Player Race: Umbral

<div class='cover-header'>The Umbral</div>

<img src='https://www.gmbinder.com/images/c3UGxo5.png' style='position:absolute;bottom:180px;right:445px;width:380px' />

<div class='cover-footer'>By Nicholas Hoar <br> Enter the Brievary</div>

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<div class='footnote'>Umbral</div>

## Umbral

<div style='font-variant:small-caps;'>"They came here, early in my life. They came fleeing from the</div>

_constant wars and the servitude of dragons and giants. They came seeking freedom. But as the elves learned long ago, Malumtra is nothing more than a dark prison, forever chained to a dark realm. And as the generations died off and got replaced, they evolved, infusing the darkness around them with their very bodies, adapting to the very situation they put themselves in. These descendants are what we refer to as the Umbral. "_

-- Urt'Kazanther, _To Raureif Viatorem_
<br>
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In some unknown corner of Malumtra, a Vampire Lord overlooks his domain. His eyes scan over the dark streets below, viewing the motion of shadowy figures as they go about their normal day. This is a common occurrence, his subjects having adapted to the dark realm they have trapped themselves in.

He thinks back to the beginning, remembering how despite his disease people still flocked to him for salvation from the raging wars surrounding the world. He remembers his servants teaching him the method to reach this dark veil the elves called Malumtra, he remembers the relief of finally achieving their goal and escaping the cursed realm they once called home, And he remembers when the generations started to change and when the initial sickness took over.

The people he once called subjects became nothing more than monsters, living shadows.

How ironic that those who seeked asylum from a monster become monsters themselves.

### Life Within Shadows
To a normal human, living in a world of colorless grays and shadows would drive one insane, if not inconvenience them. However, for the Umbral who have spent millenia adapting to their environment, its just an everyday part of life. It can be said that this lifestyle has gone and transformed the former human race into a monstrosity, however being touched by the shadows is more beneficial to one who lives in them.

To meet a Umbral is but a rare occurrence, do to their sensitivity to any and all forms of light, they rarely leave the realm of Malumtra, the few who do often being clerics to gods of the shadow, or bearers of hexblades, looking to spread their masters influence.

### Servants of the Lords
The predecessors of the Umbral did not come into Malumtra willingly, they cam following kings, queens, vampire lords, and any rulers who were promising them safety from the wars occurring around them. They came as slaves, a lower class, and under the leadership of immortal vampires, their descendants became a serf race, and rarely find themselves as a free individual with none to guide them.

Even when an Umbral finds themselves free from Malumtra, they are usually following the wills of another being. However, if an Umbral finds themselves truly free, they might become a being to be feared.

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> ##### Lords to Which we Follow
>__Count Von Strucker__ To be trapped in the Territory of Knaerwood Keep is an inauspicious fate. The small land is scarce of nessessities and ruled over by a mad lord. Never has an umbral escaped this lords territory.\
>__Jairus Truthbearer__ One of the more famous of the Vmapire Lords, Jairus is a just vampire, requiring a small blood tax, and a wife every couple of decades. Many a vampiric umbral hath been birthed of his loins.\
>__The Lady__: Those who find themselves within the realm of silence will worship the lady, the deity who watches over them and teaches them how to communicate in a land without sound.\
>__The Shadow King__ A man made more of shadow than anything, he was once a great king who lead his servants to a new world to escape the culling of his nobility. upon entering the world, he requested his mages find a way to bring about an eternal life, and thus he became the shadows themselves. \
>__The Raven Queen__ Being the only known god to live within Malumtra, there are many cities of dedicated worshipers, however the Raven Queen has been missing for the past few centuries with no traces of her whereabout to be found.\
>__Urt'Kazanther__ Whilst Urt'Kazanther is known as one of the few Ancient shadow dragons to exist, he was once a mighty Red Dragon, and such has a tendency to gather servants. He often sends servants out as the bearers of his hexblades seeking any mortals who can free him from his prison.

### Umbral Names

__Male Umbral Names:__ Bor, Fodel, Glar, Grigor, Igan, Ivor, Kosef, Mival, Orel, Pavel, Sergor\
__Female Umbral Names:__ Alethra, Kara, Katernin, Mara, Natali, Olma, Tana, Zora

### Umbral Traits
Your Umbral character has a number of traits in common with all other Umbrals.

***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Dexterity score in-<br>creases by 2.

***Age.*** Umbrals age at the same rate as humans, but can live up to 150 years.

***Alignment.*** Umbrals have different opinions of the other planes depending on which group they are from, however most Umbrals remain neutral, or lawful in their alignments

***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 30 feet

***Darkvision.*** You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

***Sunlight Sensitivity*** While in sunlight, you have disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

***Shadow Stealth.*** While in dim light or darkness, you can take the hide action as a bonus action.

***Languages.*** You can speak, read, and write Common, and your choice of one other language.

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***Subrace.*** Umbrals can be categorised into 3 subraces, Tacet, Tenebris, and Vampiric. Choose one of these subraces.

#### Tacet Umbrals
Tacet umbrals, umbrals who come from Virgil, they are incapable of speaking, can cast silence as a race feature, understand Luxspeak/ as well as perform it, and can change the characters in Luxspeak to the language they wish to communicate with (their words appear as floating characters that produce a light around them, these characters can switch to different languages character sets). Tacet Umbrals bypass V(erbal component) by using Luxspeak, in theory the characters of the spells chant will appear around them and will count as the verbal component. Tacet Umbrals can cast V spells within a silence spell, but a gag or other methods of preventing V spells still work.

***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Wisdom score in-<br> creases by 1

***Sound of Silence.*** Starting at 2nd level, you can cast the silence spell with this trait. Once you cast a spell with this trait, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

***Luxspeak.*** You replace all forms of verbal communication with glowing letters that appear around your body. You can use this to speak (write) any languages you know. You also learn the language Luxspeak, a written languages used by all Tacet Umbrals.

#### Tenebris Umbrals
The most common variant of the umbral race, the tenebris are the humans who have succumbed to the shadow and in turned infused their very beings with it. They have lived in darkness for many generations, and know not the light of day.

***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Charisma score in-<br> creases by 1

***Shadow Magic.*** You know the minor illusion cantrip. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the silent image spell with this trait, and when you reach 5th level you can also cast the invisibility spell with it. Once you cast a spell with this trait, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

#### Vampiric Umbrals
Your ancestor had wed a vampire, and as their descendant you have inherited some of that vampires traits. Your blood holds within it the power of a vampire, however through many generations that blood has grown thin, limiting your vampiric powers.

***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Constitution score in-<br> creases by 1

***Lesser Regeneration*** As a bonus action, you can regain Hit points equal to half your level rounded up, minimum of 1. You regain this feature after completing a long rest.

***Climb.*** when climbing surfaces your climbing speed is 30ft.

> ##### Credits
>Created by Nicholas Hoar, 
> ##### Art in Order of Appearance
> "Unknown Title" by <a href="http://www.kirsisalonen.com/index.htm">Kirsi Salonen</a>