Sheikel (3.5e Race)

=Sheikels=

Summary::People of a alternate material plane with strong ties to the Plane of Shadow.

Personality
In another time and place, hidden in the shadows just beyond our view is an alternate material world. It is a world where shadows dominate, and the air is in eternal twilight, simultaneously soothing and yet seething with danger just beyond the darkness. In this world, the so called Dark World, the Sheikel take the place of humans as the common man. In fact, the idea may not be far off. Being so close to the Plane of Shadow, the Dark World also takes up traits of the material world. It is said that for every person in the normal world, they have a Dark World counterpart, whose face and mannerisms are eerily similar, though warped and changed.

Regardless if the idea that they are dark reflections of normal people is true or not, Sheikel are as varies and able as any human, with as much variation in their kind as men. Their dark nature gives them a stereotype of evil of sinister nature, but this is not accurate.

Physical Description
Sheikel are human shaped creatures whose bodies are often more gaunt and thinner. Their skins are sharply contrasted and often accompanies by splotches and patterns of light and dark completely unique from sheikel to sheikel. Pale skin tends towards blue shadows, and they are possessing of blue colored blood, while dark shades can get as black as pitch. Middle ranges and hues seem non-existant, giving them a dark or ghostly appearance. Their eyes glow slightly, often in various sunset hues of gold, orange, or red, that take up the majority of their eyes, the whites hidden. Hair, too, is the only other colorful part, also taking sunset hues and an unearthly faint radiance that comes with it. Variations of white and black also exist.

Relations
Sheikel are as personable as humans. However, unless the campaign takes place in the Dark World, they are likely to be outcasts or strange aberrations to the rest of the world. How they react to this commonplace shunning varies. Others find their forms to be unsettling, especially if they happen to look and act like somebody they already know...

Alignment
Any alightnment is appropriate for a sheikel. They come in all sorts of personalities and flavors.

Lands
The Dark World is their home. Sheikel often travel the Plane of Shadow and can be found there, and when they get lost they end up on the material plane. When on the material plane they perfer places which are not to bright, though this simply means that sunrise, sunset, and the night are the times they are most active.

Religion
Religions are as varied as humans, although with them existing in an alternate world, they may also possess an alternate cosmology as well.

Language
Sheikel speak Sheikara, an omnious sounding language which to others sounds like wailing and spooky. If they have been exposed to it, they may also speak common.

Names
Names are varied, though due to their language vowels are often pronounced strongly.

Racial Traits
Racial Ability Adjustments::None
 * : The Material Plane is a close enough match to their world, to maintain a native subtype.  Their bodies are definately composed of the quasi-shadowstuff of their plane, however.  Unlike most outsiders, Sheikel may be raised and ressurected normally.
 * Size::Medium: As medium creatures, sheikel have no soecial bonuses or penalties due to their size.
 * Sheikel base land speed is 30 feet.
 * Unsettling Appearance: Around those not of its kind or of the Plane of Shadow, a Sheikel takes a -2 to social skill checks.
 * Cover of Darkness (Ex): A sheikel has a +2 racial bonus to Hide and Move Silently.
 * Low-Light Vision (Ex): A sheikel can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions
 * Darkvision (Ex): Sheikel can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and sheikel can function just fine with no light at all.
 * Light Sensitivity (Ex): Sheikah's sensitive eyes are dazzled in bright sunlight or within the radius of a Daylight spell.
 * Add +1 to the DC to all saving throws against illusion spells with the Shadow discriptor. Their innate familiarity with the Plane of Shadow makes their shadow magic seem more potent than normal.
 * Automatic Languages: Sheikel and Common.
 * Bonus Languages: Any, other than secret languages such as Druidic.
 * Favored Class:
 * Level Adjustment: +Level Adjustment::0
 * Effective Character Level: Effective Character Level::1