Viperines

"You know not what you are do you?" he asked, holy symbol glittering in the dim candle light.

Cursed Origins

"I know what I am not." the woman replied curtly, her serpent hair writhing in a visible display of her irritation."You are the cursed ones, paying for the crime of your mother, and your mothers' mother, and her mother before her, until which time the gods' light might find you." He replied then, continuing with his thought."I do not need the light of gods, nor the prattling of an old fool." She said then, as her poison tipped blade left its' sheath."To the gods with you!" she cried out as metal clashed with metal, and blood began to fall.Spawning from the unholy union of men and medusas, vicious snake haired monsters cursed by the very gods, Viperines are serpent like people with a frightening visage. Viperines carry their mother's monstrous natures, but the indomitability of their human parentage.

Escaping the trappings of their vicious mothers, Viperines learn soon the true extent of their cursed existence. While not as potent as their progenitors, Viperines find others reeling from their gaze, paralyzed with fear and disgust. Their physical form is a twisted fusion of man and monster, cursed with small resemblances to their mother's frightful form such as serpentine fangs, slitted golden eyes, scaled skin, legs replaced with one writhing serpent tail, and of course, the hissing hair of vipers.

Cunning and Guarded

Due to the nature of their appearance, Viperines are often feared and reviled by most. This constant icy reception has led to their mistrust of others, and a need to rely on one's own wit and intellect rather than the warmth or kindness of others. This upbringing causes numerous Viperines to grow into the roles related to the world's underbelly such as assassins, thieves, spies and cutthroats.

Viperine Names

Viperines raised within the societies of their human fathers will be named according to their customs, while those that live among their beastial mothers will be named vicious and cruel things to reflect their darker, cursed existence.

Adonia, Nagina, Ethelinda, Ninia, Mamba, Despina, Nikoleta, Vipera, Melusine, Echidna

Viperine Traits

Adrastos, Taipan, Natrix, Nagendra, Pythagoras, Evander, Hyperion, Ophion, Tefnut, Ratall

Viperines share certain racial traits as a result of their cursed heritage.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Intelligence increases by 1.

Age. Viperines mature at the same rate as humans and live up to 200 years.

Alignment. Viperines may not have a tendency towards evil but many of them end up there. Evil or not, their scheming nature inclines many Viperines towards a lawful alignment.

Size. Viperines are about the same size and build as humans. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Python's Path. You have climbing speed that is 15 feet

Darkvision. Due to your beastial nature, you have superior vision in dark and dim lit places. 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.

Keen Senses. You are proficient with the perception skill.

Serpent's Sting. When you take the attack action you may use your serpentine hair to deliver a bite attack as a bonus action. This attack deals 2d4 piercing damage. The ability modifier for this attack roll is Dexterity.

Paralyzing Gaze. You know the acid splash cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the spell charm person once per day as a 2nd level spell. Once you reach 5th level, you may also cast the spell hold person once per day. Your spellcasting ability modifier for these spells is Intelligence.

Illustration by Ironshod.deviantart.com

Homebrew by Dicebound.tumblr.com