Race: Void-Touched

The Dark Tapestry

Acknowledgements:  This fantastic race was conceived and designed by fellow gamer LBE. I've cleaned up the formatting and filled in a few details for the blog.

Summary: The void-touched are a relatively new folk among the world, their numbers growing no doubt because of the influence of the Cult of Khan’Lix. Overwhelmingly of human ancestry, they are simultaneously more and less than human. They are born either from parents who traveled the void themselves, or perhaps from parents who were members of the Old Cults. A few such cultists, chosen by forces beyond their comprehension, give birth to scions of alien beings. With a strange personality just as much as appearance, they find themselves lost in an alien world no matter where they are. Sometimes the taint of their ancestry only manifests later as the void-touched matures to adulthood. Other times, it is evident from birth. Being touched by the void causes many older void-touched to inevitably go insane. While madness and the embracing of dark alien powers is the destiny of most void-touched, there are unsuspecting heroes among them, as well.

Physical Description: Void-touched favor their human ancestry with very small differences. Void-touched may have a greyish tone to their skin. Some have purple birthmarks and freckles. They have little body hair, and are infrequently completely hairless. In addition to human eye coloring, their eyes can also be violet, red, pink or black. Many appear to move gracefully, almost with a preternatural awareness.

Society: The void-touched are newcomers, alien even, to this world. Most are brought up within the Old Cults. However, there are also some that have had to make it on their own. Somehow, these lone void-touched can nevertheless find others, joining or forming small cults in the slums of cities and the fringes of society.

Relations: Void-touched often feel out of place, and are often seen as such by others (not unlike the treatment of tieflings and dhampirs). Outsiders will recognize their ancestry, but most other races see nothing more than a strange, awkward being. Of all the races, dwarves and elves can have a certain distaste for void-touched, perhaps instinctively knowing the threat they could represent.

Alignment and Religion: Void-touched are predisposed to exhibit moral confusion, feeling unsure and out of place. This often leads them to make purposeful efforts to take a neutral standing no matter where they are or what their circumstances. In extreme situations, because of the possibility of underlying insanity, they might exhibit chaotic behavior. While there is no single religion that all void-touched ascribe to, many who seek to know more about their ancestry will follow the teachings of Khan’Lix. Other times, even though they might not be strongly loyal, they will carry out the goals of their affiliated cult and the Outer God or Great Old One it serves.

Adventurers: Adventuring void-touched follow an innate desire and calling within, whether for power, to find their true home, or to exercise the will of the Great Old Ones.

Names: Hij’Makal, Gek’Salan, Xil’Nahk, Yog’ Farak, Zar’Valo.

Adulthood	Intuitive	Self-Taught	Trained
60 years	+4d6 (64-84 years)	+6d6 (66-96 years)	+8d6 (68-108 years)

Gender	Base Height	Height Modifier	Base Weight	Weight Modifier
Male	5’ 2”	+2d8 (5’ 4” - 6’ 6”)	110 lbs.	+2d8×5 (120 - 190 lbs.)
Female	5’ 0”	+2d8 (5’ 2” - 6’ 4”)	90 lbs.	+2d8×5 (100 - 170 lbs.)

Racial Traits		Race Point Cost
Type	Outsider (native)	3
Size	Medium	0
Base Speed	Normal	0
Ability Score Modifiers	Standard (+2 Wis, +2 Dex, -2 Con)	0
Languages	Standard	0
Defensive Racial Trait	Cold Resistance	1
Defensive Racial Trait	Mind-Affecting Resistance	1
Defensive Racial Trait	Sleep Immunities	2
Defensive Racial Trait	Defensive Awareness	2
Feat & Skill Racial Trait	Perception	2
Feat & Skill Racial Trait	Improved Initiative	2
Magical Racial Trait	Spell-Like Ability, Lesser	1
Magical Racial Trait	Void Affinity	1
Sense	Darkvision 60 ft.	—
Total		15

Standard Racial Traits:

• Ability Score Traits: Void-touched are shrewd and swift, gifted with some insight into space, awareness, thought, time and distance. Wisdom +2, Dexterity +2, Constitution -2 
• Type: Outsiders with the native subtype. 
• Size: Medium 
• Speed: 30’ 
• Languages: Begin with Common, Aklo 

Defense Racial Traits:

• Guarded Mind (Ex): A void-touched mind is guarded, some may even say paranoid, and he gains a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against all mind-affecting effects. 
• Scion of Night: Immune to sleep spells and effects. Only has to sleep for half the time to acquire the benefits of rest such as natural healing and refreshing spells. 
• Energy Resistance: Void-touched have cold resistance 5. 
• Defensive Awareness: +1 dodge bonus to AC 

Feats, Skills Racial Traits:

• Skilled: +2 Perception 
• Quick Reactions: Void-touched receive Improved Initiative as a bonus feat. 

