Sylph

Category:Races
Born from the descendants of humans and beings of elemental air such as djinn, sylphs are a shy and reclusive race consumed by intense curiosity. Sylphs spend their lives blending into the crowd, remaining unnoticed as they spy and eavesdrop on the people around them. They call this hobby “listening to the wind,” and for many sylphs it becomes an obsession. Sylphs rely on their capable, calculating intellects and on knowledge gleaned from eavesdropping to deliver them from danger.
== Physical description ==
Sylphs tend to be pale and thin to the point of appearing delicate, but their skinny bodies are often more resilient than they look. Many sylphs can easily pass for humans with some effort, though the complex blue markings that swirl across their skin reveal their elemental ancestry. Sylphs also bear more subtle signs of their heritage, such as a slight breeze following them wherever they go. These signs become more pronounced as a sylph experiences intense passion or anger, spontaneous gusts of wind tousling the sylph’s hair or hot blusters knocking small items off of shelves.
== Society ==
Sylphs are usually born to human parents, and so are raised according to human customs. Most sylphs dislike the attention they receive growing up in humansociety, so it’s common for them to leave home soon after coming of age. They rarely abandon civilization altogether, however, preferring instead to find some new city or settlement where they can go unnoticed among (and spy upon) the masses. A sylph who happens upon another sylph unnoticed instantly becomes obsessed with her kin, spying on and learning as much about the other as she possibly can. Only after weighing all the pros and cons and formulating plans for every potential outcome will the sylph introduce herself to the other. Rarely, two sylphs will discover each other’s presence in a community at the same time. What ensues thereafter is a sort of cat-and-mouse game, a convoluted dance in which each sylph spies on the other as both attempt to gain the upper hand. Sylphs who meet this way always become either inseparable friends or intractable enemies.
=== Relations ===
Sylphs enjoy prying into the affairs of most other races, but have little taste for actually associating with most of them. Sylphs can relate on some level with elves, who share their tendency toward aloofness, but often spoil any possible relationship by violating the elven sense of privacy. Dwarves distrust sylphs intensely, considering them flighty and unreliable. They form excellent partnerships with halflings, relying on the short folk’s courage and people skills to cover their own shortcomings. Sylphs are amused by the annoyed reactions they provoke in ifrits, and find oreads too boring to give them much attention.
=== Alignment and religion ===
Sylphs have little regard for laws and traditions, for such strictures often prohibit the very things sylphs love—subterfuge and secrecy. This doesn’t mean sylphs are opposed to law, merely that they use the most expedient means available to accomplish their goals, legal or not. Most sylphs are thus neutrally aligned. Sylphs are naturally drawn to mystery cults, and to deities who focus on secrets, travel, or knowledge.
=== Adventurers ===
An inborn urge to get to the bottom of things drives many sylphs to the adventuring life. A sylph who runs across the trail of a mystery will never be satisfied until she has uncovered every thread of evidence, followed up on every lead, and found the very heart of the trouble. Such sylphs make plenty of enemies by poking around into other peoples’ affairs, and usually turn to their roguish talents or wizardry to defend themselves.
=== Names ===
* Male Names: Akaash, Eydan, Hanuun, Siival, Vasaam.
* Female Names: Inam, Keeya, Lissi, Nava, Radaya, Tena.
== Traits ==
=== Standard racial traits ===
* Ability Scores: Sylphs are quick and insightful, but slight and delicate. They gain +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, and –2 Constitution.
* Type: Sylphs are outsiders with the native subtype.
* Size: Sylphs are Medium creatures and thus have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
* Speed: Sylphs have a base speed of 30 feet.
* Languages: Sylphs begin play speaking Auran and the primary language(s) of their home society. Sylphs with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Halfling, Ignan, Talan, and Terran. See the language page for more information about these languages.
=== Other racial traits ===
* Air Affinity: Sylph sorcerers with the elemental (air) bloodline treat their Charisma score as 2 points higher for all sorcerer spells and class abilities. Sylph spellcasters with the Air domain use their domain powers and spells at +1 caster level.
* Darkvision: Sylphs can see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.
* Energy Resistance: Sylphs have electricity resistance 5.
* Spell-Like Ability (Sp): Sylphs can use feather fall 1/day (caster level equals the sylph’s total level).
=== Alternate Racial Traits ===
* Air Insight: Sylph spellcasters sometimes find that their elemental heritage makes creatures of air more willing to serve them. Summon monster and summon nature’s ally spells that the Sylph casts last 2 rounds longer than normal when used to summon creatures with the air subtype. This racial trait replaces air affinity.
* Breeze-Kissed: Breezes seem to follow most sylphs wherever they go, but some sylphs are better able to control these winds than others. A sylph with this racial trait surrounds themselves with swirling winds, gaining a +2 racial bonus to AC against non-magical ranged attacks. The sylph can calm or renew these winds as a swift action. Once per day, the Sylph can channel this wind into a single gust, making a bull rush or trip combat maneuver attempt against one creature within 30 feet. Whether or not the attempt succeeds, the winds are exhausted and no longer provide a bonus to the sylph’s AC for 24 hours. This is a supernatural ability. This racial trait replaces air affinity.
* Like the Wind: A sylph with this racial trait gains a +5 foot bonus to her base speed. This racial trait replaces energy resistance.
