Fetchlings

System: Pathfinder | SRD | Source: Advanced Race Guide

Descended from humans trapped on the Shadow Plane, fetchlings are creatures of darkness and light intertwined. Generations of contact with that strange plane and its denizens have made fetchlings a race apart from humanity. While fetchlings acknowledge their origins, they exhibit little physical or cultural resemblance to their ancestors on the Material Plane, and are often insulted when compared to humans. Some members of the race also take offense at the name fetchling, as it was given to them by humans who saw them as little more than fetchers of rare materials from the Shadow Plane. Most fetchlings instead prefer to be called kayal, a word borrowed from Aklo that roughly translates to "shadow people" or "dusk dwellers."

Infused with the essence of the Shadow Plane and possessing human blood commingled with that of the Shadow Plane's natives, fetchlings have developed traits and abilities that complement their native plane's bleak and colorless terrain. Though most fetchlings treat the Shadow Plane as home, they often trade and deal with creatures of the Material Plane. Some fetchlings go so far as to create enclaves on the Material Plane in order to establish alliances and trade routes in areas where the boundary between the two planes is less distinct. These fetchlings often serve as merchants, middlemen, and guides for races on both sides of the planar boundary.

Description

Physical Description

Superficially, fetchlings resemble unnaturally lithe—bordering on fragile—humans. Their adopted home has drained their skin and hair of bright colors. Their complexion ranges from stark white to deep black, and includes all the various shades of gray between those two extremes. Their eyes are pupilless and pronounced, and they typically glow a luminescent shade of yellow or greenish yellow, though rare individuals possess blue-green eyes. While their hair tends to be stark white or pale gray, many fetchlings dye their hair black. Some members of higher station or those who dwell on the Material Plane dye their hair with more striking colors, often favoring deep shades of violet, blue, and crimson.

Society

Fetchling are adaptable creatures, and as such display no singular preference for moral philosophy or the rule of law. Most mimic the cultural norms and governmental structures of those they live near or the creatures they serve. While fetchlings are arguably the most populous race on the Shadow Plane, they rarely rule over their own kind; most serve as vassals or subjects to the great umbral dragons of their homeland, or the bizarre nihiloi who dwell in the deeper darkness. Above all, fetchlings are survivors. Their tenacity, versatility, and devious pragmatism have helped them survive the harsh environs of the Shadow Plane and plots of the powerful creatures dwelling within it. On the Material Plane, especially if unable to return to their home plane at will, fetchlings tend to cluste

Relations

Because of their shared ancestry, fetchlings interact most easily with humans, though they also find kinship with gnomes and other races that were cut off from their home planes or are not native to the Material Plane. Their pragmatism and adaptable nature put them at odds with warlike or destructive races, and when they do have to deal with orcs, goblinoids, or other savage cultures, fetchlings will often play the part of the fawning sycophant, a tactic learned from serving umbral dragons and one they see as key to their race's survival. Strangely, their relationship with dwarves and elves are rather strained. Dwarves find fetchlings duplicitous and creepy, while the tension with elves is so subtle and inexplicable that both races find it difficult to explain.

Alignment and Religion

Fetchlings—especially those living outside the Shadow Plane—worship a wide variety of gods. A smaller number of evil fetchlings worship demon lords of darkness and lust.

Adventurers

The Shadow Plane's ever-present hazards pose great danger to fetchling adventurers, but also great opportunity. Because of their servile status on their home plane, however, most fetchlings prefer to adventure on the Material Plane, which often offers more freedom and trading opportunities between the two planes. Fetchlings make excellent ninjas, oracles, rangers, rogues, and summoners.

Male Names

Arim, Drosil, Jegan, Somar, Yetar, Zoka.

Female Names

Acera, Amelisce, Inva, Renza, Zaitherin.

Racial Traits

+2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, -2 Wisdom

Fetchlings are quick and forceful, but often strange and easily distracted by errant thoughts.

Native Outsider

Fetchlings are outsiders with the native subtype.

Medium

Fetchlings are Medium creatures and receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Normal Speed

Fetchlings have a base speed of 30 feet.

Darkvision

Fetchlings can see in the dark up to 60 feet.

Low-Light Vision

Fetchlings can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.

Skilled

Fetchlings have a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (planes) and Stealth checks.

Shadow Blending (Su)

Attacks against a fetchling in dim light have a 50% miss chance instead of the normal 20% miss chance. This ability does not grant total concealment; it just increases the miss chance.

Shadowy Resistance

Fetchlings have cold resistance 5 and electricity resistance 5.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp)

A fetchling can use disguise self once per day as a spell-like ability. He can assume the form of any humanoid creature using this spell-like ability. When a fetchling reaches 9th level in any combination of classes, he gains shadow walk (self only) as a spell-like ability usable once per day, and at 13th level, he gains plane shift (self only, to the Shadow Plane or the Material Plane only) usabl

Languages

Fetchlings begin play speaking Common. Fetchlings with a high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Aklo, Aquan, Auran, Draconic, D'ziriak (understanding only, cannot speak), Ignan, Terran, and any regional human tongue.

Alternate Racial Traits

Emissary (replaces shadow blending)

Rare fetchlings excel in the role of emissary between the Shadow Plane and the Material Plane. Once per day, such a fetchling can roll twice when making a Bluff or Diplomacy check and take the better roll. This racial trait replaces shadow blending.

Gloom Shimmer

Some fetchlings can manipulate shadowy energy in order to displace their location instead of transporting between shadows. Upon reaching 9th level, instead of gaining shadow walk as a spell-like ability, these fetchlings gain displacement as a spell-like ability usable twice per day. For this ability, a fetchling's caster level is equal to his total Hit Dice. This racial trait modifies the spell-like ability racial trait.

Shadow Magic (replaces the skilled racial trait)

Fetchlings who spend their time studying the subtle magic of their adopted plane gain arcane insights on the use of shadow spells. These fetchlings gain a +1 racial bonus to the DC of any illusion (shadow) spells they cast. This racial trait replaces the skilled racial trait.

Subtle Manipulator

Rather than taking on the forms of others, some fetchling are adept at destroying the memories of other creatures. Instead of gaining disguise self as a spell-like ability, such fetchlings can use memory lapse once per day as a spell-like ability. For this ability, a fetchling's caster level is equal to his total Hit Dice. This racial trait modifies the spell-like ability racial trait.

World Walker

Fetchlings who have spent most of their lives on the Material Plane can become more acclimated to their new environments. Instead of gaining a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (planes) checks, these fetchlings gain a +1 racial bonus on Knowledge (nature) and Knowledge (local) checks. This racial trait modifies the skilled racial trait.

Favored Class Options

Oracle

Treat the oracle's level as +1/3 higher for the purposes of determining which of its racial spell-like abilities it can use.

Ranger

Add a +1/2 bonus on Perception and Survival checks made on the Plane of Shadow.

Rogue

Add a +1/2 bonus on Stealth and Sleight of Hand checks made while in dim light or darkness.

Sorcerer

Add +1/2 to either cold or electricity resistance (maximum resistance 10 for either type).

Summoner

The summoner's eidolon gains resistance 1 against either cold or electricity. Each time the summoner selects this reward, he increases his eidolon's resistance to one of those energy types by 1 (maximum 10 for any one energy type).

Wizard

Add one spell from the wizard spell list to wizard's spellbook. The spell must be at or below the highest level he can cast and be of the illusion (shadow) subschool or have the darkness descriptor.

Source: Advanced Race Guide