There are many strange sights to see in the Mortal Dreaming, but few chill the traveler more than discovering that you can see the moon set through your companion.  The nearly real Duinu are a forsaken race trapped between the Ethereal and the Dreaming.  Unable to fully manifest in either world, the Duinu spend their lives trying to make the best of their situation. Through the use of complex rituals, members of the race have developed ways to draw objects into their quasi-Ethereal state, removing them from the Dreaming.

A strange and otherworldly race, the Duinu (do IH noo) seem to exist in more than one world at a time, unable to commit physically to the Ethereal or material worlds.

Duinu are challenging characters to play as they have several restrictions and abilities not available to "normal" character races.  Players should be vigilant regarding their own powers and abilities, and should keep in mind both their strengths and weaknesses.

Physiology:   The physiology of the Duinu are among the more interesting in Mortal Dreaming.  Interminably trapped between two worlds, the ghostly race appear solid but are not.  Only by force of will can members of the race exert themselves fully into Dream.  Despite being "trapped" between worlds, they do not seem aware of another place or have the ability to completely withdraw from Mortal Dreaming.  It is unknown if the Duinu are capable of leaving the Dream for the Waking World.

Duinu that move between a viewer and the light of a moon or magical light source appear translucent.  This effect is often met with much trepidation as there are many malevolent spirit-folk in Mortal Dreaming that try to hide their spirit nature.   All seeing-Duinu can identify other members of their race without this trick of light.

As spirit-folk, Duinu may be rebuked (i.e. awed or commanded) by Shamans.  Because of the half-spirit nature of Duinu however, members of the race have an inherent turn resistance.  Duinu who are rebuked are often enraged by the domination and seek revenge on those that took advantage of their weakness.

Duinu, in their natural state, cannot pass wholly through solid objects or through spaces smaller than a similarly sized Uren might.  A Concentration skill check (DC 15 + Hardness) is required for the Duinu to phase part of its body through solid matter.  I the character's concentration is broken or if he wills it, the phasing can be interrupted.  This is called Melding.  Melding fuses the Duinu's body into a material or creature, causing damage and pain to both.  In the first round, Melding does 1d6 damage to non-living objects (minus Hardness) and 2d6 to living creatures (1d6 damage, 1d6 subdual).  In the second round, living crreatures continue to take subdual damage, but non-living objects take no further damage.  The physical damage caused by Melding is increased by 1d6 for every 5 points above target the Concentration is made by.

Example One:  A simple wooden door has a 5 hardness and 10 hit points.  The Duinu phases his hand into the lock by Taking 20 (DC 35) on his Concentration skill check.  When the character Melds with the lock he does 4d6 hit points of damage to the door, minus its hardness.   He rolled a 24 - 5 = 19.  The lock is destroyed and the door can be opened.  However, the character also took 4d6 hit points of damage to himself, plus 1d6 subdual damage because his hand was Melded with the door for one round.

Example Two:  A Duinu phases his hand into an Uren opponent (DC 15) with a Concentration check of 20.  When the character Melds with the opponent he does 2d6 hit points of damage and 1d6 hit points of subdual damage to himself and his victim.  Each round he remains Melded incurs another 1d6 subdual damage to both opponents.

Duinu cannot successfully mate with corporeal or incorporeal creatures, which mostly limits them to breeding with their own kind.

Psychology:   Duinu often feel removed from the world around them.  This aloofness can be a benefit and a curse.  Those seeking enlightenment find it a great boon, for it allows them the opportunity to reflect and study without interruptions and the "needs" of Mortal Races.  Others feel that the separation is a prison where all things are always just out of reach.

It is common for Duinu characters to try and hide their true natures from others.  Many spirits in Mortal Dreaming are hostile and it is best not to be confused with them.

Culture:   Duinu do not have a culture of their own, instead grafting themselves to other communities.

Language:  Duinu often speak their own whispery language and the local tongue.

Magic:   Though little is known about the Duinu, it is believed that their magic potential is great due to the fact that they can draw magic from both the material and Ethereal worlds.

1. Incorporeal. Non-magical damage is treated as subdual damage.  Ethereal and ghost-touched poisons and weapons have normal effect.  Ethereal items and creatures are similarly out-of-reach to the Duinu's quasi-state.  Both corporeal and incorporeal items may be attuned.
2. Spirit Craft. Duinu can transform the state of non-living corporeal or ethereal objects into material that is real to them.  No material object may exist in more than two quasi-states simultaneously.  The altering of a material's state is called "Spirit Crafting" or "Tuning".  Spirit crafted materials can be made to be real to the Duinu and corporeal creatures (see Spirit Craft Item: Quasi-Material) or to Duinu and ethereal creatures (see Spirit Craft Item: Quasi-Ethereal).  Tuning a material item into an ethereal one requires both feats.  Each step must be done in order.  Items that are Quasi-Material are treated normally to corporeal creatures.  Items that are Quasi-Ethereal are treated as ethereal to corporeal creatures.  Duinu interact with all quasi-materials normally.  Spirit-crafting can be undone with Dispel Magic (rf. PHB35p223).
3. Interaction. A Duinu character may interact with an un-tuned object with a successful Concentration skill check (DC 15).  Interaction lasts for ten minutes.   While concentrating on an Interaction, the Duinu may only make one standard action per round.  Additional Concentration skill checks (DC = damage) are required whenever a Duinu is damaged during an Interaction.  Interaction is a short term solution until the Duinu has the opportunity to Spirit Craft the item.
4. Melding.  (see above)
5. Damage Reduction.  Duinu characters have a damage reduction of 5/magic due to their quasi -ethereal nature.

Recommended traits:  Absent-Minded (UA35p87), Cautious (UA35p87), Detached (UA35p87), Farsighted (UA35p87), Specialized (UA35p90), Suspicious (UA35p90); Recommended flaws:  Inattentive (UA35p91), Noncombatant (UA35p91), Unreactive (UA35p91)

1. Fem. Names: ...
2. Masc. Names: ...
3. Surnames:  ...
4. Lexicon: ...
5. Duinu are based loosely on the Anaema (MRpp11-16)