* Mostly Human: A few sylphs have appearances much closer to those of their human ancestors; in fact, they may not even realize their true race. Such sylphs appear to be human, save perhaps minor features like unusual eye color, and they count as humanoid (human) as well as outsider (native) for all purposes (such as humanoid-affecting spells such as charm person or enlarge person). These sylph do not automatically gain their associated elemental language (but may select it as a bonus language if their Intelligence is high enough). This ability alters the sylph’s type, subtype, and languages.
* Sky Speaker: Sylphs with this racial trait feel kinship toward the creatures of the air, and can use speak with animals once per day to speak to birds or other flying animals. Her caster level for these effects is equal to her level. This racial trait replaces the sylph’s spell-like ability racial trait.
* Secretive: Sylphs gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against enchantment and divination spells and effects. This racial trait replaces energy resistance and the spell-like ability racial trait.
* Storm in the Blood: A sylph with this racial trait gains fast healing 2 for 1 round anytime she takes electricity damage (whether or not this electricity damage gets through her electricity resistance). The sylph can heal up to 2 hit points per level per day with this ability, after which it ceases to function. This racial trait replaces air affinity.
* Thunderous Resilience: Sylphs with this racial trait gain sonic resistance 5. This racial trait replaces energy resistance.
* Weather Savvy: Some sylphs are so in tune with the air and sky that they can sense the slightest change in atmospheric conditions. Sylphs with this trait can spend a full-round action to predict the weather in an area for the next 24 hours. The sylph’s prediction is always accurate, but cannot account for spells or supernatural effects that might alter the forecast. This racial trait replaces the sylph’s spell-like ability racial trait.
* Whispering Wind: Some sylphs are especially thin and wispy, as though they were made more of air than flesh. Sylphs with this racial trait gain a +4 racial bonus on Stealth checks. This racial trait replaces the sylph’s spell-like ability racial trait.
== Variant heritages ==
The following heritages represent sylph variants who have an affinity for different aspects of the elements, with new ability modifiers, spell-like abilities, and elemental affinities that replace the default racial traits.
=== Smokesoul (fume sylph) ===
* Typical Alignment: CE
* Ability Modifiers: +2 Dex, +2 Cha, –2 Con
* Alternate Spell-Like Ability: Smokesouls gain blurred movement as a spell-like ability.
Veiled and surreptitious, smokesoul sylphs are natural deceivers, always concealing their true intentions.
Obfuscation, secrecy, and the shape of things not there: all these are the natural realms of smokesouls. They are experts at concealing both their bodies and motivations, and at making the insubstantial seem as real as any physical object. Smokesouls are drawn to areas of dangerous politics and intrigue, and many can be found pursuing whatever machinations amuse them.
With few distinguishing features save ashen skin and dark hair, smokesouls can be mistaken for any number of other races. Smokesouls often change their clothing, cosmetics, or style to keep their appearance in a constant state of flux.
* Smoke Affinity: This racial trait functions as and can be replaced as the base sylph’s air affinity, except it benefits sorcerers with the shadow bloodline and spellcasters with the Smoke subdomain.
=== Stormsoul (lightning sylph) ===
* Typical Alignment: CN
* Ability Modifiers: +2 Dex, +2 Cha, –2 Wis
* Alternate Spell-Like Ability: Stormsouls gain shocking grasp as a spell-like ability.
With an abundance of confidence and a shortage of patience, stormsoul sylphs are personalities who cannot be ignored.
When a stormsoul moves, either in word or in action, the world notices. Unafraid to speak their minds, they are both direct and unsubtle, and they make fierce allies. When friends are in need, stormsouls act without thinking and are always the first to leap to their aid. A stormsoul sylph has hair that always seems to move, even when there is no breeze, and acts with a sudden intensity that can seem out of control. Their eyes are the color of stormy water or lightning-lit skies, and even a casual glance from a stormsoul can seem severe.
* Lightning Affinity: This racial trait functions as and can be replaced as the base sylph’s air affinity, except it benefits sorcerers with the stormborn bloodline and spellcasters with the Weather domain.
== 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.
* Cleric: Add a +1/2 bonus on Knowledge (planes) checks relating to the Plane of Air and creatures with the air subtype.
* Druid: Add a +1/2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) checks relating to weather and flying animals.
* Inquisitor: Add a +1/2 bonus on Stealth checks while motionless and on opposed Perception checks.
* Oracle: Add +1/6 to the oracle’s level for the purpose of determining the effects of one revelation.
* Rogue: Add a +1/2 bonus on Acrobatics checks to jump and a +1/2 bonus on Sense Motive checks.
* Sorcerer: Choose a bloodline power from the djinni or elemental (air) bloodline that the sorcerer can use. The sorcerer treats her class level as though it were +1/6 higher (to a maximum of +2) when determining the effects of that power.
* Witch: Add a +1/2 bonus on Stealth checks and Perception checks made by the witch’s familiar. If the Sylph ever replaces her familiar, the new familiar gains these bonus skill ranks.
* Wizard: Select one arcane school power from the air or wood elemental schools that the wizard can currently use. The wizard treats her class level as though it were +1/6 higher (to a maximum of +2) when determining the effects of that power.
== Archetypes ==
The following racial archetypes are available to sylphs:
* Sky Druid (Druid; Sylph)
* Wind Listener (Wizard; Sylph)
== Feats ==
The following feats are available to a sylph character who meets the prerequisites.
* Airy Step
* Cloud Gazer
* Elemental Jaunt
* Inner Breath
* Wings of Air