Oni
Descendants of giants long ago banished by their kin, oni have been forced to cohabit near humanoid settlements as their size has shrunk far past their titanic heights. Feared for their heritage and despised by those that share their blood, these giantkin nevertheless seek a path of their own, blending their heritage with the new cultures and ideals they now walk alongside.
Mighty Stature
Oni stand tallest amongst those they cohabit with, generally ranging from 7 feet at the shortest to 11 feet at their general highest. While their stature may have greatly shrunk since the banishment of their ancestors, these giant-kin still possess terrific builds that allow them to travel and lift far beyond their size. The theft of their size also came with the loss of their ties to the very world. Hues of crimson red ties an oni to a lineage to brazen fire giants, waves of teal to that of ice giants, or swirls of greys and brown driving an ancestry to mountain giants.
An oni’s heritage is most prevalent through the runic seals that etch their bodies like tattoos. These sigils are carved from the very essence of the world these oni originate from, sapping away their heritage for generations. Some oni have learned ways to suppress such seals for periods of time, but a permanent resolution remains still unknown.
Banished between Two Worlds
The history of their banishment is a nebulous subject for many oni. Popular beliefs claim their expulsion was for teaching magic to non-giants, or perhaps their involvement in a mass sacrifice of giant royalty. A millenia of separation from their kin has heavily strained their connection to their past; many oni wish nothing more than to abandon the ways of old, while others stay unrelenting in solving their binding runes and seek a way to reclaim their titan heritage.
This history marks their relationships with other humanoid folks to this day. Countless common folk have been struck with fear witnessing oni near mountaintops, mesas, and other elevated regions, demonizing them in turn as giant scouts for a future invasion. Such rhetoric for centuries have led many oni clans to utilize illusory magic to better live alongside humanoids without feared attention. Little can be done when this magic fails, fueling this rhetoric into them being spies.
Other clans have found themselves at peace with their dwellings, if not in part due to being seen as giant protectors or guards for hire. Their size and tenuous history with giant-kin has made many of these clans reoccurring allies in protecting their lands against wandering giants, dragons, and other massive creatures. Some oni clans delve deep into communing with their ancestors and honoring their deeds, using necromantic magic to allow the dead to mentor and guide them with how to better unlock their sealed capabilities.
Oni Traits
- Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.
- Age. Oni live for up to two hundred years.
- Creature Type. You are Humanoid, but count as a Giant for the purposes of being detected.
- Rarity. Rare. Oni have few and far between outside of their own clans and cities to the east.
- Size. While your kin stands from 7 to 10 feet tall, there lingers a curse that prevents a greater stature. You are Medium.
- Speed. Your walking speed is 35 feet.
- Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
- Untethered Seals. In times of danger, your binding runes weaken, allowing you to manifest your worldly heritage. Choose one of the following benefits. On a critical hit, or while you are bloodied, you can use your chosen benefit upon making a successful attack roll. You can do a number of times equal to you proficiency bonus, regaining all expended uses after finishing a long rest.
- Volcanic Fury. Your attack deals an additional 1d8 fire damage. Until the start of your next turn, Any hostile creature starting or ending their turn within 10 feet of you takes fire damage equal to half your level.
- Glacial Freeze. Your attack may deal an additional 1d8 cold damage. Until the start of your next turn, any hostile creature starting their turn within a number of feet equal to 5 times your proficiency bonus feet of you has their movement speed reduced by 10 feet.
- Mountain's Resilience. Your attack deals an additional 1d8 force damage. You gain temporary hit points equal to your level.
- Unrelenting Storm. Your attack deals an additional 1d8 lightning damage. Until the start of your next turn, any creature that deals damage to you takes lightning damage equal to half your level in this class.
- Roots of the Forest. Your attack deals an additional 1d8 acid damage. Until the start of your next turn, you gain a +1 bonus to your AC.
- Desert's Mirage. Your attack deals an additional 1d8 thunder damage. Until the start of your next turn, you gain a +1 bonus to your saving throws.
- Undesired Fear. At 3rd level, the fear of your people has transmogrified you. Choose the Alter Self, Enlarge/Reduce, or Invisibility spell. You may cast this spell with this trait once per short or long rest, and can use any spell slots you have to cast this spell. You use your class spellcasting ability for any spell save DC with this spell.
