User:Recawronghouse/Gemnis

(The inspiration for this race was "Steven Universe". Though this race has similarities, this race is it's own race. This race is for 5th edition and is all homebrewed content.)

Gemnis

"A small chunk of brightly colored crystal lay upon the ground in a dark cave, from the darkness a faint light flickers. Quiet echoes of water dripping from a stalactite can be heard, a few minutes pass still nothing. Another few minutes pass, again a strange light flickers from within the cave. The small chunk of crystal glows faintly, slowly growing brighter and brighter. The blinding light grows molding itself into the shape of a young child, laying quietly upon the rocky ground. Long white hair rustling about as she stirs in her sleep, her baby blue skin still slightly shimmering in the dark. Upon her forehead embedded into her form, rests a small rough curving thin triangular piece of crystal forming along her hairline like a tiara."

Physical Description

Gemnis are a humanoid species of magic based beings, each one who is born bears a gemstone-like feature somewhere on their body. The Gemnis look like humans in varying sizes, but have bright colored eyes and skin representing their gemstone. They are each based off of single gemstones though each one of that same type is different in their shape & size then others.

History

The Gemnis are a long living people and a great warmongering conqueror race, who have existed since the beginning of the age of magic. Born from a large surge of magic thousands of years ago, when the age of magic came about. Building great cities inside and close to mountains. the Gemnis stay young and strong for thousands of years, making them quite capable conquerors. Being great warriors, generals, and strategists who have seen more battles and strategies than any race could ever hope to learn from. They look down on most other races, waging war and conquering anyone they see as inferior to themselves. Their intelligence for battle and machines knows no bounds, making great works of technology far beyond most can dream of.

Being naturally beautiful, intelligent, and strong makes their royal class so terrifying, that they could even start a war over a single rude comment, or sign of disrespect. Even though they hate most races, they have looked at the elven races as being a beautiful and intelligent people. The Elves are their only allies, since they are beautiful and intelligent like them, and because they live long enough lives like they do. Showing them and their royal families respect, rather than any other race. They have formed many trade routes with their cities, and are even invited to special Gemnis only celebrations.

The Gemnis have many enemies, but their most hated race and absolute enemy of their people, are the dwarven races. Their hatred spans over a thousand years, since the great massacre and raid that was orchestrated by one greedy dwarven king. This king sent an onslaught of dwarven soldiers, with a mission to massacre one of their greatest citadels. They killed over a thousand Gemnis, almost wiping out two thirds of their race and extincting several bloodlines. Since then no Dwarf is safe from the wrath of the Gemnis, any Dwarf found near a Gemnis city or settlement is executed without prejudice. Many of these executions are turned into great festivals where even the royal families make public appearances.

Society

The Gemnis are a very snooty, haughty, egotistical, prideful, cruelly conditioned, strictly governed, vain, highly oppressed society and people. Their is the Royal Family, who rule above all other classes in the Gemnis society, who are known as the Royal Cuts. Below the Royal Cuts you have the Pristine Cuts which are the upper class, the middle class who are called Rough Cuts, and the low class who are called Uncuts. They have a hierarchy of royalty and importance, with laws and traditions that are built on a ruling class system. The more valuable the gemstone bloodline, the higher in the hierarchy they are. They also only talk to others in the same hierarchy or level of importance as they are. They have an even lower and most hated class of people, called the Off Colors. Their society represents beauty and strength, so they resent the Off Colors for the fact that they are Gemnis born from gemstones with defects, or slightly messed up colors then the rest of their other specific gemstone types and families. They as well have an extreme disliking towards mining races, as they misinterpret them as actual gemstones.

