Pyrekin — Species · Salorras Codex

Salorras species: pyrekin — scions of the phoenix and the early isil elves, born always as identical twins who can fuse their two souls into a single extraplanar being: fireproof, magic-blooded, and untameable in their love of freedom. 2024 has no analogue for this people; this is a custom Salorras species capturing the pyrekin’s phoenix blood, fire resilience, talons, and the signature twin-fusion that calls a pyrearchon into the world. Ability scores come from your background, as in 2024.

Origin: Khalendianil — scions of the phoenix and the early isil elves, wedded to the protoplast beings of flame Stature: Taller than the average human, with fine features — red-skinned, hair of gold or cinnamon, black hooked talons, slit eyes Lifespan: A year in the chrysalis; adult at thirty; long-lived in the manner of elves Realm: Faeldar (Asmeda) — the first official statelet of the pyrekin; diasporas in Braora, the Free Cities of South, and Neluvia Faith: Orya — joined in Neluvia by the Queen Nara face, and contested in this age by the rising cult of the phoenix Arcalyx Languages: Native — Phyrnal (a fire-and-Elven dialect); honored — the wind-tongue of freedom; local — the dialect of the region of upbringing

The pyrekin carry the blood of the imposing phoenix. Myth says their kind arose from the first elves of the isil family when they drew near the protoplast and savage society of the terrible beings of fire. They always come into the world in pairs, as identical twins from a shared chrysalis, alike as two drops of water, and by grace of their blood most are able to call upon magic. They love to travel to unknown and distant places, holding that freedom is the highest privilege life has granted them, and they are famed for a volatile temper — “unsteady and unpredictable as the pyre,” as the people of the south say. At some point in life each pair of twins comes into one of the most unearthly powers of their kind: the fusion, by which the two siblings join their souls and bring a pyrearchon into the material world.

Character

The pyrekin are known for their strong personality and zeal — emblematic beings who profess rebirth through the whole journey of life. Though they chiefly seek harmonious coexistence with the peoples who share their land, wide racism can drive them onto the paths of vengeance and violence. The priceless right of freedom is non-negotiable; deprived of it they grow unbelievably violent, and captive pyrekin have lost their reason and lived out their lives as rabid beasts. Their abrupt changes of mood the other peoples explain by a myth that the pyrekin reincarnate when they die.

Appearance

Their height, weight, and build resemble those of elves; their skin is golden-red on the breast and deep purple-red on the back. Their faces bear narrow noses, browless slit eyes of orange or green, pointed ears, and prominent cheekbones, framed by long gold or cinnamon hair they delight in cutting in singular ways. Their fingertips end in large black horny talons that serve as deadly weapons. Young pyrekin have small membrane pseudo-wings from wrist to flank for short flight, but these atrophy at adulthood and are lost forever. They hatch from eggs called “chrysalises” over the span of a year and come of age after their thirtieth year.

Neighbors and Rivals

Most peoples feel uneasy in their presence, owing to their volatility and unearthly nature; others esteem them deeply, sensing this ancient people mirrors something primal. The pyrekin feel most at ease among their own and are untroubled by the displeasure of those who cannot identify with their beliefs, so long as it passes no bounds. Into their societies are accepted those who hold liberalism and open-minded thought; the square logic of the dwarves and the legislative bureaucracy of humans can confuse them, for they reckon such minds “imprisoned” in rules of their own making.

Faith

Most devout pyrekin worship the goddess Orya, beholding in her the primal power of the phoenix they themselves carry. A respectable share of their people seated in Neluvia serves the second face of the Mother, that of Queen Nara. In the Era of the Third Moon, with the rumored return of the first phoenix, Arcalyx, after millennia, many began to glorify him as the new deity of rebirth — drawing the fierce reactions of their kin faithful to Orya, who see it as sacrilege. Among the older Orya-faithful families, religions such as that of the Weapon or the Beast are reckoned primal enemies.

Conscience

The inheritance of the phoenix and the deep roots of the elves set the pyrekin in a balance of moral chaos. Freedom is an ideological landmark in the way they live. They can cope within an ordered society but expend great effort to do so, and they bond deeply with family — especially with their twin, a bond that follows them their whole lives; there is a saying in Salorras that likens two identical things to “two children of the pyre.” The one thing most pyrekin cannot accept is the deprivation of their choices and freedom, against which they react furiously and often violently.

Pyrekin Domains

Though among the most ancient peoples, the pyrekin paradoxically never held any tract of land or established kingdom. Even in the Era of the First Moon they lived among the other peoples of Khalendianil, building small communities chiefly in the kingdoms of humans, and most still prefer to live nomadically. During the catastrophic Demonic Wars of the Era of the Second Moon, the pyrekin of Asmeda defended the lands of humans as no one else did, loosing the flame of their kind against the demons of Saragoth; in gratitude the state of Braora granted them a tract of land that soon became the first official statelet of the pyrekin in history, Faeldar, standing under Braoran aegis by alliance. The overwhelming majority of pyrekin today live in the Free Cities of South, in Braora, and in the wild Dominion of Neluvia.

