Shadar-Kai

 

Species Name: Shadar-Kai, Dark Fey,

The Shadar-kai are a species of fey found in the Shadowscape. Ages spent in the Shadowscape have shaped the Shadar-kai into a people that live passionately and fearlessly to combat the apathy and gloom of their home plane.

Type: Humanoid

Physical Traits: The goth-like, Shadar-kai seem to draw in the shadows around them. Their skin ranges from white to dark gray and their eyes are black and lustrous without any white or clear pupil. Their drab or raven black hair is often died and worn in a variety of styles including long and loose, braided, or elaborately shaved. They are usually found with tattoos, scarifications, and piercings. Shadows near a shadar-kai reach out or deepen, especially when they are angry.

Height: 5-5.5 ft

Weight: 100 lbs

Abilities: Accustomed to the dim, colorless Shadowscape, Shadar have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. They can see in dim light within 18 metres as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. Shadar can move like a wraith and teleport up to 5 metres to an unoccupied space they can see. When they do this, they reappear in a (temporarily) wraith-like state. They regain the ability to do so when they finish a short or long rest. Due to their connection to the Raven Queen, they can reroll a failed death saving throw. They regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. +8 to Hide and Move Silently checks at night or when in shadows, and permanently while in the Shadowscape. +4 to attack rolls and +4 Dodge bonus to AC while in the Shadowscape. +4 bonus on saves against poison and to resist mind-affecting spells and fear, +6 bonus on Handle Animal checks.

Mobility: Legs

Sensory Organs: Visual

Communication: Vocal

Reproduction: Sexual

INT: 3D6 +1, WIS: 3D6, STR: 3D6, DEX: 3D6 +2, CON: 3D6, CHA: 3D6, MR: 3D6, HPs: CON +D8

Orbit/Climate: See Earth

Feeding Habits: Strict carnivores, Halflings tend to view all animals, including humans and their ilk, as lunch.

Lifespan: Halflings live to be as much as 120 years old, but once they reach adulthood, their features never succumb to their years its very difficult for an outsider to determine a given Halflings age.

Technology: 2

Culture: Standard. Diversified mix of kind and evil people. Shadar-kai society is meritocratic and based on power and prestige of great deeds. Most Shadar-kai do not fear death and live for the moment, or risk succumbing to ennui and fading out of existence, experimenting in all sorts of stimulation and extremes. Cold of heart and dark of eye, passion burns still within these people of shadow and deep winter. Shadar-kai embrace living to the limits of pleasure, while striving for personal greatness, so that when they fall, stories of their great deeds will grant them a sort of immortality. In their search for personal glory, most shadar-kai ignore comfort, morality, and safety, traits they consider banalities. Because of their belief systems, Shadar-kai generally have no fear of death. Most shadar-kai believe that their death is foretold and impossible to change. Shadar-kai are often seen as cold and pitiless to outsiders. Shadar-kai preferred to use their speed, grace, and agility in combat. Therefore, they typically wielded light weapons and were particularly known for fighting with spiked chains. Spellcasters typically favored shadow magic and illusion spells. Shadar-kai were skilled at sneak attacks and were often able to hide in plain sight, so they favour ambushes. Every shadar-kai is affected by the shadow curse, forced to struggle all their lives to avoid it or fend it off, just to stay on the Material Plane. It defines them as a people and influences every aspect of their culture. Shadar-kai are known to be bitter, grim-natured, troubled, and driven, with souls tainted by darkness.

Government: Magocracy

Population: 1,243,410

 

 

Creating a Shadar-Kai character

Step 1: Attributes
Roll attributes as normal but +1 for INT and DEX. Mana = INT + WIS x3. Mana is recovered at a rate of 10 per hour if remain active (but not using magic) and 20 per hour if asleep. Mana can however be permanently traded for HPs at a rate of 1 for 1. Hit points = CON +8, +8 per level.
Step 2: Skills
Choose skills in the normal manner according to the character's class.
Step 3: Abilities
Shadar-Kai gain all the following free;

Greater Resistance - Halflings receive a +4 to all saving throws against mind attacks, poisons, and fear. +1 at levels 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20.

Night Vision - The character can see in absolute darkness at a distance equal up to 18 metres, +5 metres per level.

Additionally Shadar start with 35 Points to spend on any of the following abilities. As they earns more experience they may buy or rebuy more abilities.
Ability Cost Notes
Animal Friend 5 Shadar can establish empathic communication with any normal animal within line of sight if he does nothing else in the round. The animal must have a minimum INT of 1. This has the following benefits:
He can communicate to the creature that he desires its friendship. If the offer is sincere (and the animal will be able to sense if it isn't), the creature can be calmed and will not attack or flee unless it is attacked. It will answer any of his questions.
Increased AC 10 This character is extra nimble, +1 AC.
Increased Thac0 10 +1 Thac0 with thrown and chain weapons at levels 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19.
Natural Mana 10 +10 Mana at levels 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18.
Second Chance 5 Shadar can reroll a failed death saving throw once every 5 hours.
Shadow Chameleon 5 Using this ability the character can blend into and render himself nearly invisible in dim light or shadows. When hiding he can conceal himself from attackers and eavesdrop on his enemies. He can hide near a well travelled road and secretly observe passersby, or conceal himself near an enemy campsite waiting for an opportune moment to steal their supplies. 

He may also move with a minimum of sound, almost as if he's walking on air. Even creatures with the sharpest ears are no more likely to detect his presence than they are to hear a feather drop. The ability works equally well in icy mountains, heavily wooded forests, or any other type of wilderness terrain. This goes well beyond the stealth skill raising it to a supernatural level and preventing any non magical detection.

Shadow Heal 5 Whenever in a dimly lit or shadow area the character can heal at phenomenal rates. He must concentrate for 1 minute uninterrupted to perform the following healing; restore 1 HP per INT, +1 per level per 10 minutes; reduce the damage and duration of drugs, toxins and poisons by 4% per INT, +1% per level and gives +1 to save per 4 INT; negate all pain for 1 minute per INT, +1 minute per level; or stabilize his condition (stops bleeding, binds wounds, etc.) for 15 minutes per level.
Shadow Survival 5 Due to extensive experience and training in the shadows they gain +1 to any physical, combat and survival rolls made while within shadows or dim light. Each time this ability is rebought he may take an additional +1 with their terrain.
Teleport 5 Shadar can move like a wraith and teleport up to 5 metres to an unoccupied space they can see. When they do this, they reappear in a (temporarily) wraith-like state. They regain the ability to do so when they finish a short or long rest.
True Sight 5 The character can see the true image of any person or object regardless of any form of concealment, disguise, illusion or invisibility. This also includes the ability to detect whether it is magical, and whether it is harmful or helpful.
Step 5: Classes
Any but Shaman is the favoured mage class.

 

 

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