The Gemnis aren't born like normal races, a couple who want a child must procure a gemstone of their own type. The couple then must take the gemstone home, or to their family's birthing shrine. This shrine is a special place, where everyone of their relatives and ancestors were first born. Shrines are usually only owned by Royal Cuts, or the Pristine Cuts and generally very well protected. The ritual involves two Gemnis holding out their hands the gemstone of their own type, they then infuse it with their own life energies. This ritual takes over 8 hours to perform, and a lot of their own strength to complete it. Though after the ritual is said and done, the gemstone shines with magical light, which grows into the shape of a small child. This child from the moment of its birth knows how to speak, read, and write as well as having half of the skills and knowledge of both parents. Though this ritual is very intimate and done often enough, the royal families don't do these rituals very often at all. In fact the ceremony in which two Royal, or Pristine Cuts create a new Gemnis is revered as a great and momentous occasion that follows with a grand celebration.

Intelligence, beauty, and strength are the most important traits to any Gemnis. Their schools for art, history, magic, and technology are they best in the land holding great stores of knowledge larger then any library could hold. Their Love of knowledge fuels them with importance, making any Gemnis scholar as vain as possible when it comes to a battle of knowledge. The Gemnis all love beauty, leading most to become full of themselves. Their love for beauty makes them great at styling and dressing, leading a good few to become wonderful tailors and seamstresses. Being made of magic themselves, makes most Gemnis aspire to become great wizards and sorcerers. Learning all forms that magic can take, taking magic and creating new more powerful spells. This is the love for many powerful Gemnis, never knowing the limits to what magic can become, excites them.

Their schools for technology, give birth to creative craftsman and ingenious artisans every day. Building new technological marvels day after day, this is the dream of many bright Gemnis hoping that one day, their work will be praised by the Royal, or Pristine Cuts. Strength, power, skill, these things are the essence of beauty to many warriors and soldiers of the Royal Cuts militia. Fighting and winning proves ones beauty, in battle to win and win greatly is honorable and beautiful, to lose and lose horribly is dishonorable and ugly. "The stronger you are, the more beautiful you are!", for the Gemnis soldiers and warriors of the Royal Cuts militia these are words to live by. Though above all else the one and only rule you never break, is that the Royal Cuts are right in everything they say and the most beautiful of all Gemnis.

Any Gemnis who disobeys a command from a Royal Cut, will be punished severely and even executed for their transgression. This instills absolute fear and obedience into all Gemnis, making their power over their subjects absolute.

Gemnis Names

Their proud nature and elegance flows into their names. Gemnis who are born are given names based off of their gem bloodline. While most Gemnis last-names are like most other races last-names, Royal Cut and Pristine Cut last-names are different. They feel more like beautiful elegant titles, that sound more poetic and honorific than the last names of most royal or upper class families of other races.

Male: Ambarcus, Emavid, Ruboris, Saphillip, Victuartz

Female: Ambethany, Emereth, Laurystal, Pearlaina, Saphiera

Gemnis Traits

Part human, part gemstone with magical abilities.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2, and Intelligence by 1.

Age. Gemnis are born as small children and mature roughly at the age of 18. They can live upwards of over 3000 years, though they can die a lot earlier from unnatural causes.

Alignment. Gemnis are mostly any lawful alignment, while a few being any neutral alignment.

Size. Gemnis mimic humans in shape, they can be of any size between 3 to 9 feet tall. Your weight is between 40 to 90 pounds for small, 150 to 220 for medium, or 220 to 350 pounds for large. your size is either Small, Medium, or Large.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Gem Magic. Your innate spellcasting allows you to use special magic, you can cast either of the spells from the bellow list, up to two times and you regain the ability to do so after a long rest.

Sphere of Holding: You may use an action, to choose a creature or item that you can see within 60 feet. The target must succeed on a Strength saving throw, or be trapped inside a glowing orb of magic. The target cannot leave the orb and nothing may pass through it. At the end of each of its turns, the target can make another Strength saving throw. On a success, the spell ends and the creature is released. At 7th level you may target two creatures or items, and three creatures or items at 12th level. (If its an Item it doesn't get a saving throw)

Conjure Weapon: Choose one weapon from the list of weapons, You may use your bonus action to summon that weapon made from magic. Once you select a weapon you may not change your choice for this spell. You can summon as many copies of this weapon as you like for 10 minutes, though upon dropping the weapon or copy it fades away. You can only have as many copies of this weapon, as how many free hands you have. If the weapon has the two-handed feature, you can only summon and hold one at a time. If the weapon has the thrown feature, when you throw it and hit a target, the weapon then fades away. When you hit a creature with this weapon, you may add (1d4) radiant damage to your damage total. At 5th level the damage becomes (1d6), (1d8) at 10th level, and (1d10) at 15th level.

