Darkwalker

Darkwalkers are a group of warlocks bound by the dark pact to a degree exceptional even for other warlocks of a similar pact. Opening themselves up to the full power of the darkness, darkwalkers care little for the fate of their own souls, which others might try and protect from the corrupting powers that darkwalkers deal with on a regular basis. Darkwalkers know, however, that this ultimately limits their power and so do not give in to such fears, accepting what comes as a matter of consequence.

Culture
Most warlocks who deal with the demons of the Abyss are more than a little concerned with losing their souls in the process, a danger far from insubstantial or imaginary. However, darkwalkers feel that protecting oneself from this is merely delaying the inevitable so instead of squalling in fear or trying to hold back their power, darkwalkers embrace it fully, using it to confront and counter the powers they deal with rather than falling back from them. As a result, darkwalkers obtain an almost otherworldly presence, removing themselves from the affairs of the mortal world while not wholly embracing the ways of their dark patrons. Gradually, they move closer into the other world’s perspective but it is a slow process and one which darkwalkers are willing to endure.

As part of their method for maintaining independence from those who would control them, dark warlocks use their very soul as a bargaining chip. When they desire something, they gamble with it, throwing it in as a part of their side of a bargain, for which they gain unimaginable power in exchange. This process means that, gradually, darkwalkers begin to lose the traits that set them apart from such demonic forces and the body that houses their soul becomes nothing more than a temporary home on lease. Eventually, unless a darkwalker finds away to counteract the power of their patrons completely, they will lose their soul completely, becoming a corrupted pawn of darkness.

Abilities
Darkwalkers, as a result of the dealings they forge, begin to transcend the Prime Material Plane itself. Darkwalkers have only just begun to take on their career may exhibit strength and power when they are insubstantial and partially absent from the plane. In this form, darkwalkers are deadlier, dealing more lethal attacks dependent on their intellect. Similarly, creatures that are already insubstantial lose their protection against attack from a darkwalker, who can hit them as easily as if they were solid. It is also easier for darkwalkers to slip into this form.

The invocations of a darkwalker similarly enhance the darkwalker’s ability to phase partially out of the Prime and into another plane, putting them in a place somewhere in-between. Fading spiral, for instance, allows a darkwalker to use the power from their darkspiral aura boon to become insubstantial. Similarly, wraithform blast, in addition to dealing deadly necrotic power to a darkwalker’s enemy, causes the caster to become insubstantial.