Dreamborn
Also known as Pehku Souls, Dreamborn are humans whose souls have been bound to a Pehku—a Yokai dream spirit that dwells in the Dream Realm. Typically, Dreamborn households have children transition into a Dreamborn when they come of age, but a human can become a Dreamborn at any time in their life (though rarely past 70 years). Dreamborn cannot return back to becoming regular humans.
d12 | Quirk
1 | You try to understand the motives and feelings of your enemies.
2 | You prefer using telepathy over speaking aloud.
3 | You feel a strong drive to protect the innocent.
4 | You apply dream logic to mundane situations.
5 | You discuss things out loud with your pehku spirit.
6 | You suppress your emotions and rely on logic.
7 | You are strongly influenced by the emotions of those around you.
8 | You prefer to find nonviolent solutions to problems whenever possible.
9 | You are driven by a warrior spirit and will fight for any cause you see as noble.
10 | You are obsessed with Dreaming War conspiracies.
11 | You prefer being in the dark, rather than the light.
12 | You feverously worship Ehmos or Phosbet.
Dual Mind. Having a second mind connected to one body allows you to notice things better and to split mental attacks. You have Resistance to Psychic damage. Additionally, whenever you make a Wisdom Saving Throw, as a Reaction, you give yourself Advantage on the roll. Dream Eater. You do not need to sleep, and instead may spend time you would normally sleep (like during a Long Rest) to rest and/or perform light activities like reading or standing watch. If you take a Long Rest and sleep for most of it, and there are at least two other people sleeping near you, you finish it feeling as nourished as half a day’s worth of rations. Severed from Dreams. When Dreamborn sleep, they don't connect to the Plane of Dreams as other creatures do. Instead, their minds draw from the memories of their Yokai spirit while they sleep. As such, you are immune to spells and other magical effects that require you to dream, like Dream, but not to spells and other magical effects that put you to sleep, like Sleep. Mind Link. You can speak telepathically to any creature you can see, provided the creature is within a number of feet of you equal to 10 times your level. You don't need to share a language with the creature for it to understand your telepathic utterances, but the creature must be able to understand at least one language.
When you're using this trait to speak telepathically to a creature, you can use your Action to give that creature the ability to speak telepathically with you for 1 hour or until you end this effect as an Action (you understand them). To use this ability, the creature must be able to see you and must be within this trait's range. You can give this ability to only one creature at a time; giving it to a creature takes it away from another creature who has it.
While using this trait (including when another creature is talking to you), your eyes glow a very dim light.
Bound to Spirits
Every dreamborn has a connection to a dream spirit, a bond shared by other members of their bloodline. Dreamborn appear human, but their spiritual connection affects them in a variety of ways. Dreamborn tend to have symmetrical, slightly angular features, and their eyes often glow when they are focused or expressing strong emotions. This glowing is often the main (visible) thing that distinguishes them apart from other humans. Dreamborn can't directly communicate with their dream spirits. Rather, they might experience this relationship as a sense of instinct and inspiration, drawing on the memories of the spirit when they dream. This connection grants dreamborn minor psionic abilities, as well as protection from psychic attacks. Most of these pehku dream spirits are virtuous, but some are warriors, some are more contemplative, and others are more sinister. Work together with your GM to determine the nature of your linked spirit, and how such a connection might affect your character. Typically, a dreamborn knows the name and nature of their spirit, but some may know nothing of their spirit or the source of their psychic gifts, such as an orphan dreamborn raised among strangers. The bond to the spirit can cause some dreamborn to display unusual quirks. Consider rolling or selecting a trait from the Dreamborn Quirks table. Dreamborn Quirksd12 | Quirk
1 | You try to understand the motives and feelings of your enemies.
2 | You prefer using telepathy over speaking aloud.
3 | You feel a strong drive to protect the innocent.
4 | You apply dream logic to mundane situations.
5 | You discuss things out loud with your pehku spirit.
6 | You suppress your emotions and rely on logic.
7 | You are strongly influenced by the emotions of those around you.
8 | You prefer to find nonviolent solutions to problems whenever possible.
9 | You are driven by a warrior spirit and will fight for any cause you see as noble.
