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Planekin

The various planes and the ways in which they interact with the world of the Material Plane are a subject of the arcane; a distant and mysterious world entirely composed of a dominant feature, such as the blinding purity of the plane of positive energy, or the endless depths of the plane of water. The presence of Planekin in the Material world dissuades that sense of distance and mystery for many - whether they were sired by a genie, involved in mysterious arcane accidents, or the offspring of some other powerful interplanar creature, Planekin are otherworldly creatures that bear their heritage much more prominently than an Elf's ears or a Dwarf's beard.

An old Sylph, who has fashioned themselves a wispy beard, in order to match what is typical for those of the Material plane at their age.

Planekin rarely know their parentage - a Planekin is just as likely to wind up on the doorstep of a young couple praying for a child as they are to be drawn out of the water in a fisherman's net, or found as the only survivor in the ashes of a spontaneous bonfire. In the cases where an otherworldly being takes the time to accept a Planekin as their own and shape the child in a fashion after themselves, that Planekin often finds themselves to be a subject of legendary tales and epic songs.

Physical Description

The Planekin are both familiar and uniquely alien in their appearance. Whilst they display an appearance of gender dimorphism that one may expect from the other races natural to the Material Plane, it comes across as a foreign creature simply emulating this natural difference, depending upon their self-perception. Whether this shaping of their own physicality is intentional or instinctual in some way, I cannot say for certain. Every Planekin I have dared ask about it seems to pay it no mind at all. -Archwizard Sedridor, Professor of Extraplanar Studies at Eastcliff University

All Planekin are thoroughly defined by their heritage - those associated with the Plane of Air tend to be thin and spindly, with an otherworldly grace to their movement. Planekin born of the Plane of Earth are stocky and tough, like a mix between the physiology of a Dwarf and an Orc - often tougher than the ground they stand on. Planekin of Fire have piercing eyes and comforting warmth to their rich voices. Planekin of Water tend to be as calm and soothing as a babbling brook, or as ferocious and overbearing as an ocean's tidal wave. Although Planekin often have a dominant heritage, mixing and intertwining of Planekin heritage has become increasingly common, leading to unique subcultures.

A Child of Dust Planekin blends into the desert that many of their kin call home. These Planekin are known to easily travel land and sky with equal aptitude.

A Planekin stands within a comparable height range to a Human, though this can vary greatly on both extremes, depending on the heritage of the Planekin. Planekin project the appearance of gender as found in most races, but this seems to be a distinct choice based upon their personality and preferences, rather than an assignment from birth as found in creatures native to the Material Plane.

Society

Planekin, being foreign to the Material Plane in origin, tend to not fit into the societies commonly found on the Material Plane. Planekin themselves are a comparatively rare race, and all of them together, completely disregarding heritage, make up a small percentage of the overall populace. This is not to say that Planekin do not adapt and make names for themselves; on the contrary, Planekin are exemplars within their fields of specialty, and are often recognized for it within whatever society they have chosen to integrate with, but a society comprised solely of Planekin is a rare thing, and tends to not pass the size of a small village or community settled into a remote location.

A lovely young Child of Water idles in the depths. They are often reclusive from large settlements, as such Planekin are often takes as "trophies" by the rich and powerful.

Relations

On account of their obvious heritage, Planekin stereotypes are common, and ones that you have likely heard before: all Pyrekin are hotheads, all Terrans are slow and boring, all Aerkin are flighty, aloof, and eccentric, and all Undine are isolationists and pacifists, who are pushed aside as easily as one wades through a creek. Although like any stereotype, there may be a grain of truth to it, Planekin are largely products of their circumstances, and thus these stereotypes in some way become a self-fulfilling prophecy, as the Planekin finds themselves to be alone in the world with little to nobody who looks like them, and thus they are shaped into what the local dominant society sees them to be from birth.

This case, although often true, does not always occur for the Planekin. They get along well with ostracized races in many ways, such as Half-Elves, Tieflings, Warforged, Turtlefolk, and other societal “misfits.”

