Cherubim

Called Dhampirs by non-Hadeans, Cherubim are mortal children of Seraphim, treated as holy by adherents of the Sanguine Faith, and as potential predators by all others. Cherubim inherit a degree of their vampiric ancestor's power; often being smarter, stronger, more cunning, or simply more charming than their peers. This inherent ability is tempered by a weakness to bright light, silver, and the distrust of most other races, who fear that the blood in a Cherub's veins calls them to feed on their own—a fear that is not always misplaced.
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===Physical Description===
Cherubim are humanoids with pale skin, extremely dark or extremely fair hair, and eyes that shine like pools reflecting the Moon. Said eyes tend to be fantastic colors: red is most common, with violet, gold, and silver also being options. Blue and green are possible but uncommon, and dark eyes are almost unheard of among Cherubim. Cherubim are typically considered attractive by most others, but project a sense of their underlying predatory nature, a sense enhanced by their large, sharp canine teeth. While they are not true fangs, these teeth are sharp enough to draw blood, and some Cherubim feel compelled to drink fresh blood from living creatures, even though most receive no benefit from doing so.
===Racial Traits===
*Ability Scores +2 to one ability score of the Cherub's choice.
*Type Cherubim are Humanoids with the Seraphic and Vassal (Hadeus) subtypes.
*Size Cherubim are Medium creatures and thus have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
*Base Speed Cherubim have a base speed of 30 ft.
*Physiology Cherubim must eat, drink, sleep, and breathe.
*Culture Cherubim are most common in [[Imperial
*Lifespan Cherubim have long lifespans.
====Defense Racial Traits====
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:Cherubim gain a +2 racial bonus to Fortitude saves vs diseases and poisons.
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:Cherubim have shadow and positive energy resistance 5.
==== Offense Racial Traits====
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:As a swift action, a Cherub may take 1 sacrificial Constitution damage to gain two claw attacks appropriate for creatures of their size for a number of minutes equal to (1/2 their HD [minimum 1]).
====Other Racial Traits====
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:Cherubim have a pool of blood points, which can contain a maximum number of points equal to their Constitution modifier. Whenever a Cherub would take Constitution damage, they may spend any number of blood points to negate an equal amount of that Constitution damage. When a Cherub rests, as long as they are not starving or thirsting, they regain 1 blood point. If a Cherub is successfully embraced and becomes a Seraph, they lose this trait and gain the Deeper Blood Pool Gift.
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: Cherubim automatically pass the first Fortitude check made to become a Seraph, gain a +3 racial bonus to the second check, and a +6 bonus to the third check.
====Senses Racial Traits====
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:Cherubim can see perfectly in the dark up to 60 ft.
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:Cherubim can see twice as far as Humans in condition of dim light.
====Weakness Racial Traits====
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:Cherubim are dazzled in areas of bright sunlight or in a daylight spell.
===Alternate Racial Traits===
*Bloodline Exemplar Some Cherubim are more exemplary of the specific bloodline their Seraphic parent belongs to, inheriting both a small portion of their power, and their weaknesses. Choose an option from Table 1 — Cherubic Bloodlines. The Cherub gains the special ability, weakness, and ability score changes of their bloodline. This trait replaces a Cherub's normal Ability Scores
Table 1 — Cherubic Bloodlines
Bloodline 	Special Ability 	Weakness 	Ability Scores
Proeliator Purus	Whenever you activate your Cherubic Claws, choose a physical ability score. You gain a +2 sacred (or profane if you have the Fallen Blood trait) bonus to that ability score as long a your claws are active. 	You take a -2 racial penalty against effects that exploit anger, hunger, thirst, or primal instincts; and any such effects that affect you last 50% longer. 	2 Str, +2 Dex, -2 Cha
Chiropteroi 	While your Cherubic Claws are active, you gain a 30 ft. glide speed with good maneuverability and the Wing-Arm weakness. 	You get a -2 penalty to saves against sonic effects, and the penalties you take from the Light Sensitivity weakness are increased by -1. You cannot select an alternate racial trait that replaces the Light Sensitivity weakness.	2 Str, +2 Wis, -2 Cha
Ulfhedinn 	Whenever you activate your Cherubic Claws, you gain the benefits of animal aspect for as long as they are active. 	You take a -2 racial penalty against effects that exploit anger, hunger, thirst, or primal instincts; and any such effects that affect you last 50% longer. 	2 Str, +2 Wis, -2 Cha
Vourdalak 	You may take 1 sacrificial Constitution damage to use lesser animate dead as a spell-like ability. Each time per day you use this ability after the first, it deals an additional point of Constitution damage. Additionally, you gain the Graveblood subtype, and your positive energy resistance becomes negative energy resistance. 	You take a -2 racial penalty to saves against light effects, and against effects that deal positive energy. 	2 Str, +2 Cha, -2 Wis
Quaesitor Purus 	You may take 1 sacrificial Constitution damage to use heightened awareness as a spell-like ability. Each time per day you use this ability after the first, it deals an additional point of Constitution damage 	In areas of bright sunlight or a daylight spell, you take a -1 racial penalty to concentration checks and skill checks that require concentration. 	2 Dex, +2 Int, -2 Cha
Artifex 	You gain Wild Talent as a bonus feat, and can take 1 sacrificial Constitution damage to use precognition as a psi-like ability. Each time per day you use this ability after the first, it deals an additional point of Constitution damage. 	You take a -2 penalty to saves against fear and insanity effects, and any such effects that affect you last 50% longer. 	
