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2026-05-20T13:20:16Z

107.189.8.16:

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These articles are [[TVTropes]] tier and someone should cut them down to size.

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Amazon

2026-05-20T13:08:25Z

107.189.8.16:

[[File:Amazons Greek.jpg|500px|thumb|right|Amazons doing what amazons do best: murdering the everloving shit out of men.]]
Amazons are a staple of <s>exacerbating piss kinks by forcing people to piss in bottles</s><ref>Note that the piss bottles stuff refers to the '''other''' kind of Amazon, the dot com kind</ref> fantasy fiction, as well as superhero fiction and some (usually more pulpy) scifi as well.

They are generally portrayed as a race of warrior women, either immortal or who reproduce with captives or using males as the "[[-4 STR|goback2thekitchen]]" gender. They may be just a human tribe, they may have advanced magic and/or technology, or they may be borderline [[monstergirls]] with supernatural prowess elevating them above men. Likewise, they may allow men to share their territory but women are clearly in charge (or at least do the fighting), they may enslave men, they may just not let men get anywhere near them on a permanent basis. They may even be a one-sex race (with some weird "strong-blood"), to emphasize their inhumanity.

Amazons often show up as a female warrior class in RPGs, especially Japanese ones. They may have either a ranged focus (the mythical Amazons were said to be expert archers), or they may be powerful melee fighters. The first variant tends to be portrayed as a spear-chucking asshole that has a shitload of evasion. The second variant either tends towards the "UNGA BUNGA" interpretation, the dexfag warrior with tits, or yet another magic knight. Western RPGs tend to portray them as [[Ranger]]s as opposed to [[Barbarian]]s.

==Myth/Origin==
Amazons originated as a race of warrior-women from Ancient Greek/Roman myths. Though they only appear in a handful of stories, most notably those of Heracles (Hercules to the Disney fans in the room), Theseus (the smart guy who isn't Odysseus), and the Iliad (Trojan War), they have stuck in the imagination of nerds everywhere due to the ''strange and wholly inexplicable'' fondness writers have for aggressive, take-charge women who can kick major ass.

IRL, they're believed to have been inspired by Grecian encounters with the Scythians (although there are other cultural candidates such as Minoans), nomadic tribes of horseback archers (one of the first groups of humans to use mounted warfare; some have suspicions that women logically may have rode horses into battle first since the most ancient horses were too small for full-grown men to ride on) that originated in the Middle East and expanded their reach into southern and central Asia (their trade route connecting China and India to Egypt and Greece can fairly be called the proto-Silk Road) before being repelled and eventually becoming part of the early Slavic culture.

The Scythians often included female archers and even full-fledged warriors in their ranks, something highly exotic to the very patriarchal Greeks and Romans who [[Blood Ravens|shamelessly stole most of the Grecian culture for themselves in later years.]] While Amazon female warriors appear to be mixed with males based on archeological finds (females with battle damage to their bones, buried with weapons and armor alongside warrior males as equals) the Greeks and Romans just focused on the women, dropping men from the myth.

According to the Greeks, Amazons supposedly cut one breast off to remove the obstacle hindering archery (something that breasts don't really do unless one is particularly heavily-endowed...and they'd have frequently died of infection doing this due to their lack of germ theory) with the queen Penthesilea removing both, although there isn't much evidence for this practice. They had sex with the men of their closest neighbor, the Gargareans, to keep their numbers up; any boys born from this were either killed at birth or send back to the fathers.

Greek Amazons featured first into the story of Theseus, where he marries their queen and the daughter of Ares, Hippolyta. Unfortunately, this pisses off the rest of the Amazons for some reason; in other versions she is raped or abducted instead, or Theseus takes a second wife, or he kills her and marries her sister Antiope. Regardless of the version, the Amazons wage war on the Greeks in revenge for whatever slight.

In the second myth Heracles, tasked with obtaining the girdle (belt) given by Ares to his daughter and their queen Hippolyta. Either she willingly visits his boat or he abducts her; either way he gets the girdle. From there, either Hera decides to be her usual bitchy self and goads them into attacking Heracles by tricking them into thinking she was abducted (in the former), or the Amazons launch a rescue mission. Shit promptly hits the fan: either Hippolyta's sister Penthesilea kills her by mistake, Heracles kills her in revenge then bails with the girdle, or he abducts her and gives her to Theseus, causing the events of the first myth. In short, Hera's a bitchy shithead that unironically should not have been worshipped, and deserves to be cucked.

In their final appearance, Penthesilea (now their queen) leads the Amazons in defense of Troy from the united Greeks. Exactly why she does this varies from version to version - in some she does so to [[Slayer|seek death out of shame at killing Hippolyta (either attempting to save her from Heracles or in a hunting accident)]], with other versions saying she simply intended to prove Amazon supremacy.

During the siege of Troy, Penthesilea led twelve of her companions against Achilles, Greek mythology's resident nigh-invulnerable badass and all-round legendary warrior; after fucking up numerous Greek soldiers and maybe dueling one of the two Ajaxes present, she faced off against Achilles himself. Depending on who you ask, they went full [[Love Can Bloom]] mid-battle or just afterwards; either way, their battle ended with her biting it at Achilles hands. What happened to the other Amazons is unknown.

Greek Amazons are only mentioned a few other times, generally in the context of waging war on the Greeks but the stories unfortunately are not elaborated on. Cults to Amazon leaders, gathering at Amazon tombs converted into temples, are also recorded.

It should be noted that the ancient Greeks were, as a rule, really fucking misogynistic. As in the unabashedly patriarchal Romans thought that the Greeks were sexist assholes. It's been argued by some classicists that the Amazons represented a villain which were an antithesis of Greek society.

==[[Warhammer]]==
[[File:Warhammer Amazons.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Sadly, Games Workshop hasn't been awesome enough to make this themselves for a long time, and will <s>never be able to since they [[The End Times|torched]] and [[Age of Sigmar|rebooted]] the setting</s> [[Warhammer: The Old World|Not anymore]].]]
Amazons were introduced alongside [[Pygmies]] in the 3rd edition of [[Warhammer Fantasy Battles]], which means they also showed up in [[Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay]] 1st edition.

[[Lustria]] was inhabited originally by the [[Lizardmen]] and the rest of the native dinosaur/South American-hybrid flora and fauna. Norscans accidently discovered, then looted and colonized it (bear in mind not all Norscans were just weak [[Warriors Of Chaos]] back then). Several other settlements have popped up since then which the [[Slann]] have tried their hardest to remove to little effect. These ports have encouraged other adventurers to colonize since.

The Slann experimented in using these unwanted guests as slaves in various ways. Some Norscans were simply abducted and lobotomized for labor, a successful tactic that has continued since. Slann intentionally devolved some into Pygmies, a [[/pol/|brown-skinned big-lipped potbellied race of short savage cannibal humanoids with bones in their noses]]...with models to match. There's a reason these were dropped quickly from the game and rarely referenced.

The Slann also produced Amazons by gifting some warrior women who rebelled against the Norscans with immortality and magical equipment (this being young Games Workshop where [[Warhammer 40000]] AKA Rogue Trader and Fantasy cross-referenced each other, one of these was "Sun Sticks" AKA [[Lasgun]]s). Amazons in turn worship the Slann and do their bidding. Amazon models were produced by Games Workshop for their [[Mordheim]] expansion and continued to be sold into the early 2010's due to popularity. Amazons are also a team in the [[Blood Bowl]] universe. In the Blood Bowl comic series [[Blood Bowl|Blood Bowl: Killer Contract]] the Amazon team beat the Pygmies, normally known for eating the other team, by eating them first (translation: "No, we will not bring Pygmies back for Blood Bowl.") then went on to beat the Lizardmen team. Out of Lustrian pride the Slann sponsored the Amazons in the Old World until they lost. One of their players was recruited by the Empire team.

There was no mention of them during [[The End Times]] books, but according to Geedubs author [[Josh Reynolds]] the Amazons [[Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies|got killed off when the pieces of the Chaos Moon smashed into Lustria (he also said the same fate befell the Pygmies)]], sparing only the parts where the Pyramid-ships rested. What bitter revenge those fat frogs had.

If you want to know what how the army handles, check out the tactica: [[Warhammer Army Project/Warhammer Army Project: Amazons]].

Over in [[Warhammer 40,000]], [[House Escher]] of [[Necromunda]] are literally an Amazon-themed faction in the game, with their 8e reboot even retconning them as using strange arcanotech methods to reproduce through parthenogensis instead of sexually (also helps since their fighters are all female and any who get pregnant would be down for at least a few months). You could also consider the [[Sisters of Battle]] from the core game to be a faction of [[power armor]]-clad [[grimdark]] [[Paladin]]-Amazons.

In [[Warhammer: Age of Sigmar]], the [[Daughters of Khaine]] are essentially a mainstream faction of Amazon Monstergirls, being a war-worshipping, [[Blood Magic]]-practicing society composed 99% of female [[elf]] warriors, [[lamia]]s and [[harpy|harpies]].

===Mordheim===
Amazons appeared twice as an expansion-pack warband for [[Mordheim]] in the pages of Town Cryer, the official Mordheim magazine.

