Émervais Folk

Where others saw simple beauty, the Émervais saw potential. In Encara, their villages were rich with art, music, and craftsmanship, their halls filled with poetry and intricate tapestries. Every street was a canvas, every home a gallery, and every meal a work of art. They believed that beauty was more than aesthetic—it was meaning, the voice of the soul made tangible.

On Thaedros, the Émervais have taken it upon themselves to preserve and nurture the cultural spirit of the diaspora. Where others fight to build and survive, the Émervais fight to remember. They have sought out pigments in strange new flowers, spun new cloth from unfamiliar fibers, and tested the limits of Thaedrosian dyes and inks. Their hands are often stained with colors never before seen, their journals filled with notes on the artistic possibilities of this new world.

But their work is more than vanity. A civilization without beauty is one that will fade, and they will not allow that to happen. The Émervais weave the stories of Encara into new murals, carve the history of the people into stone, and bring music to settlements that might otherwise fall into bleak practicality. If the soul of Encara is to survive, it will survive in the hands of the Émervais.

Racial Traits

Special Abilities

Halfling Nimbleness You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours.

Aesthetic Precision You have proficiency in one artisan's tool and one musical instrument of your choice. When using either, you can double your proficiency bonus.

Inspiration in Motion As a bonus action, you can grant inspiration to an ally within 30 feet who can see or hear you. The next ability check, attack roll, or saving throw they make within the next minute gains a +1d4 bonus. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all expended uses after a long rest.

Cultural Memory You have proficiency in History and Performance. Additionally, you have advantage on checks made to recall stories, legends, or traditions of the diaspora.

Basic Traits

Languages You can speak, read, and write Common and Halfling.

Size Halflings average about 3 feet tall. Your size is Small.

Speed Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Backgrounds

Archivist of Echoes

You have dedicated yourself to preserving the stories, legends, and cultural artifacts of Encara. Your work ensures that the past is never forgotten, and that the knowledge of old will guide future generations.

• Skill Proficiencies: History, Investigation
• Tool Proficiencies: Calligrapher's Tools
• Languages: One of your choice
• Feature: Keeper of Lore - You can spend one hour studying a book, artifact, or piece of art to determine its origin, history, and cultural significance, provided the information exists in recorded knowledge.
• Ability Score Increases: +2 Intelligence, +1 Wisdom

Artisan of Living Color

You see the world through color and form, shaping pigments, fabrics, and materials into breathtaking creations. Your works are more than art—they are history, emotion, and life itself given tangible form.

• Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, Sleight of Hand
• Tool Proficiencies: Painter's Supplies, Weaver's Tools
• Languages: One of your choice
• Feature: Master of Hues - You can craft pigments and dyes from natural materials in half the usual time and at half the usual cost. Additionally, once per long rest, you can create a single-use enchanted pigment that allows you to paint a small object into existence (up to 1 cubic foot in size).
• Ability Score Increases: +2 Dexterity, +1 Charisma

Keeper of the First Song

Music is the lifeblood of memory, and you have devoted your life to ensuring that the songs of the old world endure. Whether through haunting melodies or rousing anthems, you weave the emotions of the past into the voices of today.

• Skill Proficiencies: Performance, Persuasion
• Tool Proficiencies: One musical instrument of your choice
• Languages: One of your choice
• Feature: Resonant Voice - When you perform for an audience, you can attempt to stir deep emotion or inspire action. If you play for at least 10 minutes, you can choose a number of creatures equal to your proficiency bonus. These creatures gain advantage on their next Charisma-based check or saving throw within the next hour.
• Ability Score Increases: +2 Charisma, +1 Intelligence