Bramblebrow
Vaike Kärsakulm (a.k.a. The Bramblebrow)
Background
Born sometime in 731 SE, "Bramblebrow" was a newborn baby when she was given over to Kalju and Leida, a pair of Hiiglanian ogres who had no children of their own. Her adopted mother, Leida named her Vaike, which means "Little one" in Hiiglanian, while her father called her Kärsakulm, which means Bramblebrow. Her father's name for her came from the fact that she had strange bony growths around her head, like a crown of thorns. The three of them lived together on the south face of the Hurloon Mountains, north of Loch Einan in Morogar. "Vaike" grew quickly, and enjoyed her life on the mountain, even if it was hard at times. She would hunt goats with her father, and sometimes travel to the camp at the Storm Gate, where they would trade furs and food with other Hiiglani. When she reached an impressive 2 meters in height at just 14 years old, she was still voefully short compared to the other Hiiglani, and the other children would tease and torment her, which taught her how to fight both for entertainment and for her life.
At the Storm Gate she would also sometimes see other people, much closer to her own size, who turned out to be Brightkin and Stonekin. When she asked her father about them, he told her that she was such a person: a human, from the lowlands. Her parents had adopted her because they could not have children of their own, but they loved her dearly, no matter her size. When she pressed him for answers he said that he once knew a human man named Browen the Wanderer, a druid, who he would occasionally trade furs, wine, and stories with. One day the druid had brought a child which he said was given over to him by parents who feared the magic by which the child had been blessed. Browen himself did not fully understand the magic, but knew that she would become strong and tall, and so decided to give the child to Kalju and Leida, who he knew wanted a child. Unfortunately he could not tell her more about the old druid as he had stopped coming to the cave where they would meet, and Kalju had not seen him since Vaike was 3 years old.
Vaike was curious about humans and about her own origins: she did not look like other humans she had seen, nor did she look like the stonekin from the north slopes. Her skin was greenish brown, like early autumn leaves, and her ears were pointed and cleft. And then of course there was her crown, which had always been there, for as long as she could remember. Sometimes one of the antlers would break, or fall off on its own, but it would always grow back in the same jagged shape within a week or two. Her parents agreed to let her move to the enclave at the Storm Gate, so she could learn more about the humans there. She learned to speak Uluakian and for some years helped the ogres guard the Storm Gate and demand tribute from passing travelers. She even went on trading trips up north, to the Northern Wastes, buying fish and whalemeat for furs and crystals. Eventually she came to understand that the truth of her origins lay to the south, with the old druid. And so in 755 SE she packed up her things, kissed her parents goodbye and went south to Morogar, to look for Browen the wanderer. At first she had a hard time making progress as she did not speak the language, but there were people willing to help her out, especially if she would lend her imposing stature, and sometimes her trusty maul, to help them scare off their enemies. Eventually she learned enough Sarkaran to start asking about the druid Browen, and while some people around Loch Einan had heard of him nobody had seen him for over a decade. Some said that he had maybe travelled south.
Following her only lead, Vaike, who had translated her father's nickname for her into Sarkaran, and now went by Vaike the Bramblebrow (or simply Bramblebrow, as it felt wrong to be called little by people so much shorter than her), travelled to Morkalin, the first big city she had ever seen. Here she stayed for a while, earning her keep as a sellsword for merchants, or sometimes less savory types. She didn't like the city much, and it seemed the people of the city didn't like her much either. Most of them covered from her, but some would spit in front of her and curse her for her strange appearance. Occasionally, when she would get very mad, a strange trance would come over her, and she would feel almost as though she would grow even bigger than she was, and sometimes, when she did she would hear a strange cackle at the back of her mind, and even further down she would hear a voice so deep it sounded like the heart of the mountain, too deep to make out any words.
One day she took a job to protect a caravan to Glenglass and sort of ended up in that city instead, though it was not much better than Morkalin. There was still lots of work for her though, so she had plenty to keep her busy, and eventually she stopped trying to look for Browen, asking only very occasionally when a new traveller came through, if she remembered. And then one day, when she had almost given up, a man overheard her asking a merchant traveller about him and said he used to live in Killian's Rest, and there was an old druid who would occasionally visit the village and the local healer, though this was some years ago. Bramblebrow decided then to find a way to get up north to Killian's Rest to see if that druid could be Browen.
Giant Foundling
Though you aren’t a Giant, you grew up among giants. Maybe you were an orphan taken in by a sympathetic family of stone giants who raised you as one of their own. Or perhaps you lived in a lost prehistoric pocket of the world, surrounded by giants and fearsome behemoths or hulking dinosaurs. Something about your environment—perhaps the food or water that sustained you, elemental magic inherent in the site of your home, or some verdant blessing of growth placed on you—caused you to grow to a remarkable size for your kind. With the aid of this magic, you have learned how to embody the might of giants. You are used to moving through a world much bigger than you, and that is reflected in your skills, attitude, and perspective on life.
Features
Strike of the Giants
You gain the Strike of the Giants feat: You have absorbed primeval magic that gives you an echo of the might of giants. When you take this feat, choose one of the benefits listed below. Once per turn, when you hit a target with a melee weapon attack or a ranged weapon attack using a thrown weapon, you can imbue the attack with an additional effect depending on the benefit you chose:
Cloud Strike. The target takes an extra 1d4 thunder damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw, or you become invisible to it until the start of your next turn or until immediately after you make an attack roll or cast a spell.
Fire Strike. The target takes an extra 1d10 fire damage.
Frost Strike. The target takes an extra 1d6 cold damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw, or its speed is reduced to 0 until the start of your next turn.
Hill Strike. The target takes an extra 1d6 damage of the weapon’s type. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw or have the prone condition.
Stone Strike. The target takes an extra 1d6 force damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pushed 10 feet from you in a straight line.
Storm Strike. The target takes an extra 1d6 lightning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw, or it has disadvantage on attack rolls until the start of your next turn.
The saving throw DC for these effects equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Constitution modifier.
You can use this feat a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Uluakian (common)
Sarkaran (common)
STR: 16
DEX: 14
CON: 16
INT: 8
WIS: 10
CHA: 11
Racial Features:
Skill Versatility: proficiency in a skill of your choice.
Favour of the Sun King: Advantage on an attack, skill check or saving throw once (half proficiency) per long rest.
Eerie Token: Make a token once per long rest with a bonus action. Use the token for:
Telepathic Message: As an action, send a short telepathic message to holder of the token, within 10 miles.
Remote Viewing: As an action, look and hear through the token if it's within 10 miles.
Hex Magic: Cast Disguise Self or Hex once per long rest.
Tool Proficiencies: Woodcarver's tools
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