Nightian (5e Race)

## **Nightian**

"It was night, so... W-we didn't see anything. Figured it was safe, we did... Then my arm was ripped off by a powerful jaw, and I ran like hell..."

-Jonathan Green, lone survivor of a Nightian caravan raid.

### Physical Description

Nightians are very tall creatures, with the shortest of their race being 6 feet tall, and their tallest being 7 feet tall. They have very extendable jaws, being able to open up to 4 and a half feet high, and one foot wide. They have very sharp teeth, and jet-black skin, with a smooth texture. They have either dark blue, black, white, or dark brown eyes. The males are typically completely bald, however they sometimes may have short black, brown, white, or purple hair. Females can have either long black, dark brown, white, or purple hair.

### History

Nightians history is kept only by memory, and while they do have good memory, they also have a very confusing way of speaking to one another, causing meanings of past events to eventually distort. From what they can all remember, they were created by a disgusting mating ritual between a Troglodyte, a Drow, and an Orc. They don't remember the exact details; some claim magic, some claim chance, but the first Nightian was formed, somehow. The child was abandoned, left to fend for itself in the Underdark, and survived, hunting the weaker things there was, and populating it's species with women of different races.

### Society

Nightian society is similar to wolves, in that they each have a sort of 'pack', or 'tribe'. These consist of between 10-30 males, and at least 5-10 women, if not more. They have a leader Nightian, the strongest warrior, which they choose via a non-lethal duel. The leader is always male, and they have a **very** fierce patriarchy: Women Nightians are treated almost less than objects, with their only tasks they're already to do be reproduce, take care of the children, eat, and sleep. Women from other races are treated even worse; They aren't allowed to sleep, and are given smaller portions of food, causing many non-nightian women to die before their first decade of captivity. They either dig holes into the sides of caves, cliffs, or hills, or they might build huts out of rocks, for shelter.

### Relationships

Nightians are on tense relations with other races at best, and hostile at worst. The one race they can respect is the Hobgoblins, which usually do not show the same respect back. Any male within one hundred feet of a Nightian tribe is almost always hunted down and killed, while any female is kidnapped and brought back as a slave, for reproduction and taking care of the young.

### Nightian Names

Nightian names have two different patterns, depending on gender: Males are named after how much kills they have made, then their parents up to grandparents, forming a full name of three numbers. For females, this is replaced with children, instead of kills. For obvious reasons, females never have a middle name of Zero. Rogues that abandon their names go instead with anagrams of the names they used to have.

**Male:** Zero Zero Seven, Four One Three,

**Female:** Two Twelve Nine, Zero One Two,

**Rogue Male:** Oerzzero Nevse, Heretofore Nu,

**Rogue Female:** Nettle Eniwvow, Weeron Tozo,

### Nightian Traits

Predators of the dark, Nightians are very dangerous when they face an opponent of weaker, equal, or even slightly greater might than themselves.

***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Constitution score increases by 2.

***Age.*** Nightians are considered mature between 9 and 11 years old, and can live to be up to 150-200 years old.

***Alignment.*** Nightians don't understand laws very well, and just believe in following under their leader. They typically lean towards Chaotic or Neutral alignments.

***Size.*** Nightians are about a foot taller than most humanoids, and weigh about 30 pounds less. Your size is Medium.

***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

***Carnivorous Jaw.*** Your jaw can be unhinged, and is a natural weapon. It deals 1d6 piercing damage.

***Darkvision.*** You have 60 ft. of Darkvision.

***Terrifying Unhinge.*** The appearance of a nightian with their jaw unhinged can be truly terrifying, with many having their eyes roll back in their head as their giant fangs are shown. As a bonus action, you may unhinge your jaw. While your jaw is unhinged, you have advantage on Intimidation checks, and you may grapple a target as a bonus action after using your carnivorous jaw trait.

***Nightskin.*** When it's nighttime, you're in darkness, or the room is black, you have advantage on all Stealth checks.

***Sibling Rivalry.***You have advantage on all attack rolls against Daybreakers. Daybreakers also have advantage on all attack rolls against you.

***Languages.*** You can speak, read, and write Common, Undercommon, and Nightian Sign Language. NSL is essentially just a signed version of Undercommon, but it's very crude and many signs mean the same thing.

### **Nightian Subraces**

#### **Bloodlusting**

These Nightians have a very large amount of bloodlust, and are eager to consume their foes to fight harder. They have large fangs, jutting out like a vampire's.

***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Strength score increases by 1.

***Vampiric Fangs.*** Your carnivorous jaw attacks deals an additional 1d4 necrotic damage, and you gain temporary hit points equal to the amount of necrotic damage dealt.

#### **Slippery**

These Nightians have more slippery skin, and faster reflexes, than the regular, allowing them to move quicker, escape grasps, and strike faster.

***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Dexterity score increases by 1.

***Speed Increase.*** Your base walking speed increases from 30 feet to 35 feet.

***Slippery Skin.*** You have advantage on all saving throws that would involve you being grappled, stuck, or any condition similar.