Rainlings are small folk deeply attuned to water, rain, and the hidden network of gutters, drains, and puddles that connects the whole neighbourhood. They are quick, adaptable, and magically tied to precipitation — when it rains, Rainlings feel it in their blood, a surge of energy and possibility.

Physically, Rainlings are sleek and slender, with slightly iridescent skin that catches light like a wet stone. Their hair tends toward dark blues and greens, and their fingers are slightly webbed — excellent for gripping slick surfaces. They blink sideways, giving them a distinctly amphibious look.

Culturally, Rainlings are divided between those who embrace the open sky (Raincallers, who work weather magic openly and feel called to adventure) and those who prefer the hidden underground of pipes and storm drains (Gutter Runners, who use their water connection for speed, stealth, and infiltration).

Racial traits

Waterborn — Rainlings can breathe underwater and swim at their full Speed. They are immune to the Soaked condition and never suffer Banes from rain, wet surfaces, or water-based hazards.

Rain Sense — When precipitation occurs nearby (even light drizzle), Rainlings can sense it instinctively before it arrives. They gain a +1 Boon on Initiative when it is currently raining or has rained in the last hour.

Slick Skin — Rainlings are very hard to grab. They gain a +1 Boon on saves against being Grappled or Restrained. They can squeeze through openings slightly smaller than their body with ease.

Puddle Step — Once per day, as an action, a Rainling can step into any puddle or body of water and emerge from any other puddle or water body they know within 30 spaces. The destination must have been visited before.

Roles

Rainlings have two fully detailed roles.

Raincaller

The weather mage who summons storm, rain, and lightning.

Raincallers are the most overtly magical of the Rainlings, dedicating their lives to studying rain and the tiny storms they can conjure. They are equal parts healer and warrior — a Raincaller's magic can soothe injuries and grow plants, or lash out with focused lightning and battering hail.

Mechanically, Raincallers are a support/control caster, relying on WIL for magical power and DEX for mobility.

Class features (Levels 1–10)

• Level 1
  Drizzle Charm

  Action (1⚡): Conjure a tiny raincloud above a target within 4 spaces. The target is continuously drenched (gains the Soaked condition for 3 rounds) and their DEX saves suffer −1 Bane while soaked. This cloud persists for 3 rounds unless dispelled. Multiple Soaked targets in the same space can pass the condition between them.

• Level 2
  Weather Watcher

  You can accurately predict the weather a day in advance and always know if rain is coming within the next hour. When it is raining or recently rained, you gain a permanent +1 Boon on all WIL-based rolls (spellcasting, social tests, saves).

• Level 3
  Thunderclap (Action, 1/encounter)

  With a clap of your hands, a booming crack of thunder erupts in a 2-space radius around you. All creatures in range must make a STR save or be knocked Prone and Dazed (−1 action) for 1 round. The sound can be heard throughout the building — use with care around humans.

• Level 4
  Soaking Shower (Action)

  Your drizzle magic grows stronger. You can now summon a heavier downpour to envelop a 3-space radius area. All creatures in the area are immediately Soaked, and the ground becomes Difficult Terrain for the duration (3 rounds). You can choose to exclude allies from the Soaked condition.

• Level 5
  Waterform Evasion (Reaction)

  Your body attunes so closely to water that you can briefly become water when in danger. When you would take damage, you can spend 1 action to gain the Fluid condition until the end of the round: you take no damage from the triggering hit and can immediately move up to 3 spaces through or around obstacles. Can be used once per round.

• Level 6
  Lightning Lance (Action)

  Summon a spear of lightning and hurl it at a target within 8 spaces. Roll 2d6 + WIL modifier damage (lightning). On a hit, the target must make a DEX save or be Stunned (loses all actions on their next turn). Critical hits chain to one adjacent creature for half damage with no save.

• Level 7
  Rainbow Heart (Action, 1/day)

  After calling a magical shower, you summon a brilliant miniature rainbow that bolsters your allies. All allies who can see the rainbow and are in a 6-space radius gain +1 Boon on all rolls for 3 rounds. The rainbow fades if bright light is removed from the area.

• Level 8
  Rider of the Storm (Action, 1/day)

  Condense a small cloud beneath you and ride upon it as a mount. The cloud carries you at Speed 8 (flying) and has no weight limit for Small Folk. You can control it with your will, needing no hands. The cloud lasts for 10 minutes or until you dismiss it. While riding, you have a +1 Boon on all WIL checks and attack rolls.