The first version, seen in Town Cryer #15, was part of the [[Lustria]]: Cities of Gold setting expansion for Mordheim, and presented Amazons as a reclusive, xenophobic and highly territorial race of women, reputedly descended from a lost Norse colony, with a particular enmity for both [[Lizardmen]] (who they hunted for food and skins) and the Norse. This is reflected in the assortment of special rules that Amazons get under these rules; in addition to "Not One Of Us!", which prohibits them from hiring mercenaries and Dramatis Personae who aren't Amazons, they get the rules "Isolationists" (re-roll missed attacks in the first round of combat against Lizardmen and Norse opponents) and "Norse Enmity" (when facing a Norse warband, Amazons get to re-roll their first failed Rout check, and can't voluntarily fail a Rout check unless their leader is down). Their final special rule is "Sacrifice", which is almost identical to the [[Cult of the Possessed]] special rule of the same name, except that sacrificing a Skink will have the added bonus of rewarding the party with a free Enchanted Skins (also called Skins & Charms), a suit of magical armor that has a 6+ armor save and a 5+ dispel save against spells. This "mark 1" Amazon warband is led by a Serpent Priestess, a Leader/Wizard combo character in the vein of a few other warbands; for Heroes, they can take 0-2 Eagle Warriors (melee-focused champions) and 0-2 Piranha Warriors (ranged-focused champions). Their Henchmen are simply Amazon Warriors, though they can also take 0-3 Jaguar Warriors, whose special rule "One With The Jungle" lets them ignore jungle terrain when moving. This version of the Amazon warband has its own Special skill table, which is available to all three Hero types; its heroes are otherwise characterized as extremely martial (universal Combat skills) and quick (universal Speed skills); the Serpent Priestess can take Academic skills, the Eagle Warrior can take Strength skills, and the Piranha Warrior can take Shooting skills. The unique Amazon skills are ''Skink Hunter'' (always strike first vs. Skinks), ''Elixir of Life'' (re-roll one Out of Action roll after a battle), ''Mesmerizing Dance'' (models in base contact must pass an Ld test to attack; doesn't work on Lizardmen or undead), ''Savage Fury'' (immune to charm & fear, +1 Attack when charging) and ''Concealment'' (when hiding in jungle terrain, enemies halve the range at which they can spot this Amazon). This iteration of the Serpent Priestess uses '''Amazon Rituals''' as her magic lore, the spells of which consist of Singing Wind, Serpent's Strength, Wendala's Maelstrom, Shield of Thorns, The Living Jungle, and Siren's Dreams.

The second version appeared in Town Cryer #23, and whilst building on the same lore as the previous version, was somewhat more official; it presented the Amazon warband as representing captured Amazons who were shipped to the Empire as curiosities and courtesans, freed by the chaos of the wyrdstone meteorite and now trying to amass the wealth needed to pay for a trip back to Lustria. These Amazons only maintain the "Not One Of Us" and "Sacrifice" special rules from their prior version, and lose the Enchanted Skins armor - this restricts them to just helmets and bucklers, making them even more fragile than the original Amazons were. They replace a number of their unique artifacts as well with new versions, and lose their Amazon Special Skills. The new Warband is still led by a Priestess (having dropped the "Serpent" prefix), who is still a Leader/Wizard and still using the same '''Amazon Rituals''' magic lore as before, complete with the same spells. However, she's gained a major boost in skills; now she can take Shooting and Strength skills in addition to her original Combat/Academic/Speed trinity! The new Heroes are 0-2 Champions (who, weirdly, despite being WS4 and BS3, can learn Shooting skills) and 0-2 Totem Warriors; melee-focused (WS4, BS2) who can learn Strength skills and who have the Frenzy special rule; both retain the affinity for Combat and Speed skills of their earlier counterparts. For Henchmen, you can take Amazon Warriors and 0-3 Scouts, who use the generic Stealthy rule and replace the old Jaguar Warriors.

===WAP Amazons===
The [[Warhammer Armies Project]] has 8th edition & 9th edition fanmade army books for the Amazons on [http://warhammerarmiesproject.blogspot.com its website]. Here, they are described as a technobarbarian culture descended from an early "race" of human women used as assistants and technicians by the [[Slann]] and the Old Ones. When the Old Ones vanished, they broke away from the Slann and have devolved to their own strange culture; in fact, they often fight bitterly with the Lizardmen, despite their shared heritage. Ruled over by a priesthood, the Amazons have supposedly preserved more of the ancient Old One technology than the Slann have, in part because they depend on arcane parthenogenesis to reproduce; multiple births are extremely common, and larger broods earn great social status. They also guard a life-preserving fountain of youth, which allows the most vaunted of their kind to enjoy extended lifespans.

On the tabletop, they're a melee-centric glass cannon type army; their armor saves ''suck'', but with their unique ability to ignore forested terrain they can move quite quickly, and they hit surprisingly hard, thanks to their ability to take a bunch of what are essentially knock-off [[Power Weapon]]s called the Claws of the Old Ones. Their ability to take Sun Staffs and Sun Gauntlets, knock-off lasguns and laspistols, also gives them a surprising amount of short-range firepower.

For generic characters, the WAP Amazon army can field '''Commanders''' as the generic martial hero (divided into Lord-tier Matriarchs and Hero-tier Mistresses), and provide magical support with '''Priestesses''', who have access to a unique lore called the Lore of the Serpent as well as the generic Lores of Life, Light, Beasts and Heavens.

The infantry core of the army is, of course, the '''Amazon Warriors'''. These are bolstered by elite sisterhoods; '''Piranha Warriors''', '''Eagle Warriors''' and '''Jaguar Warriors'''.

The '''Koka-Kalim''' are drug-addled frenzied berserkers.

'''Jungle Stalkers''' are master archers who smear venom on their arrows to enhance their lethality.

'''Totem Guardians''' are the most elite regiments of all the Amazon warriors.

The Amazons have a tradition of training the giant jaguars and other great cats of Lustria as loyal bond beasts; as such, an Amazon army may deploy both '''Jaguar Hunting Packs''' under the command of an Amazon beastmaster, or squads of '''Huntresses'''; master warriors riding jaguars. Other cavalry units fielded by the Amazons ride '''Culchans''' (giant predatory flightless birds), '''Terradons''', and '''Cold Ones''', and both Commanders and Priestesses may ride these three beasts as well.

The most unusual allies of the Amazon forces are the '''Gorols''', enormous and eerily intelligent gorillas, and the '''Avatar of Rigg'', a [[daemon]]-like manifestation of the Amazon mother-goddess summoned by the most powerful priestesses.

Special Characters available to this army include:
* [[Thalestris]]
* [[Lwaxana]]
* [[Azura]]
* [[Melandra Hawkeye]]
* [[Penthesilea]]
* [[Lysippe]]

==Dungeons & Dragons==
[[File:Amazon Polyhedron 22.jpg|thumb]]
Aside from being an obvious culture to include in a [[magical realm]], Amazons have had several encounters with [[Dungeons & Dragons]].

Way back in [[Greyhawk]] Adventures, Amazons were actually statted up as a unique monster race, essentially treated as a culture of female [[human]], [[elf]], [[dwarf]], [[gnome]] or [[halfling]] [[barbarian]]s.

[[Mongoose Publishing]] includes an Amazons book as part of their notorious Slayers Guide To X series, with the usual somewhat dodgy quality. These Amazons are portrayed as an evil-aligned [[barbarian]] people, who grudgingly interact with men to conceive offspring and then murder them afterwards.

[[Dark Sun]], being rooted in pulpy [[Sword & Sorcery]] fantasy, has a race of ''psionic'' Amazons in the '''Villichi''', which get their own section below.

===AD&D Amazon Lore===
[[AD&D]] had Amazons as a race: exceptionally tall and fine-looking women, though with a hard-hearted attitude as you might expect of a "barbarian" culture. They usually pack spears, swords, axes, bows, and (for younger Amazons) slings, though their weapons and skills tend to change with their home territory (so a bunch from the steppes might emphasize horsemanship and mounted combat). All of them speak Common, though a few clans have their own languages.

Unlike the original all-human Amazons, they do come in other racial flavors, with their weapons and skills tweaked to match: [[Elf]] amazons are nomadic woods-dwellers who emphasize use of the spear and long bow, occasionally backed up by [[Unicorn]] cavalry. [[Dwarf]] amazons tend to pack axes and war hammers due to their short height, with giant boars used as their cavalry. [[Gnome]] amazons lack mounts (because what the arse do you expect them to ride?), but they've got [[ranger]]-grade tracking skills and a penchant for throwing axes. [[Halfling]] amazons prefer to use javelins and slings; they're also notably better at snare-making and much more endurance-heavy than the norm.

Larger amazonian soceties tend to be reclusive or nomadic, as with their original myth-version's isolative tendencies. Regardless of their level of culture or lack thereof, they're generally viewed with distrust and suspicion by others due to being seen as "barbarians"; In turn, they tend toward being unfriendly if not outright hostile toward anyone they meet.

Crunchwise, they're impossible to surprise without being invisible due to being highly-trained barbarian fighters; they typically wear light chain mail (though this varies) and their group's favored weapons. Despite [[Troll|the view of some fa/tg/uys]], they do not in fact suffer a [[-4 Str]] penalty; instead, their strength ratings are always between 15 and 18 (18/00 is possible), and Dexterity and Constitution ratings between 13 and 18.

Amazons of less than 4th level are never older than the young adult age (15-19); see, if they don't meet the tribe's standards for being a warrior by 20, they're exiled and can't rejoin the clan (barring some seriously unusual circumstances). If she does meet their standards, she has to go through training and some kind of initiation ritual specific to the clan before being considered an adult; in general, this involves mastering the clan's favored skills and gear.

They almost invariably work in groups, usually consisting of between 10 and 30 or more 'regular' Amazons plus a leader and a witch-doctor; a group of ten or more's leader will be 5th- or 6th-level, with the witch-doctor at 2nd level. A party of 20 or more will have a captain of 7th or 8th level. If there's 30 or more, be very fucking wary indeed - this mean there's a good-ish chance (30%) that there's 1-4 other raiding parties within 5 miles of the group, based out of some kind of lair (ship, wagon train, convoy of pack animals, etc.)

In their “lair”, amazons will have a full 30 barbarian warrior women of 4th level, four leaders of 5th- to 6th-level, one leader of 7th to 8th level, and a Queen — a barbarian of 9th to 12th level. A male witch-doctor of at least 4th-level wizard ability will be present. There are twice as many (normal) males as female warriors, about half of them equal to men-at-arms, and armed and armored as their amazon mistresses. The others will have the care of 2 to 12 children. The queen will have four male guards of 2nd- or 3rd-level, and two female guards of 5th- to 6th-level.

Individual amazon warriors may be encountered from time to time, serving in various mercenary forces. These may retain the weapons of their original clan or adopt unusual weapons, armor, or fighting styles to which they have been exposed.

Amazons of the plains and flatlands employ war chariots. These are light, two-horse chariots with a driver and a warrior, having a movement rate of 18 and a supply of javelins and war arrows. Amazons chariot riders are armed with powerful composite short bows, which they can fire from a moving chariot as if standing stationary on firm ground.

Amazons of the steppes are skilled horse archers. Their mobile communities are based on great wagons that can be circled into a fortified camp. These amazons are reputed to have almost supernatural skill in horse handling.

