Gwairra

Homebrew

Gwairra

In places where Kairos's heart beats loudest and magic seeps into shallow roots, the Gwairra are born. These people, while humanoid, are made mostly of plant matter. Gwairra who are born of one place often form tribes and look similar to each other, but Gwairra are as varied as the earth they come from. Many take on aspects of leafy trees, but a Gwairra born in the deserts of Manzali may sport spines like a cactus while a Gwairra of the underdark may take on the vast colors of cave mushrooms.
The places Gwairra sprout from are points of concentrated magic that comes from echoes of primordial Kairos. This may seem, to an outsider, like Gwairra are born from giant enchanted trees or strange desert formations. This isn't entirely accurate; rather, the Gwairra and the landmarks they're born near are both symptoms of the earthen magic that lingers there.
Tribes of Gwairra often believe themselves called to protect the spot they're born in. As a group, they very rarely leave the area they're born in, as other Gwairra of their inclinations will only sprout from their birthplace. The Gwairra do not procreate; rather, when a new Gwairra sprouts, they're adopted by a couple or a family. If no one is willing or able to take on a child alone, the baby is raised by the tribe together. Sometimes, a new child is taken in by the archdruids of the village and raised monastically to become an archdruid themselves.

If a tribe of Gwairra feels their home has lost its magic or has been irreversibly desecrated, they may retreat to the feywild. This is also a common choice of Gwairra who decide to leave the tribe or feel jaded about Kairos. As such, it's a common misconception that Gwairra are from the feywild, but they aren't actually a Sylvan race.
Many Gwairra take on names appropriate to the area they're born in. A Gwairra born near a blessed tree in Toralaithe may be given a Toralaithic name while a Gwairra born in a reef near Anatolí might be given an Anatolí name. When this isn't the case, it's because the tribe prefers to use Primordial names or because the child's birth is considered a blessing. For example, a child who sprouts on the first day of spring may be called Solstice while a child born during a great flood may be called Torrent. These names are spoken in Primordial within the tribe, but they translate them outside of their communities.
Within the tribe, Gwairra aren't distinguished by surnames. When interfacing with other cultures, they use the name of their tribe as a surname. This is usually a moniker derived from their birthplace, which they keep regardless of where they venture. Even a banished Gwairra is entitled to use the tribe's surname, as most believe there is no removing oneself from your birthplace.
Gwairra Names: First-Leaf, Winterbird, Aeson, Eifa, Siân, Gwynn, Lachlynd, Eclipse, Peace, Storm, Bright-Moon, Sioned, Caerwyn

Gwairra Tribe Names: Gravewatcher, Lightholder, Nightlily, Riverbed, Great-Tree, Glaciershade, Kras'Kora, Redleaf, Herdkeeper, Reefwalker, Fenchild, Dovesong

ability score increase: [+2 / +1] or [+1 / +1 / +1]

age: Gwairra mature from sprouts in only about ten years before they're considered adults, but they keep growing and changing through their whole lives. They live about the same lifespans humans do.

Size: Medium

speed: 30 ft

Languages: Common, Primordial

race features:
Darkvision. You have darkvision with a range of 60 ft.

Nature's Fortitude. You have Resistance to Poison damage. You also have Advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the Poisoned condition.
Gift of the Land. You have proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Medicine, Nature, Stealth, or Survival.
Choose a subrace from those listed below.

Druidic Heart

Gwairra born suffused with magic are of the Druidic Heart. This may manifest as bioluminescence in fungal skin, a body where fireflies make their homes, or a crown of flowers that grow deadly poisons. You gain the following:

You know one cantrip of your choice from the Druid spell list.

Starting at 3rd level you choose a 1st level spell from the Druid spell list. You can cast this spell without using a material component. Once you cast that spell with this trait, you can’t cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast it using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level.

Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells (choose when you select this subrace).

Earthen Flesh

Gwairra of the Earthen Flesh are protected by nearly impenetrable skin. They may resemble the sturdiest of oak trees or the hardy northern pines. Others might have a permanent frost that crawls over their skin or tough coral that grows over them like armor. You gain the following benefits:

When you're not wearing armour, your base Armor Class is equal to 13. You lose this benefit if you equip armor or a shield.

While wearing armor or wielding a shield, you add +1 to your Armor Class.

Wild Fury

Gwairra of Wild Fury can wield their bodies as natural weapons. They may have thorns embedded in their fists which stick into the flesh of someone they strike, vines they use as a whip, or poisonous spores that cloud the air around them in battle. You gain the following benefits:
Hands of Kairos. When you have a hand free, you can use a bonus action to manifest a weapon in that hand. It deals 1d6 piercing damage on a hit and has the finesse, light, and thrown properties (range 20/60). If you drop the weapon or throw it, it dissipates at the end of the turn.
Poisonous Rage. When you damage a creature with an attack or a spell, you can cause the attack or spell to deal extra damage to that creature equal to your proficiency bonus. This damage is poison damage.
You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all expended uses when you finish a long rest, and you can use it no more than once per turn.