Wychfiends

Wychfiends, occasionally referred to as etherfiends by those on other planes, are a race of bloodthirsty and warlike extraplanar humanoids from the Ethereal Plane. They plunder the worlds of the Material Plane in search of vast riches, powerful magic, obscure knowledge, and slaves to serve them, all for the glory of their Wychqueen and her consort the Ovarch. All wychfiends live in one of 13 great fortified cities scattered throughout the Ethereal Plane. They boast powerful and true eldritch knights called wychblades, and potent spellcasters called wychlyn (or wylochlyn if a male). Since wychfiends possess an innate magic, they have learned to employ it with great effect in combat over the centuries. Physical Qualities: Wychfiends are humanoid in appearance, standing slightly taller than the average human at six to six and a half feet. Females tend to be lithe and athletic in appearance, typically weighing around 200 pounds, while males usually have a more muscular and robust physique, weighing around 300 pounds. Regardless of gender, wychfiends have prominent ridges along their foreheads, as well as small horny protrusions along their brow ridge and jaw line, though a female’s is less pronounced. Their ears are small and pointed, their eyes tend to be deep blue or green, while their skin can range from a tan flesh tone to a ruddy red, and adorned in tattoos depicting arcane symbols of power.

A wychfiend’s hair is of singular importance and a point of honor, for it denotes ones rank and station within their society. Their hair is typically black, brown, or auburn in color, and worn in elaborate braids at the back and temples if a female, or bound and braided into ponytails by the males and serve as the plumes of their battle helmets. Perhaps the wychfiend’s most unusual feature is their lack of nose. In its place, they have three small breathing holes spaced along each side of their necks just below their ears, which allows them to breath in any elemental atmosphere, be it air, water, poisonous gas, or the like. Like other planar races, wychfiends try to blend in with the inhabitants of their target worlds, primarily as a means of gaining intelligence on their victims. When wychfiends are encountered away from their home plane, they wear lightweight masks or visored helmets to hide their unusual appearance, as well as emphasize their braids and ponytails of rank.

Society: For years, any knowledge pertaining to Wychfiend society has been limited, until recently, when a few brave planar explorers ventured into the Ethereal Plane to study the little-known culture of these dangerous and brutal beings. Upon their return, they revealed much sought after information pertaining to the Wychfiends and their way of life.

Wychfiend society is a hereditary matriarchy founded centuries ago by the first Wychqueen. It was she, who made a pact with a dark entity in return for greater power and long life for those of her bloodline. Long ago, a band of wayfaring humans, half-orcs, and dwarves became imprisoned on the Ethereal Plane, unable to leave. Out of necessity, they were forced to interbreed, resulting in a number of unusual offspring. This, in conjunction with years of exposure to the strange emanations of the Ethereal Plane warped and reshaped them into the wychfiends of today.

The current Wychqueen, Lasheth’yaleen, has ruled for nearly three centuries, alongside her consort, the Ovarch, Alukhan. With him at her side, she lives a life of perversion and immoral pleasures, and rules her subjects with an iron hand. With the help of her legions of wychblade warriors and covens of wychlyn spellcasters, she controls the expansive Wychfiend Empire that encompasses 13 great fortified cities scattered throughout a secluded corner of the Ethereal Plane.

From their stronghold cities, wychfiends strike fear in the hearts of victims throughout the planes and launch their incursions into the Material Plane from the decks of their huge ethereal ships which they use to navigate the swirling mists of the Ethereal Plane itself. Though primarily encountered on the Material Plane, their physiology enables them to survive for an extended period of time on any plane of existence, even the Elemental and Energy Planes. Like most living creatures, they require food, water, and sleep, but are unaffected by toxic atmospheres.

