Éan
I watched from afar as the swan alighted upon the water, all elegance and beauty in the silvery light of the moon. She swam a slow circle around the pond and, for the briefest of moments, I could have sworn she looked directly at me but, veiled as I was in invisibility, I dismissed the concern. Eventually, she began to glide towards the edge and I watched, stunned to find not a bird stepping out onto the shore but a woman, tall and slender, her long hair the color of onyx and her skin like sweet cream.
With the fingers of one hand she delicately adjusted the bauble of silver wire and one snow white feather where it nestled in the hollow of her throat, her dark eyes set squarely upon me as she announced, in a voice like honeyed wine, "I know you're there. Come out."
Fool that I am, I obliged her without care for the dagger at her hip, nor the way her hand rested upon it.
Icabod Sterling, As I Walk Faerie by the Moonlight
Shapeshifting birds and capricious faeries, the Éan (pronounced ay-uhn) resemble delicate trinkets and baubles, decorated with the feathers of birds. While they may appear as expensive curios worn to catch the eye of haughty nobles and hungry thieves the truth is something far more captivating in both beauty and potential.
Éan Names: Aisling, Brigid, Chay, Darra, Emeria, Fiachna, Glencora, Kiara, Liadain, Mairghread, Niniane, Oona, Samaire
An Éan retains the ability score increases of its current body. For example, if an Éan has bonded with a gnome, she gains +2 Intelligence. If she has bonded with an elf, she gains +2 Dexterity. All Éan gain +2 Wisdom from the past experiences of their many previous lives. Age
Although the Éan itself is ageless, the body to which it is bonded does still suffer the ravages of time, albeit at a subsantially reduced rate. The bodies of Éan have been known to survive twice or in some cases even three times as long as should be expected of their default race. Alignment
Due to their capricious, fey natures, most Éan tend towards chaotic alignments. Those who are good tend to be guardians and protectors, defending the people and places they cherish from any threat that might endanger them. Those who are evil are often greedy thieves who collect people and possessions, guarding them fiercely against any perceived threat, real or imagined. Size
Éan bodies tend to be just a little taller and lighter than expected for their species. Your size category is that of your body's species. Speed
Your base walking speed is that of your body's species. Magic Vision
As beings of pure magic, Éan perceive it without any special effort. You see as though you have had Detect Magic cast on you at all times and may use Detect Invisibility spell on yourself once. You regain this Detect Invisibility usage after a long rest. An Éan who does not have her feathers loses this ability. Languages
An Éan can only read and write from the languages native to its current body. However, she may spend a bonus action to understand and be understood by the speaker of any language. When an Éan uses this ability, every creature she interacts with knows that she has used it. An Éan who does not have her feathers cannot use this ability and can communicate only in the languages native to her current body. Fey Type
Your creature type becomes fey and you gain Damage Vulnerability (Cold Iron). Divided Soul
An Éan who has been separated from her feathers takes 1d6 Psychic damage upon their loss and 1d6 Psychic damage every dawn thereafter until her feathers are returned. This damage cannot be healed by resting and cannot be recovered by healing spells unless accompanied by the Lesser Restoration spell. The effects of a Lesser Restoration used in this way lasts 1 hour. Subrace
Choose one of the below as your subrace.
Calm and sedate, there are few things in the world so relaxing as watching a swan. You may cast the spell Calm Emotions once. You regain use of this ability after a Long Rest. Aggressive When pushed to anger, swans can move with frightening speed. You may spend your bonus action to double your movement speed until the end of your turn. Quiet and Still Placid and silent, it is all too easy to ignore a swan unless you're specifically looking for her. You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena. Swan Shape
Beginning at 5th level, you may shapechange into the shape of a Swan as an action, taking all equipment you are wearing or carrying with you. You become a medium size swan and gain a fly speed of 30 ft and a swim speed of 20ft. This transformation lasts until you decide to shift back to your native state as an action. You may shift to your bird shape and back again once. You regain this ability after a long rest.
Raven Maids gain +1 Dexterity Cunning and Resourceful
You may select two additional skill proficiencies from: Deception, Persuasion, Slight of Hand, Investigate, or any tool kit of your choice. You gain Expertise in one of these selected proficiencies. Keen Sight
Accustomed to searching for shiny trinkets in dim lighting, you have advantage on all Perception rolls. Raven Shape
Beginning at 5th level, you may shapechange into the shape of a Raven as an action, taking all equipment you are wearing or carrying with you. Your size is reduced to small and you gain a fly speed of 35 ft. This transformation lasts until you decide to shift back to your native state as an action. You may shift to your bird shape and back again once. You regain this ability after a long rest. Mimicry
Raven Maids can mimic sounds you have heard, including voices. A creature that hears the sounds you make can tell they are imitations with a successful Wisdom (Insight) check opposed by your Charisma (Deception) check.
