Daelkyr Half-Blood

Overview

Physical Description

Daelkyr Half-bloods appear human. In fact, up until they reach maturity, they actually are human. The only indication otherwise relates to the circumstances of their birth. Should a pregnant human be exposed to a type of symbiont called a breed leech, the child she is carrying will be born human and appear so until the end of their teenage years. During this time, the effect of the breed leech begins to take hold, forcing their body to grow a parasitic tumor that eventually changes into a symbiont. When this happens, the effects, both mental and physical, on the host become sharp and pronounced as they can feel themselves change under their skin, turning from a human into an aberration... specifically, a Daelkyr Half-blood.

Once the transformation process is complete, taking between a week to ten days, the Daelkyr Half-blood looks much the same as he did before. The prominent exception is that now he is bonded with his first symbiont. For this reason, most Daelkyr Half-bloods take steps to hide their symbiont; wearing loose clothing, refusing to bathe or dress in the company of others. But aside from these little quirks, these aberrations look much like anyone else from their human family line.

Society

Daelkyr Half-bloods are the product of a long-term experiment still being run by the Daelkyr of Xoriat to this day. During their conflict with the Dhakanni empire, the aberrations in service to Xoriat let swarms of breed leechs into the rivers and swamps in the hopes that the next generation would betray their parents from within. Fortunately, goblin society did not leave much privacy for the development of the symbiont and thus any would-be plants were quickly discovered. The same could not be said for humans that came through western Khorvaire a few hundred years later.

While Daelkyr Half-bloods are rare enough to begin with, many do not live past their first year after their transformation. Between superstition and outright disgust for the alien flesh growing from their own, many commit suicide by removing their symbiont or are put to the stake by common townsfolk. Those that do survive learn quickly how to run and stay on the move. Many turn to adventuring in order to survive without be examined too closely. Others do so out of a need for revenge for wrongs committed out of ignorance and fear.

Relations

Daelkyr Half-bloods do not need to be hostile. They don't need to aggressive and solitary. It is just simply a strong trend that these types of personalities develop often from the traumatic events of their change. While some do begin to show a deep hatred for a certain group of people or common people in general, this is thankfully rare. Daelkyr Half-bloods understand that many people are simply ignorant to the fact that who a person is and the worth of their soul has very little to do with the composition of their flesh. As such, even the most kind-hearted of this race tend to be standoffish or withdrawn; not necessarily ashamed of their symbionts but not likely to make a production of it either.

Like changelings, Daelkyr Half-bloods do not trust easily, but where a changeling would run or hide, those of Xoriat's blood tend to stand and fight when confronted by prejudice. This confrontation, however, can quickly turn to revenge if it is not kept in check. Unlike other races, Daelkyr Half-bloods are rare enough that while they can breed true, they usually don't. Depending on the individual outlook, they would either shun spreading their curse or easily infect hundreds with breed leechs that they can generate from their own tissue.

For as sparse and varied as this race is, they all have some strong opinion concerning the Daelkyr of Xoriat. Most feel a strong hatred toward those responsible for the creation of the breed leeches. A rare few see the Masters of Madness as their exalted idols. But no Daelkyr Half-blood simply ignores them.

Alignment and Religion

Daelkyr Half-bloods tend to be chaotic and more than few become evil, although this is more out of a life of persecution than a sense of greed. A few rise above this desperation to live an honorable life, but they are rare. Because all Daelkyr Half-bloods know instinctively how and why they were created, most do not feel the need for faith or, if they do, it is for some sense of redemption for their 'accursed nature'. While those that have accepted their creator's plan rise to power within dark cults, others seek forgiveness through the works of the Silver Flame or The Sovereign Host.

Adventurers

Daelkyr Half-bloods are as varied as their human ancestors, so it is possible to find them in all lines of work. Sources of faith tend to be rare, however, as it goes against most of the Daelkyr Half-blood's instincts. Characters that concentrate on martial skills and deception, however, work surprisingly well.

Names

Male and Female Names: As Daelkyr half-bloods are born to human parents, they would have human names.

Pathfinder Version

• Ability Score Racial Traits: +2 to any single ability score, chosen at character creation.

  • Size: Medium Size

  • Type: Aberration

• Base Speed: 30'

• Languages: Common. Bonus Languages: Abyssal, Daelkyr, Draconic, Goblin, Infernal, Orc, Undercommon

  • Human-Looking: +2 racial bonus to Disguise to appear human.

  • Symbiont Mastery: All Daelkyr Half-bloods get the Ego Mastery feat as a bonus feat, even if they do not qualify for it.

  • Symbiont Fleshgrafter: All Daelkyr Half-bloods get the Craft Symbiont feat as a bonus feat, even if they do not qualify for it.

  • Personal Symbiont (Ex): Daelkyr Half-bloods begin play with a breed leech, which they get for free. This breed leech is created by the Daelkyr Half-blood during his transformation and thus starts with the same alignment as the Daelkyr Half-blood. This means that Daelkyr Half-blood start with the body item slot occupied.

  • Unbalanced Mind (Ex): Anytime someone attempts to read the thoughts of a Daelkyr Half-blood, they must make a Will save, DC: 10 + 1/2 character level + Chr mod, or be dazed for 1 round.