Reverting. When your hit points fall to 0, your body shutters and shakes while light wraps around you, transforming you into the gem of your chosen bloodline. When this happens, a burst of magic energy emanates from you in a 5-foot radius. Any creature hit by this effect must make a Constitution saving throw, or be thrown 10 feet back and become prone. At 5th level the thrown range becomes 15-feet, 20-feet at 10th level, and 25-feet at 15th level.

Living Gem. Even though you were formed from light, you are a living creature. You are immune to disease. You do not need to eat or breathe, but you can ingest food and drink if you wish. When resting, instead of normal sleep you enter a lucid dreamlike meditative state for 4 hours each day. While you are in this state; you are fully aware of your surroundings and notice approaching enemies and other events as normal.

Languages. You can speak, read and right Common, Terran, and one extra language of your choice.

Gem Bloodlines

Quartz Bloodline

Ability Score Increase. You may add 3 points into either one ability score, or any mix of 3 points into multiple ability scores.

Prismatic. At 1st level you gain the ability to cast the light cantrip, with the exception that your light shines like an aurora. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Color Spray spell once with this trait, and you regain the ability to do so after you finish a long rest. When you reach 10th level, you can cast the Prismatic Spray spell once with this trait, and you regain the ability to do so after you finish a long rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Ruby Bloodline

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

Searing Rage. You may use a bonus action, to go into a rage for one round and you can do this as many times as half your current level (Max.4). When raging you can add 1d4 fire damage to your next attack. After you expend your last rage, you can regain the ability to do so after a long rest.

(Variant Trait) Heated Aura. You may use an action, to summon an aura of heat around you that last for 5 minutes. Any creature that is within 10 feet of you, takes 1d4 fire damage at the start of each of their turns. At 5th level the damage becomes (2d4), (3d4) at 10th level, and (4d4) at 17th level.

Sapphire Bloodline

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 2, and Wisdom by 1.

Insightful Arcana. At 1st level you are able to use the Guidance cantrip, with the exception that you say some advise that is enlightening to activate the effect. When you reach 4th level, you can cast the Clairvoyance spell once with this trait, and you regain the ability to do so after you finish a long rest. When you reach 6th level, you can cast the Scrying spell once with this trait, and you regain the ability to do so after you finish a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

(Variant Trait) Freezing Emotions. You may use an action, to summon an aura of cold around you that last for 5 minutes. Any creature that is within 10 feet of you, takes 1d4 cold damage at the start of each of their turns. At 5th level the damage becomes (2d4), (3d4) at 10th level, and (4d4) at 17th level.

Amethyst Bloodline

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2, and Dexterity by 1.

Healing Touch. You have a well of Healing power that replenishes when you take a Long Rest. With that well, you can restore a total number of hit points equal to your max hit points halved. As an action, you can touch a creature and draw power from the well to restore a number of hit points to that creature, up to the maximum amount remaining. Alternatively, you can expend 5 hit points from your well of Healing to cure the target of one disease or neutralize one poison affecting it. You can cure multiple Diseases and neutralize multiple Poisons with a single use of this ability, expending hit points separately for each one.

Diamond Bloodline

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2, and Intelligence by 1.

Diamond Density. You have resistance to non-magical bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage.

Royal Command. As a bonus action, you may use the Command spell, with the exception that you can only use the spell on another Gemnis. Any Gemnis targeted by this effect, have disadvantage on their saving throw and must carry out the command even if it would harm or kill them. You may use this ability up to 3 times, you regain the ability to do so again after a long rest.

