Gorgon Race
KASSANDRA MADE HER WAY THROUGH THE
statuary.
Turning her attention left and right as she marveled at the skill on the display.
Each statue was remarkably life-like, though she didn't really appreciate the terrified expression of the subjects.
"Appreciating my work, are you?" A female voice asked, pulling Kassandra out of her awe.
"Yes, it's all incredibly good. How di-" Kassandra turned around to look at the artist, only to see a woman with snakes in place of hair. This woman. This THING was absolutely terrifying to behold. Kassandra felt compelled to run, but her body wouldn't listen. She looked down, realizing that her body was turning to stone and that she would join the rest of the gorgon's victims.
Children of Curses
The first gorgons were beautiful people who through the either spit or irony were cursed into creatures so hideous that just looking at them would turn them to stone.
But with all curses, there was a solution albeit not a cure. Very rarely a child would be born that not only was immune to the curse, but could reverse its effects.
Two Halves
There are two types of gorgons. The famous medusa, who can turn people to stone with a glance, and the considerably rarer maedar, who can store petrified creatures with a touch.
Due to their curse, medusae are shunned from society and often bearing an absolute hatred for any and everything. Unable to glance upon a living face for the entirety of their lives. Except for maedar.
1% of children born to a gorgon will be a maedar. These gorgons are immune to their parents curse and can reverse it. To this end, the lucky gorgon who meets a maedar cherishes them forever, and they in turn.
Medusa and maedar are devoted to one another, if one dies, the other will likely go on a live long mission of revenge.
Otherworldly Beauty
The curse that affects the gorgons is in itself a lie. A lie that those immune to their curse can see through.
In truth, the gorgons remain beautiful. Perhaps so beautiful that the gods had to, but failed to hide it.
To this end, perhaps this is the reason for a maedar and medusa's devotion.
Gorgon Traits
The following traits are shared among all gorgons.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1.
Age. Gorgons have lifespans equivalent to humans.
Alignment. Gorgons have difficult lives having to adhere to strict practices so that they do not doom themselves. They tend towards Lawful.
Size. Gorgons have the same range of height and weight as humans. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. Accustomed to life in darkness, you 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.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common.
Subrace. There are two noteworthy subraces of gorgon, the medusa and the maedar. Choose one of these subraces.
Medusa
Named after their most famous member, medusae are the more famous of the gorgons. These gorgons at the most powerful are known to turn unfortunate creatures into stone.
These gorgons are primarily female, but exceptions are known to exist.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2.
Petrifying Gaze. Your focused gaze is supernaturally dreadful. As an action, you can focus your gaze. All creatures that can see you in a 30-foot cone must make a Constitution saving throw or become frightened of you for 1 minute. A creature that has failed this save can repeat this save at the end of their turns, ending it early on a success.
At 5th level, your gaze will instead stun a creature for up to 1 minute. At 11th level, your gaze will instead paralyze a creature for up to 1 minute. At 17th level, your gaze will instead petrify a creature until it is freed by greater restoration or similar magic.
Once you've used this ability a number of times equal to your Proficiency bonus, you cannot use it until you finish a long rest.
The saving throw for this ability is equal to 8 + your Constitution modifier + your Proficiency bonus.
Snake Hair. Your hair is composes entirely of living snakes that are natural weapons with the finesse property, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength or Dexterity modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
Maedar
Maedar are the far rarer gorgon. So rare that few even know they exist. They are the opposite half of the medusae, being able to cure the effects of a medusa's gaze, typically from themselves.
These gorgons are primarily male, but exceptions are known to exist.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2.
Adamantine Fists. Your fists are supernaturally hard. Your unarmed strikes deal 1d6 + your Strength modifier bludgeoning damage. In addition, your fists deal double damage to structures and objects and count as being made of adamantine for the purposes of overcoming resistances.
Heart of Stone. You are immune to a madusa's petrifying gaze. In addition, you have advantage on saving throws against spells that would reduce your speed, or inflict the paralyzed, petrified, or stunned conditions.
Stone to Flesh. The other side of the gorgon curse, you possess the ability to reverse the effect of a madusa's gaze, to herself, or her victims. As an action, you can touch a petrified creature and remove the petrified condition.
Once you've used this ability a number of times equal to your Proficiency bonus, you cannot use it until you finish a long rest.
Gorgon Racial Feats
If your DM allows the optional feats rule, these feats are avaliable to gorgon PCs.
Venomous Snake Hair
Prerequisite: Gorgon (medusa)
The snakes on your head aren't just for show, they're as deadly as the rest of you. You gain the following benefits:
- Increase your Constitution score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
- Once on each of your turns, one of your attacks with your snake hair can deal an extra 1d6 poison damage damage to a target on a hit. This additional damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6).
One with the Earth
Prerequisite: Gorgon (maedar)
Your bond to stone and the earth allows you to move through it as though it were water. You gain the following benefits:
- Increase your Constitution score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
- You can burrow through nonmagical, unworked earth and stone at a speed of 15 feet. While doing so, you don't disturb the material you move through.
Variant Medusa: A True Curse
As written, the medusa's gaze was intended to be balanced for a Player Character in mind. As such, it is not constant and is activated. To nobody's surprise this does not sound like a curse. But petrification is incredibly powerful which is why a Character does not get it until level 17 (which is coincidentally the number of Hit Die a Medusa from the Monster Manual Possesses).
But like all 3rd party materials, with your DM's permission, you may replace the Petrifying Gaze feature in the racial traits with the following:
Petrifying Gaze. Unless you take precautions to conceal yourself, when a creature that can see you starts its turn within 30 feet of you, that creature must make a Constitution saving throw. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is instantly petrified. Otherwise, a creature that fails the save begins to turn to stone and is restrained. The restrained creature must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn, becoming petrified on a failure or ending the effect on a success. The petrification lasts until the creature is freed by the greater restoration spell or other magic.
Unless surprised, a creature can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If the creature does so, it can't see you until the start of its next turn, when it can avert its eyes again. If the creature looks at you in the meantime, it must immediately make the save.
If you see yourself reflected on a polished surface within 30 feet of you and in an area of bright light, you are, due to your curse, affected by your own gaze.
Please keep in mind, that this affects your own party, and because there is no facing rules in 5th Edition, not even the distractions of combat will save them.
This isn't an overpowered ability.
This is a curse.
Credits
Designed by d'Artagnan on DMs Guild, /u/dArtagnanDnD on reddit, or dArtagnanDnD on patreon and dArtagnanDnD on Twitter.
- Made with "GM Binder".
- Made with reference and for use with Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition, created by Wizards of the Coast.