Fetchling

Descended from humans trapped in The Shadowfell, 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

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.

Racial Traits

Ability Adjustment: +2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, -2 Wisdom. Fetchlings are quick and forceful, but often strange and easily distracted by errant thoughts.
Size: Medium.
Speed: Fetchling base land speed is 30 feet.
Type: Humanoid (Human, Planetouched).
Age: Fetchlings have a slower rate of aging than humans, doing so at roughly half their normal rate.
Vision: Darkvision 60 feet and Low-Light Vision. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and fetchlings can fuction just fine with no light at all. Low-Light Vision allows fetchlings to see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.

Special Qualities

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.
Skilled: Fetchlings have a +2 Racial bonus on Knowledge (planes) and Stealth checks.
Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): A fetchling can use Disguise Self once per day as a spell-like ability. They can assume the form of any humanoid creature. When a fetchling reaches 9th level in any combination of classes, they gain Shadow Walk (self only) usable once per day as a spell-like ability. When a fetchling reaches 13th level, they gain Plane Shift (self only, to the Shadowfell or the the Prime Material Plane only) usable once per day as a spell-like ability. A fetchling’s Caster Level is equal to their total Hit Dice.

Languages

Automatic Languages: Common.
Bonus Languages: Aquan, Auran, Draconic, D’ziriak (understanding only, cannot speak), Ignan, Terran, .

Alternate Racial Traits

The following alternate racial traits may be selected in place of one or more of the standard racial traits above.
Bound to Here: Some fetchlings are from families that have fearfully avoided the Shadowfell, living on the Prime Material Plane for generations. As a result, these fetchlings are closely tied to the Prime Material Plane. They can pass for human without using the Disguise skill. This racial trait replaces the +2 Racial bonus on Knowledge (planes) checks from the skilled racial trait.
Boundary Walker: Some fetchlings deftly navigate between the worlds of shadow and light. A fetchling with this racial trait gains Spell Resistance equal to 5 + their character level against spells and spell-like abilities with the light or shadow descriptors, as well as spells and spell-like abilities of the Illusion (shadow) subschool. This racial trait replaces the shadow blending and shadowy resistance racial traits.
Deep Shadow Explorer: Fetchlings who widely explore the Shadowfell learn to confront fearsome things best left undescribed. Fetchlings with this racial trait gain a +2 Racial bonus on all saves against Fear effects. This racial trait replaces the skilled racial trait.
Emissary: Rare fetchlings excel in the role of emissary between the Shadowfell and the Prime 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 their total Hit Dice. This racial trait modifies the spell-like ability racial trait.
Recluse: Some fetchlings learn how to deflect unwanted attention. Fetchlings with this racial trait can use Sanctuary once per day as a spell-like ability. When such a fetchling reaches 9th level in any combination of classes, they gain Nondetection (self only) as a spell-like ability usable once per day, and at 13th level, they gain Veil (self only) usable once per day. A fetchling’s Caster Level is equal to their total Hit Dice. This racial trait modifies the fetchling’s spell-like abilities racial trait.
Shadow Agent: Families of fetchlings make their livings serving as agents, diplomats, and spies mediating between humans and the powers of the Shadowfell. They gain a +2 Racial bonus on Bluff and Diplomacy checks. This racial trait replaces skilled.
Shadow Magic: 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 their total Hit Dice. This racial trait modifies the spell-like ability racial trait.
Umbral Escort: Some fetchlings descend from talented planar travelers who dwelled in the dark places between worlds and could conduct others across the planes. A fetchling with this racial trait loses the Disguise Self spell-like ability, but their Shadow Walk and Plane Shift spell-like abilities need not affect himself only. This racial trait replaces the low-light vision racial trait and modifies the spell-like abilities racial trait.
Unnerving Gaze: Some fetchlings gain an upsetting gaze attack that they can activate three times per day as a standard action, affecting all creatures within a 30-foot cone that can see. All creatures that meet the fetchling’s unnerving gaze are Shaken for 1 round (DC = 10 + 1/2 the fetchling’s character level + their Charisma modifier; Will negates). When the fetchling reaches 9th level, their gaze instead causes creatures to be Staggered. When the fetchling reaches 13th level, their gaze instead causes creatures to be Stunned. Unnerving gaze is a mind-affecting fear effect. This racial trait replaces the fetchling’s spell-like abilities.
Whispers from Shadow: Fetchlings are known for wheeling and dealing. A fetchling with this racial trait gains a +4 Racial bonus on Bluff checks when they tell a lie and want to convince an opponent that what they are saying is true. This racial trait replaces the skilled racial trait.
World Walker: Fetchlings who have spent most of their lives on the Prime 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.