Relations: Wychfiends are greatly despised by most races, for they are seen as nothing more than extraplanar pirates and brigands. Thus, most races avoid any contact with them. However, some individuals grudgingly claim that the wychfiend Wychblades are among the greatest of any eldritch knights throughout the planes. Because of their innate propensity for magic, wychfiends get along best with those races with the same propensity, such as elves and half-elves. However, because of their warlike nature, they also get along with dwarves and half-orcs, since these are the races of their origin. Should a wychfiend choose to mate with a dwarf, half-orc, or human, the resulting offspring is always a full blooded wychfiend. All other matings result in no offspring.

Alignment and Religion: Although wychfiends are considered to be fearsome and blunt in their dealings with other races, they follow a certain code of honor. They tend towards brutal, decisive battle tactics, and unleash their magic with great effect in their attempts to acquire greater power and dominion on behalf of their wychqueen. Wychfiends tend to be lawful evil, but very few worship any form of deity since it would greatly anger their wychqueen and bring about their demise. However, those few who choose to tread such dangerous ground typically worship deities who value strength, order, and magic.

Adventurers: Wychfiends have an inbred lust for battle and adventure, especially for the glory of their wychqueen. Youngling wychfiends are often sent to the Material Plane to test their mettle and skill at arms, and prove themselves worthy of being admitted to the ranks of the Wychblades. Veteran wychfiends travel and battle to increase their hone, and further the cause of their sovereign, but are typically encountered in companies or brigades. Renegade wychfiends hold no allegiance to the wychqueen. They have thrown off their racial shackles of domination and unquestioning obedience to her, and replaced them with the ideals of freewill and personal honor.

Male Names: Arzu, Ashram, Balkhor, Helior, Heralld, Lykosh, Naseer, Noben, Sarik, Sarkk, Uruncu.

Female Names: Anaptupish, Cha’nya, Ma’harra, Na’ima, Onju, Yarro, Zorla, Zvenstra.

Wychfiend Traits (Advanced 20 RP)

• Type: outsider (native). (3 RP)

• Ability Scores: Wychfiends are tough and strong-willed, but are single-minded and set in their ways. They gain +2 Constitution, +2 Charisma, –2 Wisdom. (0 RP)

• Medium: Wychfiends are Medium creatures, and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size. (0 RP)

• Normal Speed: Wychfiends have a base speed of 30 feet. (0 RP)

• Darkvision: Wychfiends can see in the dark up to 60 feet. (– RP)

• Adapted Body: Wychfiends lack a nose, but instead possess three small nostril-like orifices positioned along either side of their necks. This specialized respiratory system allows wychfiends to breathe in any environment, including on other planes, underwater, or even in a vacuum. It also makes them immune to harmful gases and vapors, including inhaled diseases and poisons and spells like cloudkill and stinking cloud. In addition, this adaptation protects wychfiends from extremes of temperature (per endure elements) as well as extremes of pressure. This adaptation is similar to a constant life bubble spell. (8 RP)

• Planar Resistance: Wychfiends have acid resistance 5, cold resistance 5, and fire resistance 5. (3 RP)

• Wychfiend Immunities: Wychfiends are immune to figments, and get a +2 racial saving throw bonus against illusion spells and effects. (2 RP)

• Wychsteel Affinity: Wychfiends possess an unexplained kinship with wychsteel, an extraplanar metal alloy from the Ethereal Plane forged by wychfiend metalsmiths. This mystical connection allows a wychfiend (and only a wychfiend) wearing any armor crafted primarily from wychsteel to ignore up to 15% of the chance of spell failure normally imposed by the armor (minimum 0%). Therefore, wychfiends hold wychsteel armor, especially full plate, in a place of high honor and will do all within their power to prevent such armor from falling into the possession of other races. (2 RP)

• Weapon Familiarity: Wychfiends are proficient with bastardswords, longswords, longspears, spears, light crossbows, and heavy crossbows. (2 RP)

• Languages: Wychfiends begin play speaking Common and Wychfiend. Wychfiends with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Aklo, Aquan, Auran, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Ignan, Infernal, Orc, and Terran. (0 RP)

For additional information on Wychfiend society, see the Wychfiend entry in the Bestiary section.