Shadow Dweller
First Post
This is the second of three new races for my Crimson Towers setting. As always, advice and criticism is welcome, open flaming is not.
Campaign World <CW>
Basic Info
The Mageborn are very much what they sound like. Every child is born with an inherent connection to arcane powers of the world and the most powerful magi in <CW> are of Mageborn lineage. Being one of three native races to <CW>, and by far the most established there, they have a rather high outlook on themselves. The Mageborn ruled the known world, or what they cared to rule from the seat of civilization, the Crimson Towers. They were originally ruled by a small circle of Incantifiers (Dragon magazine 339), Magi that had discovered a path to immortality if not invulnerability, they lived in relative peace for millennia.
No one knows what caused the destruction of the Towers or the city Tallen around them, but it changed the race from then on.
Personality
Mageborn believe themselves superior to all those around them aside from other Mageborn, and perhaps the Mageblind and "mundane” humans. Even after these last 3 millennia with the outsiders they still find them almost beneath their notice, or would like to, and are quick to attempt to assume command of whenever group with the other races.
Physical Description
The Mageborn look, for all intents and purposes like an ordinary human. They have the same height and weight range, the same hair colors. Their eyes however are what makes them different, and is the telling mark of Mageborn. All Mageborn have silver eyes that when in sunlight have a tendency to reflect light and look as if they’re glowing.
Mageborn are incapable of touching Divine Magic. They can be affected by it, but can never channel divine power.
Relations
While the Mageborn look at no one as equals they treat both the Mageblind, with who they share a common ancestry, and the “Mundanes” as they call them, with only slight amounts of disdain. They seem to almost pity the Halflings, though why is anyone’s guess.
As to the other more magically inclined newcomer races, the Dwarves, Elves and Gnomes the Mageborn find contemptuous. These races have the audacity, in the eyes of a Mageborn that is, to attempt arts above themselves. The Dwarves hold more contempt in their eyes for attempting to excavate areas around the ruins of Tallen shortly after arriving on <CW>.
The Grimalkin, also being one of the native races of <CW> are an issue for the Mageborn. It’s believed by some in the community that the Mageborn Incantifiers created the Grimalkin, those most disregard this as legend. Some still think of them as a nomadic semi-sentient race not worthy of being acknowledged. However with the arrival of the Others the Grimalkin seem to have taken on a sentience and awareness much like the that of the Mageborn and Mageblind, thought none give much merit to anything a Grimalkin has to say.
Alignment
The Mageborn are an incredibly pragmatic race, and little in the world holds little wonder for them due to their inborn magical qualities, leaving them to hold a more neutral stance between good and evil. Also on the line between Law and Chaos the tent lean towards the more structured and orderly path of Law, which aids in the casting of their magics.
Lands
Before the destruction of the Towers and the Arrival the Mageborn Imperia spread from the eastern to the western coastlines, and from the just north of the Thaln Forests to the Shardscale Mountains in the North.
With the destruction of the Towers however the greatest concentration of Mageborn has been eliminated, as well as their most power city. They were also further depleted with the emergence of the Mageblind from their ranks. Now the remnants of the Mageborn Imperia inhabit the area far to east, centered on the city of Olimaria. The surrounding lands have been magically shaped and consist of mainly plains lands and rolling hills.
Languages
The Mageborn speak common, however they are capable of learning any language they are presented with with enough study.
Stats
• +4 Intelligence, -2 Charisma.
• Medium: As Medium creatures, Mageborn have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Mageborn base land speed is 30 feet.
• The following skill are always considered class skills for Mageborn: Use Magic Device, Knowledge: Arcana, and Spellcraft
• +2 racial bonus on Knowledge: Arcana and Spellcraft checks and a +4 racial Bonus to Use Magic Device checks
• -4 racial negative on Diplomacy to all races except Human and Mageblind. They have a -2 racial penality to those races
• Automatic Languages: Common
• Favored Class: Wizard
• Prohibited Class: Any Divine Caster
• Each Mageborn begins with one of the following feats(Found in Complete Arcane) chosen at 1st level: Communicator, Insightful, Necropolis Born, Night Haunt, Soul of the North, Spell Hand
• +1 LA
Campaign World <CW>
Basic Info
The Mageborn are very much what they sound like. Every child is born with an inherent connection to arcane powers of the world and the most powerful magi in <CW> are of Mageborn lineage. Being one of three native races to <CW>, and by far the most established there, they have a rather high outlook on themselves. The Mageborn ruled the known world, or what they cared to rule from the seat of civilization, the Crimson Towers. They were originally ruled by a small circle of Incantifiers (Dragon magazine 339), Magi that had discovered a path to immortality if not invulnerability, they lived in relative peace for millennia.