Magical Racial Traits:

• Spell-Like Ability (Sp): Void-touched can use truestrike once per day as a spell-like ability (caster level equal to the void-touched’s class level). 
• Void Affinity: Void-touched sorcerers with the aberrant, realms beyond, starsoul or void-touched bloodlines treat their Charisma score as 2 points higher for all sorcerer spells and class abilities. Void-touched spellcasters with the dark tapestry, stars or void domain use their domain powers and spells at +1 caster level. 

Senses Racial Traits:

• Darkvision 60’ 

Alternate Racial Traits:

• Secret Knowledge: +4 racial bonus to Knowledge (Planes). Replaces skilled. 
• Spell-Like Ability (Sp): Void-touched can use detect thoughts once per day as a spell-like ability (caster level equal to the void-touched’s class level). Replaces void affinity. 
• Scion of Humanity: Some void-touched ancestry is extremely distant. A void-touched with this racial trait counts as an outsider (native) and a humanoid (human) for any effect related to race, including feat prerequisites and spells that affect humanoids. He can pass for human without using the Disguise skill. This racial trait replaces the Aklo language and alters the native subtype. 
• Under the Stars: The void-touched possesses lowlight vision. Whenever a void-touched can see the open sky at night, he can determine his precise location and cannot become lost. At night under an open sky, consulting the stars provides a +2 racial bonus to all knowledge checks. This racial trait replaces darkvision. 
• Vestigial Tentacle: Some void-touched have a vestigial tentacle. While they cannot wield weapons with their tentacles, it can be used to carry and retrieve small items. Small, stowed objects carried on their persons can be retrieved as a swift action. In grappling situations, the tentacle provides a +2 circumstance bonus to CMB and CMD. This racial trait replaces defensive awareness. 
• Variant Heritage: Some Void-Touched are exceptionally cunning, but their plans frequently exhibit tinges of madness. Gain +2 Dex, +2 Int, and -2 Wis. This racial trait replaces the standard ability modifiers. 

Favored Class Options:

• Arcanist: Add one spell from the arcanist spell list to the arcanist's spellbook. The spell must be at least 1 spell level below the highest level the arcanist can cast. 
• Inquisitor: Add one spell known from the inquisitor spell list. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level the inquisitor can cast. 
• Investigator: Add +1/2 bonus to all Perception and Stealth checks. 
• Kineticist: Gain +1/6 of an Extra Wild Talent feat. 
• Magus: Add +1/4 point to the magus' arcane pool. 
• Medium: When gaining a taboo, the medium can use spirit surge without incurring influence an additional +1/4 time per day. 
• Mesmerist: Increase the mesmerist's towering ego bonus by +1/3 point (to a maximum increase of +2). 
• Monk: Add +1/4 point to the monk's ki pool. 
• Night Herald: Gain +1/4 of a new secret. 
• Occultist: Gain +1/4 of a new focus power. 
• 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. 
• Psychic: Add one spell known from the psychic spell list. This spell must be at least 1 level lower than the highest spell level the psychic can cast. 
• Ranger: Add +1/2 bonus to all Perception and Stealth checks. 
• Rogue: The rogue gains +1/6 of a new rogue talent. 
• Shaman: Add one spell from the cleric spell list that isn't on the shaman spell list to the list of spells the shaman knows. This spell must be at least 1 level below the highest spell level the shaman can cast. 
• Slayer: Gain +1/6 of a new slayer talent. 
• Sorcerer: Add one spell known from the sorcerer spell list. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level the sorcerer can cast. 
• Spiritualist: Add +1 hit point or +1 skill rank to the spiritualist's phantom. 
• Summoner: Add +1 hit point or +1 skill rank to the summoner's eidolon. 
• Void Reaver: Gain +1/4 of a new void power. 
• Witch: Add one spell from the witch spell list to the witch's familiar. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level she can cast. If the witch ever replaces her familiar, the new familiar knows these bonus spells. 
• Wizard: Add one spell from the wizard spell list to the wizard's spellbook. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level the wizard can cast.