Races of the Dragon.pdf - The Techno Jesus

CHAPTER 1
DRAGONBORN
OF BAHAMUT
8
Illus. by E. Fiegenschuh
THE CALL OF BAHAMUT
The dragonborn children of Bahamut are a unique
race in that they are not born; they are reborn. Each
one enters the world as a halfling, an elf, a human, or
a member of some other humanoid race with all that
race’s propensities and traits. Bahamut beckons to his
would-be followers, and those few who might choose
to serve him.
Most of those who hear the Platinum Dragon’s call
discover it early, before they reach adolescence. A few
heed it after reaching adulthood and beginning their
careers. Not all who are called answer.
The call is a strange event that one must experience
to understand. It takes the form of a courteous mental
question, asking if one’s heart and soul are able
and willing to undertake dedication to a noble and
arduous purpose—protecting the world from the
spawn of Tiamat.
Bahamut’s call asks the chosen one if she
is willing to give herself over entirely to this
cause, giving up all that she was before to
transform into one of Bahamut’s children.
This choice is never easy. The chosen
one is made aware of the many
sacrifices she must make, from
her racial identity to her family
and friends, even her
whole way of life.
The only reward for
those forfeitures is
service to the Platinum
Dragon and his
abiding love.
THE RITE OF
REBIRTH
The Rite of Rebirth transforms a
character into a dedicated draconic servant of Bahamut
known as a dragonborn.
Becoming a dragonborn isn’t undertaken lightly. It is a
long process full of self-refl ection and commitment. Those
supplicants raised in the ways of their original race must
carefully consider what they’re giving up. While a human
might be content to give up her natural versatility, it’s rare
for someone heavily invested in her racial identity to forfeit
that race’s abilities.
When the rite begins, the supplicant lays aside all
her equipment and possessions for the duration of the
ceremony. Dressed in a loose, linen shift, she spends
a full day and night fasting and meditating upon her
choice. Her mind fi lls with all the things she is giving up,
reminding her she must forgo much of herself to become
a dragonborn.
When dawn comes, the prospective dragonborn crawls
inside an egg-shaped structure that she has built (see
Cost) in order to sleep for the last time in her original
form. This symbolic act represents her acceptance of
the transformation. When the next dawn arrives, she is
transformed into a dragonborn. After awakening inside
the sealed egg, she breaks out of it as a glorious, draconic
child of Bahamut.
Kethend ux aesthyr tibur Munthrek
emerges from her Rite of Rebirth
Prerequisites: In order to be accepted as a suitable
candidate, the supplicant must be non-evil and have an
Intelligence score of at least 3.
Benefi t: A dragonborn loses many of her
original racial traits and gains the racial traits of
the dragonborn race (see below).
Time: The Rite of Rebirth requires
24 hours of meditation and fasting
followed by 24 hours of sleep. If the
ceremony is interrupted, the prospective
child of Bahamut must start the rite
from the beginning.
Cost: The symbolic egg crafted by the
prospective dragonborn costs 100 gp to create,
and requires a handful of scales from metallic
dragons.
APPEARANCE
Noble. Draconic. Nearly every description
of a dragonborn includes those
two words. So thoroughly has a dragonborn
physically transformed that only
the framework of her former appearance
remains. Dragonborn are
always slightly bigger than most
other members of their original
race.
These servants of Bahamut
epitomize devotion to righteousness.
Their very appearance
gives an impression of virtuous
purpose. Dragonborn carry
themselves with good deportment,
seeing themselves as humanoid representations
of noble dragonkind.
When a dragonborn walks into an
inn, patrons’ heads turn and eyes stare. What they see is
well worth a second glance. In every aspect of their presence,
dragonborn consciously act as emissaries of their
adoptive father, Bahamut.
DRAGONBORN RACIAL TRAITS
A dragonborn combines some of the racial traits of her
original race and her new form. Only those traits gained
from transformation are given here; see also the Mechanics
of Rebirth sidebar.
• +2 Constitution, –2 Dexterity. Dragonborn are hearty
and healthy, but they are awkward in their newly adopted
bodies.
• Humanoid (dragonblood): Dragonborn are humanoids
with the dragonblood subtype and any other subtypes
they had before undergoing the Rite of Rebirth. For
all effects related to race, a dragonborn is considered a
dragon and a member of her original race.
• Age: After a dragonborn underoes the Rite of Rebirth,
she emerges as an adult creature regardless of her previous
age. If she lives for 200 years (see Table 1–1, page 10),
she enters middle age.
• +2 dodge bonus to Armor Class against creatures
of the dragon type. The dragonborn have an innate