The Hollow

"Shadows are fickle things. You can try to grasp at them or trap them, but you'll only discover that you're already ensnared,"
-Beregn Featherfoot, Hollow

It is the philosophy of shadowcasters that everything emerges from shadow, and to shadow all will return. Although the shadowcasters demonstrate the former, drawing strength and power from the shadow, their counterpoint, the individual fed back to the shadow, is often ignored. These rare individuals, tortured by their own decaying existence, gain powers mockingly similar to some of the shadowcaster. While the shadowcaster pull the shadows to themselves, however, this rare breed is forcibly tugged into the darkness. These strange aberrations, pulled ever closer to the darkness, are known collectively as the Hollow.
The transformation of the Hollow is a topic of limited discussion amongst other shadow magic users. The transformation robs them of their memory and identity. In addition, the prolonged exposure to the shadows changes them. The most disturbing aspect of the Hollow is that their connection to the darkness not only tugs on them but eventually pulls on those around them. As the psychological changes usually drive a Hollow to apathy, they are left alone on the whole.
Somewhat ironically, almost all Hollow make the conscious decision to follow that path, simply looking for the tether that ties them to the shadows and following it back towards its origin. Although such an act may come across as insane or suicidal, a simple fact forces some to disregard all reason. Although most shadow-magic users need to study magical theorems for years, the power of the Hollow is almost automatic, learned by pure instinct and accessible to anyone who wishes it.
Many following the path of the Hollow foolishly pursued it under the belief that they could manage the link between them and the shadows and almost all are drawn to its promises of quick and easy power. A few, however, seeking to forget some terrible experience or punish themselves for some great wrong. When these individuals realize that their memories have shed away their memories, they may, in time, become grateful for having pursued the life of a hollow. There are also a few muttered whispers of individuals or entire families who are pulled down the path involuntarily at certain points in their lives.

Making A Hollow
The Hollow is a bit of an enigma. They possess a bit of shadow magic, but not enough to rely on it alone in combat. They possess martial prowess, but this ability continues with almost minimal aid. Furthermore, the Hollow has a bit of a hard time getting along in groups. Their body refuses many bonuses that others would grant them and the pull that the shadows exert upon them actually leeches power from those close by. Furthermore, the Hollow's personality rarely takes a turn for the better when their metabolism starts shutting down.
The Hollow, to resist the pull of the shadows for as long as possible, fortifies themselves to the utmost of their capabilities. Although it is too late to remove the shadow's claim to their soul, a Hollow can put up a remarkable fight and delay the transformation for centuries or longer. As such, Hollows build up their fortitude and will.
Few Hollows choose to be leaders of adventuring groups. Deprived of their memory and most of their personality, Hollows are not known for their charisma. Instead, they are more likely to tack themselves onto an existing group or organization, even one much stronger or weaker than itself, because the life of a follower saves the Hollow from the difficult decision of how to live the remainder of their torturous life.
Abilities: Although Hollows lack personality, this only serves to accentuate their common sense and pragmatism. Hollows rely heavily on their Wisdom scores, the force that allows them to pull forth mysteries from the shadows and that allows the shadows to siphon off the Hollow's surroundings with equal force. At the same time, the Hollow is heavily reliant on their Constitution score, which is both integral to their mystery-casting and allows them to resist the punishment that they take casting said mysteries.
Races: In truth, there are no real racial demographics for hollows. The entire class is made up of the hopeless, the desperate, and the foolish. Humans, Half-Elves, and Half-Orcs tend to fit these builds more often than other classes. Elves, however, rarely fitting any of those builds, produce the fewest Hollow. A few gnomes and halflings take up this path, but many are loathe to give up their personalities and memories. Dwarves fit an interesting bill. If a dwarf is kicked out of their clan and/or loses all honor, they are about as likely to take up the billing of a Hollow as they are to commit suicide.
Alignment: A Hollow deals with dark powers often considered evil and subjects those around them to such power as well, but this is not necessarily a hallmark of evil. A Hollow learns mysteries without any special deliberation and subjects those around them to their dark powers because they are not able to suppress those powers. Even so, however, a Hollow needing to earn a living has an easier time finding less savory work, a fact that leads to an almost unconscious adoption of the evil alignment. As far as law and chaos, hollow could rarely care less. They are unusually apathic beings who are neither deterred by laws nor make special effort to disobey such dictates. As such, lawful hollow are rare.
Starting Gold: 3d4X10 (75 gp)
Starting Age: As rogue

HIT DIE: d12

CLASS SKILLS (4 + Int mod per level)
A Hollow's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Acrobatics (Dex), Athletics (Str), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (History) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis)

Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: You are proficient with simple and martial weapons along with light armor and shields (but not tower shields).

