Yu Kimen

Once gargoyles serving a prime ruthless wizard, Yu Kimen became plane-touched beings. A portal the wizard had found which would lead to infernal realms, lead in reality to Bytopia, but he was slain by heroic figures before he ever came to know that.

The gargoyles discovered how to open it by chance and migrated to the plane. Initially they raided the more remote burgs and small caravans, but before they called attention, they tired of it, living in one of the many peaks. They had heard tales about the laws of the multiverse and what was beyond. Using their own magical upbringing, they came to realize the power of belief and the strong earth connection of Bytopia.

They managed to discover the secrets of the stones; melding and moving among them as one do in water. In turn, however, the plane infused them with its energy, changing their bodies and giving them the concepts of law and goodness.

Their forms changed from their common stone monstrous appearance to one of jade beings of beauty and majestic bearing. The duality divided them among male and female and gave them the fertility sparkle. Many were the new concepts they came to find.

In their time of adaptation to their condition, they came upon a coiled mountain that was very big, but did not touch the other side. It seemed bigger than Centerpire yet did not touch the other side. Entering the rock formation, they found what they came to call the Serpent of Wisdom.

This being was extremely old; dating back to the old baatorians, a manifestation of the power of truth derived from the strengthening of the soul. It was dying of old age. There were new symbols of medicine, wisdom and poison emerging, she was being associated with the Serpent Coil of Nessus and temptation, which would lead to her eventual dissolution.

Both confused beings seeking a place of their own on the multiverse came to unite. The Kimen offered protection and reverence, while the Serpent taught them another secret of Bytopia. The Yu Kimen learned to cast a shadow projection on the other layer, leading to a more tuned presence on the plane and, thus, being able to use their jade bodies effectively.

Any energy-based attack is useless against them. They can use their bodies are reservoirs for any kind of energy. Positive energy stored can be used for healing or neutralizing negative. Negative can be released during combat to cause damage or prevent healing. Earth magic does not affect them.

Those who can find their shadows on the other plane can use magic spells or weapons to destroy it (same hp) and turn the Kimen into a stone statue. Those who do that are hunted merciless by them, as it symbolizes the destruction of all their accomplishments.

Their society is matriarchal, with females gathering in groups to hunt on the Outlands and to protect and rule, while males are responsible for artisans, general crafts and individual agents. Everything is centered on production and wisdom. The young are showed the ways of choices and the value of the past.

They are well related with the gnome communities, coming to their aid when evil threatens their realms. Commerce is also very dense among them. They export all kinds of stone blocks, competing with Inner Planes traders, and sculptures so intricate a mortal would be hard-pressed to spend his entire life enjoying the details and nuances. Those artists have been recently discovered by Sigil. The Planar Consortium has been tying to get an exclusive line for a while now, but the Yu Kimen expect the Serpent's advice.