Oniborne
Oniborne are descendants of yokai, vessels of impetuous, simmering power that manifests across generations. Saturated in magic, oniborne innately command primal, supernatural forces. In moments of high emotion, instinctive spellcasting is common. An oniborne’s retort may physically scold the body of a foe, flesh might reknit under their palms in moments of compassion, or they may physically shrink when gripped with terror.
Children of Darkness
The life of an oniborne is one plagued by fear and suspicion. Being descendants of the oni, grotesque and dangerous yokai, many other Humanoids view oniborne as savage, ugly, violent, and cruel—more akin to demons than their Fey ancestors. These are ancient stereotypes, passed from parent to child in bedtime tales of terror. All oniborne, be they virtuous or villainous, suffer under this crude prejudice
A Deeper Experience
Oniborne reverberate with magic in a way unlike any other race. In the legendary words of Khal Oni: “We simply feel more”. Be it the blood rage of warfare or the serene tranquillity of meditation, oniborne revel in the full gamut of life’s experiences. For this reason, many oniborne are drawn to thrilling, high-risk lifestyles, often becoming big game hunters, soldiers of fortune, or travelling performers.
Oniborne Traits
As an oniborne, you have the following traits:
- Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2.
- Age. Oniborne reach maturity at around 21 years of age and have long lives, often living up to 400 years.
- Anatomy. You have two arms and two legs.
- Size. You are Medium. An oniborne stands between 5 and 7 feet tall.
- Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet.
- Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.
- Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
- Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language that you and your GM agree is appropriate for your character.
- Subrace. Oniborne exist in many forms. The most striking difference between oniborne types is their colour: red, blue, or green. Choose one of these subraces.
Red Oniborne
Red oniborne are great storytellers, taking delight in fireside tales of deadly beasts, fiery passions, and ancient marvels of the world. The most sociable of the three oniborne heritages, many red oniborne journey the world sharing time-worn tales of adventure while forging their own.
On the cusp of adulthood, red oniborne leave their troop to undertake the Rite of the Hunt. They venture into the wilderness armed with nothing more than their wits in a quest to slay a dangerous foe and craft a weapon from its body. The rite remains an essential foundation of red oniborne culture across their lives. The more deadly the prey, the greater the respect an oniborne gains. It is not uncommon to see troop elders proudly clad in pelts and wielding weapons hewn from the remains of chromatic dragons and other vanquished terrors.
- Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
- Daunting Stature. You have proficiency in the Intimidation skill.
- Magical Scavenger. Over the course of 1 minute, or as part of a Harvesting check, you can harvest one hard piece of a corpse’s anatomy, fashioning it into a magic weapon. That weapon becomes any melee or Thrown weapon that gives you a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls you make with it. This bonus increases to +2 at 9th level and +3 at 17th level. The weapon is only magical for you, and in anyone else’s hands it functions as a normal, nonmagical weapon. When you imbue a scavenged weapon with magic in this way, any other weapons you created with this feature become nonmagical.
- Weeping Magic. You know the prestidigitation cantrip. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast cure wounds with this trait. Starting at 5th level, you can also cast enhance ability with this trait. Once you cast cure wounds or enhance ability with this trait, you can’t cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast either of those spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait (choose when you select this race). Tears form at the corner of your eyes when you cast a spell using this trait.
Blue Oniborne
The magic of the blue oniborne is subtle and primal, a singing river of energy that ripples through the body. It can be relayed through physical contact, a healing stream imparted by a gentle touch, or a crushing wave that surges through their biting jaws.
Solitary by nature, most blue oniborne choose to remain with the troop across their lives, a peaceful existence of isolation and independence. The few blue oniborne blessed with an adventurous spirit are unlikely to find kin in the wider world. They must journey without the guidance of their troop, every path an unmapped wilderness.
- Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1.
- Compassionate Heart. The aid of a blue oniborne is an act of great selflessness imbued with powerful magic. You can take the Help action as a bonus action a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. In addition, when you take the Help action, you can expend one of your Hit Dice to empower an ally within 5 feet of you, channeling your magic into its body. That creature gains temporary hit points equal to one roll of that die plus your Constitution modifier (minimum 1 temporary hit point).
- Crunching Maw. You have vicious teeth and a strong jaw that you can use to make unarmed strikes. When you hit with it, the strike deals piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
- Gift of Empathy. You have proficiency in the Insight and Persuasion skills.
- Savage Bite. As a reaction when you take damage from a creature within 5 feet of you, you can magically enlarge your jaw and lash out with a vicious bite. Make an unarmed strike using your Crunching Maw against that creature. This attack scores a critical hit on a roll of 18-20 on the d20. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Green Oniborne
Preferring warm, arid climates, green oniborne are typically a nomadic people. They chase the gentle warmth of an eternal summer, ever migrating as they wander between orchards, pastures, and oases on a time-worn path passed down across the generations.
Widely renowned as great orators, green oniborne speak in hammering rhythm, a staccato avalanche of stories, ideas, and possibilities. Their spellcasting is equally animated; green oniborne are the most overtly magical among their cousins. The air fizzes as they gesture and articulate, their eyes shimmer with light, and their words sparkle with magical inflection.
- Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 1.
- Captivating Quality. You have proficiency in the Performance skill.
- Fierce Magic. You know the thaumaturgy cantrip. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast hellish rebuke with this trait. Starting at 5th level, you can also cast enlarge/reduce with this trait. Once you cast hellish rebuke or enlarge/reduce with this trait, you can’t cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast either of those spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait (choose when you select this race). The space immediately around you grows warm and humid when you cast a spell using this trait.
- Ghastly Visage. After you take the Attack action on your turn, you can use a bonus action to try and magically frighten a creature within 5 feet of you. That creature must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus) or be frightened of you for 1 minute. If the target ends its turn more than 30 feet away from you, it can repeat this saving throw, ending the effect on a success. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Content from: Ryoko’s Guide to the Yokai Realms by Loot Tavern Publishing and D&D Shorts
