[FOCI]
Planar Character Options
Nearly colorless, waiting in shadow, you lurk. Capable of taking the unlit crossings between the Material Plane and the Shadowfell, you can step out of a dim corner, dark crypt, or gloomy forest canopy when your quarry least expects it. Stalking across the planes, your presence stirs unease in those you name your enemy. But those you hunt may rightly fear that should you catch them, you'll pull them back to the Shadowfell to an unknown fate.
Someone who Travels Through Shadow may have started down their path purposefully or accidentally, or possibly had no choice in the matter, depending on the situation that melded their soul with the Shadowfell in the first place. You can decide how you became a shadowfarer or use the Born in Shadow table to inspire the tale of your dim origin.
The boundary between the Shadowfell—a plane that some describe as a dim, twisted reflection of the real—and worlds of the Material Plane is worn and ragged in some places, allowing those who know what they're doing to cross from one into the other and back again. Characters don't need a specific ability to make use of a shadow crossing, just knowledge that it exists and the right mindset. Some crossings allow a creature to walk only a little while in the dim landscape of the Shadowfell and then return to the world many tens of miles or more from where they entered. Other crossings are one-way. Usually, a crossing is itself found only in shadow, often in graveyards or other places where many creatures have died.
The Shadowfell has marked you, and creatures associated with it notice. Mindless undead do not attack you unless you attack first. If you are accompanied by others who do not share this benefit with you, undead preferentially attack them first. In addition, your interaction tasks with intelligent undead are eased.
You are trained in knowledge concerning the Shadowfell, its most common inhabitants (which include undead), and the strange properties of the plane. In addition, you know of one shadow crossing in a location near where you grew up or your current base of operations. The far end of the shadow crossing is another location within about 100 miles (160 km), as determined by the GM. Possibilities include a secluded vale, a ruined keep, a dark alley in a larger city, or a subterranean vault.
In addition, every time you gain a new tier, you learn the location of another shadow crossing route as determined by the GM.
For one minute, your attacks drain life from your foes, providing you with a gloom-born phantom energy. Once per round, when you damage a creature, you regain 1 Pool point. Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until after your next ten-hour recovery.
Action to initiate.
Ability Choice. Choose either Nightstrike or Shadow Conduit as your tier 3 ability.
When you attack a foe in dim light or darkness, you get a free level of Effort on the attack
For Speed task against that particular target. one minute, your shadow stretches and grows The wall is not solid, and creatures can pass to become a lane of dimness reaching up to through it; however, they are subject to the same short range. As part of another action (including ill effects as creatures that were in the wall's area activating this ability), you can direct your shadow when it appeared. to fall across one target in range. If you succeed Creatures who exit or attempt to pass through on an Intellect-based attack against the target, the wall must succeed on an Intellect-based attackthey take 5 points of damage (ignores Armor) from against it or exit the wall on the opposite side from necrotic decay and become apathetic for as long as which they intended. your shadow falls across them. An apathetic target A creature who is knowledgeable about such is glum and uncommunicative, and their defense things (such as yourself, someone with training in rolls are hindered. planar travel, or someone trained in knowledge of
You can continue afflicting your initial target on the Shadowfell) could use the wall to directly enter subsequent turns (possibly aided by their defense the Shadowfell if they succeed on a level 5 Intellect rolls being hindered) or try to let your shadow fall across new targets, until the duration expires.
Action to initiate.
For ten minutes, shadows are called to defend you when you are attacked, encompassing you in their dim embrace. You gain +1 to Armor, and the shadows automatically inflict 2 points of damage to anyone who tries to touch you or strike you with a melee attack. While the shadow shield is active, your stealth tasks are eased.
You step into a shadow within immediate range and out of another shadow within long range, even if you can't see the destination shadow because it's blocked from your view. If you attempt to cross to a shadow that doesn't exist, you exit out of the nearest shadow to the one you intended to step out of. If you apply one level of Effort, you extend the range you can travel to very long range. Also, for each level of Effort applied, one creature of your size or smaller can accompany you.
Ability Choice: Choose either Embraced by Darkness or Wall of Shadow as your tier 6 ability.
For the next hour, you take on some characteristics of a shadow thanks to a fundamental adaptation of your flesh or a device you've kept secret. Your appearance is a dark silhouette. When you apply a level of Effort to sneaking tasks, you get a free level of Effort on the task. During this time, you can move through the air at a rate of a short distance per round, and you can move through solid barriers (even those that are sealed to prevent the passage of light or shadow), but not energy barriers, at a rate of 1 foot (30 cm) per round. You can perceive while passing through a barrier or object, which allows you to peek through walls. As a shadow, you can't affect or be affected by normal matter. Likewise, you can't attack, touch, or otherwise affect anything. However, attacks and effects that rely on light can affect you, and sudden bursts of light can potentially make you lose your next turn.
Action to initiate.
You draw down a segment of the Shadowfell to create a level 6 wall of formless, vision-obscuring shadow within short range.
The wall is 1 foot (30 cm) thick and up to 20 feet by 20 feet (6 m by 6 m) in size. It appears resting on a solid foundation and lasts for one minute. When the wall appears, each creature within its area takes 3 points of damage (ignores Armor) from its necrotic, flesh-decaying energies, or 1 point if you fail a Speed task against that particular target. The wall is not solid, and creatures can pass through it; however, they are subject to the same ill effects as creatures that were in the wall’s area when it appeared. Creatures who exit or attempt to pass through the wall must succeed on an Intellect-based attack against it or exit the wall on the opposite side from which they intended. A creature who is knowledgeable about such things (such as yourself, someone with training in planar travel, or someone trained in knowledge of the Shadowfell) could use the wall to directly enter the Shadowfell if they succeed on a level 5 Intellect task. Such use inflicts damage as normal.
Action to create.
GM Intrusions: Sometimes even experienced shadowfarers get lost attempting to traverse shadow crossings. Intelligent undead may decide they've had enough of intruding shadowfarers.