Pershala

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In the Dungeons & Dragons setting of Dragonstar, the pershala are a nomadic cat-like race that are fascinated with speed. Although they are generally arrogant and self-serving, most other races are willing to tolerate the pershala because of the valuable piloting skills they provide.

The earliest pershala were undeniably planetbound, but archaeological artifacts make it clear that the race has always harbored a desire to achieve high speeds and flight. Pershala are powerful climbers and adept acrobats, skills that served their ancestors well when they first took to living among the trees of their native worlds. For the pershala, it was a relatively short progression from the treetops to the sky and then into space. Along the way, their acute senses, strong coordination, and obsession with speed made them natural pilots and caused them to push their vehicle technology to the limits. The other sentient races of the galaxy came to recognize the pershalan mastery of piloting and design ingenuity. Many races adopted pershalan techniques and hired pershalan trainers and mechanists. It was not long until the pershala could be found in garages, hangars and space stations throughout the galaxy.

When the Dragon War came, the pershala found themselves deeply embroiled in the conflict. Pershalan pilots, soldiers, and scouts fought bravely for both of the dragon kingdoms. Each side quickly recognized the strategic importance of pershalan training facilities and vehicle designs and their value to the enemy. Many pershalan strongholds were destroyed and entire planets were decimated and stripped bare over the course of the war. The losses of the more advanced technologies and designs were heavy on both sides. Some speculate that this devastation was one of the major reasons that the dragons agreed to cease hostilities and enter into the compromise that is the Dragon Empire.

After the war, many pershala found that they had no homes to which they could return. As a result, many pershala continued doing what they knew best. A large number decided to remain in the military, where they have continued to serve with distinction within the Imperial fleets. Other pershala acquired new ships or redesigned their old ones, making these vessels their homes. They formed small caravans and fleets for protection and took up a nomadic lifestyle. Many travel from system to system looking for fresh resources or buyers for the trinkets they have acquired through their travels. There remain those pershala that feel cheated by the Empire’s treatment of them during the war. A number of them pursue criminal lifestyles in some of the major urban centers in the Empire. Their heightened senses and speed serve their roguish trades well. A few have sought out worlds similar to those of their ancestors upon which to settle. They find they are well suited for the life of the ranger and live relatively secluded lives.

Regardless of where they live, most pershala still maintain their love of speed. The twin sports of hunting and racing were popular among the pershala long before they ever dreamed of voyaging through the galaxy. To this day, each sport holds a special place in their hearts. Indeed, the two are often combined into a single sport, which the pershala call pertigren, or “the honored chase.” Every year, nearly every large concentration of pershala holds at least one or two of these events. Pertigren are always well attended by pershala and outsiders alike. Although creative variations abound, the event often involves a designated prey, four teams of protectors who guard it, and five teams of hunters. The hunters’ goal is to catch the prey before it reaches a designated location. The event can cover anywhere from a single city block to several star systems, depending upon the resources of the pershalan sponsors. Many per shalan personal craft are designed with one or more of these events in mind.

Pershala are quite possessive of their property, particularly their vehicles, which most consider their home. Pershala vehicles are often marked with identifiable symbols or special runes that have great significance to their owners. Any vehicle that is operated by a pershala, even those they do not own, are named by the pilot. The ritual naming process is very significant to the pershala and the names are often derived from prominent family members, trusted friends, and other respected community individuals. Occasionally, this practice results in some confusion as a vehicle may share the same name as a trusted friend.

Pershala usually create elaborate security systems to guard their vehicles from theft or unauthorized use. They are quite possessive of their security codes and their granting of permission to use their personal vehicles, a trait that does not endear the pershala to most other races and adds to their reputations as arrogant loners. These jealous attitudes are not limited just to vehicles. A pershala is as likely to be possessive of his tableware as he is his starship or a tribal heirloom.

Personality

A pershala carefully considers any new purchase or acquisition. To a pershala the object’s feel is as important as its function. They choose items that best suit their personality. Many pershala look upon teleportation devices and starcasting vehicles with little tolerance, bordering on disgust. To a pershala, these items generally feel wrong, as they accomplish the objectives of other forms of transportation, but lack the thrill and exhilaration those forms provide. Magic in general is disregarded by the majority of pershala, though their attitudes are slowly changing due to the magical advances and conveniences that have become commonplace during the benevolent rule of the Qesemet emperors.

