Dullahan PC Race

9 months ago
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“I seen the dullahan myself, stopping on the brow of the hill between Bryansford and Moneyscalp late one evening, just as the sun was setting. It was completely headless but it held up its own head in its hand and I heard it call out a name. I put my hand across my ears in case the name was my own, so I couldn’t hear what it said. When I looked again, it was gone. But shortly afterwards, there was an accident on that very hill and a young man was killed. It had been his name that the dullahan was calling.”

“A man was on his way home one night between Roundstone and Ballyconneely. It was just getting dark and, all of a sudden, he heard the sound of horse’s hooves pounding along the road behind him. Looking around, he saw the dullahan on his charger, hurtling towards him at a fair speed. With a loud shout, he made to run but the thing came on after him, gaining on him all the time. In truth, it would have overtaken him and carried him away had he not dropped a gold-headed pin from the folds of his shirt on the road behind him. There was a roar in the air above him and, when he looked again, the dullahan was gone.”

The Dullahan is a Fey of the Unseelie Court that is the embodiment of the headless horseman of legends, wandering the world in search of the dead and dying. They fancy themselves as controllers of population, and the eradicators of pestilence. A Dullahan uses it’s death watch ability to discern those near it who are near death or dying. Then, they seek out those people and bring a swift ending. Some more righteous Dullahan take it upon themselves to annhilate those afflicted by plagues, in order to stop the spread of the disease. It is said that if a Dullahan calls your name, you are sure to die.

Alignment

Unlike many fey, Dullahans are usually Lawful in alignment. Their morality outlook is typically neutral, as they see death as a part of natural, unerring order from which none should be able to escape their appointed time; though some veer toward evil, and even revel in their killing.

Physical Description

Dullahans can actively choose to remove their heads at will. While the dullahan’s head is removed he carries it with him, either on the pommel of his saddle or upraised in his hand. The eyes can glow with a bright phosphorescence of yellow and the creature may use it as a lantern to guide its way along the darkened lanes of the countryside.

The dullahan is usually mounted on a black steed, which thunders through the night and breathes embers and flames from its nostrils as it charges forth. Contrary to appearances, this steed is in fact a part of the Dullahan itself, which can be conjured at will about the Dullahan’s form, and cannot be slain separately from him, only have its form vanquished until the Dullahan may next conjure the phantom steed once more.

Racial Traits

  • Ability Score Modifiers: Dullahans sturdy and resilient, but their unsettling aura is hard to conceal or overcome, even with a great personality. They gain +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, and -2 Charisma. (0 RP)
  • Size: Dullahan are Medium creatues and receive no bonus or penalty for size. (0 RP)
  • Type: Dullahan are Fey (2 RP)
  • Base Speed: Dullahans have a base speed of 30 feet. (0 RP)
  • Languages: Dullahans speak Common and Sylvan, they can also pick the language of any mortal humanoid race as a bonus language. (0 RP)
  • Weapon Familiarity: A Dullahan is proficient in whips and the scythe. (1 RP)
  • Eerie: Dullahans have an unsettling appearance, moreso when their nature is known. They gain +2 on Intimidate checks, but suffer a -2 penalty on Diplomacy and Bluff checks; when their head is detached, these penalties and the bonus double. (-2 RP)
  • Gold Aversion: Dullahan are held at bay and repelled by any substantial amount of gold; in the presence of items or weapons made of gold in value of at least 1,000gp + 100gp per character level, the Dullahan is staggered until he is no longer in proximity of the substance. He may not attack a target who is brandishing said object or quantity of gold. (-2 RP)
  • Low-light Vision: Dullahans an see twice as far as a race with normal vision in conditions of dim light.
  • Darkvision: Dullahans can see in the dark up to 60 feet. (2 RP)
  • Spectral Steed (Sp): A Dullahan may, as a standard action once per day, conjure a black warhorse as part of his form, which he appears to ride upon. This functions exactly like the Phantom Steed spell as a spell-like ability, with the Dullahan’s hit dice treated as his caster level. This ability is Charisma based. (3 RP)
  • Headless (Sp): A Dullahan may detach his head from his body at will. This functions as the Decollate spell except where noted. When the head is detached, he gains DR 2/— and immunity to decapitation effects and other effects that require their target to have a head. The Dullhan’s body is blind so long as he has no head, but gains blindsense to a distance of 15 feet.  While detached, the target’s head can see and make Perception rolls in its perspective separate that of the body. The Dullahan always knows the direction and distance to his head. If unattended, the severed head has AC 7, hardness 5, and 25% of the character’s hit points. Destroying the head while separated reduces the maximum hit points of the Dullahan by 25% for one week, at which point the head will regenerate. If either the target or the head are removed to a different plane, or if the magic is dispelled, the head teleports back to its owner and reattaches without further harm. (8 RP)
  • Death Watch (Sp): The dullahan may lift its head aloft and cast Deathwatch as a spell-like ability 3 times/day. (3 RP)
  • Death’s Calling (Su): Once per day as a standard action, a Dullahan may place a death’s calling on a target within 60 feet (The DC is 10+half the Dullahan’s hit dice+Charisma mod). If the dullahan knows and speaks the target’s name, the target takes a –2 penalty on the save. If the victim fails the save, he becomes staggered for 1d6 rounds. For the next 24 hours, or until the Dullahan or the target is slain, the Dullahan gains a +4 bonus to confirm any critical hit. Finally, the victim automatically fails any Constitution checks to stabilize while dying. This is a mind-affecting curse effect. (4 RP)
  • Total Race Points: 19