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.
- Dogma: He promotes the gathering of knowledge and careful respect of stone and flame.
- Clergy: He accepts people of any race.
- Temples: Most temples are underground, close to the surface, and near volcanic regions. Temples are often dug directly or built on top of extinct volcanoes.
- Symbol: Black Flame
- Home Plane: Shurrock, Bytopia
- Alignment: Neutral Good
- Portfolio: Darkaralome
- Clergy Alignments: Cannot be evil
- Domains: Earth, Fire, Good, and Knowledge
- Favored Weapon: 'Lomepick
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".
- Automatic languages: Common and Darkaralome.
- Bonus languages: Dwarven, Goblin, Ignan, Orc, Sylvan, and Undercommon. Darkaralome tend to learn the languages of their friends and enemies in their volcanic homes, as well as the ancient Sylvan tongue.
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.
- Male Names: Aurek, Garek, Heniek, Jas, Kazio, Koby, Liuz, Marke, Olus, Pawel, Rufin, and Slawek.
- Female Names: Bryga, Dorota, Elka, Halina, Jasia, Lechsinska, Lilka, Magda, Tola, Waleria, Wisia, and Zytka.
- Truenames: These can literally be anything. A second common name is often used (Tola, or Marke), but some parents go nuts and use made-up, unpronouncable names (Ykkwpomnnbetzxz), strings of numbers (25388301), or whole paragraphs (It Was A Dark And Stormy Night When I Was Born And Mother Wanted More Ice So Father Left And By The Time He Returned He Had Missed My Birth And Was Very Surprised).
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
- +2 Constitution, -2 Dexterity.
- Medium-size.
- Darkaralome base speed is 30 feet.
- Low-Light Vision: Darkaralome can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
- Weapon Familiarity: Darkaralome treat 'Lomepicks as martial rather than exotic weapons.
- Slow Regeneration: Piercings migrate out of the body in 1d3 months. Non-psionic tattoos, normal scars, and magical scars that aren't the result of a persistent effect fade away in 1d6 months. A severed hand regrows in 1d10 + 15 months. An arm regrows in 1d6 + 4 years. A leg regrows in 1d6 + 10 years. Severed limbs, if uncauterized and bound to the stump within ten minutes of the injury, will reattach themselves in 1d4 + 4 days.
- +2 racial bonus on saves vs. disease and gaseous attacks.
- +2 dodge bonus vs. spells, spell-like abilities and supernatural abilities with the fire descriptor.
- Spell-like Abilities: Darkaralome with Charisma scores of 10 or higher have the following spell-like abilities: 1/day-Ray of Heat, Dark Light, Shower of Sparks. Caster level 1st; save DC 10 + Charisma modifier + spell level.
- Automatic languages: Common and Darkaralome.
- Bonus languages: Dwarven, Goblin, Ignan, Orc, Sylvan, and Undercommon.
- Favored class: Sorcerer.
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.