Reborns

"Death isn't always the end. The reborn exemplify this, being individuals who have died yet, somehow, still live. Some reborn exhibit the scars of fatal ends, their ashen flesh or bloodless veins making it clear that they've been touched by death. Other reborn are marvels of magic or science, being stitched together from disparate beings or bearing mysterious minds in manufactured bodies. Whatever their origins, reborn know a new life and seek experiences and answers all their own."

- Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft, p 20

Culture & History in the Verdant Vale

"Reborn" is a general term that covers a wide variety beings that have been brought to life by unconventional means, yet maintain a degree of free will. Some are elaborate constructs, such as flesh golems or scarecrows, that defy the will of their creators. Some are the products of bizarre alchemical experiments or resurrection spells performed poorly. A handful were a necromancer's minion that regained sapience or revenants with no clear target for their vengeance. No matter their origin, almost all reborn have at best vague recollections of their past lives.

Reborn that have found their way into society are often treated with suspicion if not outright hostility. To common folk, very little distinguishes a reborn from the variety of mindless constructs or evil undead that populate tales of adventure or horror. Saavy reborn will use various means to disguise their deathless nature, allowing them to blend into polite society as mere eccentrics.

Revenants of the Raven Queen

As the goddess of death, the Raven Queen has the power to create revenants as agents of her will. Usually, these undead will target those responsible for some great injustice inflicted on them while they lived and return to the grave after they have quenched their revenge. There are a handful of revenants given a greater degree of freedom, either because circumstance has already put them on a favorable path or simply the whims of the goddess.

The Restless of Lower Tarum

Far south of the Dragonlands, in the Lower Tarum along the banks of the Ureti River, lie the ruined tombs of the pharohs of ancient Temek. These distant lands are subject to wild tales of curses and treasure, of temples guarded by mummified priests. A handful of tales describe how some of the old corpses are better preserved than their desicated compatriots due to some forgotten burial rite. If somehow resurrected, these beings are able to pass among the modern inhabitants with relative ease.

Reborn Traits

If you choose the reborn lineage, you might have once been a member of another race, but you aren't any longer. You now possess only your lineage's racial traits.

Ability Scores. Choose one:

• One ability score of your choice +2; another ability score of your choice +1

• Any three ability scores of your choice +1

Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you gain this lineage.

Ancestral Legacy. If you replace a race with this lineage, you can keep the following elements of that race:

• Any skill proficiencies you gained from it.

• Any climbing, flying, or swimming speed you gained from it.

If you don't keep any of those elements or you choose this lineage at character creation, you gain proficiency in two skills of your choice.

Deathless Nature. You have escaped death, a fact represented by the following benefits:

• You have advantage on saving throws against disease and being poisoned, and you have resistance to poison damage.

• You have advantage on death saving throws.

• You don't need to eat, drink, or breathe.

• You don't need to sleep, and magic can't put you to sleep. You can finish a long rest in 4 hours if you spend those hours in an inactive, motionless state, during which you retain consciousness.

Knowledge from a Past Life. You temporarily remember glimpses of the past, perhaps faded memories from ages ago or a previous life. When you make an ability check that uses a skill, you can roll a d6 immediately after seeing the number on the d20 and add the number on the d6 to the check. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language that you and your DM agree is appropriate for your character.

A Reborn with a phantom limb takes aim.

VRGtR, p 20