Ydin

These strange and beautiful creatures live deep underground, in communities clustered around Airth’s core.

## Background

### Physical Description

These petite, lithe beings are similar to humans at first glance, but a closer look reveals more and more unexpected differences. All Ydins have extremely pale, milky skin that becomes translucent at the extremities, revealing spiraling veins with violet blood and delicate, ivory bones. They appear to be wearing masks that cover their eyes completely, and extend upward past the top of their head. The mask, or crown as it is more commonly called, is a part of them, and does not hide any eyes behind it. To the Ydin, it is a sign of status. Males have taller crowns that harden at the ends, while females have smaller crowns that are made of softer cartilage.

### Society

Ydin are a very peaceful race, spending most of their time scavenging for insects and fungi, and fleeing from predators like the fearsome Buggane, savage Destrachan, or disgusting Gug. To avoid enemies, Ydin have developed the ability to see with their skin, making them much less likely to be caught unawares. Ydin have a patriarchal culture, with exclusively male leaders. Male Ydin have tall crowns that harden at the end and can form points resembling stalagmites that they use for sparring with other males over a female, or in territory disputes. Males also possess a hardened barb on the end of their reproductive organ to latch onto a female while in coitus so she is unable to mate with other males, and to ensure fertility. This also means a female cannot engage in further sexual activities until she has healed internally, increasing the odds that only one male's seed will be birthed.

Ydin typically mate for life. When the female partner dies, the male is allowed to venture out and find another partner, but he is far less desirable than a younger Ydin, especially if he already has offspring from his last partner. When the male partner dies, the female is expected to kill herself from the grief. The orphaned offspring (if there are any) are then raised by the community. If the widowed female refuses to kill herself, she will be banished. It hardly ever comes to that though, because usually on her last night in the community she is befallen by a tragic accident, or she leaves on her own before her community can betray her.
Male Ydin who venture outside the community often do so for purposes of scouting, expansion of the community, or adventure. The pilgrimage to the surface is treacherous, very few Ydin who make the journey to the surface survive. Most reach the underdark and mistake it for the surface, and are quickly killed by violent residents who are offended by the misconception.

### Relations

Ydin are naturally reclusive because of the isolated and uninhabitable location they live in. However, they have a symbiotic relationship with the Azruverda, who enjoy a fungus the Ydin cultivate near lava pools. The Ydin then benefit from fungus from the Azruverda’s own fungus gardens, and their insect controlling ability. The Ydin are also allies with Pech, but rarely see them because of their fear of enslavement, and Mongrelmen, although they seldom venture deep enough to trade with Ydin on a regular basis.

## Racial Traits

Ydin are defined by their class levels—they do not possess racial Hit Dice.

All Ydin have the following racial traits.

* +2 charisma, –2 intelligence, +4 dexterity, –4 constitution. Ydin have strangely elegant and alien features, and are able to express themselves with ease despite not having human eyes. Their isolated society means that most Ydin are not familiar with the surface, or even the underdark. Ydin are fast and difficult to catch, relying on their speed and nimble movements for defense because their skin is membrane thin, translucent, and easily burned by bright light.
* Medium: Ydin are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
* Normal Speed: Ydin have a base speed of 30 feet.
* Languages: Ydin begin play speaking Ydin. Ydin with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Aklo, Ignan, Terran, Dark Folk, Undercommon.

#### Senses Racial Traits

* See in Darkness: Ydin have the see in darkness special ability allowing them to see perfectly in darkness of any kind, including that created by deeper darkness.
* All Around Vision: Ydin can see through every pore of their skin, granting them a +4 racial bonus on Perception checks and making them immune to flanking.

#### Defense Racial Traits

* Quick Reactions: Ydin are agile swift. They receive Improved Initiative as a bonus feat.
* Spell Resistance: To protect from magical radiation at Airth’s core, Ydin possesses an amount of spell resistance that’s equal to 11 + their total number of class levels.
* Fast: Ydin have little in the way of offensive abilities, so only those who are fast enough to escape from predators survive. Ydin have evolved to have a +10 foot bonus to their base speed.
* Heat Resistance: Because they live so close to Airth’s core, Ydin have evolved a resistance to extremely high temperatures, and have become used to spending time near molten rock. They get fire resistance 5.

#### Other Racial Traits

* Expert Climber: Ydin can cling to cave walls and even ceilings as long as the surface has hand and footholds. In effect, Ydin are treated as being constantly under the effects of a non magical spider climb spell, save that Ydin cannot cling to smooth surfaces. This doubles the normal +8 racial bonus on Climb checks normally granted to creatures with a climb speed (to a total +16 bonus).

Light Blindness: Abrupt exposure to bright light blinds Ydin for 1 round; on subsequent rounds, they are dazzled as long as they remain in the affected area.

Light Sensitivity: Ydin are dazzled as long as they remain in an area of bright light.

Vulnerable to Sunlight: Ydin take 1 point of Constitution damage after every hour they are exposed to sunlight.

Elemental Vulnerability: Acids burn through Ydin skin easier than it does other creatures. Most Ydin have spent their whole lives underground by the time they reach the surface as adventurers, meaning they often experience violent weather effects for the first time. They have vulnerabilities to acid and electricity.

Sensitive Skin: Because of their membrane thin skin, Ydin have trouble resisting harmful effects of substances that touch it. They get a -2 penalty on saving throws against contact diseases and poisons.

Delicious: Ydin take a –2 penalty on Escape Artist and combat maneuver checks made to escape a grapple against any creature that has a bite attack with the grab ability.