Island-dwelling amazons build light, maneuverable galleys, which they use for trading and occasional piracy. All amazons from this culture can swim and all have exceptional small boat skills. Their base will be a walled city with a large marble temple to their goddess; the witch-doctor is replaced by a priest-magician of equivalent skill. Island amazons are exceptionally skilled with the long bow.

===Amazon Kits===
[[File:Amazon MCAV4.jpg|thumb]]
Assorted [[Kits]] throughout AD&D have touched upon the Amazon archetype, making playable versions of the aforementioned Greyhawkian Amazons. Specifically, Amazons appeared in the Complete Books of [[Fighter]]s, [[Cleric|Priest]]s and [[Wizard]]s, although they also receive passing mention in the Complete Books of [[Rogue|Thieves]] and [[Barbarian]]s too. Whilst all three books emphasize that Amazons should find men regarding themselves as their equals to be equally weird as they are seen by men, they also take pains to mention that this kind of racism should occur only with NPCs and not party members. As you can probably figure out, the kits as a whole were rather unpopular, given they presumed [[-4 Str|a certain uncomfortably Neo-Medieval default attitude]] in the setting.

====Amazon Warrior====
Also known as just the Amazon, the Amazon Warrior kit represents the basic warrior-women of a D&D Amazon tribe. Amazon warriors are ferocious mounted combatants who specialize in the use of spears and long bow; as a result, they '''must''' take the Groom NWP and can '''only''' specialize in the Spear and Long Bow. Their bonus proficiencies are Riding (Land-Based) and Animal Training, and recommended NWPs for the kit include Animal Handling, Animal Lore, Armorer, Bowyer/Fletcher, Hunting, Running, Survival, Tracking.

Because Amazons have a default presumed culture, an Amazon's starting arms and armor is restricted to the following list: Battle Axe, Bow (Any), Club, Dagger/Dirk, Hand Axe, Throwing Axe, Javelin, Knife, Lance, Spear, Sword (Any), Shield, Leather Armor, Padded Armor, Studded Leather Armor, Brigandine Armor, Scale Mail Armor, Hide Armor, Banded Mail Armor, Bronze Plate Mail Armor.

Since everyone presumes that warrior women don't exist, amazons get a +3 to hit and a +3 to damage on their ''first blow'' against any male who doesn't respect or acknowledge the idea of warrior women. This doesn't work on PCs, wary NPCs who pass an [[Intelligence]] check, seasoned veterans (5th level warriors or 8th level anybody else), or any NPCs who seen somebody hit by this telling blow.

Likewise, amazons suffer a -3 Reaction penalty against NPCs from male-dominated societies, until and unless they come to respect the amazon.

By default, amazons are presumed to be humans, elves or half-elves, but one can make shortfolk amazons with the following changes:
* [[Dwarf]] Amazons are still Riders, but ride Swine instead of horses. Their required weapons are Axe and Hammer.
* [[Gnome]] Amazons forsake riding for wilderness lore; their required weapons are Throwing Axe and Short Sword, and their bonus NWPs are Tracking and Survival.
* [[Halfling]] Amazons are wilderness-dwelling sneaks; their required weapons are Javelin and Sling, whilst their bonus NWPs are Endurance and Set Snares.

====Amazon Priestess====
Whilst it adheres to all of the same bonuses and penalties as the Amazon Warrior, the Amazon Priestess does have a few unique traits. Firstly, they cannot serve a God of Disease or Peace. Secondly, they will command less respect from their fellows if their patron God(dess) demands they forfeit the traditional weapons of Amazon culture.

====Amazon Sorceress====
Because of the warlike nature of presumed Amazon culture, their sorceresses have certain extra edges and restrictions. On the plus side, they can learn to use the traditional weapons of their culture despite these typically being forbidden to wizards. On the downside, they cannot use the schools of illusion or necromancy. Otherwise, they have the exact same restrictions, advantages and edges as the Amazon Warrior.

===Amazon Class===
====Diablo II: Diablerie====
Diablo II: Diablerie, a supplement to Dungeons & Dragons: Diablo II Edition for [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition|Third Edition]], itself a [[Wizards of the Coast]] cash-in for [[Diablo#The Second Game|Diablo II]], includes the Amazon class as part of the five translations of the base game's classes. It's a ranged specialist fighting class, favoring the use of bows and spears, and designed to reach level 25, with the following traits.

::Chief Ability Scores: Dexterity (primary), Wisdom and Charisma
::Hit Die: D10
::Class Skills: Craft (Any, Bowyer, Fletcher), Disable Device, Heal, Knowledge (Religion), Listen, Move Silently, Search, Spot, Wilderness Lore
::Skill Points: 2 + Int modifier, multiplied by 4 for the first level
::Weapon & Armor Proficiency: All weapons, all armor, shields
::Saves: Good Fortitude save, poor Wisdom and Reflex
::Attacks: 2 attacks at level six, 3 attacks at level eleven, 4 attacks at level sixteen, 5 attacks at level twenty-one, 6 attacks at level 25
::Attack Bonus: Great (primary attack bonus equals Amazon levels)
::Feats: It gains 9 feats between levels 1 and 24
::Ability Increase: +1 Ability score every 4 levels

The Amazon's key class features are its ability to select Amazon Abilities. Starting at level 1, it gets one ability each level, except when it gains an Ability Increase. The level after it gains an ability increase, it gains access to the next tier of Amazon Abilities - so Tier 2 at level 5, Tier 3 at level 9, etc. There are six tiers of Amazon Abilities all told. Abilities marked with an asterisk require an Amazon to make a Charisma check (DC 15 + tier number); if this check fails, the Amazon cannot use that ability for the rest of the day, or until they drink a mana potion, which restores use until the next time they fail a Charisma check.

=====Tier 1 Abilities=====
'''Critical Strike:''' Gain the Improved Critical feat for free. 
'''Fire Arrow*:''' Take a full-round action to shoot burning (+1d6 fire damage) arrows, one for each ranged attack that you can make. 
'''Inner Sight:''' +2 Circumstance bonus to spot creatures in darkened conditions. If you succeed in spotting such creatures, you can't be Sneak Attacked by them, you can't be caught Flat Footed by them, and you get +2 attack bonus if you attack them from 30 feet or less. 
'''Jab:''' Whilst wielding a Piercing damage melee weapon, you can spend a full-round action to make three attacks. 
'''Magic Arrow*:''' Spend a full round action to shoot a number of +1 arrows, one for each ranged attack that you can make.

=====Tier 2 Abilities=====
'''Cold Arrow*:''' Take a full-round action to shoot freezing (+1d6 cold damage, Fort save or be Slowed for 1d3 rounds) arrows, one for each ranged attack that you can make. 
'''Dodge Attacks:''' Spend a full-round action and forfeit attacking or moving more than 5 feet to get a +4 dodge bonus to AC vs. melee attacks, and to ignore "half damage on successful Reflex save" effects if you pass the Reflex save. 
'''Multiple Shot*:''' Spend a full round action to shoot a number of splitting arrows (make attack rolls against 3 targets per arrow), one for each ranged attack that you can make. 
'''Poison Javelin*:''' Take a full round action to throw a javelin imbued with magical venom; a target hit must pass a Fort save or take temporary Constitution damage, enemies within 5 feet of the javelin's flight path also risk taking Con damage. 
'''Power Strike*:''' Requires the Jab ability. Lets you spend a full round action to deal (+1d8/5 levels) lightning damage with your melee weapon.

=====Tier 3 Abilities=====
'''Avoid:''' Requires the Dodge Attacks ability. Gives you the Deflect Arrows feat for free. 
'''Bolt of Lightning*:''' Requires the Poison Javelin ability. Lets you spend a full round action to throw a javelin and turn it into a lightning bolt that deals 2d10 lightning damage. 
'''Exploding Arrow*:''' Requires the Fire Arrow and Multiple Shot abilities. Spend a full round action to shoot an exploding arrow that deals (1d6/2 levels) damage to the target and all creatures within 15 feet of the target. 
'''Impale:''' You can choose to deal +2d6 damage with a melee piercing weapon at the cost of inflicting 2 points of Durability damage on your weapon. 
'''Slow Missiles*:''' Spend a full-round action to project an aura that slows all projectiles and thrown weapons aimed within 30 feet of you. You and allies within the aura gain +4 dodge bonus against ranged attacks, and enchanted missiles lose their power - this extinguishes missile spells and nullifies the special effects of fire arrows, acid arrows, etc.

=====Tier 4 Abilities=====
'''Charged Strike*:''' Requires the Power Strike and Bolt of Lightning abilities. Spend a full-round action to strike a target with a melee piercing weapon, inflicting +2d8 lightning damage and casting a singled Charged Bolt spell, which targets all enemies near the initial target. 
'''Guided Arrow*:''' Requires the Cold Arrow and Multiple Shot abilities. Spend a full-round action to launch an arrow that can be used to hit any single target in range, even to the extent of going around corners. 
'''Ice Arrow*:''' Requires the Cold Arrow ability. Take a full-round action to shoot an ice (+2d6 cold damage, Fort save or be Paralyzed for 1d3 rounds) arrow. 
'''Penetrate*:''' Requires the Critical Strike ability. You reduce the AC of your targets when using Ranged weapons by -1 per 5 levels you have. 
'''Plague Javelin*:''' Requires the Bolt of Lightning ability. As per Poison Javelin, but creates a 15ft cloud of poisonous fumes that lasts until the end of your next turn at the point of impact.

=====Tier 5 Abilities=====
'''Decoy*:''' Requires the Slow Missiles ability. You can use a full-round action to create a magical duplicate of yourself, forcing enemies to make a Will save or attack it in preference to you. A decoy lasts 1 round per three levels. 
'''Evade:''' In turns where you don't attack, you get a +4 dodge bonus to AC and can completely ignore damage from "half damage on successful Reflex save" attacks if you pass your save. 
'''Fend:''' Requires the Impale ability. You gain the Great Cleave feat for free. 
'''Immolation Arrow*:''' Requires the Exploding Arrow ability. You can spend a full-round action to launch a powerful explosive arrow, which inflicts +4d6 fire damage to the initial target and (1d6/2 levels) fire damage to all creatures within 10 feet of the initial target. The crater continues to burn (2d6 fire damage to anyone inside) for 1d4+1 rounds afterwards. 
'''Strafe:''' Requires the Guided Arrow ability. You can fire a single arrow at every foe within close range each round.