• Level 9
  Lifebringing Rain (Action, 1/day)

  You unlock the deepest gift of the rain: rejuvenation. By performing a 1-minute ritual (or 1 action in combat), you summon a warm healing rain in a 4-space radius. All allies in the area heal 2d6 + WIL modifier HP and remove one condition of their choice. If used outside combat, it also helps plants grow and purifies water sources.

• Level 10
  Master of Monsoons (Action, 1/day)

  Unleash a miniature monsoon covering a 6-space radius area for up to 1 minute. While the monsoon rages: all non-Rainling creatures suffer −1 Bane on all rolls; lightning strikes each enemy at the start of your turn (1d6 lightning damage, DEX save halves); allies gain +1 Boon on all rolls and +1 Boon on initiative; the area counts as Difficult Terrain; and you can control the storm's shape to include or exclude specific areas.

Gutter Runner

The swift infiltrator who uses water as their personal highway.

Gutter Runners are the Rainlings who have gone underground — literally. Where Raincallers call the sky, Gutter Runners command the pipes, drains, and damp hidden passages that run beneath the neighbourhood. They are fast, stealthy, and surprisingly deadly in close quarters, treating every puddle as a door and every pipe as a corridor.

Mechanically, Gutter Runners are a skirmisher/rogue, relying on DEX for speed and precision.

Class features (Levels 1–10)

• Level 1
  Shadow Crawler

  You are at home in darkness and cramped quarters. Gain +1 Boon on stealth checks in dim light or darkness, and you can move through spaces half your size without penalty. Wet or damp environments grant you an additional +1 Boon to stealth (stacking).

• Level 2
  Puddle Jump (Action)

  Step into one puddle and emerge from another. As an action, you can teleport from any wet surface (puddle, damp stone, recent rain) to any other wet surface you've visited within 20 spaces. The departure and arrival are silent. Can be used in combat.

• Level 3
  Flowing Strike

  Movement and attack flow together. When you move at least 3 spaces before attacking, your attack deals +1d4 bonus damage. If you also came from a wet surface or are Soaked, the attack additionally imposes the Pushed effect (target is moved 1 space back) on a hit.

• Level 4
  Rain Cloak

  When rain is falling (natural or magical), you can vanish from sight as a free action. You become effectively invisible while moving through rain (creatures must succeed on a INT check with Bane to detect you). This ends if you attack or stop moving for a full round.

• Level 5
  Torrent Rush (Action, 1/encounter)

  Channel the surging energy of flowing water into a burst of speed. As an action, you move up to 3× your Speed in a straight line. This movement does not provoke Opportunity Attacks. If you end this movement adjacent to an enemy, they must make a STR save or be knocked Prone.

• Level 6
  Relentless Onslaught

  When you use an action to Attack, you can make one additional attack as part of the same action (instead of spending another action). This extra attack is still rushed. Once per turn.

• Level 7
  Lightning Reflexes

  You gain a permanent Boon on Initiative rolls. Additionally, once per round, you can take a reaction without spending an action from your current turn (the first such reaction each round is free). This does not stack with itself — you still can only take each reaction type once per round.

• Level 8
  Evasive Drizzle (Reaction)

  You've become a master at slipping through danger. When forced to make a DEX save, you can spend 1 action to automatically succeed on the save, taking no damage or effect. Alternatively, if an attack would hit you, you can spend 1 action to make the attacker reroll once, taking the lower result.

• Level 9
  Secret Paths (Passive)

  You've traversed the entire micro-world neighbourhood and learned every hidden route, shortcut, and secret way. You can move through any structure you've been in before at double speed (ignoring difficult terrain). Once per day, you can lead your entire party through a "secret path" that effectively bypasses one obstacle or locked location — you know a way through that no one else has found.

• Level 10
  King of Shadows

  You have become the ultimate shadow of the hidden world — part water, part darkness, part unstoppable force. You gain all of the following: permanent +1 Boon on stealth, attacks, and DEX saves; Puddle Jump's range increases to any wet surface you've ever seen (no distance limit within the neighbourhood); your attacks ignore Medium armour; and once per encounter you can take 2 full turns in a row by spending 3 actions from your reserve.