Wanderers and Seekers

From a young age the pyrekin learn that what matters is not the destination but the journey, through which they say they learn the energies of the world and prepare to reincarnate more ready. Most naturally develop their innate pyromantic gifts, for the phoenix’s blood sooner or later ignites within them and wakes the bond with their twin — a power that needs no school or teacher. Money can persuade them onto a mission, but against an illiberal foe they offer themselves selflessly. Some honor Orya or the phoenix Arcalyx; others stand against the tyrannical state of Praecaria; and some aspire, sword in hand, to a liberated world without borders or kings. In the Era of the Third Moon, with the arrival of the Dark Moon, the heroes of the pyrekin foresense by their blood that the strange moon will strip the free will of all the world, silencing gods and mortals forever.

Language

The pyrekin speak Phyrnal — an altered dialect grounded in the tongue of fire with elements of Elven — and the tongue of the region where they grew. Often they learn the tongue of the wind, bound to the element of air, which they hold in particular reverence as the emblem of freedom and an open spirit.

Pyrekin Starborns

In known history, few pyrekin showed the signs of the starborn. Their traditions say the starborn come as the Moons that bring the Eras come. In the Era of the First Moon came the first twin starborn, Kyraliis and Phorolxiis, who centuries later fell in the terrible Battle of Smite during the Demonic Wars. In the Era of the Second Moon were born the twins Caelxiis and Saeloht; a hatred rages between them, for Saeloht followed the path of the phoenix Arcalyx — something his sister, faithful to Orya, cannot accept.

Names

The names of the pyrekin are bound to the elements of fire and air, with roots in the tongues of fire and wind, though some are markedly shaped by the tongue of the elves.

Male names: Aepher, Axhael, Conhex, Corphael, Fexutil, Fiinkoht, Hyres, Illixtil, Kehs, Kelcox, Nixalokht, Phalx, Piirtil, Sarphaxar, Sraelen, Taefoht, Thael. Female names: Afalxiis, Anaphira, Azka, Catenphiis, Ephexe, Feliikha, Friiphia, Ilnekha, Kaelress, Ktaelle, Nixiis, Phaliixha, Pyelle, Saess, Siinra, Telxiis.

Pyrekin Traits (5e 2024)

In the veins of a pyrekin runs the blood of the phoenix — an inheritance so ancient and strange that it sets them apart at every level of existence. Your ability scores come from your background, as in 2024.

Creature Type: Humanoid. For any game effect that targets or affects elves, you also count as an elf (Elven Kinship — the world’s magic does not distinguish the pyrekin’s isil descent).
Size: Medium.
Speed: 30 feet.
Phoenix Senses (Darkvision): You have Darkvision with a range of 60 feet, and you gain proficiency in the Perception skill.
Heart of Flame: You have Resistance to Fire damage, and when an effect would deal Fire damage to you, you can choose to take none of it; instead you regain Hit Points equal to half that damage (a Healing Fire you can use once per turn). Conversely, your burning nature leaves you exposed to the opposite element: you have Vulnerability to Cold damage.
Hotblooded: You have Advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have Resistance to Poison damage.
Talons of the Phoenix: Your clawed hands are a Natural Weapon you can use to make Unarmed Strikes. When you hit with one, you deal Slashing damage equal to 1d6 plus your Strength modifier instead of the normal Unarmed Strike damage.
Phoenix Fervor: Fire magic is something you remember, not learn. You know the Control Flames cantrip; in addition, when you cast a spell that deals Fire damage, you can reroll any 1 on the damage dice once (taking the new roll). Your spellcasting ability for Control Flames is Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (chosen when you gain this species).
Pyrearchon Fusion: Once per Long Rest, when you and a willing pyrekin twin (another pyrekin within 5 feet) act together, you can fuse your souls and transform — both of you vanish and a pyrearchon, an outsider of the Continuum Ylaana, stands in your place for up to 1 minute (Concentration is not required; the form ends early if either twin chooses, or if the form drops to 0 Hit Points). While fused you act as a single dual-minded being using the pyrearchon’s statistics, scaled to your tier as your DM sets (the pyrearchon entry gives the full creature). When the form ends, it erupts in a burst of Fire (each creature within 20 feet makes a Dexterity save or takes Fire damage scaling with your level), and the two twins reform in the space they left. (This is a powerful set-piece feature; a DM may instead let a single pyrekin briefly assume a lesser fiery aspect when no twin is present.)
Languages: You know Colloquial and Phyrnal, plus one other language of your choice.