D&D 5E Ideas for all-Planetouched groups and their characters

This is an expansion on my thread on Planetouched Lineages where I've put together comprehensive writeups on the various planetouched as lineages with a bunch of character customization and ideas that span from 2nd edition all the way to 5th. With all the things I've written, it's time to think of story ideas, centered around groups completely composed of Planetouched of different varieties. I'm looking for clans of the slightly "weird", from the mostly "human" but with a hint of the "monstrous", to the outright "monstrous" but with a "human" soul. It's mostly story ideas and a description of characters and groups I'm interested in. Specific or generic names are fine for such character concepts.

A short summary on the Planetouched from that: Planetouched are a mixture of a humanoid, most commonly Humans but also potentially Elves, Orcs, Halflings, Goblins, whatever with a planar influence in their bloodline, this could be from an ancestor such as a Fiend, Celestial or Genie, or it could be a mutation from an infusion of planar energy, or a bunch of other methods that combine the mortal with the planar. There's 6 varieties of Planetouched:
Tieflings - Who have lower planar influences commonly from fiends such as Devils, Demon, Yugoloths, Hordelings, Gehreleths/Demodands and so on. They're the most common Planetouched and are often marginalized outcasts.
Aasimar - Who have mostly upper planar influences commonly from celestial such as Angels, Archons, Guardinals, Celestial Eladrin, Asuras and even the secretive Rilmani of the Outland. They're often the privileged Planetouched.
Genasi - Who have elemental influences most commonly from Genies, Elementals and so on. There's tribes of Genasi like the Janni and the Ruvkova found throughout the Elemental planes.
Axani - Who have the influences of lawful planes, they're generally come in the varieties of divinely sanctioned prototype being or part-construct cyborg scavengers.
Cansin - Who have the influences of chaotic planes, they're generally either monstrous toad people or attractive manic pixie dream people with randomly shifting features.
Liminaire - Who have the influence of the Ethereal, Feywild, Shadowfell, Astral and other planes. They're nomads and shapers, drawn to emotions and dreams.

In many ways I've always seen Planetouched as sort of the mutants of the planes, so there's certainly a bunch of ideas for something like a X-Men but for planetouched. But group of Planetouched could be a gang or a secret society too. Anyways one idea I have for a group of Planetouched:

The Carnival
This group of Planetouched travellers and entertainers roam across many worlds, often worlds with little exposure to the planes. Containing members who range from freakish to alluring, they're a troupe of Acrobats, fire-breathers, musicians, seers, illusionists and more. To many they're a source of the wondrous and the exotic, to entertain with their unusual talents and strange natures. But to others it's said that they're criminals looking to cheat and steal the children away from every town they pass through. Some whisper that the carnival is roaming different worlds to search for something.

Some members are:
Ape Boy - A Tiefling of Barlgura descent, who has the ruggedly handsome head on a hulking body sparsely covered with orange fur, he's the resident strongman of the carnival. Ape Boy wants to do what's right, looking to protect those around him from terrors only the Carnival can understand. Prone to the occasional rage, he seeks to control his primal rage by swearing an Oath as a Paladin of Devotion, shielding the Carnival and other innocents from harm.

The Fire Dancer - She's a Tiefling with a prehensile tails, slightly scaly skin and cloven hooves. She juggles flaming knives alternating between her hands and her tail which she uses like a third hand, while breathing fire. Before she joined the Carnival, she was a street child who had to hide her nature, which she flaunts now as a Tiefling. The Fire Dancer is a Bard from the College of Swords, who rarely cares for the plight of most locals, often jumping herself and her adopted family in trouble as a result.

Goat Boy - An Aasimar of Cerdival Guardinal descent, he resembles a Satyr with his goat horns and hooves. Goat Boy is a Horizon Walker Ranger, who often assumes the role as the guide to the visitors of the Carnival, who he vigilantly watches to ensure there's no trouble between his Carnival and the locals. Goat Boy is always on the look out for other Planetouched which he seeks to recruit his traveling family, while making sure the rest of his family don't cause too much trouble among the locals.

The Clockwork Man - An Axani with visible mechanical parts and clockwork gears at his joints, the Clockwork Man is both a sideshow and the accountant of the Carnival. While he speaks with a monotone voice barely showing emotion in his public persona, among the Carnival this arrogant and temperamental Rogue of the Mastermind Archetype puts his focus into running a variety of larcenous schemes, where he plots to steal from wealthy locals to enrich himself.