10 | You are obsessed with Dreaming War conspiracies.
11 | You prefer being in the dark, rather than the light.
12 | You feverously worship Ehmos or Phosbet.
The Dreaming War
Said to be born from the Astral Plane, all pehku—and subsequently dreamborn—find themselves in the midst of a neverending conflict known as the Dreaming War. Phosbet, god of nightmares, claims that all pehku were created by him, and that they should carry out their duties as nightmare spirits. Ehmos, however, believes that many pehku are miserable doing such duties, and should be given the right to choose which side of the Astral Plane they belong. As a result, most pehku have abandoned Phosbet and are considered "rebels", and believe that through meditation and devotion, they can change their fundamental nature. This ideology in turn, has led to both sides fighting amongst themselves thus creating the Dreaming War. Though some claim these details are uncomfirmed, many worshippers of Phosbet seek out and eliminate any rebel pehku, and any dreamborn connected to a rebel pehku. Many dreamborn defend themselves from the Dreaming War by focusing on devotion to their connected spirit and/or Ehmos. Others, however, actively seek out these Phosbet worshippers and oppose their plans. Other dreamborn however, grow up isolated and unaware of the Dreaming War. Such dreamborn might use their abilities for personal gain or otherwise act against the instincts of their pehku spirits; this can cause internal conflicts and violent mood swings.Dreamborn Names
A dreamborn name tends to add a personal prefix to the name of the pehku spirit within the dreamborn. Such names have no relation to the dreamborn's gender. Dreamborn orphans are unlikely to know the name of their spirit and take names from another source. Pehku Names: Ashana, Ashtai, Ishara, Hareth, Khad, Kosh, Melk, Nari, Tana, Tari, Tash, Ulad, Vakri, Vash Dreamborn Names: Coratash, Dalavash, Dolishara, Halakosh, Khoratari, Koratana, Lanhareth, Molavakri, Nevitash, Sorashana, Torashtai, Valakhad, VisharaDreamborn Traits
Your dreamborn character has the following traits.Dreamborn
Ability Score Increase Wis +1; Cha +1; Any +1
Size Medium
Speed 30 ft.
Alignment. Choose one of the alignments approved by your GM. Typical Dreamborn tend toward no particular alignment, though their Yokai spirit may push them toward Lawful alignments. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. You are also considered a human for any prerequisite or effect that requires you to be a human. Size. You are Medium (about 4-7 feet tall) or Small (about 2-4 feet tall), and weigh about the same as a human. You choose the Size when you select this ancestry. Speed. Your land Speed is 30 feet. Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common, Yokai, and one other Language of your choice (that your GM agrees is appropriate). Life Span. Dreamborn reach adulthood in their late teens and live slightly longer than humans do—though rarely living to be more than 120 years old.
Dual Mind. Having a second mind connected to one body allows you to notice things better and to split mental attacks. You have Resistance to Psychic damage. Additionally, whenever you make a Wisdom Saving Throw, as a Reaction, you give yourself Advantage on the roll. Dream Eater. You do not need to sleep, and instead may spend time you would normally sleep (like during a Long Rest) to rest and/or perform light activities like reading or standing watch. If you take a Long Rest and sleep for most of it, and there are at least two other people sleeping near you, you finish it feeling as nourished as half a day’s worth of rations. Severed from Dreams. When Dreamborn sleep, they don't connect to the Plane of Dreams as other creatures do. Instead, their minds draw from the memories of their Yokai spirit while they sleep. As such, you are immune to spells and other magical effects that require you to dream, like Dream, but not to spells and other magical effects that put you to sleep, like Sleep. Mind Link. You can speak telepathically to any creature you can see, provided the creature is within a number of feet of you equal to 10 times your level. You don't need to share a language with the creature for it to understand your telepathic utterances, but the creature must be able to understand at least one language.
When you're using this trait to speak telepathically to a creature, you can use your Action to give that creature the ability to speak telepathically with you for 1 hour or until you end this effect as an Action (you understand them). To use this ability, the creature must be able to see you and must be within this trait's range. You can give this ability to only one creature at a time; giving it to a creature takes it away from another creature who has it.
While using this trait (including when another creature is talking to you), your eyes glow a very dim light.
