending on the element of the clan, they worship that particular god. They are very devout in worship to their gods, since they believe it was them who gave them their elemental powers. They build large shrines to worship in and give offerings. These shrines are also where the priests or priestesses live, along with the Pool of Life, where dragonfly eggs are placed, hatched and raised.
The Beginning
They believe in the beginning there were two gods; Lux, the Goddess of Motherhood and the Sun, and Nox, the God of Fatherhood and the Moon. They then had seven daughters who together created the world: Gaia the Goddess of Earth, Vita the Goddess of Water, Flamma the Goddess of Fire, Zephra the Goddess of Wind, Fulgra the Goddess of Lightning, Venna the Goddess of Poison and Acida the Goddess of Acid. However, when they created the world, they realized though it had natural beauty, it did not have anyone living in it to enjoy it.
This saddened the family, but Vita, undeterred, decided to use her powers to create life using her element. Out of a single pool of water, Vita created the first dragonflies. Nox and Lux praised Vita, but her sisters also wanted recognition from their parents. So the sisters gave their blessing to some of the newly born dragonflies, imbuing them with their own element and their carapaces changed color to reflect it.
They then split to live in places that are the strongest in their element, making the first clans. For a while there was peace, until all the sisters except for Vita started bickering among each other, showing off what their clans have created and how great their element was. This in turn caused the dragonflies to fight among each other, leading to what would be known as the Elemental War.
Vita could not stand to see her creations kill each other, so after talking to her sisters, Vita was able to quell their fighting. Vita then talked to the water clans, telling them to go to the other clans to watch over them so a war like this would never happen again.
Elemental Smiths
Dragonflies are legendary for making the best elemental weapons. Each clan is the best at making elemental weapons of their element, fire weapons for fire dragonflies, lightning weapons for lighting dragonflies etc. Though they can create any weapon, each clan does tend to lean toward a few weapons they can make the best, depending on the element of the clan. Fire Clans make the best swords and rapiers, Earth Clans make the best war hammers and axes, Water Clans make the best tridents and nets, Wind Clans make the best bows and crossbows, Lightning Clans make the best spears and staffs, Acid Clans make the best slings and ammunition, Poison Clans make the best daggers and darts.
Prideful Beings
Dragonflies think of themselves as higher than other bugs, no matter what their status is. They very rarely ask for help, and if ever a Dragonfly clan needs help, they go to another clan, and only ask for help from other races as a last resort. However, even though they consider other clans as family, clans are very territorial with each other. While they do not see other groups of bugs as a threat (unless provoked), they do see other Dragonfly Clans as threats, their prideful nature turning against them as they think their clan is the best. The only exception to this is the Water Clan, where their special role in their society makes them immune to their prideful nature. Any outsiders or even another clan that attacks a Water Clan is swiftly dealt with by all other nearby clans.
Appearance
Dragonflies have a unique appearance, with two sets of wings, large eyes and and a long tail like abdomen. They also have two sets of arms that can move independently from each other. Though they have no mask some dragonflies can have horns. However, the element of your birth clan is what defines you, and your shell is a certain color because of it:
Fire dragonflies are red
Earth dragonflies are brown
Water dragonflies are blue
Wind dragonflies are white
Lightning dragonflies are yellow
Acid dragonflies are green
Poison dragonflies are purple
Dragonfly Traits
Though Dragonflies have some common traits, you are defined by your element and have special innate traits that tie you with your brethren.
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Alignment. Dragonflies can be any alignment
Size. Dragonflies vary between 5ft to 6ft. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a swimming speed of 30 feet.
Flight. You have a flying speed of 30 feet, but fall to the ground at the end of your turn. To use this speed, you can’t be wearing medium or heavy armor.
Languages. You can speak, read and write Common, Draconic and one other language of your choice.
Amphibious. You can breathe air and water.
Acid Dragonflies
Acidic Mote. You can create a create and hurl a mote of bubbling acid. Make a ranged attack against a creature within 30 feet. This attack deals 2d6 acid damage on a hit, and each creature within 5 feet take half damage. The damage increases to 3d6 at 6th level, 4d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 16th level. After you use Acidic Mote, you can’t use it again until you complete a short or Long Rest.