The Tailor - This hyperactive Cansin of a small-frame with a multi-colored skin hue whose hair, fashion, and gender changes randomly everyday is the resident tailor of the Carnival. This Sorcerer of Wild Magic is almost always seen with their tailor supplies, presenting a friendly face to all visitors looking to pry into all their secrets. Sometimes they moonlight as an announcer, a magician, or a merchant. The Tailor is quite loyal and supportive of their Carnival family, and often involves themselves in schemes aimed the locals.

Mud Girl - A Genasi with a connection to Para-elemental Ooze, reddish-brown skin is always moist and a collection of blue-ish grey fungus grows out of her hair. Mud Girl is a Druid from the Circle of Spores, often working as an apothecarist selling her mostly worthless wares to gullible locals. In the Carnival she's their resident healer, where she puts her real skills to use, taking on a more motherly role, where she often finds herself cleaning up the problems the others end up causing.

The Ghost Woman - A Liminaire who's slightly translucent and gives of a faint glow, she passes herself off as a spirit from beyond who provides answers to locals that will pay her. The Ghost Woman is a Conjurer Wizard, who pretends to talk to dead relatives and friends, but instead reads the dreams of locals to get an insight into their expectations. In the Carnival she often provides the means for them to travel between worlds, as she's navigates through the waxing and waning connections.
 

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TwoSix

Unserious gamer
So if there was something like an X-Men (or Doom Patrol since that came first) for Planetouched who would it's professor be?
Honestly, a collection of Planetouched feels like more of an Umbrella Academy vibe to me.

Although a setting hook where sorcerous power was something that could only be done by Planetouched, and normal mortals had to rely on wizardry or pact magic would be interesting.
 

Stormonu

Legend
Rome used to have gangs of youths (usually 2nd & later born sons) who would roam the city looking for trouble. I could certainly see a roving group of plane touched doing the same, especially if they engage in “fight club” like ordeals. While most gangs might be of all one origin (tiefling, most obvious), some groups might have a “ringer” of another type and some of the arenas (say, in Mechanus) encourage disparate groups to fight (tieflings vs. aasimar vs. genasi) There may even be planar arenas where these gangs come to tussle or pick up adventures that they come back to brag about completing.
 

Honestly, a collection of Planetouched feels like more of an Umbrella Academy vibe to me.

Although a setting hook where sorcerous power was something that could only be done by Planetouched, and normal mortals had to rely on wizardry or pact magic would be interesting.
Definitely one of my ideas was based off of Luther.

I think the tie the sorcery would be an interesting one, but Sorcerer Origins in 5e might not cover everything planar (there's a glaring lack of a Fiendish Sorcerer origin, because probably steps on the Warlock toes too much) at the moment.
 

Rome used to have gangs of youths (usually 2nd & later born sons) who would roam the city looking for trouble. I could certainly see a roving group of plane touched doing the same, especially if they engage in “fight club” like ordeals. While most gangs might be of all one origin (tiefling, most obvious), some groups might have a “ringer” of another type and some of the arenas (say, in Mechanus) encourage disparate groups to fight (tieflings vs. aasimar vs. genasi) There may even be planar arenas where these gangs come to tussle or pick up adventures that they come back to brag about completing.
Are they supposed to not talk about it?

But if there's an extra-planar tournament, then it becomes like Mortal Kombat, though maybe with less hearts being ripped out...
 

Stormonu

Legend
Mortal combat was certainly one of the things that came to my mind (though for D&D you’d want to gear it for group combat, not individual). And Nothing wrong with a campaign where the characters were bred/chosen/forced to fight for their little corner of the planes in a plane-spanning arena that’s an alternative to the Blood War.

Also, I’m thinking along the lines of A-team, Guarians of the Galaxy and Legends of Tomorrow- a group of specialists or misfits (or both) who pick up contracts for adventures on various planes, perhaps competing against other such groups for fame, glory, retribution or just the hope of a better life after a big score.
 

If there's a place where Planetouched from all across the planes meet (likely in somewhere like Sigil or a room in the World Serpent Inn) what kind of place would meet at? Anything more interesting than "just that bar"?
 


A gentlebeing's club?
In the 1800's sense of being a social club? Or the modern sense of being a strip club?

Or like a little of both like a Hellfire Club.

Which might be interesting because a club like that could be a center of a conspiracy/secret society of Planetouched, as much as it could just be a place for different Planetouched to hook-up with each other.
 

Faolyn

(she/her)
In the 1800's sense of being a social club? Or the modern sense of being a strip club?

