Axon
Axon Traits
Characters with the axon heritage share a variety of traits in common.
Age. Axons mature at about the age of 40, and typically live about 200 years.
Size. Axons stand over 7 feet in height. Your size is Medium, Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Powerful Build. You count as size Large for the purposes of determining carrying capacities.
Fur Coat. Your thick fur protects you from cold environments. You have resistance to cold damage, and you gain an expertise die on Survival checks made in arctic environments.
Keen Senses. You gain an expertise die on skill checks that rely on hearing or smell.
Axon Gifts
In addition to the traits found in your axon heritage, select one of the following gifts.
Extendable Claws
Some axons sport sharp, extendable claws. The claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes that deal slashing damage equal to 1d8 + your Strength modifier.
Mighty Roar
As a bonus action you can bellow a loud and frightening roar. Your roar affects all creatures who are not allies within a 15-ft. cone. Targets within that area must make a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you until the end of its next turn. The DC of the saving throw is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier. Once you have used this feature you cannot use it again until you take a long rest.
Thick Fur
Your fur is thick enough to protect you from attacks. While you aren’t wearing armor, your AC equals 12 + your Constitution modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.
Axon Paragon
When you reach 10th level, you are an exemplar of axonkind, and you gain one paragon gift from the following list.
Bellowing Roar
Prerequisite: Mighty Roar
When you use your Mighty Roar feature, it affects all non-allied creatures within 30 feet of you. Additionally, you now regain use of your Mighty Roar feature whenever you complete a short rest.
Fierce Claws
Prerequisite: Extendable Claws
Your claws, and your fang-like teeth, are longer and sharper than many of your kind. Your claws and teeth are natural weapons which do damage equal to 1d10 + your Strength modifier. Your claws do slashing damage and your teeth do piercing damage.
Massive Build
All axons are strong, but some grow even larger as they get older. You have advantage on all Strength ability checks and saving throws.
Axon Culture
While axons are technologically advanced, they evolved in jungle environments and many still retain that innate natural connection. As such, axons often form very rustic communities which exist in harmony with nature; technology serves its purpose, but where possible it is hidden or as subtle as possible. Fierce-looking though they are, axons evolved for survival rather than warfare; indeed the oldest origin stories of the species rarely feature conflict. Those survival skills, and the physical prowess that comes along with them, however, make for fearsome foes should an axon or their community be threatened.
Suggested Cultures
While you can choose any culture for your axon character, the following cultures are linked closely with this heritage: backwater, belter, drifter, rustic, underclass.