"I hear them. In my dreams, in my waking. The voices beyond the Veil. Sometimes they answer."
Engine-Born are those conceived, born, or raised in close proximity to active or dormant Veil Engines. The dimensional energies warped them before birth, leaving them forever marked. They hear whispers from beyond the Veil, see things others cannot, and sometimes manifest impossible abilities.
Most communities fear Engine-Born, seeing them as harbingers of corruption or tools of the Old Ones. Some Domains exile them at birth; others study them; a few, like certain cults, revere them. Engine-Born themselves are often conflicted—their abilities are useful, but they come with a constant awareness of the void beyond reality.
Engine-Born Traits
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2, and your Intelligence or Wisdom score increases by 1 (your choice).
Age. Engine-Born mature at the same rate as humans but often die younger—50 to 60 years—as the dimensional energies take their toll.
Alignment. Engine-Born tend toward chaotic alignments, as the Veil's influence makes rigid order difficult to maintain. Many struggle with the whispers and visions that pull them in contradictory directions.
Size. Engine-Born are Medium, similar in size to humans.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Veil Sense. You can innately sense the presence of active magic, aberrations, and thin spots in reality within 30 feet of you. You can't pinpoint exact locations, but you know the general direction. Additionally, you have advantage on Intelligence (Arcana) checks related to planar magic and Veil phenomena.
Beyond Sight. You have proficiency in the Perception skill. Additionally, you can see normally in magical darkness within 30 feet of you.
Otherworldly Whispers. You know one cantrip from the Warlock spell list. At 3rd level, you can cast detect thoughts once with this trait, and you regain the ability to do so when you finish a