Race: Darkshard
Darkshard are a lineage of humanoids from a distant plane. Having arrived on ships from beyond the stars, the darkshard brought with them advanced knowledge and forbidden powers. Only discernable from natives by the seemingly impenetrable darkness that swallows their eyes when spellcasting, darkshard are spread among many nations and organizations. Due to widespread prejudice, most darkshard work to hide their lineage. With their technology lost to ravages of time, many darkshard make their livings as private investigators, bounty hunters, interrogators, and much worse.
Devious Adapters
Darkshard are able to alter their appearance and adapt their bodies to the situation, as well as manipulate the minds of others to trust or fear them long enough to get information.
Traits
Creature Type
You are humanoid.
Dark Influence
Your innate abilities, as well as the reputation of your kind, grant you proficiency in the Intimidation skill.
Dark Eyes
By tapping your darkshard heritage, as a bonus action you can turn your eyes into pools of inky blackness, granting you advantage on a Wisdom (Intimidation or Insight) check within the next minute. During this time you have darkvision that allows you to see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You recover all spent uses when you finish a long rest.
Darkshard Adaptation
As a reaction to falling below half of your maximum hit points, or as bonus action when you are below half of your maximum hit points, you can grant yourself resistance to a damage type of your choice for the next minute. Once you use this trait, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.
Darkshard Magic
Your heritage grants you access to an otherworldly source of magic. You know the friends cantrip.
Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the cause fear spell with this trait. Starting at 5th level, you can also cast the alter self spell with it. Once you cast cause fear or alter self with this trait, you can’t cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast either of those spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level.
Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait (choose when you select this race). None of these spells require spell components when you cast them with this trait.
Casting cause fear or alter self using this trait activates your dark eyes trait without expending a use of that trait.
Darkshard Mutation Warning
Caution: Some darkshard have a rare mutation that makes their eyes go pure white instead of pure black.
Version History
| Date | Version | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024.05.30 | 1.1 | Mutation warning. |
| 2023.05.23 | 1.0 | Initial release for the Royal Academy campaign setting (more information coming soon). Art credits: Midjourney tool (v4, v5). |
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