Compulsive cleanliness is also a common trait among the pershala. They are extremely hygienic, which gives them all the more reason to want to keep “unclean” outsiders from handling their property. They generally abhor most forms of physical contact with others and have been known to flinch if they believe that even accidental contact is imminent. They find the cold, sterile touch of technology far preferable. Most bathe at least three times per day and nearly every pershala wears gloves almost constantly, changing them several times a day. This sits well with the majority of officials who prefer that the pershala keep their sharp claws hidden and unused.

Pershala are of great value to the Dragon Empire and the galactic community as a whole, and they know it. While some appreciate the pershalan penchant for frankness and honesty, most see it as more arrogance. The pershala rarely attempt to alter this opinion. They easily get annoyed and agitated with others that they consider to be wasting their time. The pershala are often accused of being unapproachable, unfriendly, and aloof. In truth, they convey their emotions readily through their body movement and sounds. A pershala can almost always recognize the emotional state of another pershala, but other species have been unable to grasp or comprehend these complex patterns. Inevitably, an outsider will say or do something a pershala considers to be inappropriate or disrepectful. These miscommunications simply add to each races’ unsavory opinions of the other.

Physical Description

Physical Description: Pershalan skin is covered in a fine coat of fur that is often a pale brown or muted grey. The hair on their heads and facial hair is usually much darker and includes deep olives or stark blacks. It is not uncommon for a pershalan male to wear a thick stylized mane. Pershalan eyes are predominantly a greenish-yellow with specialized pupils that are quite sensitive to changes in the ambient light. Their noses are slightly upturned in a feline manner located just above a mouth filled with sharp teeth. A pershala’s most prominent characteristic is his long, flowing tail, which grants him considerable balance.

Relations

Pershala are grudgingly respected by all of the sentient races, but are generally undesirable as social company. For the most part, this suits the pershala fine. Of all the other races, the dwarves seem to understand the pershala the best. Neither is terribly interested in socializing. Adwarf keeps a pershala’s fightercraft functioning and asks for nothing more in return than payment. Gnomes on the other hand, also provide excellent mechanical expertise, but few pershala have the patience to exploit it. Similarly, halflings share a common nomadic lifestyle and love of piloting, but pershalan mannerisms and attitudes often make them the target of halfling troublemaking.

Elves have much in common with the pershala, as each claims to produce the galaxy’s best pilots. While they respect each other’s skills, they are more likely to be rivals than friends. More than one such rivalry has turned deadly. The fact that a few elves have begun to participate in the pertigrens only adds to the fire. This rivalry is even greater among the pershala and the drow, since the drow have been given preferential treatment among the Empire’s pilots since the ascension of Mezzenbone.

Pershalan merchants have increased their dealings with the half-elves and the humans during the past 5,000 years. Mutual profitability has eased the tensions caused by social differences and these races often coexist peacefully for a time before the nomadic pershala resume their travels.

Orcs, half-orcs, and their kin are considered unclean filth and the pershala avoid contact with their kind whenever possible. In contrast, the pershala approach soulmechs with a degree of reverence, for they alone have achieved a greater union of being and machine than the pershala. Pershala find the soulmechs’ sterile forms oddly comforting.

The dragons and their kin respect the skills the pershala provide. On occasion, a half-dragon pilot will even seek out a pershalan mentor. It is said that Mezzabone has taken great pleasure in fueling the rivalry between his drow and pershalan pilots. He believes it keeps his warriors in top shape and he delights in the resulting chaos and bloodshed.

Alignment

Alignment: Pershala lean towards chaos. Their inclination for high speeds and wild chases make them poor lawful candidates.

Pershala Lands

Pershalan Lands: Most pershala are nomadic, traversing the stars in small caravans. Those in the military are housed near urban centers, space stations, and strongholds throughout the Empire. A sizable portion of the population can also be found on less developed worlds in the Empire that still hold lush jungles.

