Nosk'quela (3.5e Race)

Nosk'quela

Personality

Unlike most fey, nosk'quela are hardly the flighty, frivolous things that fill the groves of the Prime Material Plane, of the realm of Faerie. Brave, curious creatures, nosk'quela are known for their inquisitiveness, especially when it comes to a bit of shadow magic they've never seen before. A nosk'quel will go to nearly any extent to uncover more about an interesting form of such magic, not for their own personal gain, but just to satiate their curiosity. Strangely, they despise other forms of magic, considering it to be cheap, ignoble, and disturbing.

Again, unlike many types of fey, nosk'quela form very strong familial bonds, likely because several thousand years of being hunted by more powerful creatures has taught them that they can find safety in numbers.

Physical Description

Relations

Nosk'quela who interact with other races usually do so unwillingly, or only after first shadowing an individual for sometime to see how they might react to them. Among the common races, a nosk'quel can most often be found in the company of halflings, a race that shares with them both a love of family and a predisposition towards stealthier lifestyles, as well as a love of good food, something nosk'quela cherish. More often then not, however, the nosk'quela are feared to be little more then shadowy demons, leading many races, especially humans and dwarves, to attack them on sight.

Of all races, none despise the nosk'quela as another race of dark fey: the shadar-kai. Since the nosk'quela actually exist in the Plane of Shadow willingly, they are not bound to it in the way that the shadow fey are, leading the shadar-kai to hunt the nosk'quela merely out of spite.

Alignment

While rarely favoring overt benevolence or malevolence, nosk'quela have a strong sense of honor, leading them

Lands

Millenia ago, the nosk'quela's ancestors migrated from Faerie to the Plane of Shadow, in an attempt to study the powerful shadow magic that ran through their blood. Unfortunately, the powerful little fey were no match for the power of the denizens of that plane, who only saw them as prey. Rather than flee to their original home, they persevered, establishing a few minor holds which slowly devolved into primitive tribes dedicated to the preservation of the tiny bit of their heritage that remained.

Religion

The nosk'quel have no religion to call their own, and those exposed to the power of deities are more likely to run and hide rather than worship them. Nosk'quela do have one odd custom: the near-worship of the great undead known as nightshades, particularly nightwings. Flocks of nosk'quela have been known to follow these vile abominations for months, or even years, merely watching and observing them. For some reason that scholars cannot figure out, no nightshade will intentionally harm a nosk'quel unless it provokes it.

Language

Like most fey, nosk'quela speak Sylvan, but with a deep, booming voice that belies their small stature. Nosk'quela found outside of the Plane of Shadow usually speak another language as well, often Common.

Names

Nosk'quela rarely choose names that have any meaning, instead picking ones that sound interesting. Most nosk'quela also use their tribe's name as a surname while among other races or tribes.

Sample First Names: Zekstayl, Comstilils, Amthatan, Reskintil

Sample Tribe Names: Thesk'it'tan, Al'sek'tos, Atch'sek'sayt

Racial Traits

• +2 Charisma, +2 Dexterity, −4 Constitution. Agile and and very brash, the nosk'quela are extremely frail, due to the fact that their bodies are only partially real.
• Fey (extraplanar): Nosk'quela are fey native to the Plane of Shadow.
• Small: As a Small creature, a nosk'quel gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but she uses smaller weapons than humans use, and her lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character.
• Nosquela base land speed is 20 feet.
• Darkvision out to 120 feet.
• Disincorporate (Su): Once per day as a swift action, a nosk'quel may become incorporeal for a number of rounds equal to their Constitution modifier (minimum 1 round). They gain an additional use per day of this ability at 6th and 12th level. A nosk'quel may use this ability to qualify for effects that require a fly speed, such as Flyby Attack.
• Slight Build (Ex): The largely insubstantial nature of nosk'quela lets them function in many ways as if they were one size category smaller. Whenever they are subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as Hide), the nosk'quela is treated as one size smaller if doing so is advantageous to the character. A nosk'quel is also considered to be one size smaller when "squeezing" through a restrictive space. A nosk'quel can use weapons designed for a creature one size smaller without penalty. However, the space and reach of a nosk'quel remain those of a creature of their actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject's size category.
• Light Blindness: Abrupt exposure to bright light (such as sunlight or a daylight spell) blinds nosk'quel for 1 round. On subsequent rounds, they are dazzled as long as they remain in the affected area.
• +2 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Sylvan. Bonus Languages: Abyssal, Aquan, Draconic, Undercommon
• Favored Class: Shadowcaster

Vital Statistics

Table: Random Starting Ages

Adulthood	Simple	Moderate	Complex
110 years	+4d6	+6d6	+10d6

Table: Aging Effects

Middle Age^1	Old^2	Venerable^3	Maximum Age
175 years	263 years	350 years	+4d% years
At middle age, +2 to Str, Dex, and Con; -2 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At old age, +3 to Str, Dex, and Con; -3 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At venerable age, +4 to Str, Dex, and Con; -4 to Int, Wis, and Cha.

Table: Nosk'quela Random Height and Weight

Gender	Base Height	Height Modifier	Base Weight	Weight Modifier
Male	1' 3"	+1d4	8 lb.	× (1) lb.
Female	1' 6"	+1d4	10 lb.	× (1) lb.

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