Damage Resistance. You have resistance to acid damage.
Leave No Trace. Your acidic touch can be too much to bear for an extended period of time. You can spend one hour of intense focus and destroy a nonmagical object that fits in the palm of your hand. This is considered a light activity for the purposes of resting.
Earth Dragonflies
Careen and Crash. Your tough body is used to withstanding the forces of falling right into the middle of the battlefield. You have resistance to bludgeoning damage caused by falling and you do not land prone. In addition, when you take fall damage, you can immediately make a melee attack roll against every creature and object within 5 feet. On a hit, a creature or object takes half the damage you were dealt from falling. In other words, because of your resistance, you take half and each creature you hit takes half.
Earth Weaver. You know the mold earth cantrip.
Natural Armor. Your carapace is as hard as stone. When you aren’t wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield’s benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.
Rough -n- Tough. Your hit point maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 every time you gain a level.
Fire Dragonflies
Damage Resistance. You have resistance to fire damage.
Fire Breath. You can use your bonus action to exhale flames. When you do so, each creature in a 15-foot cone must make a Dexterity saving throw. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus. A creature takes 2d6 fire 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 fire breath, you can’t use it again until you complete a short or long rest.
Flame. You know the produce flame cantrip. Charisma is your spellcasting modifier for this spell.
Lightning Dragonflies
Damage Resistance. You have resistance to lightning damage.
Lightning Caster. You can use your bonus action to exhale a bolt of lightning. When you do so, each creature in a 5 by 30-foot line must make a Dexterity saving throw. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus. A creature takes 2d6 lightning 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 lightning caster ability, you can’t use it again until you complete a short or long rest.
Magnetic Plated. Your chitin has traces of iron, which makes it magnetic once electricity flows through it. Once per long rest, you can cause a small amount of charge to flow throughout your body for one minute. An area within 10 feet of you other than yourself is considered difficult terrain for creatures that are wearing metal armor or wielding a metal weapon.
Poison Dragonflies
Darkvision. Thanks to your evolution you are able to have superior vision in the dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 30 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.
Innate Resilience. You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage (explained in the “Combat” section of the Player's Handbook).
Poisonous Cloud. You can create a thick fog of poison around yourself. As an action, you can secrete particulates of toxic bile that lasts one minute and eats away at creatures within 5 feet of you. When a creature enters this area, it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw, the DC for which is equal to 8 + your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus, or become blinded until it leaves the area. When a creature is hit with a weapon attack while in this cloud, it takes an additional 1d6 poison damage. This damage increases to 2d6 at 6th level, 3d6 at 11th level, and 4d6 at 16th level. After you use your poisonous cloud, you can’t use it again until you complete a short or long rest.
Water Dragonflies
Damage Resistance. You have resistance to cold damage.
Freezing Cone. You can use your bonus action to freeze your foes in their tracks. When you do so, each creature in a 15-foot cone must make a Dexterity saving throw. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus. On a failed save, a creature takes 2d6 cold damage and its speed is halved when it starts its turn in this area within the next minute. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and its speed is not reduced. The damage increases to 3d6 at 6th level, 4d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 16th level. After you use your freezing cone, you can’t use it again until you complete a short or long rest.
Water Bender. You know the shape water cantrip. Charisma is your spellcasting modifier for this spell.
Wind Dragonflies
Improved Flight. You do not fall to the ground at the end of your turn while using your fly speed.
Tempest Charge. If you move at least 30 feet straight toward a target and then hit it with a melee weapon attack on the same turn, the target must succeed a Strength saving throw or be pushed back 10 feet. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus.
Game Credit
This Race was inspired by the game Hollow Knight by Team Cherry. A labor of love made solely for entertainment purposes and not-for-profit. No copyright infringement is intended.
Background Art made by: Sol-lar-bink
Character Art made by: Cardinail0