=====Tier 6 Abilities=====
'''Freezing Arrow*:''' Requires the Ice Arrow ability. You can use a full-round action to launch a single frigid arrow; +4d6 cold damage to initial target, and initial target and all creatures within 15 feet must make a Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 1d3 rounds. Paralyzed creatures must pass a Fort save each round or take 2d6 cold damage. 
'''Lightning Fury*:''' Requires the Plague Javelin ability. You can spend a partial action to throw a javelin, hitting the target with a half-strength Chain Lightning spell. 
'''Lightning Strike*:''' Requires the Charged Strike ability. You can spend a full-round action to stab a foe in melee with a javelin and trigger a half-strength Chain Lightning spell. 
'''Pierce:''' Requires the Penetrate ability. When you use a ranged attack, you can punch clean through multiple foes. 
'''Valkyrie:''' Requires the Decoy and Evade abilities. You can summon a valkyrie to fight beside you once per day.

===Villichi===
Appearing in the Monstrous Compendium: Dark Sun Appendix 1 (Terrors of the Desert), the '''Villichi''' are [[Abhuman|a stable mutant subspecies]] that randomly occurs amongst normal human births. Villichi appear as unusually tall and pale-skinned human women, averaging about 7 feet in height and wearing extensive clothing to ward off the burning rays of the sun. These mutant women are pseudo-albinos, suffering a -1 penalty to attack rolls and their psionic power scores if directly exposed to sunlight. They mature quicker than regular humans, though we're not told ''when'' that happens, but live much longer; 150 years is average for a Villichi, and the oldest living specimen today is 200 years old. Their defining attribute, however, is their powerful innate affinity for [[psionics]] - '''every''' Villichi is psionic, and this has allowed them to survive despite the obstacles in their path.

Ironically, Villichi themselves are sterile, and dependent on recruiting the Villichi born to human parents - about one in every 30,000 human girls (in 2e; fans boosted this to one in 3,000 for 3e) born on Athas is born a Villichi. Whilst the Villichi largely believe in a principle of living and letting live, they are vicious in protecting themselves and their race; as a result, Athasians have learned to leave Villichi alone when they are born, because they ''know'' that eventually, adult Villichi will come for the youngling and they will not stop until they have punished those who mistreated them. Likewise, they will stop at nothing to track down and brutally murder anyone foolish enough to harm one of their adult sisters, so the sane peoples of Athas largely leave them in peace.

Relatively small in population, with a canonical population of only 500, the Villichi live in a convent-style fortress-city hidden in the Ringing Mountains. The leadership of the villichi is taken from the ranks of those few Villichi who develop the ability to locate others of their kind - a power that occurs spontaneously in 10% of Villichi who reach 13th level, and functions as a special variant of the "Locate Psionic" power, with no range limit. The most powerful of these "seekers" rules over the Villichi as a whole as the High Mistress, whilst the others are usually sent out into the wilderness as "envoys", charged with seeking out as many newborn Villichi as possible.

As a people, the Villichi are largely concerned with their survival above all else. This determination to stay out of the Tablelands' politics has kept them alive; no Sorcerer-King is willing to risk overextending themselves by crushing the Villichi convent, particularly when the Villichi are content to stay on neutral terms with them as a whole.

Unfortunately, coming out towards the tail end of AD&D's lifespan, Dark Sun never got any kind of expansion focused on new races, so despite the obvious potential of the villichi, it went untapped, and they were ultimately lost to history when [[Wizaerds of the Coast]] inherited Dark Sun. Luckily, though, the late 90s and early 2000s was now the era of the internet, and AD&D fans of all settings were nothing if not resourceful! Enter "The Complete Book of Athasian Humanoids", a Dark Sun followup to the Complete Book of Humanoids that adapts the most intelligent and civilized (for a given value of both definitions) of Athas' humanoids to playable races - and the Vilich was amongst them, with the following profile:
::Ability Score Minimum/Maximum: Strength 5/20, Dexterity 15/20, Constitution 11/20, Intelligence 12/20, Wisdom 15/20, Charisma 10/20
::Ability Score Adjustments: +1 Dexterity, -1 Charisma
:::Note: A villichi treats their Charisma score as 1 point higher when interacting with other villichi.
::Racial Class/Level Limits: [[Fighter]], [[Gladiator]], [[Ranger]], [[Bard]], [[Thief]], Trader, [[Psion]]icist, no level limits on any permitted classes.
:::Racial Thieving Skill Adjustments: None
::Natural Armor Class: 10
::Movement: 12
::Special Advantages
:::The Villichi Convent is a guaranteed safe haven for all Villichi.
:::10% Magic Resistance
:::+1 bonus to attack rolls with non-metal weapons permissable to a [[psion]]icist.
:::Villichi characters begin play with +2 nonweapon proficiency slots, which must be spent on Rejuvenation, Meditative Focus and/or Harness Subconscious.
:::When in psionic combat, a villichi automatically uses the best attack mode they possess versuss any applicable defense modes. They do NOT, however, automatically use the best psionic defense mode against eenmy psionic attack modes.
::Disadvantages:
:::If a villichi is exposed to sunlight without some kind of shade, such as thei traditional cloaks, they suffer a -1 penalty to attack rolls and all usage of psionic powers.

When those same madlads updated [[Dark Sun]] to [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]], their 3e Dark Sun [[Monster Manual]], "Terrors of Athas", naturally featured a villichi PC racial writeup:
::Ability Score Modifiers: +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma, -2 Constitution
::Size: Medium
::Space/Reach: 5ft/5ft
::Base Speed: 30 feet
::Special Attacks: Psi-Like Abilities. Villichi can use Inertial Armor 3/day, Missive 3/day, Defensive Precognition 3/day, Biofeedback 1/day and Cloud Mind (DC 12) 1/day. Manifester level is equal to 1/2 Hit Dice (minimum 1st), save DCs are Charisma based.
::Special Qualities:
:::Light Blindness (Ex): Villichi are blinded for 1 round if abruptly exposed to bright light (such as sunlight or a daylight spell).
:::Manifester Prodigy (Ex): Villichi receive a +2 to their main manifester ability score, but only for purpose of determining how many bonus power points they receive.
:::Naturally Psionic (Ex): A villichi gains +3 psionic power points at 1st level. These do not grant the villichi the ability to manifest powers unless they actually have levels in a class that gives [[psionics]].
:::Power Resistance: Villichi have resistance to [[psionics]] equal to Class Levels + 5.
:::Long-Lived: Villichi lifespan is as human, but with a maximum age increase of 40+8d10 years.
::[[Favored Class]]: [[Psion]]
::[[Level Adjustment]] +2

===Arkadian Amazons===
In the 3rd-part setting of [[Arkadia]] for [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition]], [[Arkadian Elf|Oreyan]] [[Elves]], the setting's analogue of Wild Elves, are described as an Amazonian culture. We don't actually know what that means, beyond the fact that they are infamous for having many female warriors and hunters.

The Amazon is also presented as a subclass for the [[Ranger]] in the Arkadia setting book, although ironically nothing explicitly says you have to be a female character to take the class. These rangers gain access to the bonus spells ''Guiding Bolt'' , ''Warding Bond'', ''Haste'', ''Deathward'' and ''Telepathic Bond'', and have the following unique subclass features:
::'''Vigilance:''' 3rd level. When armed with a ranged weapon, if a visible enemy in range attacks an ally, you can use your Reaction to attack that creature after the attack is rolled, but before the triggering attack deals daamge.
::'''Pinning Blows:''' 7th level. Enemies damaged by your weapon attacks suffer Disadvantage on their next opportunity attack until the start of your next turn.
::'''Huntress' Strike:''' 11th level: As an action, you can make a weapon attack with Advantage, and which also imposes Disadvantage on the target's next attack before the start of your next turn if it hits.
::'''Quell:''' 15th level. If forced to make a Dexterity saving throw by a creature within range of your current weapon, you can make a weapon attack against the triggering enemy as a Reaction, even if you have already used your Reaction this round. If your attack hits, you and all other creatures targeted by the effect that triggered this ability automatically succeed on your Dexterity saving throw.

===Thylean Amazons===
In the 3rd-part setting/campaign book of [[Odyssey of the Dragonlords]] for [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition]], Amazons are a "barbarian" culture who inhabit the Island of Themis. What this means is that they represent the remnants of a culture made up of stranded PHB races who integrated with the native Thylean races before the arrival of the titular colonizing Dragonlords, and thusly they fought to preserve their independence from the well-intentioned [[dragon]]-riding conquerors. The Amazons were originally one more tribes native to Indigo Island who had warrior-women but were egalitarian; in the wake of the barbarian cultures losing the First War against the Dragonlords, the future Amazons descended from warrior-women who sperged out and blamed their loss on the weakness of their menfolk, retreating to the remote island of Themis to found a new women-only realm.

Thylean amazons are a cultural phenomena, rather than a specific ethnicity; the amazon "nation" is made up of a coalition of [[human]]s, [[elves]], [[dwarves]], [[gnome]]s, [[half-elves]], [[Nymph]]s, [[Centaur]]s, [[Minotaur]]s, [[Satyr]]s and [[Siren]]s. The only uniting fact is that all individual amazons are female; men are begrudgingly tolerated on the island, but only as breeding stock - they have no say in politics or in the raising of the children, although some amazons do conceal a personal affection for menfolk and it's not unheard of for an amazon who lacks a daughter to teach the fighting style of her people to her son. They are feared throughout the rest of Thylea as brutal, bloodthirsty berserkers who take few prisoners. The Amazons define themselves as a sacred band of warriors who always stand together as a sisterhood. They train for combat from an early age, and once they come of age, they form into pairs of sister-warriors: known as lifemates, the bond between these pairs is immensely strong, to the point that part of the "amazon template" for NPCs is the fact that they fly into killing frenzies if their lifemate is slain. Currently, the amazons are ruled over by a trio of royal sisters, led by Queen Thesilea VI. Unbeknownst to them, the sisters were murdered and replaced by a trio of Thylean [[Medusa]]e 13 years ago.

