Grave-Eater
“The “Grave Eaters” as they are called, are often bereft of the standards held by most mortal races. Yet, they do have their own culture, at least in terms of what is considered so in the deepest depths. After one expedition that was cut short by a sudden attack by horrid aberrations formed of darkness, a tribe of necrovores was our closest respite. After we were gauged not to be a threat to the colony, they welcomed us in their harsh, chattering tongue. Even though our comforts merely consisted of beds made from rough hairs that I dread the source of, their efforts to help were enough for us to recuperate and travel back to the surface.
That said, they are of little help when it comes to meals for most mortals. I am thankful that our rations weren’t harmed during the endeavor, as I would have been too sickened to write this entry if I had to partake in the rotting scraps that they considered foodstuffs.”
-Alchmed Farsight, famed Underdark explorer
Dark Scavengers
The dark depths of the Material Plane are a dangerous place for most. Many of the races that are common in the dark places underground are unfriendly at best, and outright Evil at worst. The flora and fauna have evolved in a harsh environment that has left many of them well equipped for dealing with anything that they see as a threat or potential meal. Most dreadfully, rumors speak of ancient horrors that live in the deepest reaches of caverns, that are so incomprehensible to mortals that just their appearance could strike one dead.
Thus, it is no wonder that there would be races who exist to feast on what’s left of those who meet their fate.
The race known as “Grave-Eaters” in the Common tongue are perfectly designed for the consumption of corpses. Their long claws can rip rotting flesh from bone, and their elongated jaws are powerful enough to then crush the bone itself. Their digestive system is adapted to be able to consume even the most putrid of meats without becoming diseased themselves, leaving them able to use their grime-soaked natural weapons to infect those who aren’t similarly immune to afflictions. Their skin often looks not much different than that of the corpses they eat, being shades of sickly green or brown with sparse hairs.
Crypt-Creeping Cultures
In the harsh depths of the Underdark, most Grave-Eaters live in small, cloistered colonies. Their main interaction with most races, and often the main foundation of their culture, is the collection of the other’s dead to feed themselves. As a result of being a scavenging species, they tend to have a very loose, “waste not, want not” attitude towards what counts as desecration of the dead, often leaving them in conflicts with other races. This goes especially for races that live on the surface, whose knowledge of Grave-Eaters consists of varied rumors about creeping monsters that feed on the recently buried.
Outside of their shared proclivity for taking the dead, Grave-Eaters often vary on their sociality towards others. Some groups are known for being very welcoming towards those that can tolerate their strange values, to the point where there are even legends of spells that can allow other races to transform themselves into their kind. Others, meanwhile, are just as happy to turn any potential visitors into another meal.
While most colonies don’t have much more magical prowess than any other mortal, there are rumors of strange powers within the deepest of colonies. Some say that certain groups have discovered how to imbibe the memories of the dead along with the consumption of flesh, and that they use this knowledge to act as spies and brokers along other Underdark races. Others say that Grave-Eater societies worship a range of dread and foul gods that claim dominion over all that rots and shambles.
Grave-Eater Names
While it can vary depending on the specific colony, Grave-Eater names from their language often have an erratic mix of sudden stops and flowing vowel clusters. There isn’t much of a difference between genders, other than feminine names often using softer sounds.
Grave-Eater Names: Aras’tul, Ba-allih, Da-shpik, Gao’ull, Guu-taar, Kragash, Lurr’iph, Maagr’il, Murragh, Narrgul, Ruur’all, Saa’sull, Sha-gish, Ta-darisk, Vas-srik, Vi’talskh
Grave-Eater Traits
Your Grave-Eater character has the following racial traits.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Age. Grave-Eaters have been recorded living for longer than your average mortal, with some being recorded to be hundreds of years old. However, the exact range of their lifespan is one of the many things they keep secret.
Alignment. While Grave-Eaters aren’t destined for Evil, the depraved entities that dwell in areas close to them and their strange views regarding the dead tend to mean that not many are Good in nature.
Size. Most Grave-Eaters are slightly larger and lankier than the average human. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet.
Scavenger’s Constitution. Your natural diet is the dead, the consumption of which needs certain adaptations to survive. You gain the following benefits:
- You have resistance to poison damage.
- You have advantage on saving throws against non-magical diseases and non-magical effects that cause the poisoned condition.
- You can ingest rotten foods as if they are fresh.
Diseased Strikes. You have claws and teeth that can be used to make unarmed strikes. Your claws deal 1d4 slashing damage, and your teeth deal 1d6 piercing damage. When you hit with either of these natural weapons, you can force the target of an attack from these sources to make a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the end of your next turn. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.
Superior Darkvision. Your eyes are adapted to see in the deepest caverns. You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray.
Languages. You know Common, Undercommon and Grave-Talk. The native language of Grave-Eaters, Grave-Talk consists of surprisingly high-pitched croons, calls, and mutterings.
Optional Rules:
These rules are either to fit with more modern race standards, or to add interesting options that are too esoteric to be a part of the core features.
Tasha’s-style Ability Scores. Instead of the given Ability Score Improvements, you can increase one score by 2 and increase a different score by 1, or increase three different scores by 1.
Credits
All artwork by 416.
Wording for "Diseased Strikes" helpfully improved by Just the Wind Drake
Concept heavily based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft and others.
Version 1.0
