Homebrew:Mourntouched
(OOC: This is an implementation of the mourntouched race from Tasha's Crucible of Everything Else volume 2)
Some say that the dead-gray mist began in Metrol, initially flowing out of the royal palaces of Vermishard. Others swear that the disaster began in the Cannith stronghold Making. All that is known is that the mist swiftly spread across the kingdom, transforming the lands and creatures caught within it. Over a million people died in the Mourning, including nearly all of the inhabitants of central Cyre. The mist slowed its advance as it spread, and some of those in the borderlands heard of the disaster in time to flee. Others survived because they were already beyond the borders of Cyre; the mist stopped mere feet away from the camps of Cyran soldiers holding sections of the Brelish front.
But, as is the case with these types of disasters, a rare few inexplicably survived. These are the Mourntouched. This is you.
Lone Survivors
While the most prominent members of this race are those who escaped the Day of Mourning in the Eberron campaign setting, these traits and tables can be used for any character that has survived any magical cataclysm in any world.
Fuzzy Memories
Most Mountoucheds' memories of the event are as hazy as the destroying mists. No definitive explanation can be found for why they were spared, but the superstitious say that these people are cursed, and that anyone touched by the Mourning is now an agent of darkness.
Changed Forever
While only a few thousand exist, many Mourntouched find it near impossible to return to a 'normal' life again. Plenty have turned to adventuring after superstitious refugees and distrusting foreigners have refused them admittance to typical society.
The Next Day
The day after the Mourning, you woke up. Consider the following questions as you develop your character's story. What did you do upon realizing you had survived? How did you survive in a magical wasteland? Did you brave mutated beasts and living spells? Did you find a barely-functioning magic item that helped you survive? Did you find other survivors and form a motley band? Did you come across the followers of the Lord of Blades, who kept you safe from monsters after old warforged friends vouched for your good character? What did you eat and drink? What sorts of terrible scenes did you witness as you trekked to safety?
Chapters 2 and 4 of Eberron: Rising from the Last War provide more inspiration for developing Mourntouched characters in that campaign setting.
Mourning Mutations
Many people think the Mourntouched are cursed. The physical alterations certainly don't help.
Many survivors of magical cataclysm have mutations that are purely cosmetic, albeit unnerving. The Mourning Mutations table provides inspiration for what types of changes you may have experienced.
| d12 | Mutation |
|---|---|
| 1 | Your irises have turned jet black or stark white. |
| 2 | Your veins are silver and glow faintly under the light of a full moon. |
| 3 | You cannot grow hair. |
| 4 | You were weak, elderly, and on your deathbed when disaster struck. When you awoke, you were young and sprightly, and the people around you had been turned to glass. |
| 5 | Your eyes have turned to amber gemstones, with swirling veins of golden light within. |
| 6 | Your skin is translucent and light blue. |
| 7 | You appear completely identical to your previous form, but others feel strange and uncomfortable around you anyways. A detect magic spell reveals an aura of illusion magic about you. |
| 8 | You appear to be of a different race now. You can choose the race or roll on the New Race table to determine which. |
| 9 | You've grown small wings on your back. They are not large enough for flight. You may choose their appearance, such as feathery, scaly, or bat-like. |
| 10 | Your ears have grown elf-like points. |
| 11 | You have grown or shrunk 2 or more feet. You may need to change your size from Medium to Small, or vice versa. |
| 12 | You've developed small antlers or horns. |
| d8 or d12* | Race |
|---|---|
| 1 | Dragonborn |
| 2 | Dwarf |
| 3 | Elf |
| 4 | Gnome |
| 5 | Half-Elf |
| 6 | Half-Orc |
| 7 | Halfling |
| 8 | Tiefling |
| 9 | Changeling |
| 10 | Kalashtar |
| 11 | Orc |
| 12 | Shifter |
* Roll 1d8 for races from the Player's Handbook (not including human), or 1d12 for races from the Player's Handbook and Eberron: Rising from the Last War (not including human or warforged).
Mourntouched Names
Most Mourntouched retain the names they had before the Mourning. If this is you, consider what names are culturally suitable for a character of your race and homeland. Some Mourntouched, inspired by their experience, have chosen to craft new identities for themselves. They consider themselves 'reborn' into a new life by the Mourning and choose a name they want to define themselves with.
Common Reborn Mourntouched Names
Ability, Agility, Alive, Aspiration, Awake, Awareness, Beauty, Blessed, Blessing, Bravery, Chance, Changed, Charity, Chosen, Comeliness, Courage, Decisive, Desire, Destiny, Fate, Gratitude, Gratuity, Knowledge, Love, Move-On, Overcomes, Peace, Permanence, Power, Reborn, Remade, Righteous, Second, Sovereignlove, Spared, Strength, Survivor, Tranquility, Understanding, Vengeance, Virtue
Mourntouched Traits
Base Race
Before you were Mourntouched, you were another race. You maintain a similar physical appearance to your base race, which also determines your Size. You have the racial traits of a Mourntouched now, instead of the traits of your previous race.
Ability Score Increase
One ability score of your choice increases by 2, and another ability score of your choice increases by 1.
Age
Magical disaster affects everyone differently. There are no consistent patterns for how the lifespan of a Mourntouched compares to the typical lifespan of its base race.
Size
Most Mourntouched retain, at least mostly, the physical appearance of their previous race. Your size and build are roughly that of your base race, and your size is Medium or Small, accordingly. Your height and weight are determined by your base race.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language of your choice. If you didn't speak that language before the disaster, you can't explain where it came from.
I've Seen Worse
You have advantage on saving throws against being frightened.
Magic Resistance
Perhaps this was a latent ability you only discovered because you survived a magical disaster, or perhaps you gained it in the process. No matter the cause of this feature, you have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Sixth Sense
You've developed some sort of extrasensory perception. You have blindsight within a radius of 5 feet, allowing you to sense your immediate surroundings without relying on sight. This blindsight ignores full cover.
Unexplained Ability
You gain proficiency in a skill of your choice. You didn't have this skill before the Mourning. You can't explain where it came from.