Netherim
The elder Netherim are a race commonly mistaken as Daharesh elves by virtue of their similar appearance. The netherim are actually a race of wisps
which learned the secret of alchemical transformation, stolen from a lost
Inhuridan king, using this esoteric magic to transform their spirit-forms from
the In-Between in to physical bodies. The netherim marveled at the beauty of
the ancient Inhuridan people, and modeled their forms after them, though they
never lost their connection to the In-Between.
Traits:
The chief distinguishing features of the netherim include traits such as pronounced
ears and nose, horns, and occasionally exotic feline eyes. Though many have the
dusky pale gray skin of the Daharesh elves, many have pale, translucent white skin,
and a few are coal black. Daharesh can shape their external appearance over
time through will alone, though such efforts take a month and are purely
cosmetic changes. Netherim usually glow around the eyes, mouth and sometimes
their joins or creases and cracks along their “skin.” This glow can be dimmed
sufficiently to allow for safe stealthing when needed, but without taking the
time to concentrate it is “always on.” It can be focused on to provide for dim
(10 feet) illumination if needed around the netherim.
When netherim die they usually leave
curiously empty husks, as if their true forms, upon the release of death, had
cast off an empty skin.
Netherim are immortal and ageless, though
they are “born” into the world and begin life as children like most other
beings, at least initially; all Netherim births are miraculous manifestations and
no parent is involved. The wisps experience a period of a couple years during
which they learn mortal language and ways, after which they act as any adult
would.
Netherim are powerful sorcerers by nature
and even if a netherim follows a class that does not practice magic it still
retains an innate connection to all things magical (see below).
Despite all this, Netherim are wisps of the
In-Between, and they know little of the world initially, starting with little
knowledge of the mortal plane. Older Netherim are wiser and more learned, but
the typical young Netherim out on adventures has much to learn about mortals.
Favored
Professions: Netherim rarely start with any profession other than
scholar, explorer, entertainer, noble or wizard.
Netherim Statistics: Netherim gain a +1 to Int and +1 CHA.
Innate Magic: All netherim gain the Magic Initiate feat at first level.
Slowshifting: netherim can change their
appearance at will, although their appearance will always be obviously alien
and exotic (but it may nonetheless confuse non-netherim as to whether or not
they are the same being known from an earlier date). Such changes are at will
but require a process that takes 1D3 months.
Persistent Luminescence: the netherim exude magical energy in the form of a dull but constant light that emits from cracks,
wounds, their eyes and mouths (and sometimes as an ambient glow, fiery hair, or
what-not). Netherim can reduce the glow to unobservable levels with a reaction
or as part of a move or standard action, but it takes a bonus action to expand
the glow to provide dull but clean illumination for 10 feet around the
netherim. This is a constant effect and the glow does not alter without effort,
nor does it require concentration. If a netherim is trying to avoid notice but
fails to dim his or her glow then he gains disadvantage on stealth checks.
Amoral: Netherim have almost no grasp of
the concept of good and evil, seeming almost incapable of grasping the nuances
of such disparate opposing philosophies. While some netherim do in fact begin
to understand the complexities of such ideological philosophies, most remain
curiously discreet, leaning toward lawful neutral, true neutral or chaotic
neutral in behavior.
Alien Physiology: The alchemical process that creates
a Netherim and binds its spirit to flesh is a process mages have used to
make simulacra and homunculi; as such, the physiology of netherim is alien, and
healing attempts with the Medicine skill are at disadvantage due to this lack
of familiar internal organs or even blood (since they effectively bleed
"light"). Conversely, many diseases which would affect a normal human
will not take with a netherim's odd body. As such, netherim gain permanent
advantage to saves vs. poison and disease (CON checks or otherwise). The reason
they are even able to suffer any effects is because their “ectoplasmic light”
physiology is a useful approximation of human physiology through crude simulation….just not easily
identifiable as such by healers.
Immortal: netherim are born fully
formed and do not age. They can be
killed by the usual means, but natural death through age does not happen to
them. Dead netherim disincorporate and return to the In-Between to await a time
when they can reincorporate in a new body; they rarely remember anything of
their past life, however.
Levitation: as airy beings of elemental
form and substance crafted out of ectoplasmic quintessence by their own will,
netherim are surprisingly light and with some concentration can actually resist
the pull of gravity. This is a natural spell-like ability that can be performed
at will and functions as the levitate spell does, but can only be used on
themselves. It takes one action to perform, and one more standard action to
turn off. This does mean that if a netherim falls a distance that is great enough
to allow him one action’s worth of concentration (probably necessitating a
concentration check in the process) he can use levitate to slow his fall
(similar to feather fall).
