Revenant

The revenant are the undead of peoples slain in cruelty and malice, their soul returning with vengeful fury. Whether reclaiming their body, or reforming it in undeath, revenant are grim bearers of that which killed them. Revenant are relentless in their intent to inflict retribution upon those who led to their death. Arisen from the ceaseless bloodshed of the War of Extinction, revenants are enmity embodied and grisly reminders of the hate and violence of those dark times.

Revenant are formed from the vengeful souls of those peoples of Kyme who meet a cruel and tortuous end. Returning to the world in undeath, as their body binds them to seek revenge. Bearing the wounds of their demise, revenants are dread in appearance, as sadness and rage cling to them like a death shroud.

Revenant Names. The Revenant retain the names they held in life. Though many revenant as they wander seeking vengeance take on a moniker in order to avert any hint to those they pursue.

Revenant Attitudes. Having been returned to life through the unrest of spirit Revenant are not concerned with conflicts they left behind with their death, unless that conflict is tied to their death.

Revenant Traits

Undead Emergence - You choose one of the following prime races: dark elf, draconic, dwarf, human, or lycan. You retain the traits of your race, adding the traits of the revenant in addition.

Ability Score Increase - Your Constitution score increases by 1.

Age - You remain in the likeness of the age at which your life ended, yet as years pass, your undead vengeance ravages your body.

Alignment - Your death has changed you, and your alignment is now joined with the unrelenting desire for vengeance on those that killed you.

Death - Undeath having taken you, your soul is yet another to be entombed in the realm of Dramah, the God of Undeath. Though revenants in their undying pursuit might find some form of release from their hatred.

Size - You are the size you were while living, though your appearance is marked by the circumstance of your death.

Speed - Your speed is the same as in your previous existence.

Undead Nature - You do not require air, food, drink, or sleep, but must relent in order to gain a long rest. You are considered Humanoid (Undead) in respect to spells, abilities, and effects, also magic cannot put you to sleep.

Relentless - You are immune to effects that turn undead and magic circle. Also no consecrated ground from the hallow spell can prevent you from entering the area.

Regeneration - When you fall to 0 hit points and not killed instantly, you must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5. On a success you fall to 1 hit point instead. Until you complete a short or long rest every time you use this trait the DC increases by 5.

Revenance - You met some fate that left your spirit restless and continually reanimating your body until you have satisfied your vengeful soul. Until such a time you gain the following features:

  • If you die, you return to life 24 hours after death. If your body is destroyed, you reform within 1 mile of the place of your death at a place determined by the DM. Losing any equipment you were carrying.

  • The reason for your death and any object or creature involved is known to you. It is not known the direction or location. Your requital reveals only when you are within a number of miles of what you pursue. At 5th level when you are within 10 miles of a known object or creature you can concentrate for 1 minute to learn the direction. Upon reaching 11th level you learn the direction of the creature or object involved in your death.

Upon completion of your vengeance your character dies and cannot be restored to life.

Languages - You know the languages you knew in life.

Revenant Undeath Feat

Dread Revenance. Prerequisite: Revenant

The vengeance that animates you in your undeath only deepens. You gain the following abilities:

  • Your undead fury is now unleashed on each foe you face. When you hit a target with an attack you can add your proficiency bonus to the damage roll as either psychic or necrotic damage (your choice). But only once per turn.

  • You are relentless in your vengeance. When you are killed you return to life after 1d4 hours. If your body is destroyed it reforms and you are returned to life after 1d8 hours.

Revenants of the Races

Dark Elf. Vengeance and blood atonement are principles that run deep in elven culture. For this, dark elven revenants are oft unimpeded by their kin, or even driven to serve the empire as deathless assassins on the promise of their revenance.

Draconic. The draconic people have much to be vengeful over and revenants of the draconic are oft drawn back to life with a fury unseen in the world. Many draconic sellswords will take revenants into their ranks so as to aid them in seeking their vengeance, as an enemy of a draconic revenant, is oft an enemy of the draconic people.

Dwarf. By debt of blood a dwarven revenant returns to the world. The dwarven people, though as a culture abhor undeath, have only solemn regard for a dwarven revenant.

Human. Each human in their short lives dies with regret. Though for undeath to take them as a revenant, their death must be cruel and undeserved. Such that is burns the very soul with vengeance.

Lycan. Relentless hunters are honored in lycan culture, and revenant within the lycan packs are held in similar regard. For their undeath has a purpose, and though, outside of nature's cycle, the justice they often seek is understood by the lycan.

Vengeance Incarnate

In their undeath revenants exist solely to reign vengeance upon those that slew them so ruthlessly. Regarded with equal parts fear and pity, each step a revenant takes draws them nearer to their ultimate demise. Yet, amongst the varied peoples and cultures of the world, revenant can be treated as a grave boon or woeful bane. Serving as avenging warriors of their people, deathless and grim. Revenants however hold a place among most as unliving testaments to all the hate and pain brought upon the world. For a revenant that wanders without finding their true vengeance, too often inflicts their vengeful nature upon those, perhaps, undeserving.

Undying Judgement

Revenants in their will for revenge transgress the laws of the lands in their pursuit. Though not unreasoned in their desire for revenge, some revenant will wait years knowing where their quarry lies, awaiting only the opportunity. For a revenant that wanders the world and cannot bring to an end their revenance, they might begin to find their undead nature take on more fell purposes. Vengeance against one, might change to vengeance against all that share a likeness or lineage with the one responsible for their death. A revenant might lose their vengeful will to the pain and suffering of their undeath and become dreadful undead known as wights, that see all life as theirs to take. In times of terrible upheaval since the War of Extinction revenants have arisen, whole armies returned with vengeful fury, marching once more to a battlefield that has long stood empty. For a revenant their very existence is one seeking vengeance, be it right, wrong, or someplace between, they must face this judgement.