Kaesimar
Kaesimar Traits
Ability Score Increase: Your Charisma score increases by 2, Strength by 1.
Size: Medium.
Speed: 30 feet / 20 feet flying.
Feat: One feat of their choice.
Darkvision: You were once blessed with radiance and have superior vision in dark and dim Conditions. 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 can’t discern color in Darkness, only Shades of Gray.
Celestial Resistance: You have resistance to necrotic damage and radiant damage.
Languages: Common and celestial.
Healing Hands: As an action, you can touch a creature and cause it to regain a number of hit points equal to your level. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Darkness Bringer: You know the “Create Shadow” cantrip, Charisma is spellcasting ability.
Casting time: Action Components: V, S Duration: 1 minute (concentration) Range: 60 Feet
You point to an area of non-magical bright light within range and change it to dim light in a 10 foot sphere. Any source of light within the sphere does not emit light for the duration of the spell and any dim light created by the light source becomes darkness unless a different source of light also covers the area. This spell lasts until the duration, magical bright light enters or is cast in the area.Necrotic Shroud: Starting at 3rd level, you can use your action to unleash the divine energy within yourself, causing your eyes to turn into pools of darkness. The instant you transform, other creatures within 10 feet of you that can see you must each succeed on a Charisma saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier) or become frightened of you until the end of your next turn.
Your transformation lasts for 1 minute or until you end it as a bonus action. During it, once on each of your turns, you can deal extra necrotic damage to one target when you deal damage to it with an attack or a spell. The extra necrotic damage equals your level.
Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Basic Information
Biological Traits
Kaesimar are humanoid, tall, and thin. Their wings are made of tattered feathers, leathery skin, insect, or powdery moth wings. Some are monsterous-looking with clawed hands, feet, knobbly knees and animalistic features. Others are lovely and pleasing in shape and form, passing for humans or elves if it werent for their wings. Their appearance does not seem to pass down onto their children the way other species do, especially with the possibilities of more parents' genetics involved.
Their skin colors range from translucent pale with pink or blue undertones to deep black. They may have patterns or markings on their skin that mimic the patterns on their wings. Their eyes are pupil-less and reflect low light in darkness.
Not all Kaesimar can fly. Due to the bargain of their creation, the ritual of birth, some may never fully develop strong enough wings.
Genetics and Reproduction
Olvdir, the name they know The God of Endings by, granted these once-celestial beings the ability to reproduce. Unlike their Aasimar ancestors, who produce humans from unions, Kaesimars will produce their own magical kind. It is chaotic and dangerous, often ending in tragedy. Using a ritual taught by Olvdir, Kaesimar may take parts of themselves to create another. This creation requires sacrifice, usually bodily, of themselves or another willing participant. These parents could be multiple people and of any sex.
"The less vital a sacrifice, like a finger or strand of hair, the less whole the child will be. It is healthier to something more substantial, like a rib or an organ."
Over centuries the ritual has been practiced by many, producing the next generations of Lastwell occupants. Trial and error has resulted in various mutations, such as insect wings, broken or missing wings, clawed hands, or even spinal malformations.
Growth Rate & Stages
Kaesimar carry their young for an entire year before giving birth. One individual is chosen to carry the child in a magical womb-like organ and must be cut out when the child is to term. The delivery is done in a communal ritual in the waters of the Boiling Void. This water birth is attended by the individual's closest companions.
Infants are taken to Lastwell where they are raised by their birth-mother (a gender-neutral title) within the temple. During this season of life, they are protected and valued above other members of the community. There is a guarded area of Lastwell, a nursery, where birth-mothers and their infants live for the first several months. The birth-mother and infant are cared for by the child's co-creators. When the child is old enough to walk, the young Kaesimar are taught about the lore and history of Vaeruin and accompany their predecessors in welcoming new arrivals.
Kaesimar live out their days tending to Lastwell and Vaeruin's newcomers. Those who die of old age are forever immortalized by their ashes stirred into the Boiling Void.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Kaesimar do not need to eat but are able to enjoy the novelty. They do not eat meat or animal products aside from honey and the milk products from blessed and cleansed goats. Their diet consists grain, fruits, nuts, root vegetables, goat butter and cheeses.
Biological Cycle
Kaesimar go through yearly molting or shedding of their wings, a painful process that allows them to grow back thicker and stronger. Feathered creatures lose each feather until bone. Webbed wings shrivel up and fall off. Moth or other insect wings snap clean after bloodflow is cut off. Patterns and colors may grow back altered or completely different and no one knows why.
Elder Kaesimar often make a final journey with a newcomer around age 140 to their place of choice and return to Lastwell to tend the water's edges and the gardens until they pass.
