Chapter 5: Creating Your Own Demigod Race

Crafting Your Demigod Subrace

The Freedom to Create

While the following sections detail many of the established Demigod races and lineages known throughout the realms of Demayth, they represent only a fraction of the possibilities within this vast and ever-evolving universe. Demayth Adventures encourages you, the player, to embrace your creativity and forge your own legend by designing a unique Demigod subrace for your character. This is your chance to define not just an individual, but the very essence of their people, their unique connection to Demayth, and their place within the grand tapestry of existence.

Defining Your Lineage

Think of creating your subrace as laying the foundation for your character's identity. Work closely with your Battle Master to define the key aspects of your lineage:

Origin and Divine Ancestry: Where does your subrace come from? Which Elder Divine or Exalted One influenced their creation? Are they descended from a specific Exalted bloodline, a unique divine blessing, a rare union, or perhaps even exposure to potent magical forces? Defining their origin will help shape their inherent abilities and their cultural identity.
Physical Appearance: What sets your subrace apart physically? Do they possess unique features like wings, horns, tails, scales, fur, or unusual skin/eye coloration? Are they humanoid, bestial, or something else entirely? Consider how their appearance reflects their origin and the environment they inhabit.
Abilities and Traits: What inherent abilities or traits define your subrace? Do they have enhanced strength, speed, or senses? Are they naturally gifted in specific schools of magic? Do they possess unique resistances or vulnerabilities? Remember to balance these abilities – great power often comes with inherent limitations or weaknesses.
Cultural Background: Does your subrace have a distinct culture? What are their beliefs, traditions, social structures, and values? How do they typically interact with other races? Developing a cultural background will add depth and realism to your character and provide rich roleplaying opportunities.

Battle Master Tip: Often any demigod would normally only have about 6 traits. If more are added, the Battle Master can impose negative traits to balance the demigod race.

Inspiration and Examples

Don't be afraid to draw inspiration from mythology, folklore, fantasy literature, or your own imagination. The possibilities are endless! Consider classic archetypes, or blend elements to create something entirely new. To spark your creativity, here are a few examples of unique Demigod subraces found within Demayth:

Celestial Feline: A graceful and agile Demigod descended from a union between a Celestial being and a powerful, panther-like magical beast. Possesses enhanced senses, extraordinary reflexes, and perhaps even the ability to manipulate moonlight or shadows.
Shadowborn Oracle: A brooding and enigmatic Demigod with ties to the Realm of Shadows, possibly descended from an Exalted One of Synthera or Buta. Can likely see glimpses of the future (often unsettling ones) and commune with spirits of the deceased.
Stormforged Golem: A powerful and resilient Demigod crafted not from flesh, but from living stone infused with the essence of a raging storm, perhaps by an Exalted One of Duryin or even Rokuru. Possesses immense strength, durability, and control over lightning or concussive force.

These are merely examples; let your imagination soar and create a lineage that truly resonates with the character you envision.

Working with Your Battle Master

Creating a new Demigod subrace is a collaborative process between you and your Battle Master (BM). Share your ideas with your BM early on. They will help ensure that your subrace is balanced within the game's mechanics, consistent with the established lore of Demayth, and fits well within the specific campaign setting. The BM has the final say on approving new subraces and their associated traits, ensuring a fair and enjoyable experience for everyone at the table.

Creating a Custom Subrace - The Ashen Kin

Let's imagine a player wants to create a Demigod race tied to Hektor, the Fallen Trader, focusing on resourcefulness and adaptation, but marked by their ancestor's fall.

Concept: The player envisions a race descended from those who followed Hektor before his fall. Hektor's banishment and the sealing of his power somehow affected his followers and their descendants, giving them their distinct appearance and abilities. They are traders, negotiators, and survivors, often operating on the fringes of society.

Origin and Divine Ancestry

Elder Divine: Hektor (Pre-Fall God of Trade and Exchange).
Exalted One(s): Descended from Hektor's Exalted Ones (e.g., Trade Wardens, Coin Weavers, Road Wardens) who remained loyal or were simply caught in the fallout of his banishment.
The "Curse": Their unique traits are seen less as a direct curse and more as a lasting mark or consequence of Hektor's fall, perhaps a fading of his original blessing or an infusion of shadow related to his diminished state.

Physical Appearance

Humanoid, Medium size.
Skin has an ashen gray pallor, appearing slightly dull or lifeless.
Hair is typically dark (black, grey, deep brown).
Eyes might have a subtle, shifting quality, perhaps like quicksilver, reflecting their connection to trade and fluctuating fortunes.

