Homebrew Dubh Sith Elder (Darkling) Species Details

 There are parts of my heart I dare not go
For fear of being pulled into the undertow
Where black is the purest of any sights
Because my psyche has blown out the lights
Where shadows don't hide from illumination
My trauma made beasts of the vilest creation

- from "Dark Creatures" by Jessalyn

It is told in legends that a seelie fey, whose real name had been erased from history, betrayed the Summer Queen in some unknown way.  In her wrath, she cursed him and his entire house.  He became known in those stories as Dubh Catha, or "Dark Crow".  The curse caused his body to absorb light.  This caused him to grow wiser, but it also caused him to age quicker.  Thusly, he was banished from the fey wild and driven into the shadowfel to escape the light of the summer court.  There, the descendants of his house became known as the dubh sith, or dark folk.

The Dubh Sith (doop seeth) are more commonly known by the term "darkling", though they themselves feel the term is a disparaging slur on their house.   Others call them "Dark Ones" or "Dark Creepers", but never as a way of showing fondness for the fey race.  Bearing a curse that had been ages old before the veil tore and the fey and shadowfel bled into our world, the dubh sith are a culture at home in the dark recesses of the world.  They almost always settle in isolated places in the underlands, isolated chambers and caverns, though with easy enough access to the upland settlements of other peoples.  An enigmatic race of small humanoids, they have cloven feet, dusky black skin and silken black hair kept in tight braids.  Their eyes, black orbs of darkness, will give off an eerie glow when they are in the dark shadows.  The dubh sith have elegant sylvan features, still retaining their fey beauty and grace in spite of the curse.  They almost always wear dark gauzy robes slightly too large for themselves, which aid them in protecting their skin from bright light.  If nothing else, this type of clothing helps them hide in the shadows.

They have no religion, but seem to venerate and hold "darkness" in such a lofty position that they may even be said to worship it.   "Everything began in darkness, and everything will return to darkness.  Darkness is the natural state of the universe."  They do believe that the sun is an evil entity whose only purpose is to slowly cook everything and everyone.  Anyone who brings light with them into the darkness is seen as an evil priest for the light above.  They are omnivorous, and actually prefer to have their food cooked.  With an aversion to fire and flames, this is usually done near steam vents or pools of boiling water.  

There are three castes in the dubh sith society, which more have to do with amount of light they have absorbed in their life than anything else.  Those who are called the ealadh,  or creepers, are the young who have not ventured out into the world beyond their caves and shadows.  The stalcair, or stalkers, comprise the majority of their race, are those dubh sith who have been to the upper world but have not progressed in their growth enough to venture into sunlight or other such evils. Essentially, as a ealadh or stalcair, they are held captive by the darkness they embrace.  Should one come to contact sunlight or other sources of bright light, their dexterity begins to drop as they begin to absorb light. Ironically, their wisdom begins to increase at an equal rate, though they will explode in a flash of bright light if their dexterity reaches 0.   Over these two castes are the eildear, or elders, who are dark ones that have undergone a ritual that will protect them from the light above.  The subh sith are ruled by the eildear, those who showed wisdom and earned the respect of their people before undergoing the transformation ritual.  It is during this ritual where other elders craft glowing tattoos on their chests and shoulders while channeling away some of the supplicant's absorbed light.  Though desired by all dark ones, this procedure does have the possibility of failing which results in the darkling's fantastical death in an explosion of light.  Only one in four survive this ritual to become an Elder among the Dubh Sith.  Once an elder has survived the ritual, they are able to endure the offense of light and its affects upon their body.  However, they still have the problems of seeing and perceiving things when in the light.

The dibh sith are rightfully known for their skills in thieving and assassination.  All their racial characteristics and physical attributes cause them to gravitate to these types of work.  They have become quite skilled in both.  However, it is considered most abhorrent and detestable to kill or steal from one of their own kind.  But the art of thievery and assassinating are viewed as honorable professions among the dibh sith.  With their excellent night vision and ability to stealthily move about, they excel in both.  Light is their only shortcoming, as it is both difficult for them to see and causes the less evolved bodies to become more rigid as already explained above.  

Despite their curse, and banishment to the world of shadows, the Dubh Sith retain their fondness for the beauty of art.  They may risk taking a peek at a sunset or lighting a tiny candle just to glimpse the colors in a painting or a jewel.  Though, as a whole, they do not possess any extraordinary skills in crafting, they do find the beauty in the works of others and have a predilection for collecting beautiful trinkets and gems.  They have no skills in forging, as they detest the light of fires or forges, but they highly value metal weapons.  However, their special daggers they usually carry are fashioned from metals found deep in the earth, far from the the light of day.  

Creating Your Character

The mysterious fey of shadow and ruin.

Ability Score Increases

As one of the dubh sith, you get a boost in dexterity (+2) with a slight boost in charisma (+1).

Languages

Your character can speak, read, and write both Common and Undercommon.  You can speak Sylvan well enough to be understood, but you never took the time to learn to read or write in that language.

Creature Type

 Though of the shadowfel, you were once a race of fey from the fey wild.  Because of this, you are considered fey.  Because of your physical and racial characteristics, you have a +2 bonus to all stealth rolls made when you are in dimly lit conditions.

Life Span

The typical life span of one of the dubh sith, assuming the character doesn’t meet a violent end on an adventure, is about 400 years. They are considered children until they have progressed from the creeper stage of their life.

Height and Weight

Typically, the dubh sith are roughly the same size and weight as a halfling, and are often mistaken as such when robed while moving among other people.

Vision

As one of the dubh sith, you possess extraordinary vision in darkened circumstances.  You have superior dark vision out to 120 feet, and blindsight out to 30 feet.  However, in conditions where sun light or other sources of bright exist,  you have disadvantage on attack rolls and any skill checks that involve sight if the target of the roll is in sunlight or some other source of bright light.  Starting at third level, you are able to see perfectly in magical darkness that you yourself have cast.

Dubh Sith Elder (Darkling) Traits

As one of the dark ones, you have the following traits:

Creature Type

You are a Fey.  Because of your physical and racial characteristics, you have a bonus to any stealth rolls you make as long as you are in dimly lit areas.

Size

You are Small.

Speed

Your walking speed is 30 feet.

Dark Fey

You know the minor illusion cantrip.

Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the darkness spell with this trait. Starting at 5th level, you can also cast the dispel magic spell with this trait. Once you cast darkness or dispel magic with this trait, you can’t cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast either of those spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level.

Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait (choose when you select this race).

Vision

As one of the dubh sith, you possess extraordinary vision in darkened circumstances.  You have superior dark vision out to 120 feet, and blindsight out to 30 feet.  However, in conditions where sun light or other sources of bright exist,  you have disadvantage on ranged attack rolls and any skill checks if the target of your roll is in sunlight or any other source of bright light.

Starting at third level, you are able to see perfectly in magical darkness that you yourself have cast.