Race: Avalrys

The orderly Avalrys are a heavenly group of angelic beings that emerged from the skies hundreds of years in the past. Since settling on Lyr’andor, they brought order to a mostly war-torn land, then, finding resistance to their strict ways of life, retreated back to the Volantaris Peaks. The Avalrys are split into two primary factions. The Sun Avalrys, metallic-skinned beings who prefer to adhere to a strict set of laws and guidelines, and have an intolerance for all things chaotic. The Star Avalrys are more forgiving, with soft skin of pastel hues, and seek to practice mercy and forgiveness, seeking rather to redeem beings they view as fallen, rather than destroy them outright. Both variations, while humanoid in form, are set aside from other mortals in appearance, with horns erupting from their heads, and great wings unfolding from their backs.

A Rift in the Sky

The Avalrys emerged from the sky when a great rift formed in the heavens. The reason for this arrival is something lost to time, and even the modern Avalrys cannot discern how they arrived in Lyr’andor, only why – to bring order to a chaotic and war ravaged land. The angelic host had not the numbers, nor the power to completely control everyone, but they did manage to instill fear into tyrants and warlords across the continent. The great wars died down, giving room to an era of relative peace. It was at this point that the Avalrys realized they could not return home; nor did they carry any memories of what home truly was, other than a wish to return. With no place to go, they traveled the land, doing their best to impose law and order wherever they went. Soon, they were met with resistance to their puritan ways, and wore out their welcomes. It was time to find a place of their own, where they could live life in the orderly fashion they desired. They sought out the tallest mountains in all of Lyr’andor: the Volantaris Peaks.

The Ordering of Volantaris

The Avalrys’ cities climb the outsides of Volantaris’ largest peak. The cities form rings around the peaks at distinct elevations, forming circular structures that climb all the way from the base, to the summit. Each city has a specialized purpose, with only one ‘class’ of Avalrys living in each. As one rises up through the ranks of their people, they are permitted to gain entrance to the higher settlements. The Sun Avalrys take the higher peaks, as they prefer to live the furthest from the rest of the world, and long to leave it, and return to the land from which they came. The Star Avalrys, however, start at the base, and work their way up to the center of the mountain. They prefer to interact with mortals, and adapt to this new world, rendering aid wherever they can. The two types of Avalrys rarely mix, as their philosophies towards the other races differ vastly.

A New World To Explore

After settling upon the peaks, several centuries passed before the Avalrys began to venture out into the lands of the other races. It slowly became common for small groups of Star Avalrys to leave the Peaks to wander the world, seeking ways to do good and help others. These travelers slowly gained a reputation as mediators and healers, and fostered the modern view of the Avalrys as welcome visitors, not imposing heralds of some divine order. These Avalrys began to understand the ways that the other races lived, and began to indulge in some of life’s pleasures. The Sun Avalrys were far more rare. Once every ten years, a single Sun Champion was chosen to venture out into the world, and commit some great act of heroism and order. They sought to bring order to any disordered lands they found, then return to the peaks. If they could complete their mission and deny the temptations the other races surrendered to, they were elevated to a higher order. Many failed, however, and found their places in the world as holy warriors, mercenaries, and arbiters of justice.

Imposing Forms

An Avalryssan cuts and imposing figure when in the company of other races. They stand taller than the average human, with males and females reaching heights of seven feet. Both Sun and Star Avalrys have horns upon their heads, with the Sun Avalrys carrying large stag-like horns, and the Star Avalrys wearing smaller, more curved horn structures. Upon their backs are large feathered wings, which typically extend outwards in a span of ten feet. The Sun Avalrys’ wings tend to be metallic looking, usually golden in colour. The Star Avalrys usually have softer looking, white wings, akin more to the angels to typical folklore. Skin tone also varies by race, with Sun Avalrys having stark, metallic colorations, often in gold or silver. Star Avalryssan flesh appears softer, smoother, and tends to be shades of blue, pink, or yellow. Their eyes, often gold, silver, blue or yellow, give off a soft golden glow (for Sun Avalrys), or silver glow (for Star Avalrys).

Rigid Order

Order governs everything Avalrys do. They have specific rituals and rules to be observed for everything; from procreation, to birth, to rising to adulthood, to death, each Avalrys follows the rules of their people. If a new situation arises, the Sun Avalrys gather in a council to determine what rules will be imposed upon it. There are rules for when to create goods, rules for courting life mates, rules for when to purchase or discard items, rules for when and what to eat, and rules for forming families. The Sun Avalrys observe these rules diligently, and rarely deviate from them. Those that do are punished harshly, and almost never commit another crime. The Star Avalrys, however, attempt to temper these rules, treating them more like guidelines to be observed when possible. They have come to understand that other races will not abide by their strict laws on life, and as such have done their best to marry the variety of mortal life with the intentions of their code of order.

Avalrys Traits

Skin Colours: Sun Avalrys have metallic looking, cold and hard feeling skin, often in metallic hues of gold, silver, copper, bronze, sapphire or emerald. Star Avalrys have softer, warmer skin, and are dressed in pastel versions of most colours, with a wide variance, including soft pinks, blues, greens, yellow, purples and whites.

