“Every truth bends when spoken sweetly enough.”
Appearance
The Nill are breathtaking — tall and lean with skin that is a living mosaic of vibrant color: sapphire, crimson, violet, amber, shifting continuously with emotional state. Beneath the surface, tattoos of glowing ink pulse with lineage record. Their horns are personalized with jewelry, carvings, or deliberate shaping that serves as both aesthetic choice and status communication. Their eyes change color with emotion — soft amber when calm, silver when calculating, crimson when furious. Even their scent is psionic, registering differently to each person they encounter.
Origin & Lore
The Nill turned its evolutionary pressure toward the one environment stranger and more dangerous than any wilderness: other people. By AI 20, Nill courtiers were present in every significant court in the Empire. By AI 40, at least one Nill had a formal position in the King's Council's advisory structure, which no one discusses openly. Their ascent was neither slow nor accidental. The safest place in any political landscape, the Nill concluded, is the center of it — close enough to the people with power that attacking you requires attacking them.
Baseline Traits
All Nill receive these traits at character creation at no cost.
Pheromonal Field
Proficiency in Persuasion and Deception. Once per Short or Long Rest, roll a Persuasion or Deception check with advantage — creatures within 10 ft have disadvantage on Insight checks against that interaction.
Emotive Broadcast
Your emotional state broadcasts through skin color, eye tone, and scent. As a Free Action, choose to display any emotional state regardless of what you actually feel.
Allure Memory
Creatures charmed by you retain a positive impression even after the charm ends, unless given concrete proof of betrayal.
Elian Nerve
Advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened. On a successful save, use Reaction to make a Charisma check against the source of the effect.
Species Advancement Tree
You earn Species Points at levels 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10. Tier 2 requires at least 1 Tier 1 purchase. Tier 3 requires at least 1 Tier 2 purchase.
Tier 1 Available at levels 1 and 3
Allure Touch 1 SP
As an Action, one creature within 30 ft must save (Wisdom) or be charmed for 1 hour. Uses per proficiency bonus per Long Rest.
Pain Broadcast 1 SP
When you take damage, use Reaction — creatures of your choice within 10 ft must save or take 1d6 psychic damage. Scales to 3d6 at level 10.
Whispered Compulsion 1 SP
Plant a one-sentence suggestion in a target's mind — they follow it on their next available opportunity. No awareness the compulsion was implanted. Once per Long Rest.
Insight Edge 1 SP
Proficiency in Insight. Add Charisma modifier to Insight rolls. Once per Short Rest, identify whether a creature is charmed, frightened, or compelled.
Tier 2 Available at levels 5 and 7
Veil of Grace 1 SP
As an Action, emit an aura for 1 minute — hostile creatures within 10 ft have disadvantage on attacks against you, you have advantage on all Charisma checks. Once per Long Rest.
Tide of Rapport 1 SP
Establish psionic rapport with up to three willing creatures for 1 hour — advantage on Persuasion toward them, allies gain +1 to fear saves near you, once per Short Rest grant them advantage on a roll.
The Mask 1 SP
As an Action, restructure your pheromonal signature and appearance — appear as any Humanoid of the same size. Fools mundane observation and scent. Lasts until changed or dropped.
Layered Truth 1 SP
As a Bonus Action, plant one of three impressions in a creature within 30 ft: Trust (disadvantage on Insight against you), Unease (disadvantage on next save against your effects), or Reverence (won't initiate aggression this encounter). Uses per proficiency bonus per Long Rest.
Tier 3 Available at level 10
The Living Mask 1 SP
The Mask is now permanent and can be changed as a Free Action. You can maintain two separate identities simultaneously — different appearance, different pheromonal signature.
Apex of Allure 1 SP
Once per Long Rest as an Action, emit a pheromonal nova — all hostile creatures within 30 ft must save or be charmed for 1 minute and treat you as an ally.
Roleplaying a Nill
The Nill do not consider their pheromonal influence manipulation — they consider it communication, the fullest possible version of it. The face you show the world becomes, over time, the face you are.
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