Mephling
Mephlings are a minor planar race hailing from Dungeons & Dragons, and one of several such races included in the Planar Handbook for Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition. As their name suggests, they are a result of crossbreeding between mephits and humanoids, although none are quite sure if their conception was voluntary or based on some megalomaniacal mage taking advantage of his summoned mephits...
Either way, a mephling will occasionally be born to mephit parents. Weaker than their mephit ancestors, mephlings are put out of mephit communities as undesirable runts. They're left to the mercies of the inhospitable planes. Mephit parents revolted by their humanoid child will leave the babe on a hostile plane. Kindly parents will place the child on a habitable plane where it will easily be found by other creatures. Sometimes other creatures adopt the abandoned baby and it grows to reach adulthood.
They are not to be confused with Genasi, which are basically the same fucking thing.
As foundlings raised by parents very different from themselves, mephlings frequently feel out of place. They usually are loners who desire an elusive sense of belonging. Nevertheless, they're attractive and personable, generally liked by people around them.
Mephlings look like less imp-like versions of their mephit parents with stunted wings. A typical mephling stands less than 3 feet tall and weighs around 30 pounds, with females slightly taller and heavier than males.
Air: An air mephling looks like a short, cloud-white human.
Earth: An earth mephling appears akin to a short, stony, hairless dwarf.
Fire: A fire mephling resembles a miniature devil, with fiery, reddish-bronze skin.
Water: A water mephling resembles a small, fish-scaled human with black, bulbous eyes.
Mephlings do not reach adulthood until they are more than 50 years old. The longest-lived members of the race can reach an age of well over 200 years.
Mephlings fit in equally oddly in virtually all societies. At best, one is regarded as an exotic curiosity. At worst, one is seen as a friendly stranger, perhaps with a suspicious touch of devil, demon, or elemental blood - whatever is least welcome by a given culture. Mephlings get along best with others of their race who have had similar experiences. Mephlings also have good relations with halflings, especially those who have traveled widely or who frequently consort with outsiders. Frequently ostracized or at least marginalized in the society of their youth, mephlings almost always feel the urge to travel and adventure. They are drawn to explore the world and the multiverse beyond their hometowns.
Air: Air mephlings tend to travel a great deal. Their favored class is bard, and they prefer wind instruments.
Earth: Earth mephlings have much of the strength of their natural element. The harmonious balance of earth leads many to pursue the favored class of druid.
Fire: The mephit heritage is very strong in fire mephlings. Their favored class is sorcerer.
Water: Calm as a still pond, strong as rushing water, a water mephling's favored class is monk.
Mephlings tend to have a neutral component to their worldview, but they can be of any alignment. They frequently adopt the philosophy and worldview of their foster parents or the culture in which they were raised.
Naturally disposed to becoming sorcerers and often acutely aware of an uncaring multiverse, mephlings turn to the worship of Boccob the Uncaring, Lord of all Magics. Some instead turn to the more fatalistic philosophies of Wee Jas. Many mephlings who choose to travel extensively worship Fharlanghn.
Mephlings speak the language of the society in which they are raised, almost always Common. In addition, each mephling has an elemental language that reflects his or her heritage - air mephlings speak Auran, earth mephlings speak Terran, fire mephlings speak Ignan, and water mephlings speak Aquan.
A mephling typically grows up with a name given by the adopting parents, but most choose another name in adulthood. Air: Air, Breath, Breeze, Hover, Wings. Earth: Burrow, Earth, Rock, Stone. Fire: Crackle, Fire, Flame, Scorch. Water: Splash, Storm, Swish, Tsunami, Water, Waves, Wet.
PC Stats[edit | edit source]
- -2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma. Mephlings are generally a bit slow on the uptake, but they make up for it with strong personalities. In addition, each kind of mephling has one or more ability modifiers specific to its race.
- Air: +2 Dexterity. Air mephlings are quick in action.
- Earth: +2 Strength, -2 Dexterity. Earth mephlings are physically strong but slow to act.
- Fire: +2 Dexterity. Like air mephlings, fire mephlings are agile and quick.
- Water: +2 Constitution. Water mephlings are sturdy and durable.
- Humanoid (Extraplanar): Mephlings are native to the Elemental Planes. They have the humanoid type and gain the extraplanar subtype when not on their respective ancestral plane. Unlike their mephit ancestors, mephlings do not have an elemental subtype.
- Small: As Small creatures, mephlings have a +1 bonus to Armor Class, a +1 bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 bonus on Hide checks. They use smaller weapons than Medium characters use, and their lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character.
- A mephling's base land speed is 30 feet. In addition, an air mephling has a fly speed of 10 feet (perfect), an earth mephling has a burrow speed of 10 feet, and a water mephling has a swim speed of 30 feet.
- Each mephling has a breath weapon, the effect of which varies by the mephling's heritage. An air mephling's breath weapon is a cone of dust and grit (piercing damage), an earth mephling's breath weapon is a cone of rock shards and pebbles (bludgeoning damage), a fire mephling's breath weapon is a cone of flame (fire damage), and a water mephling's breath weapon is a cone of caustic liquid (acid damage). Regardless of the effect, a mephling's breath weapon fills a 15-foot cone, deals 1d8 points of damage to each target, and allows a Reflex save (10 + 1/2 mephling's Hit Dice + mephling's Con modifier) for half damage. A 1stlevel mephling can use his breath weapon once per day; a higher-level mephling gains one additional use per day for every four levels he has attained. If a mephling can use his breath weapon more than once per day, 1d4 rounds must pass between consecutive uses of the breath weapon.
- Mephlings cast spells with an elemental descriptor that matches their kind (air, earth, fire, or water) at +1 caster level.
- Automatic Languages: Mephlings speak Common and one elemental language appropriate to their kind (Aquan, Auran, Ignan, or Terran). Bonus Languages: Aquan, Auran, Ignan, Terran.
- Favored Class: Each kind of mephling has its own favored class, reflecting its racial tendencies. The air mephling's favored class is bard, as befits its love of travel and wind instruments. The earth mephling's favored class is druid, representing its link to the earth and stone of the natural world. The fire mephling's favored class is sorcerer, reflecting its natural arcane power. The water mephling's favored class, monk, matches its calm strength and patience.
- Level Adjustment: +1.
- -2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma. Mephlings are generally a bit slow on the uptake, but they make up for it with strong personalities. In addition, each kind of mephling has one or more ability modifiers specific to its race.