Hair Colours: Sun Avalrys’ hair looks almost like it was forged metal made to appear as if it were hair. Some Sun Avalrys forgo hair entirely. Their hair follows the same shading guidelines as their skin. Star Avalrys have true hair, often in darker colours (though light colours are not unheard of). Hair often comes in shades of deep blue, green, black or purple, with gold and silver flecks that reflect light, simulating stars.

Eye Colours: Sun Avalrys have glowing golden eyes. Star Avalrys have glowing silver eyes.

Racial Appearance Features:

Horns: Both Sun and Star Avalrys have horns. Sun Avalrys horns are large and sprawling, akin to Stag antlers. Star Avalrys have smaller, softer, often curved horns, similar to rams.
Wings: Both Avalrys have wings. Sun Avalrys tend to have metallic, interlocking looking wings that simulate feathers, that fold out like a fan when they emerge. Star Avalrys have larger wingspans, and theirs are true feathers, often in the same colour and style as their hair.
Voices: Sun Avalrys have a metallic, sharp tone to their voices, that almost comes out as a tinny echo. Star Avalrys have more melodic voices that tend to be very pleasing to listen to.

Naming Suggestions: Traditionally, Avalrys have structured and iconic sounding names. Sun Avalrys names tend to rely on the common themes of glory, valor, battle, combat, strength, and honor. Star Avalrys names are themed towards mercy, health, forgiveness, light, beauty, and compassion. They are sometimes named after one form of these words (or similar words), or take pieces of those words and append a suffix to the word, Such as Mercia, Valoris, Gloraeus, Honoriel, Divinus, or Valorynne. However, Avalrys that have spent considerable time, or an entire generation in the lands of other races may modify their name to fit something more human sounding. Avalrys don’t have a traditional family structure or family name – but will sometimes take a title as a surname when travelling the lands of other races.

Male Names: Valoris, Divinius, Grandeus, Nobilitus, Splendor, Honoreus, Gloryn, Tributus, Victoreus

Female Names: Triumphine, Valorynne, Mercia, Empathiel, Sorroliel, Charity, Vengeanciel, Grace, Loreiel

Age: Both Avalrys tend to live for around two hundred and fifty years. They are born similar to humans, and follow a similar growth pattern. They gain the use of their wings by 13, and become adults by age 20. They are in their physical peak until around 190 years of age, and then begin to decline.

Height: Both Avalrys are considerably taller than humans. For Sun Avalrys, females tend to be taller, standing up to seven and a half feet, compared to males who stand up to seven feet. In Star Avalrys, this trait is reversed, with females standing only up to seven feet, and males up to seven and a half. The shortest Avalrys recorded was still above six feet tall. The average Avalrys stands at around 6’10 to 7’2.

Weight: Sun Avalrys are considerably heavier than their Star Avalrys counterparts, due to their metallic nature. Otherwise, their weights are as expected for people of their height, with added consideration to wings and horns.

Alignment: All Avalrys tend to lean Lawful, though Star Avalrys have more adaptability and can commonly be neutral. Years of interaction has also swayed travelling Avalrys to become more Neutral or Chaotic. Sun Avalrys, however, are almost always heavily Lawful. All Avalrys lean good, with only multi generational travelers leaning neutral. On rare occasion, an Avalrys has fallen into the realms of evil, but often because they’re seeking to impose their law upon unlawful beings.

Size: Your size is medium.

Speed: Your speed is 30ft per turn. You have a flight speed of 5ft per turn. This increases to 10ft per turn at level 10, 15 feet per turn at level 15, and 30ft per turn at level 20.

Racial Special Traits:

Ability Score Increase: Your Wisdom increases by 2.
Winged Charge: Based on your subrace, you gain the ability to use your wings for an in-combat maneuver.
Language: You understand and can speak Common and Angelic

Sun Avalrys

Ability Score Increase: You Strength score increases by 1.
Armored Shell: Your skin provides a natural armor, granting you an additional 1 AC.
Winged Charge of Valor: When an enemy you can see, within 20ft of you, attacks an ally you can see with a ranged, melee, or spell attack, you can use your reaction to extend your wings and charge that enemy, granting you a basic melee attack, where you deal an additional 1d8 Radiant damage if successful. This ability increases to 2d8 at level 11, and 3d8 at level 17. You can use this ability twice, and both charges return after a short rest.
Battle Proficiency: You are proficient in heavy, medium, and light armor. You are proficient with shields. You are proficient with Greatswords, Longswords, and Shortswords.

Star Avalrys

Ability Score Increase: You Charisma score increases by 1.
Gift of the Stars: You gain the ability to bestow a small amount of healing to allies with the touch of your hand. Your healing pool equals two times your level. This healing recharges on a long rest. As an action, you can touch a creature, and grant them any number of hit points available in your healing pool. When you do so, your hand grows with soft white radiance.
Healer’s Aegis: When you receive or bestow healing, your angelic grace grants additional protection to your target. After casting a healing spell or using a healing ability (Such as Gift of the Stars), roll 1d6. The target gains that number of temporary hitpoints. The temporary hitpoints gained cannot exceed the total amount of damage healed. This ability increases to 2d6 at level 11, and 3d6 at level 17.
Winged Charge of Mercy: As a reaction, when an ally you can see, within 20ft, is targeted by a ranged, melee, or spell attack, you can extend yours wings and fly to your ally’s side. Immediately upon reaching them, you can use a touch spell upon the ally, or any other creature within range. You can use this ability twice, and both charges return after a short rest.