Dullahan (5e Race)

## **Dullahan**

*"Fairies and the dead shouldn't mix! Why do you even exist?!"*

-*Princess Pisces, pixie princess, to a dullahan paladin*

### Takers of the Doomed

Dullahan are a kind of fairy from the feywild, a spirit of the dead who comes to claim the lives of those who are due to die soon. They are known for riding out in the night, on black horses, carrying their head or an object meant to represent their head under one arm, wielding a whip made of human spines in the other hand. They are not usually malevolent, but merely bring those who are destined to die soon in a more peaceful manner, however many cultures do not understand this part of them and label them as abominations just as bad as the undead they resemble.

### Ghost Hunters

As well as taking those who are destined to die soon, dullahans also hunt the spirits of those who have come back from the grave as undead. Some of them may see becoming undead as an accident or something out of their control, and perform the task for the sake of righteousness, while others may feel they are being wronged by undead even existing, and hunt them for vengeance. Even if a sword from a paladin would pass through a ghost and be useless, in the hands of a dullahan, any object or weapon can hurt or even kill a ghost.

### Outcast Fey

Compared to other members of the feywild, dullahans do not match any characteristics of the still-living fey, appearing far more like the dead. Due to this, many fey choose to ignore or even attack dullahans, refusing to be associated with them, and see any fey spirit who turns into a dullahan as a failure to the entirety of the fey. Many dullahans are contempt with this hatred, and still serve in their tasks endlessly, but a few have been known to seek destruction of the feywild.

### Dullahan Names

Dullahan names are simple, usually two or three letters that are then repeated once, giving a whimsical feeling to the normally very serious and sullen dullahans.

**Male Dullahan Names:** Roro, Tortor, Tuptup

**Female Dullahan Names:** Lala, Riri, Aeiaei

### Dullahan Traits

Your dullahan character has the following racial traits.

***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Strength score increases by 1, and your Charisma score increases by 2.

***Age.*** Dullahans age and mature slowly, being mature at the age of 50 and living to be about 450 years old.

***Alignment.*** Most dullahans are neutral alignments, indiscriminately handling the dead, although some may be more good and protect others instead of being apathetic towards lives, or others may wish to kill people to add more deaths they've caused.

***Size.*** Dullahans are a bit heavier than humans, and stand tall enough that the top of most human heads go to where their chin would be. Your size is Medium.

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

***Headless.*** You cannot be decapitated.

***Darkvision.*** Despite lacking a functioning head, you are still able to see through magic. 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.

***Fey Ancestry.*** You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.

***Dullahan Whip Training.*** You are proficient with the whip. During a short or long rest, if you have the corpse of a Medium humanoid with you during the rest, you can turn the creature's spine into a whip.

***Reaping Magic.*** You know the *chill touch* cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the *command* spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the *find steed* spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

***Languages.*** You can speak, read, and write Common, and Sylvan.

**Detect Balance Score: 26**