Etioling

Etioling

(Creature)

Type

Humanoid
(gnome, mortic)

CR

10

Environment

Any

Alignment

LG	NG	CG
LN	N	CN
LE	NE	CE

Source: Gardens of Gallowspire, pg(s). 88

Etiolings are gnomes wrenched away from the Bleaching to become mortics.

Appearance

Etiolings look like bleachling gnomes whose pale skin crackles with veins of primal First World energy. Unchecked energy often crackles across their flesh and hair. An etioling measures from two to three feet tall and weighs around 25 pounds. Their body often shakes uncontrollably due to the tremors and muscle spasms caused by the primal magic churning inside them, and constantly weeps ectoplasm, courtesy of bleachling apathy being forced from them.

Ecology

An etioling is created when a gnome suffering from the Bleaching is infused with negative energy, which twists the Bleaching and awakens the gnome's connection to the First World and fey magic. Most etiolings develop unsettling illusion magic, except for a rare few, who develop more primordial fey magic that hijacks emotions and inspires revelry.

Etiolings overflow with vital fey essence, whose resulting rush of euphoria constantly battles with any semblance of rational thought. Concentration is impossible for them, and they often act on impulse and instinct alone. Etiolings that do not succumb to mania often become aggressive or irritable. They stick into a routine that might last for weeks, during which they relive some pivotal memory and assign familiar identities to new people.

When holding their breath, etiolings also suspend their physical connection to the world, turning them ethereal. Doing so also severs their connection to their wellspring of emotion, providing some respite from their energetic lives but also locking their access to fey magic. Their touch decays living flesh to fuel the chaos inside their body.

Habitat

Etiolings who keep some semblance of rational thought usually gather in small communities. More often, evil fey, attracted to etiolings' sylvan magic and emotions, follow them to bask in the chaos or prey upon creatures weakened by them. For the same reason, etiolings often live in the wild, as their magic and fey followers will turn any permanent dwellings overgrown. Since their corrupting touch is uncontrollable, anything they regularly interact with will be scoured of life.

Society

Etiolings often find some calm and rejoice in storms, which seem to siphon off the sylvan energies inside them. A few become servants of weather-controlling outsiders or fey, and inflict suffering on others on their benefactors' behalf in exchange for some control over their own minds.