It's possible for players to play a Thylean amazon; aside from the simple background, there's also a subclass to represent their unique fighting style. Called the '''Amazonian Conclave''', it's a [[Ranger]] subclass that draws elements from Xena and Wonder Woman, and mixes them with a clockwork golem falcon for some reason (perhaps the designers really liked the 1981 Clash of the Titans' Bubo or something).
::Bonus Spells: Command, Find Steed, Haste, Confusion, Mislead
::'''Stimfay Compaion''' (3rd Level): You have a [[construct]] companion in the form of an eagle, harrier, hawk, kite, osprey, owl, or archaeopteryx. In areas that are open to the sky, you can direct your stimfay to spend 10 minutes scouting the surrounding 1 mile radius and report back to you with anything it has seen. It comprehends instructions that you give it in any language. It speaks in a series of clicks and squawks that only you can understand.
::The stimfay obeys your commands to the best of its abilities, and it acts on your initiative in combat. If you are incapacitated, your stimfay acts on its own.
::Your stimfay has hit points equal to 15 + your ranger level, and it adds your proficiency bonus to its attacks, damage, saving throws, and ability save DCs. It regains any lost hit points during a long rest. If it is ever destroyed, you may spend 8 hours to fully repair it.
::'''Amazonian Battlecry''' (3rd Level): You can spend a bonus action to enter a frenzy, which lasts for 1 minute or until you take damage or are knocked unconscious. It grants you the following benefits whilst it lasts. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (a minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.
* You have advantage on attacks against creatures of your favored enemy type.
* You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
* You have advantage on saving throws against being frightened or paralyzed.
::'''Bracer Reflection''' (5th Level): Whenever you would be hit by an attack, you may use your reaction to shield yourself with your bracers. You gain a +5 bonus to AC against all attacks, including the attack that provoked this reaction, until the beginning of your next turn. You may use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (a minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.
::'''Chakram Technique''' (7th Level): You can use your action to make a ranged attack with your chakram against one target. If your attack hits, then any number of additional creatures of your choice within 10 feet of that target must make a Dexterity saving throw using your spell save DC. Each creature that fails the save takes the same amount of damage as your first target.
::'''Improved Falconry''' (11th Level): Your stimfay gains a bonus to its AC equal to your proficiency bonus, and it now has hit points equal to 30 + your ranger level. The damage dice for its Talons, Pinion Storm, and Piercing Screech increase to 2d6, and its attacks are now magical. Additionally, any time you would take damage from an attack or an effect that you can see, you may use your reaction to have your stimfay intercept the attack or effect and take the damage instead of you. Your stimfay must be functional and ready to assist you in order to use this ability, and it must be located within 60 feet of you.
::'''Pressure Points''' (15th Level): On your turn, you may use a bonus action to make a special melee attack against one creature. If the attack hits, the creature must make a Constitution saving throw versus your spell save DC. On a failure, the creature is paralyzed for 1 minute or until you use a bonus action to touch them and reverse the effect. At the end of each of the creature’s turns, it repeats the saving throw and the effect ends if it succeeds. You may use this ability a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, and you regain all expended uses after a short or long rest.

==Amazon vs. Musclegirl==
Whilst there is a certain overlap between the concept of the Amazon and the [[Musclegirl]] fetish, the two aren't entirely synonymous. A musclegirl is any female who, due to class or [[monstergirls|race]], happens to be both feminine looking ''and'' buff. An amazon is defined somewhat by class abilities (usually martial, although magical amazons aren't unheard of) and somewhat moreso by cultural implications - in fact, many amazons are actually depicted as looking like conventionally hot women (slender and girly, with big tits 'n' asses) who just happen to be strong enough to wield a big-ass sword without needing any muscles. They also tend to lean harder into Femdom.

==Possible Amazonian Races==
Whilst the iconic Amazon is a human, in a fantasy setting, nothing takes an enterprising DM (or /d/M) from taking the archetype and applying it to another race. Some of the best candidates for this include:
* [[Elf]]: They're already an extremely effeminate-looking race who tend to be egalitarian, so making women the martial caste for religious reasons is a fairly simple and believable tweak. Plus, the race's association with high levels of cultural magical proficiency means not only are warrior-women perfectly believable (just relying on eldritch knights, [[swordmage]]s and [[bladesinger]]s rather than common fighters), but so is the idea that the race is all-female and uses magical means to procreate.
* [[Orc]]: Standard fantasy portrays orc women as being just as strong as their men, but treated like absolute shit by them. A "rogue tribe" of orc women who killed off their males and now fiercely retain their independence is a perfectly believable idea.
* [[Halfling]]: Since they're already a race that relies on stealth and trickery, making them matriarchal on top of that wouldn't be that implausible; halfling fighters don't rely on getting toe to toe with their enemies anyway. Plus, if one wants to use their caravaneer lifestyle from 3e and 4e, making them a species of [[shortstack]]s who show up, trade on their looks to be welcomed, and then move on is quite believable (if a little [[magical realm]]y).
* [[Gnoll]]: They already look like spotted hyenas, a race of mammals who actually practices an matriarchal social hierarchy in real life. It's such an obvious tweak that many anons wonder why they haven't gotten an official makeover like this already - it'd certainly make them different to the distinctly patriarchal orcs.
* [[Rabbitfolk]]/[[Ratfolk]]: If one tweaks the rabbitfolk race or the ratfolk race (or both) to make males a rarer sex than females, then they actually can be made to fit the amazonian mold pretty well; after all, given that A: one male can impregnate many females, and B: either race is renowned for its breeding abilities, females naturally become the "expendable gender", because it only takes a handful of breeding females to replenish and expand their race.
* [[Beastfolk]]: A race of equine beastfolk would actually make very appropriate amazons for much the same reason as gnolls; real-world horses and other equines are matriarchal, with stallions being more glorified boytoys for the herd than leaders. Lion-based [[catfolk]] also make for a distinctive fit; there are men and they are important, but most of the actual day-to-day work and combat is handled by the more numerous females.
* [[Lizardfolk]]: Did you know there are a few species of lizard that can reproduce without males at all? In fact there is one species, the New Mexico whiptail, that does not have any males at all? They reproduce via Parthenogenesis and lesbian sex, and no we are not bloody kidding about that.
* Insect people: If you think about it, any sentient fantasy species based on a Eusocial insect, (ants, bees, wasps, termites and so on) would be amazons since in those real life examples, the workers, soldiers and queens are all female. [[Pathfinder]] even includes a race of amazonian bee [[monstergirls]] in the form of the [[Thriae]] race.

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==Amazon Monstergirls==
{{Monstergirls}}
[[File:MGE Amazoness.jpg|300px|thumb|right|The MGE "Amazoness" is a tribal-themed [[musclegirl]] [[succubus]]. Seems legit!]]

One of the debates that sometimes echoes onto /tg/: "Do amazons count as [[monstergirls]]?" In truest /tg/ fashion, [[skub|nobody can agree]].

One school argues that amazons can't be considered monstergirls for the same reason that you wouldn't consider "female [[fighter]]/[[barbarian]]/[[ranger]]" a monstergirl - they're human women who happen to be warriors. This often reinforced by the fact that, even if the amazons don't live with men, they still need to mate with men for children; such depictions usually portray them producing both female and male offspring, but the males are either sent away, gb2kitchen(Diablo II) or murdered at birth, depending on how [[grimdark]] the race is being presented as.

Another school argues that, taken to its "logical" conclusion, amazons can be considered monsters. This school depicts a "true" amazon as human subspecies that either needs to mate with human men to procreate and only produces daughters (a classic monstergirl trait), or more rarely produces both human sons and amazon daughters, or else as a subspecies that reproduces by parthenogenesis (ie, no sex required to get pregnant). They usually further this by depicting amazons as having a distinctive look; this may or may not touch upon the [[musclegirl]] fetish, but usually revolves around the amazon being notedly larger than human men - not a full-fledged [[giant]]ess, but around the size of an [[ogre]].

This has actually lead to "amazon" being used as a term on [[/d/]] for a specific subset of the "Macro" fetish; big enough for a size difference between female & male in favor of the female, but not building sized or larger women.

In the [[Monster Girl Encyclopedia]], the "Amazoness" (a result of bad English to Japanese to English translation) is a culture of tribal humans who were converted into a distinct [[succubus]] subspecies. Distinguished by their brown skin, runic tattoos, mild [[musclegirl]] build and possessing only a single horn and wing (a "sexy reference" to their infamous one-breasted look), these are forest-dwelling savages who hunt down human men and bring them back to their villages as husbands, where they become domestic carers in a cliche "reversed sexual roles" take on the Amazon archetype. Their biggest iconic kink is public sex.

[[Category:Warhammer Fantasy]][[Category:Dungeons & Dragons]][[Category:Greek Mythology]]

Eladrin

2026-05-20T13:07:57Z

107.189.8.16:

[[File:Eladrin.jpg|400px|thumb|right|An Eladrin, drawn in the [[Tony DiTerlizzi]] goodness of [[Planescape]].]]
[[Fairy]]-like [[Angel]]s or super-magical [[elves]] who live in either [[Arborea]] or the [[Feywild]], depending on the edition.

==In [[Planescape]] and [[3e]]==
They are, essentially, [[Elf]] [[Angel]]s: a race of [[Chaotic Good]] celestials with a [[fey]] motif. They are the natives of [[Arborea]]: a wild and free people who celebrate life and the arts. They believe in freedom and one's own right to determine what to do with this. They oppose the fiends in their attempts to subdue the peoples of the Material Worlds, aiding in non-violent ways and inspiring great things in the people. They seldom stay in one place for long, traveling both on their own plane and to other worlds to experience their bounty. This doesn't mean that they are weak or cowardly: an Eladrin roused to anger is a fearsome sight to behold and will rip a berk in half before they know it. Alongside their powers they are all able to take on a secondary form, frequently as some kind of ball of light that grants them additional abilities.

They exist in several types, between whom there is no promotion as with other Outsiders such as [[Archon]]s and [[Baatezu]]: they appear in one form and stick with it. There are seven known types of Eladrin, four Lesser and three Greater, here noted from the weakest to the most powerful.

These Eladrin debuted in the [[Blood War]] Card Game, and then made it into [[Planescape]] with the 2nd Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix. The most fleshed out look at the race came in the splatbook [[Warriors of Heaven]], the AD&D planar book that actually ''wasn't'' released under the Planescape logo, which even presented all of the different races as potential PC options. In 3.x, they appeared in the [[Monster Manual]]s, [[Savage Species]], and in the [[Book of Exalted Deeds]], which was when the [[Court of Stars]] became a polyamorous triad of two female eladrin [[archangel]]s and one male one.