Sparrow Sisters gain +1 Charisma Fast Friends
You may cast the Friends cantrip as though you were a sorcerer equal to your current level. Nimbleness
You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours Speak with Birds
You can communicate with birds as though you shared a common language. Small, but Courageous
Well accustomed to facing down adversaries larger than yourself, you have advantage on all rolls to resist Fear. Sparrow Shape
Beginning at 5th level, you may shapechange into the shape of a Sparrow as an action, taking all equipment you are wearing or carrying with you. Your size is reduced to tiny and you gain a fly speed of 40 ft. This transformation lasts until you decide to shift back to your native state as an action. You may shift to your bird shape and back again once. You regain this ability after a long rest.
From Two Lives, A New
Once an Éan has been worn, it begins to form a connection with its wearer. The process is slow and tentative - reaching out into the wearer's dreams with promises of enchanted vales and the whisper of wind on moonlit wings. If the Éan disapproves of the wearer's reaction to those breathless enticements, she will often withdraw into herself, becoming little more than an inert piece of jewelry until a new bearer can be found. But, if she finds in the wearer a kindred spirit, she may offer herself, all her wisdom and all her power, to the wearer. If her offering is accepted, the two spirits fuse, birthing a new creature from the shared experiences, passions, and memories of both.A Mortal Seeming
While the Éan itself may appear as anything from a sparrow feather on a string to a literal cloak of swan feathers, based largely around its age, power, and temperament, the physical body through which it interacts with the world can be anything from a common human to a particularly well-dispositioned kobold depending entirely on the last creature it bonded with. These bodies are often mistaken for the actual Éan, whether she be a swanmay, a raven maid, or anything in between, and her feathers considered simply an accessory that grants her access to her fey powers. The truth could not be further removed from this perception. To steal an Éan's feathers is to separate the soul from the body, an attack against her very nature that causes her physical seeming very real suffering - both physically and mentally. Most Éan favor female bodies but, though it is extremely rare, it is not completely unheard of for them to bond with a male. Regardless of gender, the influence of the Éan's fey nature will slowly change her body over time, making it slightly taller and chiseling its features until the cheekbones are just a little too sharp, the ears just a little too pointed to be what it once was. Most will also preen compulsively, brushing hair and cleaning nails often absentmindedly while speaking, reading, walking, or conducting any other activity which does not require the whole of their attention.Fey and Fleeting
While they may resemble a more common race, most Éan have lived dozens or even scores of lives. This grants them a perspective of time that may lead others to assume they are lazy or easily distracted when the truth of the matter is that they are simply savoring a moment - crafting every last detail into a memory that they will carry with them from this life to the next and to every other that follows. Often perceived as aloof and arrogant, most Éan are slow to trust but cherish those companions who have proven themselves worthy of it. Even so, they are fey and so can sometimes act in ways that seem capricious or even volatile to those around them, swinging wildly from placid and composed to profoundly elated and again to inconsolably distraught at the faintest of provocations. Most Éan have been betrayed at least once in their many lives, often by someone they cared for deeply. But, once it has been earned, an Éan is a fiercely loyal ally who will stop at nothing to protect her friends and compatriots.Éan Names
The very idea of names can be a difficult concept for most Éan to grasp. Most have been known by dozens and will react instinctively to any of them. However, the mortal need for a single, unifying name has necessitated that each Éan select a moniker by which they can be called regardless of what body they currently occupy. Éan names typically invoke some cherished memory from one of their earliest lives or refer to a place or people they once called home.Éan Names: Aisling, Brigid, Chay, Darra, Emeria, Fiachna, Glencora, Kiara, Liadain, Mairghread, Niniane, Oona, Samaire
A Life of Misadventure
Few Éan seek out a life of adventure. More often, that life is thrust upon an Éan by cunning thieves or daring wizards who seek to make their fortunes by selling her feathers or harvesting her body for its innate, magical properties. Either way, once an Éan has become an adventurer she is unlikely to be able to leave that life behind, even if she wishes to do so. The number of enemies who might seek her out once her nature is revealed are too great to ignore and so she will often seek out what defenses she can in companionship with other, like minded adventurers.Éan Traits
Your character has certain characteristics in common with all other Éan. Ability Score IncreaseAn Éan retains the ability score increases of its current body. For example, if an Éan has bonded with a gnome, she gains +2 Intelligence. If she has bonded with an elf, she gains +2 Dexterity. All Éan gain +2 Wisdom from the past experiences of their many previous lives. Age
Although the Éan itself is ageless, the body to which it is bonded does still suffer the ravages of time, albeit at a subsantially reduced rate. The bodies of Éan have been known to survive twice or in some cases even three times as long as should be expected of their default race. Alignment
Due to their capricious, fey natures, most Éan tend towards chaotic alignments. Those who are good tend to be guardians and protectors, defending the people and places they cherish from any threat that might endanger them. Those who are evil are often greedy thieves who collect people and possessions, guarding them fiercely against any perceived threat, real or imagined. Size
Éan bodies tend to be just a little taller and lighter than expected for their species. Your size category is that of your body's species. Speed
Your base walking speed is that of your body's species. Magic Vision
As beings of pure magic, Éan perceive it without any special effort. You see as though you have had Detect Magic cast on you at all times and may use Detect Invisibility spell on yourself once. You regain this Detect Invisibility usage after a long rest. An Éan who does not have her feathers loses this ability. Languages
An Éan can only read and write from the languages native to its current body. However, she may spend a bonus action to understand and be understood by the speaker of any language. When an Éan uses this ability, every creature she interacts with knows that she has used it. An Éan who does not have her feathers cannot use this ability and can communicate only in the languages native to her current body. Fey Type
Your creature type becomes fey and you gain Damage Vulnerability (Cold Iron). Divided Soul
An Éan who has been separated from her feathers takes 1d6 Psychic damage upon their loss and 1d6 Psychic damage every dawn thereafter until her feathers are returned. This damage cannot be healed by resting and cannot be recovered by healing spells unless accompanied by the Lesser Restoration spell. The effects of a Lesser Restoration used in this way lasts 1 hour. Subrace
Choose one of the below as your subrace.
