Campaign Design - Race: Cien-Kranula

Cien-Kranula

(adapted from Champions of Ruin)

The cien-kranula are humans whose have become infused with the very essence of shadow. Some are the result of their ancestors interbreeding with shadow demons and other creatures of shadow, while others had forebears who were affected by powerful shadow magic. They are a rare and secretive people, and little is known about them. Some try to blend in with civilization, learning the skills needed to disguise their origin, while others live on the outskirts of society, taking up lives on the fringes, while still others form tight-knit hidden communities of their fellows.

Personality: Cien-kranula are hard-working and purpose driven, seemingly almost always working towards some goal unknown to outsiders. They are often seen as dour and humorless by members of other races, almost always seeming to be engaged in rigorous activity, even if that activity is merely training themselves to be better prepared for more fruitful tasks. When they do set aside their work, the cien-kranula attack their leisure activities with the same dedication and single-mindedness.

Physical Description: Cien-kranula look like ordinary, somewhat slender humans with very pale, almost white skin that has ever shifting shades of grey shadows running on its surface. They all have black or dark grey hair, and their eyes are entirely black, with no whites at all.

Relations: The cien-kranula view other races with suspicion, and most other races return the favor. If they overcome this mutual animosity, the cien-kranula have been known to work with other races in pursuit of their goals, most commonly chitine, kell, and euroz.

Alignment: The cien-kranula show a marked tendency towards chaos despite their single-minded nature. They also tend to favor evil, although some have shown the capacity to break out of this mold, and once in a great while one can be found with a bent towards goodness.

Cien-Kranular Lands: There are no cien-kranular lands. The cien-kranular are few in numbers to have a land of their own and instead live in and around the nations dominated by other races.

Religion: The cien-kranula have no common racial deity, although for obvious reasons they tend to gravitate towards honoring Gangyn. Though rarer, cien-kranula devoted to Halpas, Kivutar, Sirchade, and Vaßatar have also been known to exist. The member of this race who eschew the racial tendency towards evil most often devote themselves to Vali and more rarely Þunor.

Language: Cien-kranula all speak Umbran, no matter where they were born. They also speak whatever language is commonly spoken in their native region.

Names: Cien-kranula have two names. One is their Umbran name, which they do not use with outsiders, and the other is their use-name, usually a common name from the region the cien-kranula is from. Because their use-name is of little importance to them, many cien-kranula change their use-name if they relocate to another region so their use-name matches the local naming conventions.

• Type: Humanoid.


• Ability Scores: +2 Constitution, -2 Charisma.


• Size: Medium size.


• Speed: Cien-kranular base speed is 30 feet.


• Shadow's Sight: Cien-kranula have darkvision with a range of 60 feet.


• Shadow Mind: +1 racial bonus on all Will saves. Cien-kranula have alien minds touched by shadowstuff that make them resistant to mind-altering effects


• Shadow Resistance: +1 bonus on all saving throws against spells and spell-like effects that have the shadow descriptor. This stacks with their racial bonuses on Will saves and their racial bonus on saves against fear.


• Shadow Blend: +2 racial bonus on Hide checks in shadowy environments.


• Fearless: +4 racial bonus on all saves against fear. As beings infused with shadowstuff, cien-kranula are born out of fear and malice.


• Unshakeable: Cien-kranula cannot become shaken and they ignore the effects of the shaken condition. They can still become frightened or panicked, though in most cases their innate resistance to fear keeps them from it.


• Automatic Languages: Umbran plus one other language.


• Favored Class: Fighter.


• Favored Class: Adept.


• Exclusive Class: Shadowsworn (adapted from The Book of Roguish Luck).

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