Arguably, the prototype for the eladrin as a basic concept were the [[Vanith-Vadiren]] from [[White Dwarf]] #43's [[Fiend Factory]].

===Coure===
Resembling 2' sprites with gossamer wings, the Coure are messengers and scouts who love to play pranks on people and cause mischief. If they are angered however these jokes can turn lethal, with the creatures being capable of deadly hit-and-run attacks when discorporating into a 6" ball of light to build a safe distance to attack from.
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===Noviere===
Living on the second layer of Arborea, the Noviere are aquatic beings who navigate the waters of the layer with great ease. They like to explore the Planes and the Material Worlds to find new coasts. Their skins and hair are tints of green, blue or gold. They lack the webbing or gills that you would expect from an aquatic elf and they can move with great ease on land. They can be rather fickle and flighty but mean well, and are rather approachable despite being difficult to talk to. They can turn into a form of shimmering [[Magical Realm|golden water]] in the shape of a dolphin, in which form they are tougher and can drown opponents in their bodies.
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===Bralani===
The Bralani live on the third layer of Arborea, Mithardir. They are survivors living in the deserts of the plane, making their lives harsh but more worthy to be celebrated. Bralani suffer from powerful mood swings and can be dangerous to approach, but if met in a peaceful mood they are welcoming hosts. They can turn themselves in living whirlwinds to tear at their opponents with powerful gusts of wind and blasts of either sand or snow, depending on their surroundings.
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===Shiere===
The [[knight]]s of the Eladrin, they fight with strength, honor and skill. They are tall and lanky beings that might not appear powerful, but they are as strong as any mortal warrior. Shiere sometimes gather in groups to explore the plane and clear it of intruders. They can change into spheres of light, but they can do so only once per hour, so they use this ability sparingly.
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===Firre===
The Firres (pronounce: feers) are devoted to the ways of beauty, art, music and magic. They have red hair and eyes that burn with their inner flames. Their music is of unmatched beauty, making them desirable guests amongst the courts of the Faerie Lords. Firres are prone to wanderlust and frequently visit the Material World and the other planes, often finding good pay in the city of [[Sigil]]. They can turn into great balls of fire, burning all that the Firre can strike.
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===Ghaele===
These Eladrin are the most concerned with fighting the threat of the Fiends. They travel to mortal worlds and seek those whom they can guide to performing great deeds of heroism. They do not reveal themselves, even after the victory of good over evil, instead finding a new place to defend the Material Worlds. They can turn into many-colored spheres, searing the enemy with great beams of brilliant light.
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Celestial Eladrin.webp| Ghaele on left
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===Tulani===
The Faerie Lords are powerful beings who move their courts amongst the surface of the first layer of Arborea. They are beings of inhuman [[Neckbeard|grace and beauty]], of great magical and martial power and have great respect amongst the other Eladrin. They are also rather haughty and are easily offended but if their guests behave they are gracious hosts. Tulani can conjure great weapons out of thin air and can copy any secondary form that the other Eladrin have at double power. They are incredible dangerous beings who tolerate no evil, and answer to nobody aside from the Morwen, the Queen of Stars and the gods living on Arborea.
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{{D&D-Outsiders}}

==In [[4e]]==
In 4e, they absorbed all of the old "elf as a super-magical being with mastery over arcane arts" lore and stuff, since it was always kind of weird that elves got portrayed as being ''both'' wizard masters ''and'' druidic-styled nature-hugging hippy freaks, since wizards and druids often don't get on. Not that the split was entirely unprecedented, 4e was just the first edition to fully split the two instead of making each race simply "lean more towards" one side of the equation. They had Intelligence bonus, the more "magical" elf abilities like trancing and charm resistance, and an encounter teleport power named Fey Step. They're no good at anything physical, so if you want a mage/druid/etc. they're pretty sweet. On the other hand, they're a kind of Elf.

::Ability Scores: +2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma OR +2 Dexterity
::Size: Medium
::Speed: 6 squares
::Vision: Low-light
::Skill Bonuses: +2 Arcana, +2 History
::Eladrin Education: You gain Training in one Skill of your choice.
::Eladrin Weapon Proficiency: You are proficient with the Longsword.
::Eladrin Will: You have +1 to your Will defense and +5 to saving throws against Charm effects.
::Fey Origin: For purposes of effects that relate to creature origin, you are a Fey creature.
::Trance: Rather than sleeping for 6 hours to take an extended rest, you spend 4 hours in a trance-like state, in which you remain aware of your surroundings.
::Racial Power: Fey Step: Encounter, Teleportation, allows you to teleport 5 squares as a Move action.

[[Dragon Magazine]] #384 introduced a subrace of Eladrin in the form of the Winterkin. These eladrin, as their name suggests, descend from servitors of the Prince of Frost and other members of the faerie faction known as the Winter Court. Marked by paler coloration, including a pronounced tendency to albinism, Winterkin are distinguished from normal eladrin by taking the feat '''Winterkin Heritage'''; this grants them cold resistance and a new racial power in the form of ''Winter's Shroud'', a reactive teleport to being attacked that grants them concealment afterwards. Feats further flesh out the Winterkin's unique powers; '''Chilling Presence''' lets them use Winter's Shroud to inflict cold damage instead of teleporting, '''Ice Walk''' lets them ignore ice & snow-based difficult terrain, '''Swirling Snow''' lets you create a small zone of obscurement when you use Winter's Shroud, '''Winter's Reach''' expands the teleporting distance of Winter's Shroud, and '''Winter's Heart''' means that enemies who hit you in melee are slowed for a turn.

The same issue also presented a new racial [[Paragon Path]], the Bralani Wintersoul, which represents an eladrin - Winterkin or normal - who has served the Winter Court loyally enough to be granted magical powers over ice, snow and freezing winds.

Because Eladrin as-is don't quite represent the different "High Elf" tribes of the [[Forgotten Realms]], steps were taken to amend that. The [[Neverwinter]] Campaign Setting and the article "Heroes of the Moonshaes" in [[Dragon Magazine]] #405 both presented new rules for swapping existing Eladrin racial traits with substitute traits; whilst the obvious expectation was to take all of these substitute traits for a "proper" version of the appropriate elf, the DM/player had the freedom to pick and mix these traits, which could be used to custom build unique eladrin for one's own homebrewed campaign setting... at least, they could have been if they'd been a little more imaginative about what those bonuses were. The NCS featured the Sun/Gold Elf and the Moon/Silver Elf, whilst Dragon #405 features the Llewyrr Elf of the Moonshae Islands.

;Moon Elf Variant Traits:
::Change Skill Bonuses to +2 Insight and +2 Streetwise.
::Replace Eladrin Weapon Proficiency with Elf Weapon Proficiency (Longbow & Shortbow).

;Sun Elf Variant Traits:
::Change Skill Bonuses to +2 Bluff and +2 Insight.
::Replace Eladrin Weapon Proficiency with Wizard Implement Proficiency (Orb, Staff & Wand)
::Replace Eladrin Weapon Proficiency with Elf Weapon Proficiency (Longbow & Shortbow).

;Llewyrr Elf Variant Traits:
::Change +2 Arcana bonus for a +2 Insight bonus.
::Replace Eladrin Weapon Proficiency with Elf Weapon Proficiency (Longbow & Shortbow).

{{D&D4e-Races}}

==In [[5e]]==
They appear in the 5e DMG as a fourth elven subrace. Pretty effectively translated, actually; +1 Int, Elven Weapon Proficiency, even got Fey Step (Misty Step spell-like ability usable once per short rest) back. If this seems a little underwhelming, being literally just "High Elf, but with Misty Step once per short rest instead of 1 [[Wizard]] cantrip of your choice", that's because 4e Eladrin were basically just High Elves honestly focused on arcane magic.

An alternate take on them appeared in the [[Unearthed Arcana]] for September 2017; this version can ''choose'' between either a +1 Intelligence bonus or a +1 Charisma bonus, marking the first ever return of 4e's flexible ability modifiers. Assimilating a little of their original fey-angel lore, Eladrin are now presented as magically attuned to the four seasons, which resonates with their various personalities. Mechanically, this means that not only do they retain their Fey Step as a "teleport 30 feet to a spot you can see once per short rest" trait, but now, whenever they complete a short rest, they choose which season to align themselves to and gain a cantrip based on that season: Friends for Autumn, Chill Touch for Winter, Minor Illusion for Spring and Fire Bolt for Summer.

This actually isn't as unprecedented as you might think; back in 4e, the Eladrin had a subrace called the Winterkin, representing eladrin who were still bound to the Faerie Prince of Frost and so had a natural, mystical connection to frost and snow. This new UA version just expands upon that.

Unfortunately, because they were a massive labor of love on the part of the designers, and they had to share an update with the entire [[Githyanki| gith]] [[Githzerai| race]], whom the designers admitted in the accompanying video (which literally contains more footage of [[Mike Mearls]] gushing about how much he loves the eladrin and wishes to play them than on both gith subraces combined) that they didn't care about and are only doing because people keep bugging them about it, they are also more-or-less responsible for the uninspired, low-effort rendition of those, and get a bit of heat for it.

Ultimately, Eladrin came out officially in ''Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes'', where they had built from the basis of their Unearthed Arcana debut as an elf subrace - for the core traits, see the [[Elf]] page:
::Ability Score Increase: +1 Charisma
::Fey Step: Once per short rest, you can teleport to an unoccupied square within 30 feet as a bonus action.
::Seasonal Affinity: Choose the Spring, Summer, Autumn or Winter affinity. You can change which season you are aligned with after completing a long rest. From 3rd level onwards, your current seasonal affinity bestows a bonus upon your Fey Step ability. Save DCS are 8 + your Proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier.
:::Autumn: Immediately after you use Fey Step, select up to 2 visible creatures within 10 feet of you; those creatures must pass a Wisdom save or be Charmed by you for 1 minute or until you or an ally attack them.
:::Winter: Choose one visible creature within 5 feet before you teleport; that creature must succeed on a Wisdom save or be Frightened of you until the end of your next turn.
:::Spring: You can use your Fey Step to teleport a willing creature within 5 feet by touching it, instead of teleporting yourself.
:::Summer: Immediately after you use Fey Step, each visible creature within 5 feet of you that you select takes Fire damage equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1).

