Among the winding paths of the Zhung Forest dwell the Zastaya, a proud and striking people with feathers surrounding their skin and a subtle glimmer of wild magic in their blood. Zastaya believe their gifts are ancient blessings – or perhaps ancient bargains. Some say they descend from humans who once made pacts, or perhaps more intimate unions, with harpies and sky-spirits. Where others were devoured or cursed, the Zastaya thrived, turning a wild magic toward beauty and freedom rather than ruin.
The Zastaya live in two tribes: Valren and Kilash. To outsiders, the tribes seem nearly identical: both share a love of music, flight, and freedom, and both carry themselves with a quiet, inherited pride. But beneath the surface, their values diverge.
The Valren are open-hearted and welcoming, eager to trade stories and goods with travelers, and more willing to trust strangers. The Kilash, by contrast, are cautious and guarded, quick to test an outsider’s intentions before offering friendship. Despite these differences, the two tribes are bonded by shared history, kinship, and celebration; quarrels rise and fall like summer storms, never lasting long enough to break the deep ties between them.
A Zastaya feels the pull of the wind in their soul; many leave home for years at a time, wandering far beyond the Zhung to chase adventure, knowledge, or simple curiosity. Though few in number, their restless nature makes them far from rare among the world’s adventurers.
- Age. Zastaya have lifespans comparable to humans. They enter adulthood in their late teens and usually live less than a century.
- Size. Your size is Medium.
- Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet.
- Zastayan Spirit. Your spiritual essence flows strongly through you. You can alter small details of your appearance at will, such as the colour and patterns of your feathers. You have proficiency in Animal Handling, and you also have advantage on interactions with birds.
- Fancy Footwork. You have advantage on saving throws against being grappled or restrained, and gain resistance to fall damage.
- Winged Steps. You gain a flying speed of 15 feet, but you must start and end your flight on solid ground or fall at the end of your turn. You can’t use this flying speed if you’re wearing medium or heavy armor.
Valren Zastaya
The Valren tribe celebrates freedom, individuality, and fluidity in movement and thought. Children are encouraged to explore and express themselves, mastering agility and charm over raw force. Valrens prize cleverness and connection, weaving through life like dancers in an endless sky.
- Feather Dance. You move with unpredictable, feathery grace. When a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to immediately move up to 10 feet without provoking opportunity attacks.
3rd level
- Dazzling Display. At 3rd level, when you use Feather Dance, you can choose one creature that can see you within 10 feet. That creature has disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn.
5th level
- Grand Entrance. You can move with supernatural speed to aid an ally. As a bonus action, you can take both the Dash and Disengage actions at the same time, but you must move directly toward an ally you can see within 60 feet and end your movement within 5 feet of that ally. When you end this movement, both of you gain temporary hit points equal to your proficiency bonus. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest.
Kilash Zastaya
The Kilash tribe is disciplined and proud, raising their young with martial training and a deep sense of duty. Their sleek feathers and precision strikes reflect a culture that values strength, vigilance, and protection of their people. Every Kilash learns to fight, to protect themselves against outsiders and honor their kin.
- Feather Shot. Your feathers are capable of hardening into natural projectiles. As an action, you can make a ranged weapon attack against a creature within 20 ft. of you, or 60 ft. of you at disadvantage. If you hit, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Dexterity modifier.
3rd level
- Deadly Plumage. A creature hit by your Feather Shot cannot take reactions until the end of your next turn.
5th level
- Quick & Clean. You can use Feather Shot as a bonus action.
