Hexblood

I'Cath. At night, the starving city of I'Cath is overrun by vampiric jiangshi (described in chapter 5). You were left with a cold hunger after an encounter with one of these unquiet ancestors.

D HA M P I R TRA I T S You have t h e following racial traits.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.

Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you gain this lineage.

Speed. Your walking speed is 35 feet.

Ancestral Legacy. I f you replace a race with this lineage, you can keep the following elements of that race: any skill proficiencies you gained from it and any climbing, flying, or swimming speed you gained from it. I f you don't keep any of those elements or you choose this lineage at character creation, you gain proficiency in two skills of your choice.

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 discern colors in that darkness as shades of gray.

Deathless Nature. You don't need to breathe.

Spider Climb. You have a climbing speed equal to your walking speed. In addition, at 3rd level, you can move up, down, and across vertical surfaces and upside down along ceilings, while leaving your hands free.

Vampiric Bite. Your fanged bite is a natural weapon, which counts as a simple melee weapon with which you are proficient. You add your Constitution modifier, instead of your Strength modifier, to the attack and damage rolls when you attack with this bite. It deals ld4 piercing damage on a hit. While you are missing half or more of your hit points, you have advantage on attack rolls you make with this bite. When you attack with this bite and hit a creature that isn't a Construct or an Undead, you can empower yourself in one of the following ways of your choice: • You regain hit points equal to the piercing damage • dealt by the bite. You gain a bonus to the next ability check or attack roll you make; the bonus equals the piercing damage dealt by the bite You can empower yourself with this bite a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Where wishing fails, ancient magic can offer a heart's desire-at least, for a time. Hexbloods are individuals infused with eldritch magic, fey energy, or mysterious witchcraft. Some who enter into bargains with hags gain their deepest wishes but eventually find themselves transformed. These changes evidence a hag's influence: ears that split in forked points, skin in lurid shades, long hair that regrows if cut, and an irremovable living crown. Along with these marks, hexbloods manifest hag-like traits, such as darkvision and a variety of magical methods to beguile the senses and avoid the same. While many hexbloods gain their lineage after making a deal with a hag, others reveal their nature as they age-particularly if a hag influenced them early in life or even before their birth. Many hexbloods turn to lives of adventure, seeking to discover the mysteries of their magic, to forge a connection with their fey natures, or to avoid a hag that obsesses over them.

A liEXBLOOD CREATED BY A NIGHT liAG

H E I R OF HAGS O n e way hags create more o f their k i n d is through the creation of hexbloods. Every hexblood exhibits features suggestive of the hag whose magic inspires their powers. This includes an unusual crown, often called an eldercross or a witch's turn. This living, garland-like part of a hexblood's body extends from their temples and wraps behind the head, serving as a visible mark of the bargain between hag and hexblood, a debt owed, or a change to come.

H E X B L O O D O R I G IN S A bargain with a hag o r other eerie forces transformed your character into a magical being. Roll on or choose an option from the Hexblood Origins table to determine how your character gained their lineage.

H EX B L O O D O R I G I N S d 6 Origin

Seekin g a c h i l d , your p a rent made a b a rg ai n with a h a g . You a re t h e res u l t of that a rrangement. 2 Fey k i d n ap p e rs swapped you a n d you r parents' c h i l d . 3 A coven of h a g s lost o n e of its m e mbers. You were created to rep l a ce the lost h a g. 4 You were c ursed as a c h i l d . A d e a l with the s pi rits of the forest transformed you i nto a h ex b lo o d , now free of the c u rse. 5 You began l i fe as a fey creature, but an accident c h anged you and forced you from your home. 6 A s l i ghted d r u id transformed you a n d b o u n d you to live o n l y s o l o n g a s a s acred tree bears fru it.

H E XB L O O D S IN THE D OM A I N S OF D READ When creating a hexblood, consult with your DM to see if it's appropriate to tie your origins to one of the following Domains of Dread (detailed in chapter 3):

Hazlan. The bizarre magic of this crumbling domain exposes the populace to supernatural forces, occasionally giving rise to hexbloods. Kartakass. Whimsical witches make their homes in the forests of Kartakass. They eagerly grant the wishes of locals seeking grand fortunes for their children. Tepest. Many of the children in the town of Viktal are hexbloods who exhibit their supernatural natures from a young age. Each youngster is considered a gift from the town's patron deity, who is known as Mother.

H E X B L O O D TRA I T S You have t h e following racial traits.

Creature Type. You are a Fey.

Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you gain this lineage.