Additional Information
Social Structure
The Kaesimar do not have a government, but they do abide by a social heirarchy. Birth-mothers are revered as long as they are carrying or caring for a child. Not every one is called, or wants, the responsibility and painful duty of creation, so those who are blessed by the ritual are esteemed.
Next, the children ages 2-20 are admired and held to softer standards. The new generation are allowed to mirror their elders and shadow the task of welcoming and educating newcomers. When a young Kaesimar turns 21, they are allowed to accompany a newcomer on their own to their Origin, or the place they choose to start their life in Vaeruin.
The eldest are respected until their death and are often approached for words of wisdom or encouragement.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Kaesimar live in Lastwell and only travel to accompany newcomers to their Origin, the chosen place to start their new life.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Kaesimar name their children on names loosely based on their celestial origins. It is considered a bittersweet tradition to take on the name of an elder.
Some naming examples:
Jophiel
Hagith
Tartys
Ashliel
Boel
Nisroc
Gender Ideals
Kaesimar's genders are not tied to their sex organs as magic and rituals have made these things unnecessary to reproduction. All individuals are considered to have both masculine and feminine qualities, and many Kaesimar have the sex organs of both male and female. This means that a Kaesimar may have breasts as well as a penis, no breasts and a vulva, or no sex organs whatsoever.
Relationship Ideals
Courtship and relationships are shy, quiet predicaments. Unless you were told explicitly that two (or more) individuals were romantic or sexual partners, it would be nearly impossible to guess.
Kaesimar take their work at Lastwell very seriously and to the detriment of any relationship, even a romantic one.
Common Etiquette Rules
A Kaesimar might look frightening, but most are misunderstood. It understandable for disoriented new folk to scream or call them names. However, it is considered in bad taste to verbally abuse or harm a Kaesimar. In fact, in Ofrary, you can find yourself in jail if you are accused of assaulting one.
Common Dress Code
Kaesimar are incredibly adept at weaving, dying, and sewing intricate clothing. It may be the only materialistic habit of their kind, but it is a skill that nearly all have. Their robes and blouses are of incredible quality and their ability to create unique, beautiful designs make the articles coveted throughout Vaeruin.
Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
Kaesimar are the welcomers to Vaeruin. Their custom and duty in life is to help any newcomers who have purposefully or accidentally found themselves in Vaeruin find their Origin.
This ritual, called Heim may happen multiple times a day or once every few months, depending on fate. When someone is brought through the Boiling Void, a ceremony begins and all of Lastwell's inhabitants play their role to welcoming and preparing the newcomer for a life in Vaeruin.
History
The Kaesimar were the very first to be invited to Vaeruin and to crawl through the Boiling Void. In the Celestial Plane, a great purge was underway in a great city. Many Aasimar perished but fortunate few found the refuge of Vaeruin. However, the very first to make it through the portal was Maroth. She spent several years alone in Vaeruin before she met the God. When she did, she asked the God she called Olvdir, to allow others like her into the world. Olvdin listened.
For one hundred years Vaeruin was a haven and final place for Aasimar who escaped the Celestial Plane. Olvdvir blessed the fallen Aasimar with a new name and a new home and walked among them. They retained their celestial beauty and their magic was enhanced by Olvdir's own. He taught them rituals and Old Magic. However, after 100 years he grew lonely for new company and discussed with the Kaesimar about opening the Boiling Void to allow others into his creation. Maroth as well her closest companions disagreed with this plan, fearing that mortals would taint and eventually destroy the magical hidden world.
Olvdir, not listening to their concerns, ordered them to open the portal to let fate guide any who may wander. Maroth, disobeyed her God and placed a ritual seal on the portal. When this was brought to light, Olvdir became angry and brought war against the Kaesimar. The war lasted 57 days and was named The Battle of Lastwell. When Maroth conceded, Olvdir showed the Kaesimar mercy with a curse of appearance and a responsibility to create and maintain Lastwell, a temple for newcomers.
“Of all the words of mice and men, the saddest are, "It might have been ".
Historical Figures
Maroth was an Aasimar and the first inhabitant of Vaeruin. She lead a revolt in the year 100 FE, attempting to keep Vaeruin closed off from mortals.
Common Myths and Legends
The legend of Maroth, the very first inhabitant in Vaeruin, suggests that she still is alive. This would make her the oldest being in the world, well over 700 years old. Natives tell stories of Maroth to frighten young children and keep them from wandering too far into the woods or marshes.
There are myths of a society of exiled Kaesimars; ones who refuse the life long call of welcoming newcomers. No one for sure can say where this so-called society is, however.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Historical relationships between Kaesimar and other races have ended poorly, especially when childbearing. Children of a Kaesimar and another race are horribly mutated and, depending on who carried the child to term, lethal for the birth-mother.
Most elders, however, do not actively discourage relationships with outsiders.
Also Known As:
- "Kaefolk"
- "Harpies" - considered perjorative