LERNAEANS

A D&D 5e player race

Lernaeans are a race of reptilian humanoids originating from swamps, mangroves and other places where the land and water merge. They are natural swimmers and their settlements usually combine buildings both above and below the surface of the water. A tribe stays in a particular area for generations and they rarely range far outside their territory, but are known to be extremely protective of that region against any outside threats. Lernaean tribes will fight to the last person against any would-be invaders, rather than give up their land.

Physically they resemble their cousins the lizardfolk, with scaly skin and long slim tails, but have a more snake-like appearance. Their race's most unique trait though is an amazing ability to recover from injury. Lernaeans heal much faster than most humanoids, and their healing is more thorough. A Lernaean who recovers from a cut will never scar, their bones always set correctly without aid. Even severed limbs will grow back.

What makes this ability even more extraordinary is that regenerating Lernaeans will often grow additional temporary body parts as they heal, as if in response to the danger of further attacks. Lernaeans treat this as perfectly normal, but other races are often disconcerted at the sight of a Lernaean with two heads holding a casual conversation with itself.

Most Lernaean tribes venerate a pantheon of powerful nature spirits that represent the elements of their territory, weather patterns and the animals they hunt. Above them all is the figure of Mother Hydra, a mercurial multi-headed draconic being who Lernaeans seek to placate with ritual offerings. Outsiders who observe that Mother Hydra seems remarkably similar to Tiamat are told that such details are merely coincidental.

All Lernaeans start with the following traits:

Ability Score Increase. A Lernaean character's Constitution score increases by 2 and their Dexterity increases by 1.

Age. Lernaeans reach maturity around age 14 and despite their regenerative abilities rarely live longer than 60 years.

Size. Lernaeans average a little taller than humans, but they have lithe, wiry frames. Their size is Medium.

Speed. Lernaeans have a base walking speed of 30 feet, and a swimming speed of 30 feet.

Bite. The Lernaean's fanged maw is a natural weapon, which they can use to make unarmed strikes. If they hit with it, they deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + their Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Venom Sacs. When a Lernaean successfully hits with a bite attack, they can choose to inject their target with venom which does an additional 1d4 poison damage. They are able to do this up to three times per long rest.

Hold Breath. Learnaeans can hold their breath for up to 30 minutes at a time.

Venomous Nature. All Lernaeans are resistant to poison damage.

Accelerated Healing. As an action, a Lernaean character can spend some of their Hit Dice to recover Hit Points as if they were taking a short rest. They can spend as many of their Hit Dice as they wish, but as with a short rest those Hit Dice are not recovered until the Lernaean takes a long rest.

Watery Rest. Lernaean characters taking a long rest recover all of their Hit Dice, rather than half of their total amount, provided they spend at least half of the rest time partially submerged in water.

Hydral Regeneration. When an injured Lernaean returns to their full Hit Point total, as a result of spending Hit Dice or being healed by some effect, their body often reacts by generating an additional body part. They do not generate body parts as a result of regaining Hit Points after a long rest.

Roll a D8 to see which type of body part is generated.

• 1: Head
• 2-4: Arm
• 5-6: Leg
• 7: Tail
• 8: None

 

• Lernaeans with an extra head may roll a second time on any Intelligence or Wisdom based ability checks, but must accept the second result if they do so.
• Lernaeans with an extra arm gain the ability to make an additional attack as a bonus action with that arm, using a one-handed weapon held in it or as an unarmed bludgeoning attack, with their normal damage modifier. This allows them to use a two-handed weapon in their normal two arms.
• Lernaeans with an extra leg add 5 feet to their walking speed.
• Lernaeans with an extra tail add 5 feet to their swimming speed, and gain advantage on Acrobatics skill checks.

When a Lernaean takes a long rest, these additional body parts wither away and fall off (and are often then consumed by the Lernaean as a breakfast snack). A Lernaean character may end up growing multiple body parts of the same type during the space of a day, but they do not gain additional benefits from the extra ones beyond the first of each type.

Languages. Lernaean characters can speak, read, and write Common and Draconic.