Darkaralome

Darkaralome have a great reputation for sculpture, fire magic and sagely knowledge, but only among those that know of their existence. Though they are well known in many dwarven and elvish lands, they are a mystery to most humans, if not completely unknown. Past wars with kingdoms who mistook them for Drow have heightened their secretive natures. They rarely venture from their volcanic mountain homes these days.

Personality

Darkaralome are both guarded and garrolous. Among friends, they can be quite fun and easygoing, and to some extent they do this with outsiders. However, a darkaralome is always careful as to how much they reveal of themselves to people they don't know.

Physical Description

Darkaralome tend to be strong without being bulky, with wiry frames being the norm. Their skin ranges from ebony black to navy blue, with hair the same shade. They do not have facial or body hair. Their eyes can be nearly any color imaginable; brown, black, blue, yellow, red, green, violet and orange are equally represented in the population, plus many shades in between. Their faces remind most people of the elves, but their ears set them apart. Darkaralome have no lobes; instead, their ears are entirely cartilage, coming to a point both at the top and the bottom.

Given their resistance to decorative piercings (see racial traits below), Darkaralome jewelry takes few forms. Rings, necklaces and such are common, as are rings braided into long hair. Their most unique item is the earchain, which is a set of two rings linked by a short chain. The ear is bent slightly as the rings are slipped on both sides, then released. The upper ring and the chain, which can be behind or in front of the ear, keep the lower ring from coming off. Earchains usually have to be sized by a jeweler for a perfect, comfortable fit.

Relations

Darkaralome get along very well with dwarves, the only race whose stonecraft surpasses their own. They have acceptable relations with elves, half-elves, woodsprites, half-sprites, halflings and gnomes, though they view the latter race as a bit too flighty for their own good. Darkaralome tend to avoid human and half-orcish contact, as they are often mistaken for Drow by the unobservant, but they have no problem associating with the less ignorant members of those races.

Alignment

Darkaralome tend away from chaotic behavior, as their secretive nature tends to be at odds with it. As a society, they tend towards the good end of the spectrum. However, adventurers can be of any stripe.

Darkaralome Lands

Darkaralome live near volcanoes, but rarely in active ones themselves. They prefer subterranean lairs close to the surface world, beneath forests in valleys, plains or mountainsides.

Religion

The chief darkaralome god is Lo'hemeh, the Obsidian Flame.

Language

The Darkaralome language uses the Elvish script, but is more akin to Sylvan in style and grammar. Scholars sometimes learn Darkaralome in order to peruse the few books that have made their way out of the guarded hands of the darkaralome people. However, due to the secrecy of the race, the language is sometimes misidentified as "Ancient Elvish" or "Dark Elvish".

Names

Upon birth, a darkaralome is given three names by their parents. The first is their usual name, what they go by for the rest of their lives. The name of her mother or father (or, less frequently, an honored ancestor or family friend) is used as a base for the child's second name. A suffix is added, -mai for daughters, -pai for sons. So, a girl might become Lilka Dorotamai (Lilka, Dorota's daughter), and a son in the same family might be Jas Kaziopai (Jas, Kazio's son). Their final name is a secret, "true" name that the darkaralome might never reveal to anyone else. Telling someone else your truename is a sign of your solemn trust for that person. Typically, spouses share these names on their wedding day (and sometimes later with their grown children), clerics share theirs with their high priest, lieges share theirs with their lord, and soldiers share theirs with their captain. Giving out the truename of someone else is a grievous insult. A darkaralome may change her common name, but can never change her truename.

Adventurers

Adventurers are often those whose personalities chafe under the overly lawful society around them. Others wish to gather new knowledge from faraway lands, while many more are simply struck by wanderlust.

Racial Traits

Vital Statistics

Table: Darkaralome Random Starting Ages
Adulthood Simple Moderate Complex
50 years +3d8 +5d8 +8d8
Table: Darkaralome Aging Effects
Middle Age1 Old2 Venerable3 Maximum Age
150 years 225 years 300 years +3d% years
1. At middle age, −1 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha.
2. At old age, −2 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha.
3. At venerable age, −3 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha.
Table: Darkaralome Random Height and Weight
Gender Base Height Height Modifier Base Weight Weight Modifier
Male 4' 6" +3d6 100 lb. × (1d2) lb.
Female 4' 5" +3d6 95 lb. × (1d2) lb.

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