• Symbiosis (Ex): Daelkyr Half-bloods have the ability to use their own bodies as the base aberration when using the Craft Symbiont feat. They must pay for the necessary construction cost and suffer the normal host penalties for the time it takes to grow a new symbiont. Likewise, Daelkyr Half-blood can ignore the attribute damage caused by any symbiont he creates, including the breed leech, unless the symbiont is removed and reattached. However, if a Daelkyr Half-blood is ever completely without any symbionts, he immediately suffers 1 point of Constitution drain and an additional point for every 24 hours he goes without having an attached symbiont. No saving throw or restorative effects can negate or heal his drain. Once he has reattached a symbiont or has started growing a new one, as per the Craft Symbiont feat, he heals any Constitution drain suffered in this way at the rate 1 point per 24 hours. See the Symbionts creation rules for more details.

  • Age:

    • Adulthood: 15 years

    • Intuitive: +1d4 / Self-Taught: +1d6 / Trained: +2d6

    • Middle Age: 35 / Old: 53 / Venerable: 70 / Maximum +2d20

• Base Height & Weight:

  • • Height: 5' 4" (male) or 5' 2" (female)

    • Weight: 135 lbs (male) or 115 (female)

    • Modifier: 2d6 / Weight Modifier: x1d6

Alternate Racial Traits

The following alternate racial traits may be selected in place of one or more of the standard racial traits above.

• Human Flesh: This kind of daelkyr half-blood, and any symbionts attached to them, detects as a single humanoid (human subtype) creature for effects that detect or reveal creature type. For effects that react differently to aberrations, like Bane (Aberration) weapons, the daelkyr half-blood still reacts as the aberrations they really are. Either way, symbionts can still noticed through mundane examinations, so the half-blood will need to conceal them to maintain the disguise. This racial trait replaces unbalanced mind.

• Mirrored Mind: When someone attempts detect the alignment of this particular kind of daelkyr half-blood, they must make a Will save, DC: 10 + 1/2 character level + Chr mod, or be fooled into thinking the daelkyr half-blood is the same alignment as the person that started the detection. This racial trait replaces unbalanced mind.

• Monstrous Looking: Some Daelkyr Half-Blood look nothing like they once did when they were human. They get a +2 racial bonus to Intimidate. This racial trait replaces human-looking.

  • Strong Mind: Some daelkyr half-bloods are more generally stubborn, not just against their own symbionts. They get Iron Will as a bonus feat. This racial trait replaces symbiont mastery.

  • Tortured Body: Some daelkyr half-bloods have been used by others to grow multiple symbionts. They get Endurance as a bonus feat. This racial trait replaces symbiont mastery.

Favored Class Options

The following favored class options are available to all characters of this race who have the listed favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the favored class reward.

• • Alchemist: Add +10 minutes to the duration of the alchemist's mutagens.

  • Barbarian: Add +1 to the barbarian's total number of rage rounds per day.

  • Fighter: Add +1/2 to CMB and CMD when making or resisting the Dirty Trick maneuver.

  • Psion: Add +1/3 to manifester level for psychometabolism powers, but only to determine duration.

  • Ranger: Add a +1/4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against the ranger's favored enemies.

  • Rogue: Add +1/6 of a new rogue talent.

  • Sorcerer: Select one bloodline power at 1st level that is normally usable a number of times per day equal to 3 + the sorcerer's Charisma modifier. The sorcerer adds +1/2 to the number of uses per day of that bloodline power.

  • Witch: Add +1/6 of a new witch hex.

  • Wizard: Add +1/3 to the caster level for transmutation powers, but only to determine duration.

Build Notes

ARG Build

• Type: Aberration: 3 RP

  • Darkvision 60'

  • Eats, breathes and sleeps

• Size: Medium: 0 RP

• Speed: Normal (30'): 0 RP

• Ability Score Modifier: Human Heritage: 0 RP

  • +2 to any single ability score, chosen at character creation

• Language: Standard: 0 RP

  • Common, Bonus: Abyssal, Daelkyr, Draconic, Goblin, Infernal, Orc, Undercommon

• Racial Traits:

  • Static Skill Modification: 1 RP - +2 to Disguise to appear human

  • Static Bonus Feat: 2 RP - Symbiont Mastery

  • Static Bonus Feat: 2 RP - Symbiont Fleshgrafter

  • Unbalanced Mind: 1 RP - Attempts to read mind require a Will save, DC 10 + 1/2 character level + Chr mod, or be dazed for 1 round

  • Personal Symbiont: 6 RP - Starts with one symbiont. Can grow symbionts from their own flesh. Takes 1 Con drain per 24 hours without a symbiont

• Total: 15 RP

3.5 Version

• Type: Aberration

• Medium Size

• Base Speed: 30'

• No Attribute modifications

• Grow Personal Symbiont: Create 1 symbiont (breed leech, crawling gauntlet or throwing scarab)

• Bonus feat: Symbiont Mastery (fixed)

• Symbiont Dependency: Must have 1 symbiont or suffer 1 Con damage per 24 hours

• Unbalanced Mind (Ex): Attempts to read his thoughts must make Will save, DC 10 + 1/2 character level + Chr modifier, or be dazed for 1 round

• Automatic Languages: Common. Bonus Languages: Daelkyr

• Favored Class: Rogue

• Source: MoE, pg. 37