Maenad

Maenads are a race of graceful people who temper their wild emotional nature. They practice calmness and are reserved, preferring to be direct but inobtrusive.

Radiant and Graceful

Maenads are tall and graceful humanoids that look similar to humans and half-elves. However, they possess lustrous skins that sparkles as if dusted in light-giving crystals and hair made of cords of luminescent strands. Maenads appear bright in the dark, lighting up the area around them when their skin and hair go uncovered.

Maenads average over 6 feet tall and weight an average of 200 pounds. Females are only slightly smaller than males. They have wiry builds and graceful features, leading some to compare them to elves. Maenad eyes appear as solid blocks of blue, green, or violet light due to their luminescent quality.

Emotional yet Reserved

Maenads appear tranquil and calm to most onlookers, but are naturally extremely emotional. They have learned to restrain their primal nature to such a degree that outsiders believe them to be emotionally stunted or cold. When maenads become emotional, often from duress, their skin and hair fluctuate between darker and brighter hues at rapid speed.

Maenads choose to be restrained and discreet, often forgoing the spotlight. They prefer minimalist communication, not speaking a sentence when a word would suffice, or simply gesturing when a word isn’t required. When living among others, maenads must practice discipline and focus, lest the fury of their turbulent emotions erupts.

Names

Maenad names are given and used much like human names. Every maenad has at least a given name and a family name.

Male Names: Alberik, Alrik, Basilius, Erland, Gunnar, Isak, Ragnor, Rurik, Tor

Female Names: Agaton, Annalina, Blenda, Eleonora, Gala, Lena, Malin, Ragnara, Vedis

Family Names: Coebelliantus, Hjalmar, Kolbjorn, Perchnosius, Torborn, Valborg, Valentin, Xaljorn

Traits

Your maenad character has a number of traits from its emotional nature and luminescent properties.

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

Age. Maenads mature around the same rate as a human, but can live twice as long.

Alignment. Practicing discipline and restraint, maenads are often lawful, but those who indulge their natural emotional whims gravitate toward chaos. Maenads living in civilization prefer orderly ones, but also prefer that considerations for individuals be given full deference.

Size. Maenads are tall at 6 and a half feet tall and weigh around 200 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Bioluminescence. Your skin and hair shed bright light up to 10 feet from you and dim light up to an additional 10 feet. As a bonus action, you can suppress this light until you take another bonus action to restore your luminescence or are rendered unconscious.

Light Sight. You can see up to 30 feet from you while in darkness as if in dim light, even when you suppress your Bioluminescence trait. Your eyes glow faintly while viewing in darkness, but not enough for unaware creatures to take notice.

Outburst. For 1 minute after taking damage while you have the psionic focused condition or are concentrating on a spell, you have advantage on Strength checks and saving throws.

Overdrive. As an action, you can psychically shout. Each creature you choose within 10 feet of you must make a Constitution saving throw. The save DC is equal to 8 + your Wisdom modifier + your proficiency bonus. If you have a power or spell save DC, use that instead if it is higher. The target takes 2d6 thunder damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The damage increases to 3d6 at 6th level, 4d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 16th level. After taking this action, you can’t take it again until you finish a long rest.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Maenad. The Maenad script is roughly based on Elven.