Brightmaid (5e Race)
Brightmaid
| “ | As she stepped into the field, a glittering unicorn strode from the tree line. I watched, transfixed but hidden, as per my beloved's instructions, as they approached each other almost like old friends. They regarded one another for a moment, and then the unicorn lowered its head and ever so gently touched the tip of it's horn to the swollen belly of my wife. Then, as if it's duty was done, the ethereal being disappeared into the trees again. About two months later, you were born, little one. | ” |
| —A father to his brightmaid child | ||
Creating a Brightmaid
Unlike most races, a brightmaid is a "mutated" form of a normal race, which serves as the brightmaid's mother race. As your mother race, choose one race from dragonborn, dwarf, elf, halfling, human, gnome, orc, or another humanoid race subject to your DM's discretion. This choice affects your appearance, size, weight, and the languages you know.
Physiology
| https://media-waterdeep.cursecdn.com/avatars/thumbnails/2564/324/420/618/636681139805411798.jpeg |
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| Multiple examples of Brightmaids |
Brightmaids are the result of a unicorn blessing a baby while still in it's mother's womb.
Due to this blessing, they are graced with great beauty but also cursed with numerous 'birth defects'. The most common of which is a horn between 1-5 inches long on the upper middle portion of the forehead. But this can also include a unicorn tail (similar to a lion's tail), hooves for feet, an equine pelt, or an equine version of satyr legs, as well as numerous others.
There are unicorns of all colors and patterns. Brightmaids usually display the color schemes of whatever unicorn blessed them. For example, a white unicorn with silver mane and golden hooves would likely result in a pale humanoid with silver hair and golden hooves. By contrast, a brown-and-white unicorn with a black mane and tail would probably result in a brightmaid with patchy brown-and-white skin with black hair and tail.
Brightmaids will superficially appear similar to whatever race their mother was, regardless of biological father, though their physiology is more unique to brightmaids than their mother race. Despite their name, brightmaids can be either male or female.
Due to their strange appearance, Brightmaids are often either revered or hated. Viewed with jealousy because if their beauty and blessed state or disdain and dislike because they are different. This social ostracizing can lead many Brightmaids to darker things and many can be subject to drastic alignment shifts, especially if their Unicorn was of a questionable or Evil alignment to begin with. Brightmaids that give into their darker nature completely are called Blightmaids.
Society
The perception of brightmaids varies widely from one society to another, but they always stand out among their peers. Open-minded and creative societies like those of gnomes tend to treat them with acceptance and interest, while the opposite is true of lawful or evil societies with an adherence to tradition or an elimination of the unusual.
Brightmaids are largely shaped by the races and societies into which they are born, and how they are received. It isn't uncommon for jealousy or ostracization to render a brightmaid with a cold and hateful heart.
Brightmaids often have a lifelong desire to find and meet their 'parent' unicorn. Seemingly as a result of being the result of a celestial and magical creature, brightmaids are particularly like to be sorcerers, druids, or other spellcasters.
Brightmaid Names
Brightmaid names usually conform to their mother race, but sometimes stand out due to the unusual nature of their birth—for better or worse.
Brightmaid Traits
Although a brightmaid physically appears to be member of his or her mother race, their racial features are quite different.
Brightmaids are the result of a unicorn blessing a baby while still in it's mother's womb.
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma and Wisdom scores both increase by 1, and one other ability score of your choice increase by 1.
Age. Brightmaids usually live about a century more than other members of their race, and ages more slowly in adulthood. A human brightmaid, for example, reaches adulthood around 18 and can live to be 200.
Alignment. Brightmaids usually share the temperament of the unicorns who enchanted them, which usually means they are drawn to be good.
Size. Brightmaids are usually around the same height as is considered average to whatever race their mother was. Your size can be Medium or Small, as correlates to your mother race.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Horn. Your horn is a natural weapon, which you can use to make a melee weapon attack. A hit deals piercing damage equal to 1d4 plus your Strength modifier. You are proficient with this weapon.
Gallop. You can gain the benefits of the Dash action when you take another action. Once you use this feature once, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Ethereal Appearance. Your appearance and natural charisma benefit you in social situations. You have proficiency in the Persuasion skill.
Unicorn's Gift. You know the druidcraft cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the calm emotions spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Languages. You know the same languages as your mother race.
Race Variant: Blightmaid
Brightmaids that give into their darker nature completely become blightmaids. Some blightmaids look no different from brightmaids, but most experience a physiological change. These blightmaids tend to grow eerily thin; their horns, hooves, and other body parts may turn a darker shade, or even become completely black.
These blightmaids inherently have a bleak outlook on life. They usually distrust or dislike strangers. Empathy runs thin for those they aren't very close to, close connections become harder to form, and it becomes easier for them to either lash out or withdraw from others entirely.
Blightmaid Traits
Unlike brightmaids, blightmaids are drawn towards an evil alignment as opposed to a good one.
The following traits replace Ability Score Increase, Ethereal Appearance, and Unicorn's Gift.
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 2, and another ability score of your choice increases by 1.
Blighted Appearance. You have proficiency in the Intimidation skill.
Unicorn's Gift. You know the druidcraft cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the pass without trace spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
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