Kagenoko 	As long as your Cherubic Claws are active, you have the ability to sense the vital points in creatures with blood, gaining a 1d4 sneak attack against such creatures. This stacks with other sources of sneak attack you possess. Additionally, your positive energy resistance becomes psychic resistance. 	The first power point you spend towards augmenting any psionic power you manifest has no benefit. 	2 Dex, +2 Wis, -2 Cha
Mimesis 	By taking 1 sacrificial Constitution damage, you can physically manipulate your muscle, skin, and bone to create a Disguise as a full-round action with a +5 circumstance bonus. This disguise can only last for a number of hours equal (1/2 your HD [minimum 1]), at which point your body loudly snaps back into its original shape unless you spend an additional blood point to maintain your altered form, resetting this duration. You may also revert back to your true appearance at any time as a standard action.	You take a -2 racial penalty on saves against polymorph effects, and against effects that penalize physical ability scores. 	2 Dex, +2 Int, -2 Con
Regnator Purus 	As a gaze attack, you may take 1 sacrificial Constitution damage to attempt to charm a Humanoid creature, causing them to treat their attitude towards you as one step better for (A number of minutes equal to your Charisma modifier [minimum 1]). This can be negated by a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 your HD + your Charisma modifier). Unless the creature beats this save by 5 or more, they are unaware of any supernatural influence over them. This is a mind-affecting charm effect. 	While trespassing, you take a -2 penalty to Will saves, concentration checks, and to skill checks which require concentration. 	2 Wis, +2 Cha, -2 Str
Draconum 	Choose one Draconic Feature. You gain the benefit of this feature as long as your Cherubic Claws are active. Additionally, you gain the Draconic subtype. 	You take a -2 penalty to Will saves against effects that promise you wealth, power, or that flatter you. 	2 Str, +2 Cha, -2 Dex
Eldrich 	As long as your Cherubic Claws are active, you also gain a bite attack appropriate for a creature of your size. 	While a mirror or other highly reflective surface is in your view, you take a -2 penalty to Will saves, concentration checks, and to skill checks which require concentration. 	2 Dex, +2 Cha, -2 Wis
Plaguelord 	As a full round action, you may infuse a dose of poison you are holding with your tainted blood, taking 1 point of Constitution damage to increase its DC by 2 and the number of successful saves it takes to cure by 1 for 24 hours. That poison cannot be infused again until its current infusion expires. Additionally, you gain the Graveblood subtype, your Vassal subtype becomes keyed to Ximatia, and your positive energy resistance becomes negative energy resistance. 	You take a -2 racial penalty to saves against light effects, and against effects that deal positive energy. 	2 Con, +2 Cha, -2 Wis
*Fallen Blood A Cherub born to a fallen Seraph—those who treat mortals as chattel with excessive cruelty and disregard, is likely to inherit the tainted vitae in their parent's blood. Such Cherubim gain the Graveblood subtype and their positive energy resistance becomes negative energy resistance. This trait does not replace any other, cannot be selected if the Cherub already has the Graveblood subtype, and can be removed from a willing Cherub using an atonement spell cast by a Good spellcaster.
*Mortal Heritage Some Cherubim have particularly strong features from their mortal ancestors, or a particularly unusual mortal ancestry that significantly changes their form. Choose a Mortal Heritage Race. The Cherub gains the effects listed under that races' Mortal Heritage section. This trait replaces Purity of Blood.
===Racial Character Options===
====Archetypes====
*Crimson Crown (Fisherking)
*Furor's Heir (Barbarian)
====Feats====
*Blood Art
*Blood Drinker
*Blood Mastery
*Cherubic Gift
*Cherubic Regeneration
==Other Information==
====Adventurers====
Cherubim make excellent adventurers, as they can call upon the dark power infused in their blood to many powerful ends. Many are forced into the lifestyle, being unable to make permanent homes among fearful and superstitious commoners. While a Cherub's innate powers do not necessarily lend themselves to skullduggery, many find themselves taking on less scrupulous jobs as a matter of necessity.
====Cherubim and Other Races====
Unless they are Hadeans, most other races find Cherubim almost as unsettling as their ancestors, a living reminder that they are not the apex of the food chain. As such, Cherubim often find difficulty fitting in with other races, even those who are typically stereotyped as Evil; as even those races do not see other intelligent beings as prey (although not all Cherubim do, either).
====Cherubim and the Imperium====
Imperial lands are the only places Cherubim can find common acceptance, and indeed are more often than not celebrated as scions of a holy bloodline—provided their bloodline actually is holy. Those Cherubim whose blood is apocryphal—or worse, Fiendish, are treated just as badly as in other places, and sometimes worse. Still, even these darker Cherubim find Imperial lands more accepting if they are able to prove that they hold no allegiance to their tainted blood.
====Cherubim and the Freemen====
In the Free Lands, people are no less fearful of the Cherubim as in any other; but they are more likely to find work as feared enforcers or hitmen, the allure of profit often working to their advantage in overcoming the dark stigma that hangs over their heritage.
Category:Races
Category:Planar Races
Category:Creatures
Category:Humanoid Creatures
Category:Seraphic Creatures
Category:Vassal Creatures
Category:Seraphim