Shadow Dweller, Variant (5e Race)

Shadowborn

Shadowborn are creatures born of shadow, awoken from the deepest, darkest parts of the earth. When they walk around in the darkness, they are unseeable, and in battle, they are the last thing you will ever see.

Physical Description

A Shadow Dweller engulfed in darkness and moonlight

Shadow Dwellers have grayscale skin and hair (if any hair at all), which allows them to easily blend into the shadows and darkness. They have a very human-like figure, but are typically more lanky and look as if they were stretched slightly. Most do not have many facial features (eyes, nose, mouth), but those who do typically have the eyes of cats. Legend tells that this is so they can see other shadowborn with ease, and detect spirits as a feline would. Surrounding Shadow Dwellers are faint auras of varying colors. Few can see or sense this colorful aura, but those who do tend to avoid the shadowborn. Their body is a formulated conduit of physical shadow which has gained sentience.

History

Shadow Dwellers have been around since the dawn of time, A greyed human culture who have been existing, learning, getting stronger during the lack of notice the other races give them. They lived in secretive groups, avoiding detection by society. They held secretive rituals to continue their lineage, using whispers of the dead to implant ideas and values into their young, extending the reach of their elders into the future. Each generation gets smarter and stronger, learning from the whispers the shadows of old give them. Some say they were a race of nomads who people forgot. They had been used to dwelling in the shadows and so became suffused with its essence molding any energy around them to remind them of home. They hear the voices of darkness.

Society

Shadow Dwellers travel in secluded groups, usually as hunters or mercenaries. They do not like fraternizing with other races outside the realm of business. Their abodes usually hung about the shadier sides of other communities. While mainly uncaring, they usually are respected in the underworld and by other ne'er-do-wells due to their professionalism and ability to keep a secret. If scorned, they never forget, and they will often organize en masse in coordination to deal with threats efficiently.

Shadow Dwellers Names

Many Shadow Dweller names derive from names of favorable objects, people, or animals. They shorten the names to one-syllable words that can easily be said and remembered, such as 'Ka' or 'Ren'.

Shadow Dweller Traits

Shadow Dwellers are creatures born of shadow, awoken from the deepest, darkest parts of the earth
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and one other ability scores of your choice increases by 1.
Age. You mature fast, but age slowly, for shadows are until the end of ages. Shadow Dwellers mature at the age 80. On average, they live around 600 years old.
Alignment. Many Shadow Dwellers are neutral.
Size. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 35 feet.
Darkvision. You can 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 can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Shadow Form. As a bonus action, you can sink into a small shadow along with what you are wearing, whatever you are carrying granting you advantage on your Stealth checks. While a shadow you have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical and magical attacks, and enemies have disadvantage on hitting you. Being in this form You can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch without having to squeeze. While a shadow you can no longer perform attacks however, you benefit from double movement speed and don't provoke opportunity attacks.
Shade Imbuing. Your body is twisted by the shadows. You can imbue this energy into your attacks or weapons. Melee Attacks deal an additional 1d8 necrotic damage and do not grow in time, and you can enchant weapons with the trait giving an additional 1d6 necrotic damage to their damage rolls.
Dark Cover. You can act as though you were a shadow; you can be frightening, persuasive or sneaky, depending on what you might need at a given occasion. You gain proficiency in one of the following skills: Intimidation, Persuasion, or Stealth and are resistant to necrotic damage.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language of your choice.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
5′ 8-12''	+2d10	130 lb.	× (2d4) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

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