5e: Races of Osse — The Woaven

The woaven are an aberration of a nature, a race in which it is normal to have two entirely unique forms linked by a single soul. One of their bodies normally resides in the Dreamtime (see Races of Osse: The Ekidan for a description of the Dreamtime) , a realm to which they possess an unusually close link. Yet the Woaven have mastered the ability to manifest their second form in the material plane for brief intervals, or to tap into some of its unique strengths.

Though it may seem a wonderful thing to have two bodies that can act independently, the ability is as much a curse as a blessing. A soul halved is a soul weakened, and a woaven’s two halves are less resilient than any other race’s whole. Furthermore, harm to one half of the woaven invariably has consequences for the other half. Still, there are advantages too. A woaven lives their entire life seeing with two sets of eyes, acting with two sets of limbs, and they are therefore never alone. They always have a like-minded, unquestioningly loyal ally to back them up – even when that ally is their own self.

The woaven are mostly found in Osse’s South-Western region, eking out an existence on the plains and among the canyons at the edge of the arid zone. They survive in fairly hostile conditions thanks to their second halves, which take animalistic forms typical to Dream Spirits, and can assist in efforts to scavenge and hunt in the desert environs the Woaven live in.

One half of a woaven is a rangy humanoid with dusky grey skin, a hairless body, and yellow eyes. This half typically wears a drab hooded cloak to protect against the sun, and little else other than a loincloth underneath.

The other half takes an animalistic form, which varies by woaven tribe. These forms do not completely correspond to a single animal, and the woaven believe them to mirror archetypal forms, of which they share the beliefs of the ekidan. Both woaven and ekidan therefore consider this race to be uniquely touched by the Dreamtime.

Woaven generally do not speak of the secret curse that is said to plague their people. Their histories tell of damned individuals who have a second half that is unspeakable, a hazy entity of indiscernible shape—or rather, a shape that the mind quickly slides over and attempts to forget. These woaven have been touch by The Other, an entity of malevolence and destruction that rampages unchecked through the Dreamtime. Thoughts of destruction plague such Woaven, and their innermost desires are often acted out by their second form before they have a chance to have second thoughts. According to the legend when such a cursed woaven is born to a tribe they are usually killed at birth, but these are cautionary tales which reveal the fate of those who ignore this accepted wisdom: in such stories, sentimental parents leave the tribe to save their children. Their actions always end in tragedy, for sooner or later the child will be dream of their deaths and their dream spirit will be compelled to act this out.

Ability score increases. Your Wisdom score increases by 2.

Age. The natural life expectancy of a Woaven can be as long as 150 years. This may be in part due to their connection with the Dreaming, for it seems they benefit from especially restful slumber.

Alignment. Woaven attempt to live in harmony with the natural world, and as long as a Woaven does no harm, they are typically left to their own devices by their peers. Most Woaven are neutral.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30ft.

Dream spirit. Your soul is split across two bodies, one that exists in the material plane and a second that normally dwells in the transitive plane known as the Dreaming or Dreamtime. You control both forms concurrently by means of a single unifying intelligence. Each Woaven’s dream spiritt has a beastlike form that combines the traits of multiple mundane animals, but is as unique as their material body is from other people.

Though your second body is native to the Dreaming, you can summon it into the material plane or channel some of its power through your material body. You can do one or the other once per short rest.

Whenever you or your dream body take damage while the dream spirit is summoned or channeled, you must make a Constitution saving throw to maintain your concentration. The DC equals 10 or half the damage you take, whichever number is higher. If you fail to meet the DC, your dream spirit instantly returns to the Dreaming. If it was summoned, your dream body vanishes. If it was channeled, the effects immediately end. If you take damage from multiple sources, such as an arrow and a dragon’s breath, you make a separate saving throw for each source of damage.

Summon Dream Spirit. When you do so, the dream body can appear in any space to which you have line of sight or which you are aware of within 60 feet of your location. You You can only maintain its existence while it remains within 60 feet of you. If it ever moves beyond that range, willingly or otherwise, it instantly returns to the Dreaming.

Your dream body takes the form of a Woaven Dream Spirit (see the sidebar), and the following apply:

On your turn, your dream body may move independently of your material body. If you take an action with your material body your dream body cannot do so on the same turn, and vice versa.

Additionally, either your material body or dream body can take a bonus action on your turn, but not both.

Your dream body shares your skill proficiencies, though it can only use skills when it would make sense for an animal to be able to do so.

Your bodies are two parts of a whole and each requires the other remain healthy or both will suffer the consequences. You have a single hit point total like any other character, and damage to either body reduces your hit points. Both bodies fall unconscious at the same time if you are reduced to 0 hit points, and if one body dies the other immediately perishes. Exhaustion levels are also shared between bodies.

Any spell, monstrous ability, skill use or other effect that targets the mind – such as Charmed or Frightened – applies to both bodies if it makes sense for it to do so. Physical effects such as Blinded, Deafened, Incapacitated, or Stunned apply only to the body they targeted.

Channel Dream Spirit.  Instead of summoning your dream spirit, you can briefly channel some of its nature through your material body. You may only channel your dream spirit in your Woaven body. For instance, you cannot benefit from this feature while polymorphed or using wild shape. The effect of channeling your dream spirit varies by your dream spirit’s form (see subrace).

Restful Slumber.  Woaven are more in touch with their dreams than most, and the quality of their sleep is high. A Woaven can get by with only 4 hours of sleep a day, but if they manage a full 8 hours they wake feeling especially energetic and alert. When the Woaven fails any roll between waking and their next short or long rest, they can roll it again with advanage. Once the Woaven has used this ability once, they cannot use it again until they have once again slept undisturbed for 8 hours.

Subrace. Regardless of its particular physical makeup, your dream body is either Swift or Strong. Choose one of the following subraces.

Ability score increases. Your Strength score increases by 1, or by 3 when you are channeling your dream spirit.

Powerful Animal. Your dream spirit rolls Strength-based ability checks with advantage.

Tooth and claw. While channeling your dream spirit your unarmed attacks deal 1d4 damage. If they already deal 1d4 or greater damage, increase their damage by one die type instead. Additionally, when you roll a 1 on any melee damage die you may choose to reroll it. You may reroll damage from a single attack only once—you must accept any further results of 1 rolled for that attack.

Ability score increases. Your Dexterity score increases by 1, or 3 when you are channeling your dream spirit.

Graceful Animal. Your dream spirit rolls Dexterity-based ability checks with advantage.

Swift of foot. While channeling your dream spirit your walking speed increases by 5 feet. Additionally, you can jump twice as far as normal.

Ability score increases. Your Constitution score increases by 1, or 3 when you are channeling your dream spirit. Treat hit points gained due to channeling your dream spirit as temporary hit points.

Resilient Animal. Your dream spirit rolls Constitution-based ability checks with advantage.

Sturdy. While channeling your dream spirit you have advantage on saving throws against abilities that would knock you prone or force movement.