Traits and Bloodline Magic (Working with the BM)

Resourceful: They excel at finding what they need and navigating complex situations. Mechanic: Gain proficiency in Survival and Investigation.
Silver Tongue: Inheriting Hektor's knack for negotiation. Mechanic: Gain proficiency in Persuasion or Deception.
Shadow's Touch: A remnant of Hektor's fall or their need to operate discreetly. Mechanic: You know the Minor Illusion cantrip. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for it.
Hektor's Burden (Drawback): Their connection to the Fallen God makes others wary. Mechanic: You have disadvantage on Charisma checks when interacting with devout followers of the Elder Divine who were involved in Hektor's banishment (particularly Herya, potentially others).
Ability Score Increase: Reflecting their focus on negotiation and adaptability. Mechanic: Your Charisma score increases by +2, and your Dexterity score increases by +1.

Cultural Background

No single homeland; they are scattered, often living in urban environments or along major trade routes.
Value adaptability, resourcefulness, discretion, and finding opportunity in any situation.
Might have secretive communities or networks focused on trade and information gathering.
Tend towards Neutral alignments (Lawful Neutral, Neutral, Chaotic Neutral).

Relationships

Often viewed with suspicion due to their connection to Hektor, but valued for their skills in trade and negotiation.
May have complex relationships with Dwarves (rivals in trade?) or other groups involved in commerce.
Likely avoid open conflict, preferring negotiation or stealth.

The Ashen Kin (Example Race)

Descendants of the Fallen Trader, masters of the deal and the desperate gambit.

Lore and Origin

The Ashen Kin are the scattered descendants of Heris Eura Cyis Tatayum O’sirus Rooku—once the Elder Divine of Trade, now known only as Hektor, the Fallen. When Hektor broke divine law by trading divine goods with mortals, his punishment was not merely his own transformation and exile; it was a curse woven into his very essence, a metaphysical brand passed down to all who would share his lineage.

This heritage marks the Ashen Kin, body and soul. They are driven by an innate, restless need to trade, to negotiate, to find the angle and make the deal. It is an echo of Hektor's eternal sentence, a constant hum in their blood that pushes them toward the life of the merchant, the diplomat, the spy, or the charlatan. They are natural survivors, thriving in the complex social ecosystems of cities and trade hubs where information is currency and a clever word is worth more than a sharp sword.

Physical Description

An Ashen Kin's appearance is a subtle but constant reminder of their fallen ancestor. Their skin possesses a distinct ashen or pallid complexion, ranging from a chalky white to a soft, stony grey. Their most striking feature is their eyes, which often shift and shimmer with a liquid, quicksilver-like quality. While otherwise human in appearance, they carry Hektor's curse in their very being, a magical instability that makes them physically adaptable but also slightly removed from the mundane world.

Society and Culture

There are no Ashen Kin kingdoms or nations. They are a nomadic people of the city, wanderers who find their homes in the bustling markets and shadowy back-alleys of the realms. They form tight-knit family units or small, insular merchant guilds, relying on their collective wit and carefully worded contracts to survive.

To the outside world, they are viewed with a mixture of utility and deep suspicion. Their skill in negotiation is unparalleled, making them invaluable intermediaries. However, their connection to Hektor—the god who broke the ultimate law and created the god-eaters—causes many devout followers of the divine to see them as inherently untrustworthy, their silver tongues capable of twisting any truth for profit.

Ashen Kin Traits

Your Ashen Kin character has the following racial traits, reflecting their unique divine heritage and purpose.

Ability Score Increase: Your Charisma score increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Age: Ashen Kin mature at the same rate as humans and cease aging at a point in early adulthood. As Demigods, they can live for millennia if not killed by violence or disease.
Alignment: Their pragmatic and opportunistic nature leads most Ashen Kin toward Neutral alignments. They understand that rigid laws and chaotic whims can both be bad for business.
Size: Ashen Kin are the same size and build as humans. Your size is Medium.
Speed: Your base movement is determined by size.
Opportunistic Survivor: You have a knack for navigating complex environments and noticing things others miss. You are Proficient in the Survival and Perception skills.
Silver Tongue: You have a natural talent for negotiation and persuasion. You are Proficient in the Diplomat skill.
The Trader's Gambit: You can channel Hektor's persuasive power to seal a deal. You can cast the Enchanting Allure spell once per day without needing a Demayth Card. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
Hektor's Burden: Your lineage is viewed with suspicion by the devout. You have disadvantage on Charisma (Diplomat) checks when interacting with zealous followers of Herya or other deities who strongly uphold the Elder Edicts (Battle Master's discretion).
Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language.