Shadow and Stone

The Valcromin were a dark-minded and enigmatic elemental humanoid race, shaped as much by their origins in the volatile Wildlands as by the elements that infused their bodies. They existed as a blend of flesh and elemental essence, embodying the dualities of their nature: shadow and stone. These traits divided the Valcromin into two distinct subtypes—the Shadowkin and the Haxan.

Shadowkin

The Shadowkin were an ethereal and haunting branch of the Valcromin. Their most notable feature was their partial incorporeality. Portions of their bodies—often an arm, a leg, or in rare instances their entire torso—were composed of shifting shadow. This spectral quality rendered them both fearsome and alluring. Where their forms retained flesh and blood, they bore pale, ashen skin and eyes that glowed faintly with an inner dark light.

This unique physiology made the Shadowkin natural assassins, scouts, and hunters. They could meld into shadows to evade detection or strike unseen. Tales abounded of Shadowkin who could cross unseen between dimensions, slipping into the Shadow Realm itself for brief moments. However, this power came at a cost. Their shadow-forms were volatile, and too much time spent in incorporeal states risked unraveling their very existence.

Culturally, the Shadowkin were secretive, living in secluded enclaves within the ruins of the Wildlands. Legends claimed their ancestors were cursed by Tenebra, an ancient shadow deity from the Ides Pantheon, after stealing secrets meant only for the gods. This curse bound them to the shadowy essence they now carry, forever marking them as outcasts.

Haxan

The Haxan were Valcromin who bore the touch of Eosian stone. Their skin resembled dark, weathered stone—smooth yet impenetrable, pliable yet immensely durable. This natural armor rendered the Haxan nearly impervious to common blades and resistant to elemental effects, particularly paralysis and petrification. Their movements were deliberate, and their stone-laden forms gave them an imposing presence, often likened to walking statues.

Despite their strength and resilience, the Haxan were not without their vulnerabilities. Their stone-flesh required periodic renewal, and if neglected, they risked crumbling to dust. Rituals involving the consumption of rare minerals or bathing in sacred Eosian springs were said to restore their vitality.

The Haxan were deeply tied to the earth, and they revered the Kunnus Giants as ancestral spirits. These colossal beings, thought to have shaped the Wildlands during the Age of Titans, were venerated in Haxan mythos as protectors of the earth’s secrets. Many Haxan served as wardens of ancient subterranean temples, safeguarding the remnants of a forgotten age.

Disposition

Though the majority of Valcromin were considered malevolent, their alignment was not immutable. Some Valcromin sought to rise above their grim origins, adopting neutral or even protective roles within the Wildlands. However, their dark and intimidating presence often made them unwelcome among other humanoids. To the uninitiated, they appeared more monster than mortal, and encounters with Valcromin were as likely to inspire terror as awe.

Origins

The origins of the Valcromin were shrouded in mystery, their creation attributed to both divine meddling and elemental catastrophe. Ancient texts from Zor and Hauth spoke of a cataclysmic rift between the mortal realm and the Elemental Plane during the Age of Shards. This rift unleashed raw elemental energy, birthing the Valcromin as fractured beings—a blend of mortal souls and elemental fury.

The Shadowkin were said to have emerged when Tenebra, god of shadows and despair, sought to claim mortal soldiers for a war against his siblings in the Ides Pantheon. Binding their flesh with shadow, he created a race caught between worlds. Meanwhile, the Haxan were believed to have been sculpted by Nryas, the earth goddess, to serve as guardians of sacred stone temples. Over time, both groups diverged from their original purposes, carving out new roles within the Wildlands.

While Valcromin could be found in regions as distant as Windslan and Vüdos, their numbers were sparse outside their homelands. Few ventured far from the elemental nexuses of Zor and Hauth, where their kind thrived, their elemental essences stronger in these fractured lands.