Emerald Bloodline

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 2, and Dexterity by 1.

Arcane Precision. You may use your reaction, to impose disadvantage on the saving throw of one of your spells cast by you. You may use this ability once, on one creature affected by the spell you cast and you regain the ability to do so after a short rest.

Pearl Bloodline

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 3, and Dexterity by 2.

Studious Assistant. You gain proficiency in 2 skills and 1 artisan's tool, or instrument of your choice.

Exotic Bloodlines

Amber Bloodline

Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 2, and Charisma by 1.

Innate Energy. Starting at 2nd level, you can heal yourself once using a wellspring of energy within you. You may use a bonus action to use this ability, you heal for (1d4) + your Wisdom modifier once and you regain the ability to do so after a long rest.

Topaz Bloodline

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

Shocking Defense. You can use an action, to make a wave of electrical force burst out from you. Each creature in a 15-foot cube originating from you must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 2d8 lightning damage and is Paralyzed for 2 turns. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn't Paralyzed. Once you use this ability, you cannot do so again until you finish a short rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this spell.

Crushing Retaliation. When targeted by a melee attack, if you have a free hand you can make an unarmed melee attack with one hand as a reaction.

Peridot Bloodline

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 2, and Dexterity by 1.

Metalkinesis. You may use an action, to cast the Telekinesis spell, with the exception that you can only effect metallic object and creatures. Though at 1st level you can only lift Medium or smaller creatures, Large creatures at 5th level, and Huge creatures at 10th level. When lifting objects at 1st level you can lift 250 pounds, 500 pounds At 5th level, 1,000 pounds at 10th level, and 2,000 pounds at 15th level. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for this spell.

Lapis Lazuli Bloodline

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 2, and Wisdom by 1.

Hydrokinetic. You may use an action, to cast the Control Water spell once. When you have used this ability, you can only regain the ability to do so again after finishing a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this spell.

Obsidian Bloodline

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and Intelligence by 1.

Volcanic Glass. You may use an action, to activate one of the following effects and after you cannot use another until you finish a short rest.

Glass Barricade: You stab your hands into the ground creating a wall of sharp obsidian blades 5 feet by 15 feet in front of you, or in a 5 foot ring around you. Anyone next to you must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 1d6 slashing damage or half as much on a successful save. At 5th level the damage dealt becomes (2d6), (3d6) at 10th level, and (4d6) at 15th level.

Shard Barrage: You fill the air with spinning obsidian shards in a cube 5 feet on each side, centered on a point you choose within range. One creature you can see must make a Dexterity saving throw, on a failed save takes 4d4 slashing damage. At 5th level the damage dealt becomes (6d4), (8d4) at 10th level, and (10d4) at 15th level.

Obsidian Storm: You summon from your hands a small torrent of black obsidian dust, filling a 5 foot square you can see for 5 minutes. Any creature that walks in, or is within the square must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save the creature is Blinded for 2 turns and takes 1d4 slashing damage. At the start of each of the creatures turns within the targeted square, the creature adds 2 more turns of Blindness and takes another 1d4 slashing damage. At 5th level the damage dealt becomes (2d4), (3d4) at 10th level, and (4d4) at 15th level. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

[ DM Notes: When choosing a ruby or a sapphire bloodline, your player may choose from either the first trait listed or the variant one. For story reasons having a Half-Gemnis can happen, but one parent must sacrifice more energy than they should to create the child. Though it is mostly the human parent who dies, the Gemnis parent can willingly give their life to fill the needed gap. If you would like to make a custom bloodline, go for it I only listed as many as I could think of for common gemstones and some for the exotic bloodlines. Their are more exotic bloodline possibilities than what I have listed, so use your imagination to its fullest when designing a campaign involving this race. When creating a Royal Cut character for an NPC, their alignment should usually be lawful evil, while PC characters should be lawful good or neutral good. This is really for your own sanity, but if you are doing an evil campaign then go for it, its your choice.]