Oozeling

Oozelings are humanoid shaped, intelligent oozes, the result of magical hybridization between humanoids and one of several oozes: the gray ooze, ochre jelly, gelatinous cube, or black pudding. Oozelings themselves know the tale of their origin. Long ago, a cabal of human wizards fought desperately to protect their citadel from conquest. In a last-ditch effort, the cabal entered themselves into a pact with a demon lord of oozes. In exchange for their souls, the foul lord would deliver unto them a battalion of oozes to fight their foes. And so the lord did, but in the most evil way imaginable: the wizards themselves were transformed into ooze-human hybrids. Now, centuries later, the few remaining oozelings are their descendants.

Ancestral Traits

Oozelings are human shaped, with the limbs and heads of humans, yet made entirely of firm, nearly solid ooze. Depending from which of the original wizards an oozeling descends, they might be gray, like the gray ooze, and able to take on an amorphous form. Or they might be ochre, like the ochre jelly, 30 and be able to climb up walls and across ceilings. They might be translucent, like a gelatinous cube, or they might be oily, like a black pudding, in which case their touch is corrosive. Your oozeling character has several distinctive traits from this demonic ancestry.

Age. Oozelings are born as a puddle of ooze that gradually takes shape into a small humanoid. As you consume, you grow, reaching full size and adult intelligence in a few years. Oozelings can live indefinitely once they reach adulthood, as long as they regularly consume organic matter.

Size. Oozelings are humanoid in size and shape. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Oozelings are more solid than oozes and thus can move more quickly, yet their semiliquid form still prevents them from being as fast as humans. Your base speed is 25 feet.

Oozeling Nature. Like oozes, oozelings do not require sleep. When you take a long rest, you must spend at least four hours in a motionless state, rather than sleeping. In this state, you retain your shape, but appear inert. You are not unconscious and can perceive normally. Your creature type is Ooze.

Ooze Heritage. Each oozeling has a distinctive trait gained from its ooze-cursed forebear. Select one of the following traits: Amorphous. Your skin is gray and slimy. As an action, you can adopt a liquid form and can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing. You take 5 (1d10) force damage if you end your turn and are unable to return to your natural humanoid shape.

Corrosive Skin. Your skin is oily and black. Creatures that you choose that touch you or hit you with a melee attack while within 5 feet of you take 2 (1d4) acid damage.

Spider Climb. Your skin is ochre and tacky. You can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.

Transparent. Your skin is translucent and green-tinted, revealing the outline of translucent, oozy organs floating inside of you, as well as whatever you last ate. You have advantage on Stealth checks that rely on not being seen.

Furthermore, if you are not wearing any clothes or carrying anything, spotting you requires a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check as long as you do not move or attack. When hiding in this way, a creature that tries to enter your space while unaware of you is surprised by you.

Semi-acidic. Oozelings are made of a semisolid, acidic goo. To stay alive, you must consume three to five pounds of organic material a day, or two rations. Oozelings cannot absorb food directly into their bodies, however, due to your quasi-humanoid nature, so you must chew and swallow it like other humanoids must. Other organic material, such as wood, also suffices, but you are as prone to becoming nauseous or poisoned as other humanoids. Because of your acidic nature, you have resistance to acid damage.

Cultural Traits

Oozelings are few, having descended from a single cabal of wizards a century or more ago. They do not always find it easy to assimilate into other communities, due to their unusual nature and appearance, so they sometimes form communities of their own. These communities of mutual support and defense are often built around principles of acceptance, especially of those beings that others might consider “monstrous”. Indeed, several prominent oozeling-founded monasteries specialize in the study of monstrous intelligence and culture, in part in an attempt to rehabilitate the reputation of such creatures. As such, members of oozeling communities often share certain traits.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2 and your Wisdom score by 1.

Alignment. Oozeling communities tend to value upholding the respect and dignity of their members. As such, they tend toward goodness.

Arcanist. You are proficient in the Arcana skill. When using this skill to recall lore about a monster, you make the check with advantage.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language of your choice.

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