Legacies

The Blood Tells

Born of the union of a mortal and a deity (or demigod) they look like extraordinary humanoids. Some are stunningly attractive, others incredibly tall and muscular, but all exude health, vigor, and confidence. Most have coloring to match the that of their home culture but a few have unusual coloring, the smell of ozone, eyes that glow like embers, or other unusual features related to their innate powers. The hair of most legacy grows thick and fast leading to a tendency for long luxurious locks. Often the legacies have vestiges of their bloodline. A gnoll of yeeonghu could have horns or demon like teeth. A human could have ears like a sea folk or even webbed hands.

Great Expectations

Legacies live long lives compared to their bas culture, maturing at normal rates remaining as healthy almost ageless adults until killed by misadventure or lifted up to become a god by a potent relative. Legacies often have quests and adventures are thrust upon them at an early age. Even more pressuring is not being demi-gods they are still expected to go about the same trials to prove they deserve the divine blood that flows through their veins.

Born to humans, dwarven, or elven families Legacies are as culturally variable as their race are, though in some worlds the deities of some cultures are more likely to become personally involved with mortals than others. In worlds visited by the Greek pantheon these gods are notorious philanderers who produce many demigods who go on to produce more bloodlines. Legacies share the ambition and adaptability of their peers however from an early age most are also raised with the expectation that they will accomplish great things which amplifies their ambition beyond the norm. In most worlds there is a rich history of demigods becoming heroes and earning great fame from their valorous deeds. With those around them relying on them to be protective champions, most grow into adults who value the common good and believe in the duty of the strong and gifted to protect those less fortunate.

Troubled Families

Legacies are rare. There are no cities or villages of them. They live with their families and have no culture of their own. This life is often disrupted by interference by the Legacies other family, the pantheon of gods. Whether by omens, prophesy, celestial messengers, or even avatar visitations the more potent members of the divine family seek to influence the growing Legacy. Frequently, different gods have very different ideas about who the Legacy child should become. Even more problematic are members of the divine family that consider the Legacy an enemy. This is often because conception of the Demi-God that started the bloodline was from an extramarital affair. In some instances the murderous intentions of a betrayed divine spouse are so terrible that the young Legacy must be raised in hiding. This exposure to the very mortal behavior of the gods and having a spark of the divine themselves makes holding deities in awe difficult and as a result few Legacies are very devout.

The local temples also often take an interest in the young Legacy whom they see as parochial evidence of the divine. The priests often try to control the child’s education, vocation (they often want the child to be a cleric), and whom they marry, thereby keeping the bloodline in the clergy. Most importantly the priests want the Legacies’ behavior to reflect well on the gods. This meddling and the typical impious attitude of many Legacies to their divine relatives often puts the Legacies at odds with organized religion.

Quests and Intrigues

Legacies are inescapably drawn into a life of adventure. Some crave the approval of their divine family or the community that expects so much of them. This desire for approval drives them to undertake challenging quests. Having a degree of power lends Legacies to risks no mere mortal would take and causes them to make light of terrible dangers mortal companions rightly fear. The more daring and dangerous the quest the better!

The gods play a game to win and we are but pieces on the board. The Legacy is a valuable piece that has drawn the notice of the gods. As the gods plot and bicker their weaker relation is drawn into these disputes. Even if a demigod wanted a quiet life they would soon find themselves tossed into danger by the meddling of the gods. In some cases this meddling can drive a Legacy to rebel against the divine family and side with mortals against the tyranny of the gods.

Ability Score increase.
You can increase any ability score by 2 and any other score by 1.

Age.
Legacies mature at the same rate as their base race, but they can live up twice the age of their base.

Alignment.
Imbued with celestial power, most Legacies are good. Some Legacies have the blood of an evil deity and tend towards the alignment of that deity.

Size.
Legacies have the same range of height and weight as their base race.

Darkvision.
Blessed with divine blood, your vision can easily cut through darkness. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Languages.
You can speak, read, and write Common and inherently know Celestial.

Healing Hands.
As an action, you can touch a creature and cause it to regain a number of hit points equal to your level. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Divine Shroud.
Starting at 3rd level, you can use your action to unleash the divine energy within yourself, causing your eyes to leak energy in a form based on your bloodline and an aura of color shines from you in the same color.

Your transformation lasts for 1 minute or until you end it as a bonus action. During it, once on each of your turns, you can deal extra damage based on your bloodline to one target when you deal damage to it with an attack or a spell. The extra damage equals half your level (rounded down). Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Legacies Bloodline.
Your bloodlines is tied to the domain and power of a specific god. Choose a domain from the below table; this determines the damage type if your divine shroud, the extra effect of your shroud, you gain resistance to the damage type of your divine shroud, and the Cantrip you know. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for it.