The tales of the headless walking through the realms spread when a dullahan wakes. The headless rider and their trusty inexplicable steed leaves this as a well known, but peculiar undead being. More peculiar those who choose this fate willingly.
Physical Description: The most notable, and only true defining or guaranteed feature of the undead anomaly known as the dullahan is its decapitated head. Severed from the body, the dullahan's head retains some life of its own, bearing the mind and personality of the dullahan, while severed, the head can still be reattached loosely to appear living. The head still amintains most control over the body but if the head were to be lost for long enough without an appropriate replacement the dullahan can acknowledge such as a closed helmet, a dullahan will often go mad and lose its sanity. The exact methods that a dullahan is created can differ, some using fell energies and having flame come from the stump of the neck, while others have a oozy bloody energy coming from it due to blood sacrifice, while others have it properly covered by an accessory if they lack anything at all in order to hide the gore of their permanent wound as they had simply occured at random.
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Relations: A dullahan who still bears their head and memories is capable of residing, and hiding in public if necessary. Though in some societies they may be simply accepted if the undead's creation was understood and the dullahan has received proper care to keep form. However, tales of dullahan who have gone mad from losing their precious head fills many cultures and leaves the commonfolk weary of those empty handed. Despite the possibility of understanding of a dullahan's existence, they will still always be viewed as an inherent sin by the followers of ysajeb. Some dullahans find purpose as guardians of crypts or as a living detector of people's illnesses or eventual death, helping others come to terms with their eventual death in places that accept their rare neighbour.
Beliefs and Religion: A dullahan's beliefs and views will always follow those they had in life in all but the fact they must avoid, and are rejected by, ysajeb for being undead regardless of being willing or not. Most dullahans who lose their head or accepted prosthetic replacement often come to the conclusion to leave and isolate themselves to protect those around them when they eventually go mindless.
Adventurers: As a dullahan is often a wandering soul to begin with, a life traveling and exploring could be considered the standard for such beings. Acting as great cavalry or scouts for the groups they find lucky enough to reside in.
Standard Racial Traits
- Ability Score Racial Traits: Creatures with the Dullahan mixed heritage replace one of the ability score bonuses provided by their base heritage with a +2 bonus to Charisma at creation.
- Type: Creatures with the Dullahan mixed heritage are undead.
Senses Racial Traits
- Darkvision: Creatures with the Dullahan mixed heritage have darkvision and so can see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet. This racial trait replaces all of the base heritage's sight-based sense racial traits.
- Otherworldly Awareness: Creatures with the Dullahan mixed heritage have blindsense with a range of 30 feet. Dullahans who are not in possession of their head lose all other senses. This racial trait replaces a racial trait that provides a racial bonus to an ability check or skill check if it can, however, this trait is received regardless.
Magical Racial Traits
- Bell Toller (Sp): Creatures with the Dullahan mixed heritage possess an innate understanding of the health of those around them. All creatures within 30 feet of the dullahan are considered under the effect of the status spell. The caster level for this ability is equal to the dullahan’s character level. This racial trait replaces all of the base heritage's magical racial traits if it can, however, this trait is received regardless.
- Ghostly Mount (Su): Creatures with the Dullahan mixed heritage have a trusted spectral steed by their side whenever they call out to it. A dullahan has the ability to call forth a quasi-real horselike creature as a mount. The mount is a heavy horse of appropriate size for the dullahan. The dullahan can magically call their mount to their side as a full-round action. When they do, the mount immediately appears adjacent to the dullahan from a magical emanation. The mount can be dismissed as a move action. The mount comes with a bit and bridle and a riding saddle. It does not fight and cannot attack, but possesses the unnatural aura universal monster ability. The mount’s AC is equal to the dullahan’s, and it has a number of hit points equal to half the dullahan's maximum hit points (minimum 10). In addition, it gains the benefits of any miss chances, immunities, and resistances the dullahan has. The mount is not affected by effects that target an area, nor is it vulnerable to effects that do not deal hit point damage. If it loses all its hit points, the mount disappears, but a new one may be summoned if the dullahan desires. This racial trait replaces a racial trait that provides a bonus feat at level 1 if it can, however, this trait is received regardless.
Other Racial Traits
- Beheaded: Creatures with the Dullahan mixed heritage have a detachable or permanently detached head. This leaves them unable to have their head, eyes, or ears targeted for called shots or other abilities that specifically require the dullahan to have a head while the head is not present. The head must be carried while detached from its head body and cannot move of its own accord. The dullahan is immune to the effects of a called shot to the neck.
Valid Heritages: Bipedal Creaturals, Dragons, Giants, and Humanoids