Religion

Religion: Most Pershala are unwilling to place much faith in any one religion, but pay at least passing homage to most of the major deities. Those in the imperial fleets often worship the Warrior or the Destroyer, depending upon their alignments. The more nomadic tribes of pershala worship the Merchant. In addition, pilots who rely upon their chosen skycraft for survival pay at least some heed to the Smith in his technological aspects. Planetbound pershala and atmospheric fliers issue prayers to the Stormlord. Dualism is slowly gaining appeal among certain segments of pershala who feel their biology and destiny sets them apart from the other races. They generally worship the Adversary.

Language

Pershala speak Pershalan, their own language. Pershalan uses body language as much as it uses spoken words. Most of them also learn Common in order to communicate with their employers.

Names

Pershala have a single name given to them at birth by their parents. No distinction is made between male and female names. Examples of Pershalan names include: Danas, Jellico, Karash, Nemmas, Paos, Renshan, and Thala.

Adventurers

Pershalan adventurers are typically freelance pilots or lawless smugglers. Their incredible piloting skills enable them to excel at any career that places them behind the controls of a vehicle. Some pershalan adventurers have even made a name for themselves traveling the Empire racing circuit professionally.

Pershala Racial Traits

+2 Dexterity, –2 Wisdom, –4 Charisma: Pershala are quite adept and cunning, but they tend to be arrogant, standoffish and aloof.

Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, pershala have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Pershala base speed is 30 feet.

Natural Attacks: A pershala can make two claw attacks and one bite attack. When not wearing gloves, his claw attacks deal 1d4 points of damage plus Strength modifier; a bite attack deals 1d4 hit points of damage plus one-half Strength modifier as a secondary attack. The bite attack is at a –5 penalty to the attack roll.

Low-light Vision: Pershala can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.

Slow Fall: A pershala within arm’s reach of a wall can use the wall to slow his descent. The pershala takes damage as if the fall were 20 feet shorter than it actually is. This ability stacks with any slow fall ability gained through obtaining levels of a particular class, such as the monk. For instance, a pershala with eight levels of monk has the equivalent of Slow Fall (70 ft.).

+4 racial bonus to Balance, Climb, and Freefall checks: A pershala’s tail gives him exceptional balance, while his claws grant him superior climbing ability. In addition, pershala can adapt quite easily to freefall.

+2 racial bonus to Jump, Move Silently, and Pilot checks: Pershala are accomplished leapers, while the padding on a pershala’s feet allows him to mask his movements. Additionally, Pershala are quite at home behind the controls of vehicles of all kinds.

+2 racial bonus to Listen and Spot checks: Pershala have keen senses.

Automatic Languages: Pershalan. Bonus Languages: Common, Gnoll, Sylvan, and Terran.

Favored Class: Pilot. A multiclass pershala’s pilot class does not count when determining whether or not there is an XP penalty for multiclassing (see PHB, Chapter 3, Experience for Multiclass Characters). Pershala are natural pilots.

Level Equivalent: +0

Pershala Racial Feats

Catlike Pounce (General) With a great leap to attack, you can unleash the full fury of your claws and fangs while throwing yourself into the fray. Prerequisite: Pershala only. Benefit: During the first round of combat, you may move then use a standard action to make a full attack. Note that this feat may be used if the move action is a charge.

Multiattack (General) You are adept at using all of your natural weapons at once. Prerequisites: Three or more natural attacks. Benefit: Your secondary attacks with natural weapons suffer only a –2 penalty to the attack roll. Normal: Without this feat, your secondary natural attacks suffer a –5 penalty to the attack roll.

Improved Multiattack (General) You can use all of your natural weapons at once without penalty. Prerequisites: Multiattack. Benefit: Your secondary attacks with natural weapons do not suffer a penalty to the attack roll. Normal: Without this feat or Multiattack, your secondary natural attacks suffer a –5 penalty to the attack roll. With Multiattack, your secondary natural attacks suffer a –2 penalty to the attack roll.

Pershalan Senses (General) Your senses are particular keen, even by your race’s standards. Prerequisites: Alertness, pershala only. Benefit: Your racial bonuses to Listen and Spot checks are increased to +6.

Enhanced Pershalan Senses (General) You have developed your senses to animal-like sharpness. Prerequisites: Character level 6+, Pershalan Senses, pershala only. Benefit: You gain the scent ability (see MM, Introduction, Special Qualities).