''Mordekainen's Monsters of the Multiverse'' would oddly divorce the Eladrin from typical Elves. They gain quite a bit of an advantage compared to the original version.
::Ability Score Increase: +2 to one stat and +1 to a second stat, or +1 to three different stats
::Size: Medium
::Speed: 30 feet
::Senses: Darkvision
::Type: Humanoid. You also count as an elf for any effects for any prerequisites or effects that specify elves.
::Fey Ancestry: Same as an elf, you gain advantage on saves against the charmed condition or to end it.
::Keen Senses: You are proficient in Perception.
::Trance: You don’t need to sleep, and magic can’t put you to sleep. You can finish a long rest in 4 hours if you spend those hours in a trancelike meditation, during which you retain consciousness. Whenever you finish this trance, you can change your season, and you can gain two proficiencies that you don’t have, each one with a weapon or a tool of your choice selected from the Player’s Handbook. You mystically acquire these proficiencies by drawing them from shared elven memory, and you retain them until you finish your next long rest.
::Fey Step: As a bonus action, you can magically teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. When you reach 3rd level, your Fey Step gains an additional effect based on your season; if the effect requires a saving throw, the DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma modifier (choose when you select this race):
::*Autumn: Immediately after you use Fey Step, select up to 2 visible creatures within 10 feet of you; those creatures must pass a Wisdom save or be Charmed by you for 1 minute or until you or an ally attack them.
::*Winter: Choose one visible creature within 5 feet before you teleport; that creature must succeed on a Wisdom save or be Frightened of you until the end of your next turn.
::*Spring: You can use your Fey Step to teleport a willing creature within 5 feet by touching it, instead of teleporting yourself.
::*Summer: Immediately after you use Fey Step, each visible creature within 5 feet of you that you select takes Fire damage equal to your proficiency bonus.

{{D&D5e-Races}}

==In [[Pathfinder]]==
Eladrin return in [[Pathfinder]] with the same "[[Angel]]s of [[Chaotic Good]]" motivation and the basic tendency to look like [[fey]] beings. They're just called '''Azatas''' for legal purposes.

{{NeedsImages}}

===Description===
Azatas are a race of celestials native to the plane of Elysium, where the pursuit of freedom and goodness is paramount. Azatas are champions of these concepts, great bards, knights, and explorers who roam the planes in search of good folk in need of their help. Frequently described as the most elven or fey-like celestials, azatas nevertheless often have strange, inhuman shapes or can take elemental or eldritch forms. Most have some knightly or courtly title, such as duke, countess, or prince, apparently hereditary, perhaps from a celestial monarchy long abandoned and forgotten. Azatas do not exploit these titles to exert influence over each other, instead using them for personal identification or a bit of self-importance. They are deadly and resolute foes of evil, fearless and clever in battle.

It is not surprising that the three best-known kinds of azatas can all fly, for they rarely stay in one place for long and prefer the thrill of motion and discovery to creature comforts. Most azata "settlements" are little more than a collection of tents around a landmark, gathered for a day to share news, stories, and perhaps good-natured duels, and then packed up again a few days later. Such temporary settlements are colorful and have a celebratory atmosphere, as azatas are quick to greet any of their kind as old friends. Although few can predict when and where an azata community might arise, some groups or breeds of azatas gather in cycles for traditional festivals and reunions. Such gatherings typically occur at a time of mystical consequence, such as on the evening of the lunar equinox, or during less predictable times, such as upon the wedding of two seers, and always in a place of pristine or stunning natural wonder. All azatas fundamentally know when and where their people's closest or next gathering might occur, and while none are required or even expected to attend, all are welcome. However, these gatherings do not preclude more permanent azata holdings and communes, and the heights of Elysium endlessly ring with the songs of azata choirs.

While the stoic, homebound archons call their cousins flighty, azatas are driven by a crusading nature and feel bored when forced to stay in one place too long. This tendency also means they are unlikely to agree to serve mortals for an extended period, preferring to arrive, get the job done, and move on to some other quest or challenge. As much as they seek to spread the cause of freedom and joy, azatas realize that they cannot enforce such virtues throughout the multiverse. Without darkness, there can be no light; without struggle, there can be no victory. Understanding this, these celestials remain removed from most mortal conflicts, preferring to act as advisors in such situations rather than champions, granting goodly mortals ownership over their own triumphs. In cases where the forces of evil act overtly, however, and intrude upon mortal worlds, azatas are quick to rally to defend such realms and aid those who have no hope of defending themselves.

Azatas generally work together, but their powerful personalities and a strong sense of individual freedom often see them disagreeing on how best to handle a particular situation. While both parties have the greater good at heart, these arguments can fester and grow into long-lasting grudges. In cases where a single azata is convinced his way is right, he might even enter a sort of self-imposed exile, abandoning the support of his kin so he can launch a one-azata crusade against the cruelties of the multiverse.

Most azatas originate from the untamable beauty of Elysium, created and nourished by the influx of goodly mortal souls. Like most other outsiders, they cannot reproduce with each other in the mortal fashion and often tryst with mortals who prove charming and good-spirited. Azatas dally frequently with their own kind, quick to seek out feelings of love, joy, and companionship, but rarely feel bound or exclusive to merely one lover, regardless of their race.

Often associated with the good fey of the First World, many azatas take similarly whimsical forms, though their grace and wild beauty signify their virtue. To their more stolid kin, azatas can seem distractible and flighty, but one would be foolish to suggest that they are less zealous in the fight against evil. Though many celestials consider independence an obvious facet of righteousness, no outsiders uphold the principles of freedom so fervently as azatas.

The empyreal lords ascended from azatas are a motley band. Some take fanciful titles and influence great numbers of followers. Others wander alone, leaving trails of mighty deeds in their wake. Still, others travel in the care of small groups of powerful attendants or maintain multiple courts on half a dozen planes and demiplanes.

Azatas are likewise fickle in their worship of the empyreal lords. Some faithfully follow a single lord through the ages, but others pledge their service for only short periods as needs dictate. Azatas look up to their favored empyreal lords but maintain their independent natures. They don't lose themselves in service, for an azata's spirit is too untamed for her to submit unquestioningly to another for long.

Azatas hail from the wildly beautiful plane of Elysium.

They make their homes in fantastic structures, from heavy silk tents embroidered with spun gemstones to lofty bamboo palaces. Most azatas maintain multiple homes and change locations frequently in accordance with their shifting alliances within azata society. These alliances— called courts—center on art, music, philosophy, and personal taste and spring up almost as quickly as they dissolve. Though a few permanent courts exist in Elysium, their membership changes like the plane's fickle winds.

The whimsical azatas prefer their native plane to the exclusion of all others. When azatas leave their homes, though, they find inspiration everywhere, save the vile fiendish planes. The primeval and uncivilized First World especially appeals to wandering azatas, and a small azata meeting ground stands near the center. Here, azatas occasionally convene to glean inspiration from the unique beauty of the First World and to usher new beauty from Elysium into this realm and vice versa. Originally a multi-level settlement of imperfect wooden rings encircling the forest's trees, it has reformed again and again over the years, and every time one visits the place, it seems to take on a new configuration. None can say precisely how or why it shifts, but it has appeared as a town of living wood growing up from the forest floor, a network of dim grottoes filled with radiant flower beds, and most recently, a single spire of agate rising as tall as the ancient trees.

When visiting the Material Plane, azatas are drawn to wild areas of primordial majesty, especially those unscathed by mortal influence. Large cities draw their attention to a lesser extent since they are typically the home of much creativity and innovation, and azatas delight in such mortal wonders. Azatas rarely reveal their true nature in their travels but might instead appear as mysterious and beautiful patrons and ensconce themselves in artists' homes for weeks at a time.

Azatas' tempers flare when they see oppression and tyranny that infringe on individuals' freedoms. When such oppression is allowed to flourish, azatas usually interfere with a subtle hand. In the guise of mortals, they educate and inspire others in order to create a foundation for lasting change. To azatas, stepping in directly whenever mortals stumble only prevents them from learning to stand back up.

This is not to say azatas never intervene—when the forces of evil make direct strikes against the helpless, azatas recognize that intercession might be the only solution, and their unexpected and zealous strikes against evildoers often create enough pandemonium to drive the villains away, if not vanquish these foes altogether. Such direct interference is rare, though. Azatas recognize that mortals show great fortitude and tenacity in defending their homes, and the celestials toil to ensure such self-preservation remains intact.

===Aeolaeka (Stone Azata)===
Apparently, the dwarfs were wrong about stones, as the Rock cycle is chaotic. These stone-like Azata, Being based on change that moves slower than molasses, an aeolaeka comes off as more likely than other Azata to make and uphold an agreement, only because it takes them days or years to change thier minds rather than nanoseconds. They often fight for goodness on the Plane of Earth and have the spells and powers a resident of the stony realm has.
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PF2Azata Aeolaeka.png
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===Bralani (Wind Azata)===
A d&d copy.
Bralanis are among the fiercest and wildest of the azatas, living from moment to moment and always looking for chances to test their skill in battle. In addition to their elf-like forms, they can take the shape of whirlwinds of dust, snow, or sand. In the mortal realm, they are often mistaken for djinn. They delight in violent weather, not for the destructive qualities of such events, but for the intensity and energy, and many tales describe bralani as spirits who laugh as they sail amid the strongest storms.

Bralanis do not need to eat, but they enjoy doing so. Most prefer elven food, fiery human dishes, and spiced wine. Because of their similarities to elementals and fey, they sometimes act as intermediaries between mortals, elementals, and fey, though they prefer to arrange temporary truces that allow the interested parties to conduct their own negotiations on neutral ground. When taking the role of mediators—or whenever else such opportunities present themselves—bralani are quick to suggest friendly competitions or games to end disputes and enjoy creating challenges or complicated contests to test both physical and mental mortal prowess.
<gallery>
PF2Azata Bralani.png
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===Brijidine===
Brijidines are passionate, powerful azatas attuned to the powers of earth and fire. They love basking in volcanoes, writing poetry, tending to sick creatures, and pursuing spicy recipes. The quickest way to befriend a brijidine is to present her with a fireproof copy of an exotic poem or a bag of rare peppers. Though their power is tied to primal destruction, they are quick-witted and love clever wordplay, whether in a sonnet or a dirty limerick.

