Darkened (5e Race)

## **Darkened**

"...Being a Darkened isn't all it's cracked up to be, you know. Sure, we might be able to drain people's life, be amazing at stealth, and fit into cracks... But being undead ain't fun in a town of paladins."

-Jackal Darkheart, Darkened Thief, leader of the Order of the Cutpurse.

### Physical Description

Darkened are roughly 4-6 feet tall, their skin is between a dark grey, a pale white, or, rarely, a dark black. They don't appear to have any eyes, at all, however they can still see very clearly. Their bodies are somewhat translucent, giving them a ghost-like appearance, which can be freaky for races not familiar with their race.

### History

Darkened is a tricky species to create more of, without having two Darkened in an area. They cannot reproduce with humankind, and Shadows cannot reproduce with humans. They are formed when a Shadow drains a human, and the newly formed shadow is brought back to the body, re-attached by magic instead of by destroying it. Due to this "reproduction process", there is estimated to be less than 100 Darkeneds in the world. Most Darkeneds lose memory of their previous lives, before they had turned, though a select few can potentially keep their memory.

### Society

Darkeneds don't have enough of their rare in existence to make societies revolving all around themselves. Instead, they live in regular societies, typically with races that either look similar and they can blend in with (e.g. Nightians), or with the race that they were before they became a Darkened. (e.g. Human)

### Relationships

For those that are aware of how a Darkened is creative, a Darkened is usually met with much kindness, due to how Shadows are attracted more so to Good-aligned creatures. Aside from those, however, many people treat them with anger and disdain.

### Darkened Names

Despite most Darkeneds losing their memory, most of them can recall their old names, and go by that, allowing them to take names from other races. However, not all do. For those that don't, they typically choose names that would be equivalent to what you'd see an average 13-year-old Deviantart user make up.

**Male:** Shadow, Coldsteel, Jackal, Any Japanese Name

**Female:** Sharpe, Echo, Susperia, Any Japanese Name

### Darkened Traits

Despite many Darkeneds not being happy with how they are, they do still have abilities that are beneficial to them, from their shadowy nature.

***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Dexterity score increases by 2.

***Age.*** Darkeneds can live for roughly 20 years less than the race they were before they changed into Darkeneds, and they are either considered mature at age 16.

***Alignment.*** Aside from naturally-born Darkeneds, most Darkeneds are good, as evil humanoids shadows do not turn into Shadows, making the process of their creation very difficult.

***Undead.*** While you still do need to eat, breathe and sleep, you are considered an undead, and can be affected by effects such as Turn Undead.

***Size.*** Medium

***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 35 feet.

***Dark Stealth.*** You have +1 to Stealth checks. At 5th level, this increases to +2, and at 10th level to +3. In dim light or darkness, this bonus doubles.

***Darkvision.*** You have 60 ft. of Darkvision.

***Shadow Stealth.*** When in dim light or darkness, you can take the Hide action as a bonus action.

***Languages.*** You can speak, read, and write Common, and one language of your choice, that the race you were before you turned into a Darkened knew.

### **Darkened Subraces**

#### **Draining**

These Darkeneds take on the Strength-draining property that their Shadow parent had used to create themselves.

***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Strength score increases by 1.

***Strength Drain.*** Once per day, you can make an unarmed melee attack against a target, for 1d6 + your Dexterity modifier necrotic damage. If it hits, then the target's Strength score is decreased by 1d4, and the amount is added to your own. This lasts for one hour.

#### **Amorphous**

These Darkeneds are far more similar to their Shadow parents, and are more transparent than the rest of their kind.

***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Constitution score increases by 1.

***Amorphous.*** You can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.