Jackalfolk

I have only ever seen a Jackalfolk in passing. He was wounded, limping and heading straight through town. By all rights he should have been dead, arrows protruding from his back and his arm practically chewed off. But he persisted, as if hellbent on revenge and favored by death. 

— Oblen, Priest of Pelor

 

A race few believe to exist, Jackalfolk are Jackal like humanoids driven out of their desert monesteries in order to seek revenge and fulfill the whims of a particular god of death. Some of the most focused and persistent creatures known, Jackalfolk push from town to town seeking their quarry, ultimately to vanish just as soon as they appeared, their goal completed. Their nature, and their gods of death, push them to seek out the powerful and those who wrong the mortal realm, seeking to right their injustices. 

Secretive Enclaves 

Almost all Jackalfolk make their homes in secluded monasteries separated from the outside world and hidden deep in deserts, though they may also be found in the underdark or in high mountain ranges. Jackalfolk devote their lives to worshiping and completing the rituals of various gods of death, a devout life for sure.

Once every few generations, a Jackalfolk is given a vision or mission by their respective god of death in order to seek out and end a life unnaturally extended or which seeks to pervert the natural order of life and death. Those Jackalfolk seek to avenge the natural order of things and will travel far and wide in order to seek and snuff out the offender.Those who complete their goals seemingly vanish, and even without returning home, are seemingly venerated by their elders as champions of their god. 

Death and Devotion

Jackalfolk treasure the natural order and anything that seeks to uphold it. Death does not phase them but it is undeath or artificial life which they seem to rally against. This belief is modified by the particular god of death which the Jackalfolk finds themselves devoted towards.

Although not zealous, Jackalfolk almost always carry small scriptures or can recite the most important mantra of their patrons. They do not necessarily seek to spread this knowledge, but are not against sharing it to any who wish to listen. A traveling Jackalfolk may create a small following of people who, through the Jackalfolk's own actions, begin to believe in their particular patron, spreading the word.

Due to their nature with a god of death and the natural order, Jackalfolk shy away from those who have been resurrected. They see them as unatural hallow husks of their former selves, and although they may not seek to undo such unlife, they certainly do not accept it. A Jackalfolk will often refuse to be revived, and if they do, it is only to fulfill the wishes of their god of death or the revenge that they must serve. 

Stern as Statues

Jackalfolk are highly trained from youth in order to show little emotion while still experiencing the fullest range. Emotions to them are meant to felt and enjoyed, although not expressed. This makes many others races see Jackalfolk as off-putting or callous, although this could not be further from the truth. 

A Jackalfolk bard could right songs and soliloquies that could bring even the most stern of creatures to tears within the first few lines, but do so without the slightest hint of expression from themselves. The same Jackalfolk could watch one of their closest friends perish, and still continue on with the mission, without even the slightest break in demeanor.  

Gatherers of Information

Generally it is the whim of a god of death or seeking revenge for the aberration of unlife that Jackalfolk leave the safety of their homes. But sometimes, it is to practice their well hones art in order to bring back more information to the confines of their monastic homes either as mages or monks.

These Jackalfolk often tie themselves to a caravan or guild in service to garner information of the outside world. The information the Jackalfolk gather is often savored and stored as revelations that can change the stagnated culture of their monasteries in a great upheaval of change. These changes are often accomplished on the Jackalfolk's deathbed, as they return home with a trove of information to be read and expoused until their final breath. 

Jackalfolk such as these are venerated by other Jackalfolk as they are seen as to have free will given to them by their respective gods of death and protected with an air about them. But to the seeking Jackalfolk, their mission is the survival and protection of their culture, a most solemn and important work.

Jackalfolk names

jackalfolk names care weight and are singular in nature. Each Jackalfolk is given a name upon their birth, taking their name from one of the many dead entombed in their monastery. Jackalfolk names are rarely regulated towards a specific sex. Many of the names are related to the monastery's particular god of death.

Monastery names are often references to both their physical location and an important name to their god of death.

The following is an example list of Jackalfolk names:

Jackalfolk Names: Sibuna, Ar, Airdnaxela, Muta, Siriso, Neta, Kebos, Ipah, Nenetat

Jackalfolk Monastery: Null's Monestary in Shaar, Temple Calim of Kelemvor, Anauroch's glade to Bhaal

Jackalfolk Personality

A jackalfolk may have certain personality traits garnered from their particular god of death or the aspect of a particular god that serves the death domain. These deities always play important roles in their devotee's life. In addition to a character's Class, Background, and features, can help define clearly how a Jackalfolk defines themselves.

The Jackalfolk deity table can help figure out how a Jackalfolk carries themselves in their day to day life and actions. Other deities may also be chosen, speak to your DM about such options. Deities the Jackalfolk worship may be alive or dead, as they are rarely directly interacted with by the deity. 

Each Jackalfolk monastery was secluded and isolated, leading to a lack of particular knowledges with which the Jackalfolk finds fascinating, regardless of if they finally understand the knowledge or not. A Jackalfolk acts as though a child seeing or experiencing their missing knowledge regardless when they see it. 

Jackalfolk Deities

 Jackalfolk missing knowledge

Jackalfolk Traits

Your Jackalfolk characters have access to the following traits.

Ability Score Increase

Due to your lithe body, keen focus, and unbreakable will, Jackalfolk increase their Dexterity score, Intelligence score, and Charisma score are all increased by +1.

Age

Jackalfolk grow at the rate of canines, they reach maturity around the age of 3 and can live a maximum of 20 years.

Alignment

Jackalfolk trend towards lawful alignments. However, their definition of lawful is based upon the beliefs of the particular god of death which they worship. They are rarely chaotic and are often driven by values rather than wanton destruction or peace.

Size

Jackalfolk are human in size with large pointed ears and feature lithe builds with well worked muscle. Your size is medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 35 feet.

Keen Hearing and Smell

Due to your canine lineage you have advanced olfactory and auditory senses. You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.

Last Gasp

The Jackalfolk are the favored of death, and as such death has a more lenient hold upon them. You have advantage on death saving throws.

Monastic Training

Due to having grown up in a monastery, you have received special training that effects how you move and fight in combat. You gain one of the following Monastic Training options of your choice.

Jackalfolk Devotion

Due to your devout upbringing and remote location of your monastery, you have proficiency in the Religion and Survival skills.

Languages

You can read, write, and understand Common and one language from among Abyssal, Infernal, or Celestial.