Alicorns

Alicorns are a rare and magical kind of halfbreed – the children of elves and unicorns. Their conception is rare and often aided by magic, and many generations of elves see no alicorns at all, or what few alicorns do exist remain in the wilderness with their parents who are, more often than not, an elven druid or ranger and their unicorn mate. Those few who are raised in elven society stand out as jewels of mercy and magical power. Inevitably, though, alicorns leave the peaceful lands of elves, searching for something else, some greater good – or ill – to accomplish in the wider world.

## Appearance

Alicorns are somewhat larger and stronger than elves, with pale skin and violently-colored hair that sometimes shimmers when they use magic. A small, almost gem-like nub protrudes from the center of their forehead, which glows faintly in various colors, and an alicorn may have hooves instead of feet.

A young alicorn tends to be awkward, and grows into grace later in life. Their bodies are extremely expressive; alicorn eyes shift color to match their moods, and they have remarkable control of their ears, being able to swivel and fold them. In most cases, an alicorn’s emotional state is written on their sleeve for all to see, and as a result most alicorns don’t bother attempting deception and deal with others honestly.

## Demeanor

Alicorns tend to be quiet people who prefer intimate expressions of emotion and opinions, which only serves to make their bursts of impulsive activity more surprising to others. They have natural altruistic urges that push them to help, heal, and defend others, which they sometimes have mixed feelings about. It’s difficult to talk about, but many alicorns doubt if those urges really belong to them and if they’re giving away their free will by following them. Many alicorns go through a period in their life where they attempt to experiment with selfishness and cruelty in an effort to distance themselves from their heritage and “find themselves”, but mostly all they manage is making themselves intensely unhappy until they find a way to accept that mercy is a part of themselves.

Alicorns tend to have a few close friends whom they love and protect fiercely. The patience and understanding with which they treat these friends is also extended to others, though even alicorns have their limits. They sympathize with people who feel lost or alone in their lives, and often try to help them with their problems in the hopes that, perhaps, it will resolve their own.

## Backgrounds

Alicorns quickly grow used to the feeling of being different, and try not to let it define their lives too much. The majority of them are raised in the wilderness by both parents; those raised in elven society are typically brought there because one or the other of their parents has died or been called away, prompting the survivor to seek help raising their unusual child. Alicorns get in a lot of trouble at young ages because they rush to help beings that are scared or hurt without stopping to think or take in the situation, and get hurt themselves as a result. That instinct, the impulse to leap into action, never really leaves them.

Alicorns usually attempt to have a normal life, but end up leaving that after a little more than a century, dissatisfied with peace. For better or worse, alicorns are often driven to help others, and even those who ignore such altruistic urges feel the need to do something with the burgeoning power within. Their magical heritage often expresses itself in sorcerous blood, the mysteries of oracles, or as a calling to the paladin’s path, all of which lead them out into the world to find others to help – and maybe find themselves as well

## Adventures

Many alicorns begin adventuring because they’re searching for their own identity. Though it’s hard to talk about, alicorns can be deeply uncomfortable with their altruistic urges because it’s hard for them to feel as though they truly “own” those feelings. While few would argue it’s wrong to want to help others, alicorns leave their homes looking to find who they are beyond physical and emotional band-aids for others. Their magical blood expresses itself early and strongly, and most alicorns are sorcerers, magi, oracles, or paladins. Alicorn paladins can sometimes be very conflicted people, unsure if they are embracing their heritage or surrendering to it.

