A Race of Wretches
Lore & Background
The smell of rotting flesh, the taint of sorrow, the deplorability of deception, the Dregs are the unwanted. These are the hallmarks of the Dregs, a race described by the peoples of the realms as a curse upon the living. The Dregs are destined to live a life of hectic hate and incalculable loss. Old stories portray the Dregs as a race of beings who were never fully formed; their creation was interrupted by the churning of The Chasm. The Dregs are not truly alive, yet they cannot die. This singular fact is what earns them their infamous reputation. Each time a Dreg suffers a lethal blow, it falls into a state of incapacitating slumber. When they awaken, they are physically restored but lose a part of their sanity. In recorded history, no Dreg has maintained their sanity after experiencing three deaths. This grim reality has given rise to the saying among the Dregs: "After three, there is no more me." A feral Dreg is a savage and dangerous creature, fueled by chaotic thoughts and reckless strength.
The Dregs were the first of the races to be created. The Pantheon of the Nine began their work on the Dregs during the Era of Creation, but this work was interrupted early in the Era of War. The gods had never created something as bold as a person before, and they struggled with crafting a being as complex as a humanoid. People are strange; they often make odd decisions that alter their fates in wild and inexplicable ways. This type of imprecision is something the gods mostly lacked, with only Arax being well-versed in the art of chaos and instinct.
As The Foul erupted into Gevadun, they unleashed a torrent of destruction against the divine. The battles between The Divine and The Foul could last for weeks, months, or even years, resulting in millions of casualties on both sides. The most significant of these confrontations occurred in The Ash Cleft, where many of the Dregs were conscripted into the service of The Divine to fight The Foul. As they were thrust into the frontlines of these incredibly destructive battles, the Dregs became drenched in the blood of The Foul. There was so much Foul blood that it even pooled in lakes up to eight feet deep.
Those Dregs who soaked in this Foul blood for an extended period underwent a metamorphosis, becoming the Tieflings, the first "complete" people. After the Era of War, The Pantheon of the Nine used the Tieflings as a new blueprint for creating all the other peoples of the original six realms. The old Dregs remained as well, forever incomplete. They often carry a jaded view of Gevadun, harboring contempt due to their unfortunate state. While some Dregs rise above the chains of their condition, most are bound to a long life of suffering. The Dregs are the unwanted, not alive, and cannot die.
Traits
Ability Score Decrease
Two of your stat scores go down by 2.
Age
Dregs reach maturity around age 20 and can live indefinitely, as long as they don't go mad. Some Dregs with a weak mental state have gone mad after 100 years of life. Some have been recorded as staying sane for over 6,000 years.
Size
Dregs are naturally the size of Humans, usually standing under 6 feet and weighing just under 200 pounds. Due to their lives generally being plagued by destructive labor, Dregs are often shortened and have poor posture. Your size is Medium.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Language
You can speak The Common Tounge, Sacredus, and a language of your choice.
Ceaseless Labor
You gain proficiency in 4 skills of your choice; your proficiency bonus gets a +1.
Not Alive, Can't Die
Dregs do not die in the usual manner. When a Dreg dies, they must make a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw. No bonuses from allies' abilities or effects can apply to this saving throw. If the Dreg succeeds, they will return to life in 24 hours, but must choose one ability score to permanently reduce by 2 points. Each time a Dreg dies, the difficulty of the Wisdom saving throw increases by 5. If a Dreg is grossly dismembered or destroyed in combat, its body will disintegrate, and it will be reborn in the gray sand fields of the Ash Cleft 72 hours later. They go mad and feral if the Dreg fails the Wisdom saving throw. Although the physical body remains alive, the mind and character are effectively gone.
Only a wish spell can restore sanity to a Dreg, in which case their Wisdom saving throw resets to 15 for their subsequent death. Aside from a wish, a Dreg that has gone mad should be considered dead. If a Dreg dies by being burned in an ocean of lava, they are lost forever in the seas of magma and are effectively dead. This is essentially the only way to truly kill a Dreg.
Legal Rights:
For centuries, the Dregs have been enslaved by the ecclesiarchy of The Divine Church of The Ash Cleft. The church uses the narrative of the Dregs' incompleteness to justify their enslavement. The core argument is that the church is carrying out the work of the divine. Since the Pantheon of the Nine created the Dregs as tools, the church believes that using them as such is a privilege extended to them.
This viewpoint has faced significant opposition throughout the ages in Gevadun. However, the power of the Divine Church means that little can be done to challenge its stance on this matter. Moreover, the Dregs' expendable nature and their large populations mean that many industries in The Ash Cleft rely heavily on Dreg labor to operate.
Dregs have different rights depending on their location. Some places in Gevadun are more caring towards Dregs, and they have legislation in place to protect them from serious harm, injury, or incarceration.
The Ash Cleft: Dregs who are enslaved have no rights and are considered property. Free Dregs, however, are subject to random searches and seizures of their property and can be enslaved as compensation for any crimes they commit. The only exception to this is the small sovereignty of Shade Wall, where Dregs are afforded protections from the discrimination they face.
Bail/Phoenix/Praetoria: Dregs living in Bail, Phoenix, or Praetoria are considered free people. They are not subject to property searches or imprisonment based solely on their race, and they cannot be reclaimed by anyone from the Ash Cleft who claims ownership over them.
Sindare: In Sindare, Dregs who can prove their freedom and assert they are not under any contract are fully protected. Upon arrival, they must demonstrate that they are contractless or have never been under contract. Any of the three kingdoms of Sindare has the authority to issue a bill of freedom to Dregs, ensuring complete protection. Unfortunately, Dregs on the run do not benefit from this protection, as Sindare's governments will turn over fugitives to those seeking to reclaim them.
Felder: Felder has no official stance on the situation regarding Dregs. A Dreg's level of protection in Felder may come from residing with a native family on their property. While reclaiming Dregs is tolerated in Felder, individuals attempting to do so will face banishment from the realm if they disturb any citizens. Attempts to return after being banished would result in criminal charges against them. Notably, a Dreg could hypothetically be granted citizenship in Felder, offering protection. However, citizenship can only be conferred by a high chief or through birth in Felder.
The Shattered Peaks: In The Shattered Peaks, Dregs can protect themselves by obtaining a writ of bondage from one of the clans. To acquire this writ, Dregs must either work for nine months in an industry and demonstrate a level of proficiency or join the clan's military. Those seeking to reclaim Dregs will face challenges in The Shattered Peaks, as searches cannot be conducted within city or town limits without prior notification to the guards, who will initiate an official investigation. Sometimes, guards who do not view slavery as honorable may choose not to investigate at all, wasting the time of those attempting to locate Dregs.
