Description: (Rifts Dimension Book Phase World) The silhouette are a race of jet-black humanoids that have several magic and psionic abilities. Their appearance is very human-like, except for their skin color and solid-white eyes. Both male and female silhouettes are very attractive by human standards, with svelte and graceful build and delicate features. They have the natural ability to shadow-meld and possess other shadow-control powers. This makes them ideal spies and assassins, something that has earned them the distrust of other species. The silhouette home world is a place beset by magic and Rifts; not unlike Rifts Earth. The main difference is that the planet has unusually long nights (20 hours out of their 28-hour day) and most of the Rifts on the planet are connected to the shadow dimension where shadow beasts dwell. The silhouette may have evolved on the planet they refer to as their home world or they may have come from that shadowy dimension, nobody’s sure.
This strange race was conquered by the kreeghor several centuries ago. Before their downfall, their civilization had colonized a dozen planets using magic and the Rift-drive technology. The kreeghor where suspicious and hostile to these shadowy shape-shifters, so it wasn’t hard to justify a war against them. After a six-year struggle, the silhouette were defeated. If the encounter had occurred a hundred years before, the species would have been ruthlessly exterminated, the “wiser and gentler” kreeghor of the times decided that the silhouette were too useful to be destroyed.
Under the Transgalactic Empire’s rule, the silhouette have prospered. They have become an important part of the Imperial Army and many have become important members of the government, industry, and other sectors of society. Some have joined the ranks of the Freedom Fighters, but to do so they have to overcome the suspicion of other races. Their reputation as servants of the kreeghor and as spies and all-around sneaks haunts them wherever they go. These suspicious are often well deserved, for many silhouette work for the dreaded Security Division of the Transgalactic Empire and often try to infiltrate the rebel ranks.
Outside the Empire, there are many silhouettes, scattered in small groups on diverse planets and across the space ways. Their greatest concentration outside of the Empire is among the Warlock Federation where they are widely respected as mages, and at the Paradise Federation where they work as security guards and entertainers. They can also occasionally be found among pirates, mercenaries, adventurers, and other races.
- Racial Abilities and Complications:
- Arcane Background (Magic): All silhouettes begin with Arcane Background Magic and three spells. The silhouette’s spells must include the following two spells. If the silhouette selects an arcane framework that include magic they instead gain an additional power, but must include Shadow Meld and Absorb Light in their selection. (+2)
- Absorb Light: Absorb Light is Obscure with the Darkness-Stealth trapping, the character does not know the Light portion of this power instead the the duration of the spell is increased to 1 minutes (1/minute).
- Shadow Meld: Shadow Meld is Invisibility with the Darkness-Stealth trapping. Shadow meld requires the Silhouette to be in an area of dim or lower lighting. Any part of the Silhouette outside of dim (or darker) lighting will be unaffected by Shadow Meld.
- Powers from birth: All silhouettes have spellcasting d6. (+1)
- Darkvision: Silhouette ignore all lighting penalties even from greater obscure. (+3)
- Powerful Reserve: Silhouette have far more PPE than most mortal races on par with dragons and demigods. When selecting the Power Points edge the character gains +10 PPE instead of +5 PPE. This feature does not stack with the similar feature in the ARES Iconic Frameworks. (+2)
- Cybernetic Intolerance - Silhouettes who receive any cybernetics will find their powers disrupted and interfered with. (-0, this is a setting rule)
- Major Hindrance - Weakness in Day Light: Direct Sunlight causes discomfort to a silhouette and they suffer -1 to all trait rolls and -2 to toughness. This is a supernatural weakness and is not triggered by bright lights such as in a building. (-2)
- Minor Hindrance - Vulnerability to Light: Silhouettes suffer +4 damage versus light based attacks (including lasers). (-1)
- Minor Hindrance - Quirk: Silhouettes eyes are sensitive and while they are able to ignore darkness penalities they suffer -2 to sight based notice in normal and bright light or -4 in directsun light unless their eyes are protected. (-1)
- Bad Reputation: Silhouettes are not common enough on Rifts earth for their reputation to have spread. (+0)
- Distinctive D-Bee: silhouettes are very distinctive in appearance an suffer -4 for interactions with Coalition. (-2)
Racial Edges
Improved Shadow Meld
Requirements: Seasoned, Silhouette
The silhouette has become more adept at using the natural powers of her race and can now activate Shadow Meld as a free action and reduces the PPE cost of shadow meld by 2 PPE. If the character is a Master of Magic this edge also affects Greater Invisibility if it has the Stealth trapping. (The power still requires an spellcasting roll.)
Perfected Shadow Meld
Requirements: Veteran, Improved Shadow Meld
The silhouette ability to merge with shadows has become second nature require little to no effort. The silhouette can now use shadow meld at will without paying the PPE cost. If the character is a Master of Magic this edge reduces the cost to cast and maintain of Greater Invisibility by half and allows it to be maintained for 0 if it also has the Stealth trapping. (The power still requires an spellcasting roll.)
Improved Light Absorption
Requirements: Seasoned, Silhouette
The silhouette has become more adept at using the natural powers of her race and can now activate Absorb Light as a free action and reduces the PPE cost to cast of Absorb Light by 1. If the character is a Master of Magic this edge reduces the cost of Greater Obscure by 2 if it also has the Absorb Light trapping. (The power still requires an spellcasting roll.)
Perfected Light Absorption
Requirements: Veteran, Improved Light Absorption
The silhouette ability to absorb light has become second nature requiring little to no effort. The silhouette can now use absorb light at will without paying the PPE cost. If the character is a Master of Magic this edge reduces the cost of Greater Obscure by 2 and allows it to be maintained for 0 if it also has the Absorb Light trapping.(The power still requires an spellcasting roll.)