Fundamentals of Shadow: As a Hollow, one must first master the most basic powers afforded to you by your dark connection before delving deeper. These powers, called fundamentals, function as supernatural abilities. Each fundamental can be used at will. The caster level is equal to your class level and the save DC of any fundamental is equal to 10 + the Hollow's Wisdom modifier. When you use a fundamental, however, the Hollow may elect to take 1 nonlethal damage when they cast it. If they do, the save DC is instead 10 +1/2 class level + the Hollow's Wisdom modifier and the caster level is two higher. A Hollow begins play with one fundamental and gains an additional fundamental at 2nd level, 3rd level, 4th level, and 5th level.

Plunged into Darkness (Ex): A Hollow's memory and mind are in constant states of atrophy. Although they may develop base patterns, such as likes, dislikes, enemies, friends, goals, and similar personifications, most former training is lost upon them. They take a -4 penalty to use any skill they are not trained in. In addition, their emptiness rebels against augmentation, making any temporary hit points gained fade at a rate of 5 per round. Hollows are subject to nonlethal damage from their own class abilities despite any immunities they may have, and it ignores any resistance, reduction, or redirection.
The mannerisms of a Hollow are invariably a bit different from a normal individual. Anyone who a Hollow talks with for 1 minute is entitled to a DC 15 Sense Motive check to detect something off about the Hollow's manner.

Moment of Clarity (Ex): Although the power of shadow normally leeches away at them and their surroundings, a Hollow can occasionally reverse the flow, forcing the shadow to give them a temporary boost of competence and ability. Once per day, as an immediate action, a Hollow may either treat a single d20 roll as a natural 20 or treat all d20 rolls as natural 10s for a number of rounds equal to their Wisdom modifier (minimum 1 round). A natural 20 made in this way does not count as an automatic success on a saving throw or attack roll but does threaten a critical hit if the attack hits.
Although beneficial, this power is hard to draw upon. The Hollow takes an amount of nonlethal damage equal to twice their character level and is dazed for one round after these benefits wear off.

Exude Darkness (Su): One of a Hollow's first powers is that to conceal themselves in a veil of leeching darkness. To do so, they must take nonlethal damage equal to their character level and spend a standard action. This creates an area of shadowy illumination within a 5-foot radius of the Hollow that lasts for 1 minute In addition, all other creatures that enter or end their turn in the area take nonlethal damage equal to the Hollow's class level.
By instead taking nonlethal damage equal to twice their character level, they extend the area to a 10-foot radius, extend the duration to a number of minutes equal to the Hollow's Wisdom modifier (minimum 1 minute), increase the shadowy illumination to darkness, and deal nonlethal damage equal to twice the Hollow's class level.

Pull of Shadows (Su): As a the darkness pulls upon the Hollow, the pull eventually grows too strong to be contained within their body. It spills out, creating a spiritual vacuum of sorts near the Hollow. All of these effects are continuous and cannot be suppressed, but the Hollow can change the radius as a standard action to a distance from 5ft to 40ft.
At 2nd level, everything around the Hollow seems dulled in vividness and brightness. All creatures within radius gain a bonus on Stealth checks equal to the Hollow's Wisdom modifier (minimum +1 bonus). In addition, this bonus is also added to any saving throw made against a pattern effect.
At 6th level, all senses seem to dull around the Hollow. All creatures within radius take a penalty on Perception checks equal to the Hollow's Wisdom modifier (minimum –1 penalty). In addition, all targets within range lose low-light vision and have the range of any darkvision or scent halved.
At 10th level, all emotions seem somewhat muddled and blurred. All creatures within radius gain a bonus on all Will saves against fear or compulsion effects equal to the Hollow's Wisdom modifier (minimum +1 bonus). In addition, all creature within range lose all morale penalties or bonuses for as long as they remain in the area.
At 14th level, all life near the Hollow seems to wane. All creatures within radius take a penalty on Fortitude saves equal to the Hollow's Wisdom modifier(minimum –1 penalty). In addition, other creatures within range have no chance of stabilizing on their own, unless some ability automatically stabilizes them.
At 18th level, the very essence of everything around the Hollow seems to fade away. As a result of this numbing of the soul, all creatures within radius take a penalty to attack rolls and to their AC equal to the Hollow's Wisdom modifier (minimum –1 penalty). Furthermore, any creature besides the Hollow slain within range has their soul shredded altogether, unable to be revived except by a true resurrection, wish, or miracle spell.

