Dark One
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Dark Ones are a race of light-averse humanoids native to the Underdark (and/or Shadowfell) of Dungeons & Dragons, who have shown up over multiple editions. They are traditionally divided into two subraces; the Dark Creeper, a small sized, furtive creature resembling something like a cross between a gnome and a satyr, whilst the Dark Stalker is a taller, more humanoid being. Notable for explosive decomposition when you kill them - all this, before draconians.
They also appear in Pathfinder, where they are called Dark Folk. In 5th edition, they were rebranded as Darklings.
Publication History
The race first appeared in the Fiend Folio for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition, and were updated to AD&D 2e in the Monstrous Compendium Fiend Folio Appendix. In 3e, they returned in the 3e Fiend Folio, and had an Ecology article in Dragon #322, where they received a PC status - this was when Dark Creepers and Dark Stalkers were first established to be different subraces of the same Dark One race. They fared better after 3e, appearing in the Monster Manuals for 4e, Vlolo's Guide to Monsters in 5e, and in the first Pathfinder bestiary, with Pathfinder expanding upon the race's history and lore in the Bestiary 5, which also introduced the Caligni.
D&D Dark Ones
When they first debuted in 1st edition, very little was revealed about the Dark Creepers; they were described as secretive, pallid-hued gnomes, complete with large noses, that dwelled in the lightless depths of the earth, shunning light and wrapping themselves obsessively in clothing. They had a love of mischief, were obsessed with collecting daggers, rings and jewelry - especially magical ones - and despised light with an almost religious fanaticism. They had the power to conjure magical darkness - which they used to ambush and steal from adventurers - and disintegrated in a blinding flash of light when slain. 2nd edition added very little information to this, other than noting that Dark Creepers would never wash, but instead simply piled on fresh clothing as old ones literally rotted off of their bodies. Dark Stalkers were the enigmatic rulers of the already enigmatic Dark Creepers, with no details beyond that.
D&D 3rd edition noted that they were actually relatively peaceful, so long as they weren't offended by people bringing light into their territory. From this edition, Dark Creepers gained their now-iconic cloven hooves and digitigrade legs. They also lost their original trait of disintegrating upon death, instead dissolving into shadowy smoke over the course of a month. Their Ecology article portrays them as a secretive, nomadic people of intense religious spirituality, who worship darkness - elemental and symbolic - as holy and revile the sun (and by extension fire and light) as evil, unclean and unholy. This is the main reason why they are a race of thieves; religiously banned from using fire (or communicating with outsiders), they must resort to theft in order to acquire worked metal goods or many kinds of food. This fanaticism and religion-fueled paranoia forces them to the margins of even Underdark society; still, the possibility exists that a dark one could find itself coming to renounce this status quo and being exiled, at which point it would have little choice but to become an adventurer.
In 4th edition, Dark Stalkers vanished, leaving only Dark Creepers. Never fleshed out very well, it was hinted that they might be the Shadowfell analogue to halflings, and they readily integrate into Shadowfell communities.
In 5th edition, Dark Ones were renamed "Darklings", regaining their blinding death disintegrations, and they became descendants of a cursed house of fey that was cast out by the Summer Queen for an act of great betrayal. The Summer Queen's curse causes a darkling's body to absorb light, and doing so wizens the creature, much like the effect of rapid aging. For this reason, darklings cover every part of their body with clothing when exposure to light is a risk. The light a darkling absorbs over the course of its lifetime explodes outward when the darkling dies, incinerating the creature and much of its possessions. Despite their curse, darklings retain a fondness for the beauty of art. A darkling might risk taking a peek at a sunset or lighting a tiny candle to glimpse the colors in a painting or a jewel. A wise and respected darkling can qualify to undergo a ritual to become an elder. Other elders mark the supplicant with glowing tattoos, channeling some of the darkling's absorbed light away from its body. If the ritual succeeds, the darkling grows into a tall and fair form, like that of a gray-skinned elf - the Dark Stalker of past editions. The darkling perishes if the ritual fails.
Dark One PCs
Dark Ones were presented as monster race-classes in Dragon Magazine #322.
Dark Creeper
- Small
- Speed 30 feet
- Blindsight 60 feet
- Light Sensitivity
- Skills: +8 racial bonus on Hide Checks and +4 racial bonus on Move Silently Checks, both when in areas of Darkness or Shadowy Illumination.