No one knows what caused the destruction of the Towers or the city Tallen around them, but it changed the race from then on.
Personality
Mageborn believe themselves superior to all those around them aside from other Mageborn, and perhaps the Mageblind and "mundane” humans. Even after these last 3 millennia with the outsiders they still find them almost beneath their notice, or would like to, and are quick to attempt to assume command of whenever group with the other races.
Physical Description
The Mageborn look, for all intents and purposes like an ordinary human. They have the same height and weight range, the same hair colors. Their eyes however are what makes them different, and is the telling mark of Mageborn. All Mageborn have silver eyes that when in sunlight have a tendency to reflect light and look as if they’re glowing.
Mageborn are incapable of touching Divine Magic. They can be affected by it, but can never channel divine power.
Relations
While the Mageborn look at no one as equals they treat both the Mageblind, with who they share a common ancestry, and the “Mundanes” as they call them, with only slight amounts of disdain. They seem to almost pity the Halflings, though why is anyone’s guess.
As to the other more magically inclined newcomer races, the Dwarves, Elves and Gnomes the Mageborn find contemptuous. These races have the audacity, in the eyes of a Mageborn that is, to attempt arts above themselves. The Dwarves hold more contempt in their eyes for attempting to excavate areas around the ruins of Tallen shortly after arriving on <CW>.
The Grimalkin, also being one of the native races of <CW> are an issue for the Mageborn. It’s believed by some in the community that the Mageborn Incantifiers created the Grimalkin, those most disregard this as legend. Some still think of them as a nomadic semi-sentient race not worthy of being acknowledged. However with the arrival of the Others the Grimalkin seem to have taken on a sentience and awareness much like the that of the Mageborn and Mageblind, thought none give much merit to anything a Grimalkin has to say.
Alignment
The Mageborn are an incredibly pragmatic race, and little in the world holds little wonder for them due to their inborn magical qualities, leaving them to hold a more neutral stance between good and evil. Also on the line between Law and Chaos the tent lean towards the more structured and orderly path of Law, which aids in the casting of their magics.
Lands
Before the destruction of the Towers and the Arrival the Mageborn Imperia spread from the eastern to the western coastlines, and from the just north of the Thaln Forests to the Shardscale Mountains in the North.
With the destruction of the Towers however the greatest concentration of Mageborn has been eliminated, as well as their most power city. They were also further depleted with the emergence of the Mageblind from their ranks. Now the remnants of the Mageborn Imperia inhabit the area far to east, centered on the city of Olimaria. The surrounding lands have been magically shaped and consist of mainly plains lands and rolling hills.
Languages
The Mageborn speak common, however they are capable of learning any language they are presented with with enough study.
Stats
• +4 Intelligence, -2 Charisma.
• Medium: As Medium creatures, Mageborn have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Mageborn base land speed is 30 feet.
• The following skill are always considered class skills for Mageborn: Use Magic Device, Knowledge: Arcana, and Spellcraft
• +2 racial bonus on Knowledge: Arcana and Spellcraft checks and a +4 racial Bonus to Use Magic Device checks
• -4 racial negative on Diplomacy to all races except Human and Mageblind. They have a -2 racial penality to those races
• Automatic Languages: Common
• Favored Class: Wizard
• Prohibited Class: Any Divine Caster
• Each Mageborn begins with one of the following feats(Found in Complete Arcane) chosen at 1st level: Communicator, Insightful, Necropolis Born, Night Haunt, Soul of the North, Spell Hand
• +1 LA
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I think I'm going to make this the "Mageborn" thread and start a new thread for the Felines and eventually the Mageblind once I get them done. For some reason they're proving to be more of a challange in creation than I anticipated. Thanks! 
