Couatlborn are snake-like humanoids which were crafted, rather than emerging as a product of evolution. They have scaled skin which is usually composed of some combination of white, green, orange, and pink. They have short reptilian faces and serpent-like tails. Couatlborn are sometimes capable of growing feathers along their head and arms which can be styled. They have four-fingered hands (including thumbs) with small claw-like fingertips and pawed, dinosaur[1]like feet. Couatlborn reproduce through egg-laying, like snakes and birds.
Derivatively Crafted
The Couatlborn are a race of people which were created by ancient Couatl as servants, or slaves. Couatl originally used early human worshipers, who believed them to be gods, as servants. But as humans evolved from living in caves, they began to doubt the divinity of these giant serpents. As such, humans moved beyond the lands in which these Couatl inhabited and formed their own religions. The Couatl were left without followers to serve them. Eventually, they grew desperate enough to start experimenting with their own eggs. Through the innate arcane adaptivity granted by their celestial ancestry, the Couatl manipulated their eggs into producing smaller, more human-like, versions of themselves. After more experimenting, the Couatl were able to produce these Couatlborn in such a way that they were able to reproduce themselves and no longer had to be birthed from the Couatl's own eggs.
A Strong Sense of Clan
Like most divine, or at least demi-divine, creatures, Couatl source their power from the devotion and faith of their followers. As such, Couatl have institutionally created a sense of community and "one-ness" within their congregation. To Couatlborn, being a worshiper of your patron Couatl and serving them is your life's work. Service of your god is the sacrifice which will guarantee the ascendance of your soul. To denounce your clan is to denounce god. Your clan is your family and you are all united under your Couatl god.
Beyond a Life of Service
Some Couatlborn are able to escape the cult of their patron Couatl god. This apostasy is no easy feat as it often involves the complete abandonment of their entire lives, every single family member they have ever had. Sometimes those who escape these cults have a hard time adjusting to life outside of it, having to remind themselves that they do not have to save their money in order to make an offering, or that most people's families are not composed of hundreds of individuals.
Couatlborn Names
Couatlborn's first names are derived from names given to their ancestors, who were originally created to serve Couatl demi-gods. Their surnames are often simply the name of whatever ancient Couatl demi-god their family once served.
Androgynous Names: Ka'lix, Ikli, Ip'tal, Otl, Tepu
Female Names: Cit'ma, Mi'zel, Nen'l, Pipna, Talli
Male Names: Akan, Etzli, Ix'lan, Ma'lum, Paxlon Surnames: Aax, Apchua, Choek, Gamil, Inkna, Kruum, Okan, Vinntab, Zimli
Couatlborn Traits
Your Couatlborn character has certain characteristics in
common with all other Couatlborn
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by
2.
Age. Like their Couatl ancestors, Couatlborn are slow to
mature. It takes the average Couatlborn about 30 years to
reach full maturity. Because they are only about 2 feet long
when they are hatched, they must spend decades shedding
their skin in order to reach their full height. Couatlborn
experience puberty around their mid-20's, during which they
experience a growth spurt which brings them from 3-5 feet
tall to 6-8 feet tall. Couatlborn can live up to 300 years and
are not considered elderly until their final few decades.
Alignment. The moral alignment of a Couatlborn is largely
determined by their upbringing. Those who serve benevolent
Couatl are often good. Those who serve malevolent ones, evil.
Those who are removed from their clan often shift their
alignment to one that opposes their Couatl demi-god.
Regardless, Couatlborn are almost always lawful, being
institutionally raised to be strict believers in rules and laws.
Size. Couatlborn are between 6 and 8 feet tall and average
about 200 pounds. Your size is Medium. Couatlborn younger
than 20 years old range between 3 and 5 feet tall and are
considered Small.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. 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 not discern color in darkness, only shades of
gray.
Innate Spellcasting. Your Couatl ancestry has granted
your bloodline a faint magical essence. As such, once per
long rest you can cast one of the following spells 'at will':
Detect Good and Evil, Detect Magic, Thaumaturgy.
Inherent Shapeshifter. Couatl are known for their
notorious ability to shapeshift, their Couatlborn descendants
also receive a rudimentary ability to change their shape. Once
per long rest, you may shapeshift which follows the same
boundaries as the Disguise Self spell. However, your shapeshifting can only affect yourself, not any items, clothing, or
equipment you are carrying. But the way in which you
shapeshift is not illusory. For example, if you were to
shapeshift into a human with long hair, the hair would be real
and tangible, even if you do not have any hair in your true
form.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and
Sylvan. As a method of acknowledging their fey ancestry,
Couatlborn often teach their children Sylvan. Couatlborn are
often driven by their connection to the fey.
Subraces. Couatlborn are separated into two categories
based on the dominant traits of which they inherited from
their Couatl ancestors: Inheritors of Might and Inheritors of
Mind.
Inheritor of Might
Inheritors of Might benefit from receiving a portion of the
fortitude of their Couatl ancestry.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by
1.
Nocere Tail. You may use your tail as an unarmed weapon
attack. You are proficient in this attack and use your Strength
modifier. Your tail attack deals 1d4 + your Strength modifier
damage. Alternatively, you may use your tail for the purposes
of Grappling a target.
Arcane-Resistant Scales. Once per long rest, if you fail a
saving throw against a magical effect, you may choose to
reroll. You must use the new roll.
Inheritor of Mind
Inheritors of Mind benefit from receiving a portion of the
mental potency of their Couatl ancestry.
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases
by 1.
Limited Telepathy. You inherit a form of limited telepathy,
which is much more powerful for your Couatl ancestors as it
is their primary method of communication. You may
telepathically communicate words, sounds, and images to
any creature that you can touch. You must be touching the
target in order to communicate and the target cannot
respond.
Shielded Mind. Your mind has been shaped from a
creature that is immune to magical prying. You have
advantage on any saving throws related to magical effects
that attempt to sense your emotions, read your thoughts, or
detect your location.