Remember Training (Ex): In stressful situations, a Hollow can remember their capablities when they need them most. At 2nd level, the Hollow gains a bonus combat feat and a feat from Tome of Magic or a feat from here that they qualify for. They gain a second pair of feats at 4th level. They do not normally have access to these feats, but at the start of an encounter they may choose to gain one of them for the duration of the encounter, at 4th level they may choose to gain any two of these feats for the duration of the encounter but if they do so they take nonlethal damage equal to half their character level each round. These feats may not be used as prerequisites for any feats. An encounter must pose some danger to the Hollow for them to use this ability.

Inured to Hardship (Ex): As a Hollow proceeds along their doomed path, the shadows steal some of the Hollow's mortality, helping to fortify their bodies and souls
At 3rd level, the Hollow has shed too much of themselves to possess any more fear. They gain immunity to all fear effects.
At 11th level, the Hollow has shed so much of their former selves away that they no longer notice bodily afflictions. They gain immunity to all poison and diseases, supernatural or otherwise.
At 19th level, the Hollow has lost so much that even death olds very little meaning to them. The Hollow gains immunity to death spells, magical death effects, ability damage, ability drain, negative levels, and any negative energy effects.

Freed of Flesh (Ex): As the Hollow's torturous bonds to the darkness strengthen, certain biological needs are ripped forth from their body, an interesting side effect of an altogether unpleasant experience.
At 4th level, the Hollow begins to draw upon the shadows for sustenance, eliminating their own bodily needs. The Hollow no longer needs to eat. They still require drink, however.
At 8th level, the Hollow's transformation continues, whether they are ready for it or not. The Hollow no longer needs to drink, although they can still gain benefits from ingested potions.
At 12th level, the Hollow is blessed, or perhaps cursed, with perpetual wakefulness. The Hollow no longer needs to sleep and gains immunity to fatigue, exhaustion, and all sleep effects.
At 16th level, the Hollow draws their very last breath. From that point on, the Hollow no longer needs to breathe and gains immunity to inhaled poisons.
At 20th level, the Hollow's body and soul forever teeters at the brink of oblivion. The Hollow no longer ages, although further bonuses do accrue. This ability does not remove previous penalties for old age. Furthermore, the Hollow does not die when their time is up.

Shadowstriding (Su): At 5th level, the Hollow's connection to shadow is greater than their connection to physical space. While in an area of shadowy illumination or darkness, you may spend a move action to transport yourself anywhere within range and line of sight (there is no restriction on the ambient lighting of the destination). The maximum range that can be traveled each encounter starts at twice the Hollow's base land speed and increases by 10 feet every 3 levels after 5th. Out of an encounter, a Hollow can use Shadowstride once every minute.
At 17th level, the Hollow may use their Shadowstriding ability as a swift action. In addition, if they use a move action to do so instead, the area within a 10-foot radius of their destination is filled with shadowy illumination for 1 round/level, as shadows spill over from the point of origin to the destination.