Alicorns stand out wherever they go, but get along with almost anyone if given the chance; being genuinely giving, loving, and honest people generally earns them friendship more often than it doesn’t. They often develop a fondness for fellow half-breeds, sympathizing with being caught between two worlds while unable to truly join either

## Racial Traits

* **Ability Score Adjustments:** +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -2 Wisdom: An Alicorn is tough and quick, but they’re just as quick to rush to the aid of the less capable
* **Size:** Medium: Alicorns are Medium creatures and thus have no bonuses or penalties due to their size
* **Type:** Humanoid (beastblood, elf): Alicorns are humanoids with the beastblood and elf subtypes
* **Fast Speed (Ex):** Alicorns have a base speed of 40 feet
* **Touch of Tranquility (Su):** An alicorn can absorb the trauma of living creatures. As a standard action, she may touch a creature and transfer any number of the following ailments from that creature to the alicorn: HP damage, ability damage, diseases, or poisons. The alicorn may only transfer damage (including ability damage) up to its character level in this fashion and any ailments only last for the remainder of their duration
* **Clarity of Pain (Su):** An alicorn that has absorbed the maladies of a living creature with its touch of tranquility ability gains a +2 bonus to AC and saving throws for 1 minute. This also functions with transfusion of pain.
* **Resistant (Ex):** Alicorns’ hearty constitution and strong will grants them a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poisons and mind-affecting effects
* **Goodly Being (Su):** Alicorns have inherited a protective energy from their unicorn progenitors, gaining a +2 racial bonuson saving throws against any spell or effect with the evil descriptor.
* **Keen Senses (Ex):** Alicorns have inherited their elven parent’s eyes and ears. This grants them a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks.
* **Detect Evil (Sp):** Aicorns can cast detect evil at-will as a spell-like ability, as a paladin of their character level
* **Languages:** Alicorns begin play with Common and Elven. Alicorn with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Celestial, Dwarven, Halfling, Orc, or Sylvan

## Alternate Racial Traits

**Detect Good (Sp):** Alicorns with this ability can detect good as a spell-like ability as an antipaladin of their character level. This replaces detect evil.

**Transfusion of Pain (Su):** As a standard action, a dark alicorn may touch a creature and transfer any number of the following ailments from the dark alicorn to the creature: HP damage, ability damage, disease, or poisons. The dark alicorn may only transfer damage (including ability damage) up to its character level in this fashion and any ailments only last the remainder of their duration

**Sadistic Glee (Su):** When an alicorn uses transfusion of pain or touch of tranquility, it grants a +1 bonus to their own attack rolls and saving throw DCs for 1 minute. This replaces clarity of pain

**Courant Horn (Ex):** Some alicorn actually have a horn atop their head that they can use to gore enemies. This horn deals 1d8+1.5 times the alicorn’s Strength modifier. This replaces resistant

**Elysian Resistance (Su):** Alicorns with this ability have an innate connection to the wild and uncontrolled areas of the heavens and may shape the Bralani’s Brooch veil. Gain 1 point of essence and increase the alicorn’s maximum veils shaped by 1. This replaces the resistant and goodly being racial traits

**Feystep (Su):** Some alicorn have more ties towards the fey nature of the unicorn than to good or evil. These alicorn may teleport 10 feet as an immediate action whenever they use their touch of tranquility or transfusion of pain ability. This replaces clarity of pain.

**Infernal Corruption (Su):** Some alicorn are the product of corrupt unicorns or nightmares, or victims of taint in their bloodlines. These alicorn gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against any spell or effect with the good descriptor. This replaces goodly being.

## Racial Subtypes

You can combine various alternate racial traits to create alicorn subraces or variant races, such as the following:

**Dark Alicorn:** Some alicorns are the product of corrupt unicorn, nightmares, or something worse. These dark alicorn have the detect good, transfusion of pain, infernal corruption, and sadistic glee alternate racial traits

## Favored Class Options

* **Cleric:** When channelling energy, increase the amount of healing or damage by +1/2.
* **Druid:** Add +1/3 to the bonus from the druid’s resist nature’s lure class ability.
* **Guru:** Increase the DC of the Guru’s chakra disruptions by +1/5.
* **Medic**: When you use your touch of tranquility ability to absorb hit point damage, you may reduce the damage you take by 1/2 point.
* **Oracle:** Add one spell known from the oracle spell list. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level the oracle can cast.
* **Paladin:** Increase the paladin’s daily uses of lay on hands by +1/3.
* **Warlord:** Add +1/3 racial bonus to the warlord’s gambit attempts.
* **Zealot:** Add +1/3 conviction point to the zealot’s pool.