Swanmay
Perhaps the most common of the Éan, if something so rare can ever truly be called "common," Swanmays often appear docile and serene - a fact which often leads to the unwary assuming they are also passive or even submissive. That is very often a deadly mistake, as anyone who has ever interacted closely with a swan can surely attest to. While it is true that most Swanmays would prefer to take their time, enjoying life and all its simple pleasures, they are more than capable of swinging steel and slinging spells should the need arise. The feathers of a Swanmay are often ornate and elegant, an intricate knot of fine, silver wire or a carefully blown, delicate glass brooch adorned with a single, pristine white feather. Ability Modifiers Swanmays gain +1 Wisdom SereneCalm and sedate, there are few things in the world so relaxing as watching a swan. You may cast the spell Calm Emotions once. You regain use of this ability after a Long Rest. Aggressive When pushed to anger, swans can move with frightening speed. You may spend your bonus action to double your movement speed until the end of your turn. Quiet and Still Placid and silent, it is all too easy to ignore a swan unless you're specifically looking for her. You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena. Swan Shape
Beginning at 5th level, you may shapechange into the shape of a Swan as an action, taking all equipment you are wearing or carrying with you. You become a medium size swan and gain a fly speed of 30 ft and a swim speed of 20ft. This transformation lasts until you decide to shift back to your native state as an action. You may shift to your bird shape and back again once. You regain this ability after a long rest.
Raven Maid
Clever and quick, Raven Maids are drawn to bright, shiny treasures and often develop sticky fingers that lead them to collect polished baubles and ancient relics with equal enthusiasm. Deadly with a short blade and quick of wing and foot alike, Raven Maids are drawn to the life of adventure more readily than their Éan sisters, seeking to gather a fortune with which to decorate their nests. The feathers of a Raven Maid are often decorated with gold or copper coins to give them a jingle and sparkle, accented with the customary sleek, black pinions of a raven. Ability Score ImprovementsRaven Maids gain +1 Dexterity Cunning and Resourceful
You may select two additional skill proficiencies from: Deception, Persuasion, Slight of Hand, Investigate, or any tool kit of your choice. You gain Expertise in one of these selected proficiencies. Keen Sight
Accustomed to searching for shiny trinkets in dim lighting, you have advantage on all Perception rolls. Raven Shape
Beginning at 5th level, you may shapechange into the shape of a Raven as an action, taking all equipment you are wearing or carrying with you. Your size is reduced to small and you gain a fly speed of 35 ft. This transformation lasts until you decide to shift back to your native state as an action. You may shift to your bird shape and back again once. You regain this ability after a long rest. Mimicry
Raven Maids can mimic sounds you have heard, including voices. A creature that hears the sounds you make can tell they are imitations with a successful Wisdom (Insight) check opposed by your Charisma (Deception) check.
Sparrow Sister
By far the most gregarious of the Éan, Sparrow Sisters often comport themselves with a wide-eyed innocence and nonchalance that their sister Éan cannot begin to understand. They frequently fall in to adventuring simply by dint of seeking out the company of others and coteries of adventurers are the often the most boisterous, fun-loving flock a bird could ever ask for. Unlike most Éan, Sparrow Sisters tend to be a little shorter than average for their apparent race and built just a little bit rounder. The feathers of Sparrow Sisters tend to be simple things of brightly colored beads and their trademark colorful feathers. Ability Score IncreaseSparrow Sisters gain +1 Charisma Fast Friends
You may cast the Friends cantrip as though you were a sorcerer equal to your current level. Nimbleness
You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours Speak with Birds
You can communicate with birds as though you shared a common language. Small, but Courageous
Well accustomed to facing down adversaries larger than yourself, you have advantage on all rolls to resist Fear. Sparrow Shape
Beginning at 5th level, you may shapechange into the shape of a Sparrow as an action, taking all equipment you are wearing or carrying with you. Your size is reduced to tiny and you gain a fly speed of 40 ft. This transformation lasts until you decide to shift back to your native state as an action. You may shift to your bird shape and back again once. You regain this ability after a long rest.
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