Shadar-Kai, Axim Variant (3.5e Race)

Author: ArelMCII Date Created: 9/12/2011 Status: Near completion Editing: Clarity edits only please

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Shadar-kai

Dark fey cursed with the taint of the Plane of Shadows.

Personality

Shadar-kai are often violent and bitter. Some might call them depraved or decadent, and in a certain sense they are. However, the shadar-kai rely on strong sensations (pain, tastes, sounds) in order to tether their ever-fading souls to their mortal bodies.

Physical Description

Long ago, the shadow mages of the shadar-kai worked a foul ritual with the intent of taking over the Material Plane. The cost paid for this ritual was high, however: the souls of every shadar-kai were forever bound to the Plane of Shadow. This became known as the "shadow curse." The Plane of Shadow now forever exerts a pull on the souls of the shadar-kai, dulling their senses while on other planes as their soul is slowly pulled away. Most shadar-kai can temporarily offset this pull by using strong sensations as tethers, but all but the most determined shadow fey will eventually give up and leave for the Plane of Shadow, where they do not suffer these effects.

Shadar-kai stand taller than most humans but are also much slimmer, their build more reminiscent of a tall elf than a human. Their features are similar to humans. Their skin is pale, normally a lighter shade of grey. Their hair is a deep, lusterless black. The shadow fey are also incredibly graceful, moving with actions so dexterous as to rival even elves. The shadows cast by their bodies and clothes seem much darker than they should be, and even young or inexperienced shadar-kai can cause these shadows to shift around them.

Most shadar-kai wear black or grey clothing that shows off their skin. Their bodies are often covered with piercings, tattooed, or scarred with needles of cold iron. Most also wear special cold iron bracers called gal-ralan which, when worn, pierce the wearer's forearm with a long needle, the pain helping keep the wearer's soul, if shadar-kai, attached to its body.

Nobody is quite sure how long shadar-kai live. Most speculate they age similarly to elves, while others believe they could live forever were it not for the shadow curse.

Relations

Shadar-kai don't normally get along with civilized races. The shadow fey actually blame civilized races for their condition and often take out their aggression on them. However, while the shadow fey will work together with other civilized races if circumstances force them to, shadar-kai will never work with other fey. They loathe other fey with a passion and will kill them on sight.

Alignment

Shadow fey are typically neutral evil, doing whatever they can get away with. Chaotic neutral is also common.

Lands

While the kingdoms of the shadar-kai were once vast, only a rare few of the shadow fey live within settlements after the advent of the shadow curse. Most live in roving warbands, each one led by one or more shadow mages, that infiltrate and raid the settlements of other races. Even worse, the race is further divided by the minority that lives on the Material Plane and the majority who inhabit the Plane of Shadow. Oddly, warband and planar rivalries do not exist. The shadow fey are, in fact, fiercely loyal to each other.

Religion

Most shadar-kai do not revere any deities. Those that do, however, often revere gods of shadow, darkness, or intrigue (such as Vecna).

Language

Being fey, shadar-kai speak Common and Sylvan. Some learn Elven, while others learn the languages of whatever region they rove.

Names

Shadar-kai appear to follow the same naming conventions as elves. The notable exception, however, is they often use the name of their band as a surname.

Racial Traits

• +2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, -2 Constitution, -2 Wisdom. Shadar-kai possess an unearthly grace, but their bodies are frail and their sanity has been eroded by the shadow curse.
• Fey (Extraplanar): Shadar-kai are fey from the Plane of Shadow. Shadar-kai lose the extraplanar subtype on the Plane of Shadow.
• Medium: As a Medium creature, a Shadar-kai has no special bonuses or penalties due to its size.
• Shadar-kai Base land speed is 30 feet.
• Superior Low-Light Vision: A shadar-kai can see four times as far as a human in conditions of poor illumination.
• Shadow Curse (Su): The Plane of Shadow exerts a tremendous pull on a shadar-kai's soul, which is only tenuously connected to its mortal body. Any time a shadar-kai is stunned, dazed, staggered, or unconscious (except from natural sleep), the shadow fey must make a Will save (DC 15) or lose a portion of their soul to the Plane of Shadow. The shadar-kai must also attempt a save any time he removes a gal-ralan, if he has one.

A shadar-kai with a damaged soul gains one negative level that cannot be removed until he restores his soul completely. If exposed to another event that requires a save against a shadow curse, a shadar-kai may gain additional negative levels. A shadar-kai on the Plane of Shadow can transfix his soul to his body again with a greater restoration spell. A shadar-kai on the Material Plane (or elsewhere) must use a wish or miracle spell to restore his soul.

A shadar-kai afflicted with the shadow curse cannot be raised from the dead or resurrected, and cannot gain experience. The touch of the shadow curse calls a shadar-kai, filling his heart with an icy emptiness that eventually drives all but the most determined individuals to capitulate and leave the Material Plane altogether.

A shadar-kai who goes to the Plane of Shadow and remains there ameliorates the effects of the shadow curse and suffers no ill effects. However, if he leaves without restoring his soul he suffers the shadow curse until he returns or restores his soul.

• Weapon Familiarity: Shadar-kai treat spiked chains as martial weapons rather than exotic weapons.
• Shadow Affinity (Su): Shadar-kai who can cast spells cast spells with the shadow or darkness descriptor at +1 caster level.
• Shadow Blend (Su): In conditions other than full daylight, a daylight spell, or other magical illumination, a shadar-kai can command ambient shadows to wrap around him, granting him total concealment.
• Spell-like abilities: 1/day: darkness. Caster level equals Hit Dice
• Automatic Languages: Common, Sylvan.
• Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages such as Druidic). Shadar-kai typically speak the languages common in whatever area they rove.
• Favored Class: Sorcerer
• Level Adjustment: +0
• Effective Character Level: 1

Vital Statistics

Table: Shadar-kai Random Starting Ages

Adulthood	Simple	Moderate	Complex
80 years	+3d6	+5d6	+8d6

Table: Shadar-kai Aging Effects

Middle Age1	Old2	Venerable3	Maximum Age
175 years	265 years	350 years	+5d% years
At middle age, −1 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At old age, −2 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At venerable age, −3 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha.

Table: Shadar-kai Random Height and Weight

Gender	Base Height	Height Modifier	Base Weight	Weight Modifier
Male	5' 0"	+3d8	100 lb.	× (1d6) lb.
Female	4' 8"	+3d8	80 lb.	× (1d6) lb.

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