Darkman

It is unknown when or how the "darkman" came into existence on Ayreon, but there is no reported sighting of this human subrace prior to the founding of Lokatar, and early accounts of their arrival are apocryphal at best. One such account, written by a minor priest of Shorkam's Inquisition, describes a backcountry hamlet in the midst of famine whose inhabitants appeal to the gods of life and weather to save them from destruction. Their prayers go unheard and unfilled. Desperate as the end nears, the villagers turn then to the dark gods, pledging their souls in return for life in this world, and offering human sacrifice to seal the pact. The dark gods hear their prayers, and answer in the affirmative, then mark the race so they may be reminded for time-without-end the covenant made that fateful day.

Darkmen are, like their more common counterparts, a strong race that live out their brief lives in the wilds of Ayreon. They are not wild themselves, far from it, but tend to shy away from cities and large settlements unless inhabited by other darkmen. They are intelligent, and quick, and sometimes a darkman will rise above his fellows to enter an academy devoted to the arts of magic. Others come to dwell at the edges of human settlements, living as black marketeers or, worse, thieves. Darkmen can, however, enter into any profession and thrive.

Darkmen are indistinguishable from humans, being of the same builds, heights and features, but bear two traits common to them all: cunning, almost evil- looking black eyes and hair the color of nightfall. The thick lashes around their eyes accentuates the effect, making them appear as if they are up to no good, even if their intent is not malevolent. This almost unnatural look gives credence to the stories of villagers giving up their souls to sinister agents, and while many a darkman has given into the baleful powers of the world, examples of darkmen both pious and heroic dot the annals of history.

+ Darkmen learn-by-doing nearly as fast as humans. + Darkmen have no special resistances or vulnerabilities. + Raceweapon: sword

Racial Stat Mod

STR   QUI   DEX   INT   WIS   CON   CHA   APP +5      +5      0      +5      0        0        0      0