Or like a little of both like a Hellfire Club.

Which might be interesting because a club like that could be a center of a conspiracy/secret society of Planetouched, as much as it could just be a place for different Planetouched to hook-up with each other.
Either the first or third. I don't see a pure strip club being all that interesting, story-wise.
 

So with this club where Planetouched from across the planes meet, who's the staff and who's the elite? Would it be something where lowly initiates get tasked with being housekeepers and some menial jobs, or is it a bunch of hired outside help, or something magical like Unseen Servants and Homunculi?

If it's more of a secret society, I guess it would be the type that dresses in robes and has rituals and the like. But if it's just a social club then it's a bunch of Planetouched coming back with trophies from their journeys across the planes.
 

Faolyn

(she/her)
So with this club where Planetouched from across the planes meet, who's the staff and who's the elite? Would it be something where lowly initiates get tasked with being housekeepers and some menial jobs, or is it a bunch of hired outside help, or something magical like Unseen Servants and Homunculi?

If it's more of a secret society, I guess it would be the type that dresses in robes and has rituals and the like. But if it's just a social club then it's a bunch of Planetouched coming back with trophies from their journeys across the planes.
First, is this a club where the Planetouched are trying to get away from everyone else (like in a No Women Allowed Victorian gentlemen's club)? If not, then the staff (at least the lower-ranked ones) can be basically anyone.

If yes, then younger Planetouched--not necessarily initiates--would make up a lot of the staff. Constructs, whether physical or purely magical, and mephits could make up the rest.

As for a secret society... what would they be secretive about? What conspiracy are they working towards?
 

As for a secret society... what would they be secretive about? What conspiracy are they working towards?
They could be like that conspiracy in Disenchantment that half of Dreamland belongs to, which happens to be the power behind the throne for some planar metropolis/hub/neighbourhood, but in practice don't really do such a thing.
 


Is it a good show?
I like it, though I guess that depends on how much one likes Futurama. There's certainly some jokes that are repetitive, but I feel it's a good fantasy-based comedy. It's definitely more serialized than Futurama or Simpsons, which has become obvious in it's most recent season.
 

Though back to the subject Planetouched groups, for individuals often it's a struggle between the mortal part and the planar part of their nature. But I feel there could be a group out there that seeks to overthrow their planar progenitors. Perhaps it started as a bunch of individuals who wanted to get back at one of their ancestors.
 

So with a group of Planetouched dedicated to hunting down their progenitors:
-We got the Tiefling who fights against the fiendish wherever they are. They use their own nature of the Fiend inside to understand fiends to better hunt them down.
-An Aasimar who views celestials who interfere with mortals as dangerous, and something that must be purged. They might be from a "fallen" celestial.
-The Axani scavenger of a more mechanical origin who hunts down Modrons and Inevitables for parts, that they use to replace or enhance their own. They're waiting for the next Great Modron March to happen, as it would be like a big dinner buffet.
-The Cansin of Slaadi origin, who's seeking contain the corruption and madness spread by the Slaadi when they decide to spawn. Some of the victims saved from Slaadi eggs or diseases become Cansin themselves.
-The Genasi revolutionary who seeks to free their people from enslavement and exploitation by the tyrannical Genie nobility.
-The Liminaire who seeks to seal the leaks from the border planes to other worlds, because the planar leakage is diminishing the emotional energy they consume on the border planes.
 

Another idea is an Orphanage for Planetouched, which probably would be mostly Tiefling children since they commonly are abandoned and unwanted by their parents. But there could be a few Aasimar children who were abandoned by a parent not wanting the pressures of having such a child, or they were orphaned in an outright tragic way. Not to mention the other types of Planetouched who might have been left there, simply because they were too unusual or a sign of something their parents didn't want hanging over them.

The Orphanage would serve as something in the background connecting a party of Planetouched adults together.
 

Another idea is an Orphanage for Planetouched, which probably would be mostly Tiefling children since they commonly are abandoned and unwanted by their parents. But there could be a few Aasimar children who were abandoned by a parent not wanting the pressures of having such a child, or they were orphaned in an outright tragic way. Not to mention the other types of Planetouched who might have been left there, simply because they were too unusual or a sign of something their parents didn't want hanging over them.

The Orphanage would serve as something in the background connecting a party of Planetouched adults together.
Neat idea! I'd have the patrons be a hound archon descended aasimar and an arcanaloth descended tiefling, and call it The Rescue.
 

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