Fetchling: A Guide to Being A Spawn of Darkness

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.

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 cluster in small, insular communities of their own kind, mimicking the cultural norms and political structures of those they trade with.

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 small 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.

Standard Racial Traits

• Ability Score Racial Traits: Fetchlings are quick and forceful, but often strange and easily distracted by errant thoughts.They gain +2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, and –2 Wisdom.
  
• Type: Fetchlings are outsiders with the native subtype.
  
• Size: Fetchlings are Medium creatures and thus receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
  
• Base Speed: Fetchlings have a base speed of 30 feet.
  
• 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. See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.
  

Defense Racial Traits

• 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.
  

Feat and Skill Racial Traits

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

Magical Racial Traits

• 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. A fetchling's caster level is equal to his total Hit Dice. 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 as a spell-like ability. A fetchling's caster level is equal to his total Hit Dice. When a fetchling reaches 13th level in any combination of classes, he gains plane shift (self only, to the Shadow Plane or the Material Plane only) usable once per day as a spell-like ability. A fetchling's caster level is equal to his total Hit Dice.
  

Sense Racial Traits

• Darkvision: Fetchlings can see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.
  
• Low-Light Vision: In addition to their ability to see perfectly in the dark up to 60 ft, fetchlings have low-light vision, allowing them to see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
  

Alternate Racial Traits
The following alternate racial traits may be selected in place of one or more of the standard racial traits above. Consult your GM before selecting any of these new options.

• Bound to Here: Some fetchlings are from families that have fearfully avoided the Shadow Plane, living on the Material Plane for generations. As a result, these fetchlings are closely tied to the Material Plane. Fetchlings with this racial trait count as outsiders with the native subtype and humanoids with the human subtype for any effect related to race, including feat prerequisites and spells that affect humanoids. 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, and alters the native outsider 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 + his 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 Shadow Plane 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 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.
  
• 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, he gains nondetection (self only) as a spell-like ability usable once per day, and at 13th level, he gains veil (self only) usable once per day. A fetchling's caster level is equal to his total Hit Dice. This racial trait modifies the fetchling's spell-like abilities racial trait. Source PPC:BoS
  
• Shadow Agent: Families of fetchlings make their livings serving as agents, diplomats, and spies mediating between humans and the powers of the Plane of Shadow. 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 his 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 his 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 + her Charisma modifier; Will negates). When the fetchling reaches 9th level, her gaze instead causes creatures to be staggered. When the fetchling reaches 13th level, her 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 he tells a lie and wants to convince an opponent that what he is saying is true. This racial trait replaces the skilled 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.