- Favored Class: Dark Creeper, Rogue, Ranger
- Racial Class Skills: Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Sleight of Hand, Spot, Tumble
- Racial Weapon & Armor Proficiency: Simple Weapons, Light Armor
- Shadow Cloak (Su): Dark Ones can conceal themselves in magical darkness, gaining Concealment in Bright Light and Total Concealment in Shadows. Each use lasts 10 minutes per Hit Dice, but can be dismissed at will.
| Dark Creeper Level | Hit Dice | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Skill Points | CR | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1d8 | +0 | +0 | +2 | +0 | (2 + Int mod) X 4 | 1 | Feat, +1 Natural Armor, Shadow Cloak 1/day |
| 2nd | 1d8 | +0 | +0 | +2 | +0 | - | 2 | +2 Constitution, +2 Dexterity, Sneak Attack +1d6 |
| 3rd | 1d8 | +0 | +0 | +2 | +0 | - | 2 | +2 Dexterity, Evasion, Shadow Cloak 2/day |
| 4th | 1d8 | +0 | +0 | +2 | +0 | - | 3 | +2 Strength, +2 Wisdom, Sneak Attack +2d6 |
| 5th | 1d8 | +0 | +0 | +2 | +0 | - | 3 | +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, Shadow Cloak 3/day |
Dark Stalker
- Medium
- Speed 30 feet
- Blindsight 60 feet
- Light Sensitivity
- Skills: +8 racial bonus on Hide Checks and +4 racial bonus on Move Silently Checks, both when in areas of Darkness or Shadowy Illumination.
- Favored Class: Dark Stalker, Rogue, Sorcerer
- Racial Class Skills: Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Sleight of Hand, Spot, Tumble
- Racial Weapon & Armor Proficiency: Simple Weapons, Short Swords, Light Armor
- Shadow Cloak (Su): Dark Ones can conceal themselves in magical darkness, gaining Concealment in Bright Light and Total Concealment in Shadows. Each use lasts 10 minutes per Hit Dice, but can be dismissed at will.
- Fog Cloud (Sp): As per a 5th level Sorcerer.
| Dark Stalker Level | Hit Dice | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Skill Points | CR | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1d8 | +0 | +0 | +2 | +0 | (2 + Int mod) X 4 | 1 | Feat, +1 Natural Armor, Shadow Cloak 1/day |
| 2nd | 1d8 | +0 | +0 | +2 | +0 | - | 1 | +2 Constitution, +2 Dexterity, Sneak Attack +1d6 |
| 3rd | 1d8 | +0 | +0 | +2 | +0 | - | 2 | +2 Strength, Poison Use, Shadow Cloak 2/day |
| 4th | 2d8 | +1 | +0 | +3 | +0 | (2 + Int Mod) | 2 | +2 Constitution, +2 Dexterity, Sneak Attack +2d6 |
| 5th | 2d8 | +1 | +0 | +3 | +0 | - | 3 | +2 Charisma, +2 Wisdom, Shadow Cloak 3/day |
| 6th | 2d8 | +1 | +0 | +3 | +0 | - | 3 | +2 Strength, +2 Natural Armor, Sneak Attack +3d6 |
| 7th | 3d8 | +2 | +1 | +3 | +1 | (2 + Int mod) | 4 | +2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom, Feat |
| 8th | 3d8 | +2 | +1 | +3 | +1 | - | 4 | +2 Charisma, +2 Dexterity, Fog Cloud 2/day |
Pathfinder Dark Folk
In Pathfinder, the Dark Folk are an offshoot of humanity that survived the catastrophic Earthfall by fleeing into the Darklands (the Underdark of Golarion). Here, they fell under first the sway of shadowy demigods called "The Forsaken", who imbued them with Shadow Magic abilities, and then under the influence of the mysterious Plane of Shadow outsiders known as the Owbs, who have bred the Dark Folk into five distinct subraces; the Dark Creepers (drudge laborers), the Dark Stalkers (rulers), the Dark Slayers (assassins), the Dark Callers (shamans)) and the Dark Dancers (bards). They also produce two mutant offshoots; Dark Empaths (wild psions with a vampiric form of empathy) and Caligni, a throwback to their original race before the Owb began mutating them into what they are now.