Table: Planekin Ages

Adulthood Intuitive Self-Taught Trained Middle-Aged Old Venerable Maximum Age
18 years +2d6 years (20-30 years) +3d6 years (21-36 years) +4d6 years (22-42 years) 60 years 90 years 130 years 130+3d20 years

Table: Random Height and Weight

Gender Base Height Height Modifier Base Weight Weight Modifier
N/A 4 ft. 7 in. +2d10 in. (4 ft. 9 in. - 6 ft. 3 in.) 100 lbs. +2d10 * 5 lbs. (110-200 lbs.)

Standard Racial Traits

  • Ability Score Modifiers: A Planekin's ability scores are dictated by their Heritage - see below for more information on this.
  • Size: Planekin are Medium creatures, and thus receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
  • Base Speed: Planekin have a base speed of 30 feet.
  • Languages: All Planekin speak common, plus additional languages based on their Heritage. They do not gain bonus languages from their Intelligence score.
  • Low Light Vision: Planekin have Low Light Vision, allowing them to see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.

Planekin Heritage

At character creation, decide the heritage of your Planekin character by selecting two elements from the list below. If you select the same element twice, the Planekin is considered a “pure” version of that element, and can often manifest in unusual ways (for example, a pure Airkin typically has a strong connection to lightning as well as wind). Be creative and choose the theme that you're going for!

A Child of Fire letting loose their inner inferno. They are as mischievous as ever, and happy to flaunt their heritage towards anyone likely to be terrified of it.

Table: Common Names for Combined Elements

Heritage Components
Mist Air and Water
Dust Air and Earth
Mud Water and Earth
Smoke Air and Fire
Steam Water and Fire
Lava Earth and Fire

If you select the same Heritage twice, double the bonuses granted. For example, selecting Airkin twice would grant you +4 Dexterity, the ability to walk on air at a speed of 20 feet, and the ability to use Feather Fall twice per day.

A rare Child of Smoke Planekin. They are commonly distrusted, seen as deceitful and unreliable individuals.

Child of Air

In Common, these Planekin are typically referred to as Sylphs. They tend to have a frail build, looking similar to Elves with slender, tall bodies, pale skin, and an otherworldly elegance.

  • Ability Score Modifiers: Sylphs receive +2 Dexterity.
  • Languages: Sylphs gain Auran as a bonus language.
  • Walking On Sunshine: Sylphs may tread on thin air - you may move at a speed of 10 feet per turn as if under the effects of Air Walk. If you end your movement in the air, you slowly fall to the ground at 60 feet per round, as the spell.
  • Happy Landings: Sylphs may cast Feather Fall once per day as a spell-like ability, with a Caster Level equal to their Hit Dice.

Child of Earth

  • Ability Score Modifiers: Oread receive +2 Constitution.
  • Languages: Oread receive Terran as a bonus language.
  • Depths of the Earth: Oread may burrow through dirt, clay, and other such substances at a rate of 15 feet per turn. They may burrow through tougher substances such as stone as well, as long as their Hit Dice meet or exceed the toughness of the material to be burrowed through. Oread do not leave tunnels from burrowing in this manner.
  • Down to Earth Perspective: Oread possess Tremorsense, out to a range of 15 feet.

Child of Fire

  • Ability Score Modifiers: Ifrit receive +2 Charisma.
  • Languages: Ifrit receive Ignan as a bonus language.
  • Hot On Your Heels: Ifrit gain a 10 feet increase to their base land speed.
  • Unstoppable Inferno: Ifrit may heat any object, surface, or creature which they come in contact with for an extended period. As a Full Round Action, the Ifrit's inner inferno blazes, allowing them to inflict Fire damage equal to their Hit Dice on a single touched object, surface, or creature on that round, and for every round that they continue to spend Full Round Actions. This damage ignores hardness. The Ifrit is completely immune to the heat from this ability.

Child of Water

  • Ability Score Modifiers: Undine receive +2 Wisdom.
  • Languages: Undine receive Aquan as a bonus language.
  • Swift As The River: Undine possess a swim speed of 30 feet, and they do not need to make Athletics checks to move in water.
  • Challenge The Deep: Undine can freely breathe in water, and are immune to adverse effects from swimming too deep, such as crushing pressure.