Useful Notes and Ideas:
1. Netherim fill a role in Enzada as the mysterious "other" that elves often fill in typical fantasy settings. In Enzada there are no eladrin, and there is no feywild; only the mysterious In-Between. Elves are reclusive near-immortals who many still regard as the old kings and soldiers of the Inhuridan Empire, to be cast out and despised for all eternity.
2. Enzada's core premise on the planes is that there is only "one" plane, the In-Between, but if you journey far enough in the In-Between you find either the Celestial Kingdoms or the Outer Darkness. The good and bad spirits erupt from either realm, and they constantly seek a way of entering the mortal realm....but no spirit can survive in the mortal realm without taking on a guise of mortal flesh. This must be done through a willing or unwilling sacrifice, alive or dead. Netherim are the only spirits to discover the secret of spontaneous alchemical construction of a suitable host form.
3. Netherim, because they are spirits in origin, may know dire secrets of the planar realm no one else does. If you play this straight, they will never divulge their beliefs, but netherim also never worship deities....only philosophies; in their eyes there are no gods, only spirits, tricksters and phantoms. Netherim philosophers will concede that they have never met a being portending to godhood who was worthy or even close. If pressed, they would only concede that there is but one being worthy of the title, the enigmatic "Source" which they believe is the creator of the In-Between, and the entity which has spent countless eons harvesting lifeforms on Enzada. They will suggest that this "Source" may have been created by the first Sky Builders (which in Enzada are a race millions of years old by their ancient buried constructs, such as immense pyramids buried beneath the plains of Waladar or vast ruins covered in ancient basalt lava beds in the northern isles).
4. It is of some question as to whether Banishment would affect a Netherim. One could argue that a netherim is by virtue of its form now native to the physical world, but if you cast banishment on one and he or she fails a saving throw, the DM can optionally rule that the netherim's spirit (but not body) is banished, leaving a hollow husk behind for one minute while the spirit is returned to the In-Between. On a critical failure on the save (1) this might be permanent.
Netherim for Pathfinder:
Here is my Pathfinder write-up on the Netherim:
Netherim Statistics: Netherim gain a +2 to Int and Cha and a -2 to Wis.
Innate Magic: All netherim start play
with their first class level in a spellcasting class (divine or arcane).
Netherim may choose to follow non-spellcasting professions at a later date if
they so choose, but their initial foray into the realm of mortals is bereft of
practical knowledge, but they are born innately familiar with one or more forms
of magic. Sorceror is a good starting class for newborn netherim.
Slowshifting: netherim can change their
appearance at will, although their appearance will always be obviously alien
and exotic (but it may nonetheless confuse non-netherim as to whether or not
they are the same being known from an earlier date). Such changes are at will
but require a conscious effort that takes 1D3 months.
Persistent Luminescence: the netherim exude magical energy in the form of a
dull but constant light that emits from cracks, wounds, their eyes and mouths
(and sometimes as an ambient glow, fiery hair, or what-not). It takes a swift
action’s worth of concentration to dim such a glow to nothingness (for stealth,
say) and a standard action’s concentration to expand the glow to provide dull
but clean illumination for 10 feet around the netherim. This is a constant
effect and the glow does not alter without effort. If a netherim is trying to avoid
notice but fails to dim his or her glow then a -6 penalty to stealth checks
applies (pr +6 to perception checks to notice the netherim, as needed).
Amoral: Netherim have almost no grasp of
the concept of good and evil, seeming almost incapable of grasping the nuances
of such disparate opposing philosophies. While some netherim do in fact begin
to understand the complexities of such ideological philosophies, most remain
curiously discreet, leaning toward lawful neutral, true neutral or chaotic
neutral in behavior.
Alien Physiology: The alchemical process that creates
a Netherim and binds its spirit to flesh is a process mages have usd to
make simulacra and homunculi; as such, the physiology of netherim is alien, and
healing attempts with the skill are always at a -5 penalty due to this lack of
familiar internal organs or even blood (since they effectively bleed
"light"). Conversely, many diseases which would affect a normal human
will not take with a netherim's odd body. As such, netherim gain a permanent +5
racial modifier to saves vs. poison and disease.
Immortal: netherim are born fully
formed and do not age. They can be
killed by the usual means, but natural death through age does not happen to
them. Dead netherim disincorporate and return to the In-Between to await a time
when they can reincorporate in a new body; they rarely remember anything of
their past life, however.
Levitation: as airy beings of elemental
form and substance crafted out of ectoplasmic forms by their own will, netherim
are surprisingly light and with some concentration can actually resist the pull
of gravity. This is a natural spell-like ability that can be performed at will
and functions as the levitate spell does, but can only be case on themselves.
It takes one standard action of concentration to perform, and one more standard
action to turn off. This does mean that if a netherim falls a distance that is
great enough to allow him one standard action’s worth of concentration
(probably necessitating a concentration check in the process) he can use
levitate to slow his fall (similar to feather fall).
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