Mysteries and Paths: Starting at 6th level, a Hollow can call upon the true power of the darkness that they hold, kept in the form of mysteries. They learn one mystery at 6th level and gain one additional mystery every class level. Up to 11th level, a Hollow can learn only apprentice mysteries. At 12th level, the Hollow gains access to initiate mysteries. The Hollow may choose their new mystery from any category they have access to (including fundamentals).
Shadow magic progresses in very specific stages. A Hollow may not "jump ahead" in a path, although they need not complete a path if they do not wish to. Within a category (apprentice or initiate), they can only learn mysteries of a new level if they have learned at least two mysteries of a previous level, and the Hollow must know all previous mysteries within a path to select a mystery from that path. However, a Hollow may always select the first mystery in a path of a category they have access to, even if they didn't complete the lower category paths.
A Hollow's mysteries represent a concrete connection between the Hollow and the darkness they allow to consume them. As they progress, however, their connection to the darkness grows stronger, and their mysteries become more ingrained in their essence. When they are capable of casting only apprentice mysteries, they cast them as though they were arcane spells. They all have somatic components, armor-based spell failure change, and are subject to interruption (but they do not require material components, foci, or verbal components). Whenever a Hollow casts a mystery, observers may make a DC 20 Perception check to notice that all shadows near the Hollow act peculiarly, commonly being pulled closer to the Hollow.
At 12th level, when the Hollow becomes capable of casting initiate mysteries (whether or not they choose to learn any), their apprentice mysteries become so much a part of them that they now function as spell-like abilities, and they no longer require somatic components. New initiate mysteries (when learned) function as arcane spells and follow the rules above.
A Hollow can learn a mystery more than once. Each time that you relearn a mystery, you gain another set of uses of that mystery per day.
The Hollow may use each mystery they know a certain number of times per day depending on whether it is a spell (once), spell-like ability (two times), or supernatural ability (three times). Whenever a hollow uses a mystery, however, they take nonlethal damage equal to 1/2 its spell level, minimum 1. In addition, when they use a mystery, the Hollow may elect to take four times that amount of damage. If they do, that daily use is not expended, although it is no longer available for 1 minute or until the end of the encounter, whichever comes last.
In order to cast a mystery, the Hollow must have a Constitution score of at least 10 + the mystery's level. The save DC for their mysteries equals 10 + mystery level + their Wis modifier. They gain bonus mysteries for each level they can cast based on their Wisdom score. A Hollow has an effective caster level for their mysteries equal to their class level. If a mystery scales based on Intelligence or Charisma, use Wisdom in place of Charisma, and Constitution in place of Intelligence.

Touched by Darkness (Ex): At 7th level, a Hollow's very being is touched by the darkness, altering them irrevocably. They may walk across any surface, ranging from semi-solids to liquids to spider webs, without risk of breaking through (although they may if they wish it). In addition, the Hollow automatically succeeds on any Acrobatics check to balance with a DC equal to or less than their class level + 10. Furthermore, the Hollow gains a climb speed equal to their land speed.

Shadow Strike (Ex): At 9th level, whenever a Hollow uses their shadowstride ability, their weapon is coated in shadowstuff for a number of rounds equal to their Wisdom Modifier (minimum 1 round). During this time, the Hollow may strike for nonlethal damage without taking any penalty on their attack roll. In addition, the first successful attack made during this time deals an extra 1d6 nonlethal damage for every 10 feet that the Hollow moved using shadowstriding.
If the Hollow uses shadowstriding while this ability is active, it only counts the distance traveled in the most recent shadowstriding for the purposes of calculating nonlethal damage.

Felling Blow (Ex): At 13th level, the Hollow learns how to follow up their shadowy assaults with deadly blows. Whenever a Hollow knocks a foe within reach unconscious through nonlethal damage, the Hollow may immediately make a coup de grace attempt against that foe with any melee weapon as a free action, which does not provoke.

Improved Touched By Darkness (Ex): At 15th level, the senses of others tend to bend around you, not taking notice of your presence. You cannot be detected by blindsense, blindsight, darkvision, or tremorsense. Creatures relying on such sense treat you as invisible. You can still be detected through sight, sound, scent, low-light vision, and magical forms of detection (other than those that grant a blocked sense). In addition, your emptiness makes you more attuned to the presence of those around you, granting you blindsight out to 60 feet.

Shadow Vortex (Su): At 20th level a Hollow learns how to unleash the built up shadow in their body in a massive burst. Once per day, as a fullround action, they may make a full attack and teleport before each attack, up to a maximum total equal to their Shadowstride distance. This does not use any of their Shadowstride distance. After making all their attacks, they may teleport one more time if they have any distance remaining, and then each creature hit by an attack explodes dealing 1d6 damage per two levels to all creatures within 20ft (including themselves). Multiple areas may overlap, and any creature affected is entitled to one Reflex save for half damage.

Mysteries
A Hollow can select from any mystery available to a Shadowcaster, which can be found in Tome of Magic, or in this list.