Race: Draezir
Draezir are descendants of infernal pacts between drow and devils, forged in typical drow fashion—seeking power at any cost. While Lolth may allow such pacts to sow chaos, the offspring and their descendants are not tolerated.
When born with clear tiefling traits, they are killed out of fear that their existence will displease Lolth and bring ruin to their house. Those few who escape death in their first hour are shunned and exiled, often cast into the wilds of the Underdark. The rare survivors either flee to the surface or become new threats lurking in the dark.
Unwanted, Unbroken
Those few Draezir who manage to escape infanticide are forced into exile. Alone and isolated, they traverse the unforgiving wilds of the Underdark, where predators lurk in every shadow, and even the darkness itself seems to conspire against them. Survival is a constant struggle—food, safety, and allies are scarce in a world where everything seeks their death. They must outwit both monstrous creatures and drow assassins sent to finish what their birth failed to accomplish.
On the surface, their lives are no less perilous. As tieflings, they face prejudice that runs deep in the hearts of humans, elves, and other surface races. At best, they are regarded as misfits and outcasts, barely tolerated on the fringes of society. At worst, they are hunted as harbingers of doom, feared to bring calamity wherever they tread. Many surface dwellers see their infernal lineage as a sign of corruption, and in their ignorance, blame the Draezir for every misfortune, plague, or disaster. The Draezir, often alone and without allies, have no choice but to flee or fight, honing their skills in both battle and subterfuge to survive.
Yet, despite the constant rejection and the unrelenting trials, the Draezir endure. Each day they survive is a testament to their resilience, their cunning, and their iron will. They learn to navigate the treacherous politics of the drow and the harsh prejudice of the surface world. They become stronger through adversity, more dangerous with each obstacle overcome. Those who survive the endless persecution of both worlds do so by becoming masters of survival, unyielding in their determination to live.
Unwanted, but unbroken, the Draezir are not defined by the worlds that reject them. They shape their own fate, forging a path of their own design in the darkness they were born into. Whether in the depths of the Underdark or beneath the sky of the surface, the Draezir carve out their existence, determined to claim their place in a world that would rather see them dead. Through the hatred and fear of others, they rise—unwanted, yet unbowed.
Traits
Creature Type
You are humanoid.
Infernal Bonds
The Draezir share many qualities with their drow ancestors, but their infernal bloodline grants them unique abilities that set them apart. These traits reflect the combination of drow heritage and devilish ancestry.
Ability Score Increase
Sharing the allure of the forbidden and the natural agility of the drow, your Charisma score increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Age
Draezir mature at the same rate as drow, reaching adulthood in their late teens and living for centuries, often up to 750 years.
Languages
You can write and speak Common, Undercommon, and Infernal. You have advantage on learning another language, as communication is often a matter of life or death in your experience.
Mixed Heritage
Your skin is dark, in various hues, due to your
drow heritage. Your eyes can belong to both infernal
and drow in terms of appearance and color range. Your devilish heritage, however, is always present due to your horns, that can vary in shape and size. Tails are optional.
A Shade Taller
Taller than the usual drow, you stand between 5'9 to 6'3 feet, of medium build, lithe and slender as your drow parentage. Your base walking speed is 30 feet,
Infernal Underdark
Thanks to your drow and infernal blood, you can see in complete darkness. You have superior darkvision in dim light within 120 feet of you, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. You also have resistance to fire damage, a gift from your infernal ancestors.
Unknown Quantity
You can add 1d4 to Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) checks, reflecting the striking combination of your appearance and presence, both terrifying and captivating.
A choice must be made.
Magical Heritage
As your physical form is testament to your mixed heritage, the magic in your blood may also represent that. However, some draezir do show a predisposition to one heritage or another, infernal or drow. For the most part, it is mixed, much like the draezir themselves.
Select your magical heritage:
Drow
The years you have spent in the Underdark molded you and your magic, through the faerzress. The Dancing Lights cantrip is no secret to you. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast Faerie Fire once per long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast Darkness once per long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Infernal
Your life was barely spent in the Underdark, or you were never there, causing you to connect to your infernal side.
You can cast the Thaumaturgy cantrip at will. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast Hellish Rebuke as a 2nd-level spell once per long rest. At 5th level, you can cast Shadow Blade once per long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Mixed
The faerzress took hold over you in your younger years, but you never let it drown the fire in your blood. You can cast the Dancing Lights cantrip at will. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast Hellish Rebuke as a 2nd-level spell once per long rest. At 5th level, you can cast Shadow Blade or Darkness once per long rest (one or the other). Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.