Gorgon

Gorgons are a species of all-female humanoids that possess snakes for hair and a gaze that can turn a man to stone. They are the results of a mating between Typhon and Echidna.

The Vainglorious Cursed

Gorgons are a species of warrior women who live in Libya.

They are the elite of their culture in a way similar to the Amazons and regularly wage war upon their nearby female counterparts.

A gorgon is indistinguishable from a normal human at distances greater than 30 feet (or closer, if its face is concealed). Gorgons are best known for their hair of snakes. The creature often wears garments that enhance its body while hiding its face behind a hood or veil.

Gorgons are very concerned about their appearance and take great offense at the implication that the species is somehow cursed—or worse, that their petrification gaze works because they are so horrifying to look at.

The Strong Dominate The Weak

Gorgons have difficulty relating to weaker male-dominated societies and find most men to be pompous and irritating.

They are arrogant, headstrong, and combative in a fashion similar to amazons, but they are also much more concerned about their appearance. Although they are species of warrior-women, they value comeliness and strive to be desired by men of other species. If the species is likely to be petrified by their gaze, this makes relationships strained at best.

Gorgons were never well loved by the gods, and Perseus’ attacks on Medusa have never been forgiven. As a result, gorgons tend to worship Gaia over other deities and their priests are usually druids.

Gorgon adventurers are matriarchs looking to establish their own tribes. They venture into human lands to recruit women and destroy men.

Traits

Your gorgon heritage manifests in a variety of traits you share with your kin.

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1.

Age. Like humans, gorgons reach adulthood in their late teens.

Alignment. Gorgons tend to be selfish, so their alignment usually has some variant of neutral. They are sometimes too selfish, which is why they are more evil than good.

Size. A typical gorgon is 5 to 6 feet tall and about the same weight as a human. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision. You have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Natural Armor. You have tough, scaly skin. When you aren’t wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield’s benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.

Snakes. The snakes on your head are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with your snakes, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, and your target must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier). On a failed save, the target takes 1d4 poison damage.

Poison Immunity. You are immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition.

Petrifying Gaze. Starting at 3rd level, you can use your action to unleash the divine energy within yourself, causing your eyes to turn into pools of darkness. The instant you transform, other creatures within 10 feet of you that can see you must each succeed on a Charisma saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier) or become restrained until the end of your next turn. Your transformation lasts for 1 minute or until you end it as a bonus action. During it, once on each of your turns, you can deal extra psychic damage to one target when you deal damage to it with an attack or a spell. The extra psychic damage equals your level. Once you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

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