The brijidine sees fire as a form of purity, a marked difference from its classical association with devastation and destruction. To a brijidine, the existence of hellfire is the rankest blasphemy, and while many azatas look to the demons of the Abyss as their greatest enemies, it is among the devils of Hell that most brijidines find focus for their anger. The fact that devils are immune to fire, the brijidine’s greatest strength, frustrates and angers these azatas all the more, forcing them to become far more imaginative and creative in their tactics when facing such foes. A brijidine stands 5-1/2 feet tall and weighs 150 pounds.
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File:Azata, Brijidine.jpg
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===Gancanagh (Passion Azata)===
Male azatas of extraordinary and radiant beauty, gancanaghs are Elysium’s knights-errant, but they are best known as inveterate wooers of mortals and immortals alike. While gancanaghs are incorrigible flirts, a gancanagh’s true attention tends to alight on one man or woman at a time, and he throws himself into wooing and courting his current target, into a brief but earnest fling before his quicksilver passions change yet again.

Gancanaghs hate [[Succubus|succubi]] and [[Incubus|incubi]] more than anything else, as they feel that the mere existence of such creatures profanes the spirit of romance with the shadow of the demons‘ seduction and violence, leading good people who share the gancanagh’s flirtatious and open nature to be compared to evil creatures. One can give a gancanagh no greater offense than to mistake him for an incubus, and more than one hotheaded gancanagh has challenged a misinformed paladin or other ally of good to a duel over such an insult.

While many gancanaghs carry whimsical-looking pipes because they like the way they look, they can’t stand smoke, and so rarely make use of them.

A gancanagh’s flute, on the other hand, is a cherished possession, as they enjoy both the beauty of the music and its ability to sway the heart. A typical gancanagh stands 6 feet tall but weighs only 130 pounds.
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Azata, Gancanagh.png
PF2Azata Gancanagh.png
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===Ghaele (Crusader Azata)===
Copied from d&d, Ghaeles are the most knightly of the azatas, hunting fiends, dragons, and undead with equal vigor. Most appear like idealized humans or elves and are quick to smile—and equally quick to strike against those they perceive as wicked. Also, like in D&D, the Ghaele is made of light but doesn't need to change into ball mode, letting them walk through walls. Compounded by his gaze of infidel nuking, His greatweapon arm is effectively under the effects of freedom of movement. They can also change thier attack damage and resistance just to fuck evil harder. Bwear evil, Hear Johnny!!

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PF2Azata Ghaele.png|he is approaching ... menacingly!!
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===[[Lillend]] (Muse Azata)===
Among the azatas, lillends are the tale-tellers and chroniclers, gathering lore and recording stories in the form of epic poems and songs. They are generally peaceful, though they are swift to act if they believe a piece of rare art or a talented artist is threatened. A lillend’s lower section is about 20 feet long, and a typical lillend weighs 3,800 pounds.

Although they have no need for mortal nourishment, it is said that lillends sup on the joy of music, art, and performance. They also love unspoiled wilderness and seek out places in the mortal realm that remind them of the beauty of their home plane. From the lore of numerous races come tales of these muses, particularly those that have taken a vested interest in the training of a single talented prodigy or the ongoing creation of some fantastic work of art. Such legends sometimes prove true, as all lillends have their favorite works, creations, and artists and often visit the Material Plane to enjoy their splendor and ensure they remain safe. In defense of such beauty, lillends prove passionate foes, calling upon the might of nearby allies or crushing philistines in their striking but deadly coils.
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PF Lillend.jpg
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===Lyrakien (Wanderer Azata)===
Lyrakien are divine musicians and messengers, mainly in the employ of deities of travel and natural wonders. They love to explore and visit beautiful places, especially locations with excellent views of rainbows, moonlight, and the stars. Whimsical and joyous, they love contests of song, dance, and knowledge and keep journeys happy by distracting their companions from weary feet and stale food. Mortals who please them with excellent tales and new songs may be rewarded with elaborate maps, forgotten shortcuts, or rambling directions to hidden locations that hold lost magic.

Lyrakien are light-hearted creatures, but they are very protective of breathtaking natural locations. Often called “glistenwings” by [[gnome]]s and [[halfling]]s, lyrakien are frequently mistaken for fey—while they are generally friendly with true fey, their origin is the plane of Elysium. Like other azatas, they grow restless if they stay in one place too long. A chaotic good 7th-level spellcaster can gain a lyrakien as a [[familiar]] if she has the Improved Familiar feat.

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PF2Azata Lyrakien.png
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===Pyrdanu===
Prydanus are fierce champions of Elysium who use their talents to undo the work of oppressors by revealing their deception and releasing their victims from bondage. Among the prydanus’ most hated foes are the alghollthus. Prydanus are drawn to civilizations under the thrall of tyrants. Prydanus do not tolerate such deceptions, and they combat them without hesitation whenever they encounter them. However, this lack of restraint sometimes makes for shortsighted plans of action leading to other consequences along the way.

Prydanus pride themselves on being guardian figures, and they delight in helping distressed individuals, especially those attempting to escape from any form of subjugation. Given their natural tendency toward vanity, prydanus appreciate (and perhaps even expect) being showered with praise for their good deeds, and those who sufficiently stoke a prydanu’s ego may find a returning ally in that azata when future troubles arise.

Radiant and poised, a prydanu appears as an attractive humanoid with small patches of iridescent scales on its glistening skin. A graceful pair of translucent finlike wings extends from its back, not only allowing it to soar with ease but also granting it impressive agility underwater. Their striking silver eyes are framed with long, feathery lashes and match their metallic-colored nails and lips. A prydanu’s hair varies from one individual to another but is usually several shades and decorated with jewels, flowers, shells, or other such adornments.

A typical prydanu stands 8 feet tall and weighs 400 pounds.

Ecology
Creatures of Elysium, prydanus arise from the souls of brave liberators and defenders of justice. Though they enjoy spending time on their native plane, they often to venture onto the Material Plane, where they scour the lands for oppression.

Prydanus are well adapted to the water and often make temporary dwellings near oceans and lakes.

When it comes to underwater prowess, their sleek musculature and powerful wings place them on par with naturally aquatic creatures. This aptitude is a point of pride for prydanus, who enjoy racing marine life to prove their expertise.

The anatomy of prydanus resembles that of humanoids, and while they cannot reproduce, they engage in intimate acts with one another or mortal lovers. Similarly, they don’t need to eat or drink, but they partake of these pleasures in the spirit of camaraderie.

Habitat and Society
Prydanus enjoy the company of their kin, finding particular companionship in ghaeles and yamahs. Prydanus are athletic creatures, and their fondness for swimming and flying is well documented; presenting it a gift of artwork depicting seascapes or a collection of feathers and shells is a way to get on its good side.

They are also quite sentimental and keep small trinkets from places and people they’ve helped, often displaying these tokens in the form of small charms worn on bracelets or necklaces or woven into their colorful locks.

After using their powers to free creatures from domination and forced transformation, prydanus often continue to care for them even after their liberation to ensure they’re safe before continuing on their way. Though these sojourns are fleeting even by mortal standards, prydanus easily become emotionally attached to the creatures they save, and saying farewell is difficult for them. As such, most prydanus leave their companions’ sides in the middle of the night, when most are sleeping, to make the parting easier.

When not battling against tyranny, prydanus enjoy studying emancipated societies to view the daily life of mortals left to make their own choices. They chronicle these thoughts and observations in journals, which they then share with other celestials in Elysium.

===Raelis===
Formed from the souls of authors, artists, and storytellers, raelises travel to the farthest corners of the world and beyond searching for epic stories, poems, and simple tall tales. As they travel and quest for ever more obscure tales, they strive to make the world a brighter place—setting wrongs right or acting as agents for divine beings.

Though raelises appear to be frail, they possess a wiry strength and long-fingered hands ideally suited for the brawling and wrestling they enjoy so much. Deep brown or gray eyes dominate their expressive faces, and smiles and laughter come easy to their lips. Newly formed raelises have fair skin, but it slowly darkens over the centuries as they spend long hours exposed to the sun and elements. A raelis stands 9 feet tall and weighs close to 1,000 pounds.

Ecology
The lust for new tales and stories drives raelises to the mortal planes more often than most of their azata brethren.

Unable to just stand idly by, raelises aid mortals more frequently than do other azatas, though they almost always do so disguised as humans or sometimes even common or familiar animals. Raelises prefer to avoid physical confrontation when dealing with mortals, but don’t hesitate to influence events in other ways. A raelis might travel from town to town spreading tales and news to encourage rebellion in a poorly run kingdom, or insinuate itself into an invader’s army to sow dissension. Often a raelis’s influence isn’t felt until it is long gone, as raelises use their powers to bend minds in subtle ways to plant the seeds of change.

Essentially gender neuter in their natural form, raelises have an androgynous beauty to their lean, sculpted bodies. When altering their physical form via alter self or other magical abilities, they can choose to take on male or female forms. Younger raelises often have a preferred gender, but as they get older, raelises choose their gender based on mood or as the task in front of them demands. They occasionally tryst with mortals, though their lack of stable gender identity sometimes leads to confusion.

Ironically, bards and storytellers are the mortals least likely to receive the aid of a raelis azata. Raelises almost universally believe the best mortal works are born of strife and crisis. Shielding a known storyteller from the trials of life could very well prevent the greatest epics from being written. Exactly how far they are willing to let things go is a matter of preference and a frequent topic of debate among their kind. Raelises like to compare the trials and suffering of storytellers to the fire and anvil that forges a great sword. Raelises do not enjoy this suffering, however, and those who deliberately abuse or murder a storyteller while a raelis is near discover swift justice after the fact.

Traveling is raelises’ second love; they pride themselves on their knowledge of obscure back roads and trails. While they all have favored trails, raelises consider it a bad omen to make the exact same journey twice and they go long distances out of their way to avoid doing so. After eons exploring in this manner, the average raelis becomes a living atlas.

Though competent flyers, raelises prefer to walk or even run when they travel. Even on the coldest and hottest of days they travel with their feet bare. They love the feel of grass or even mud between their long toes, and pass time reciting stories they have collected, getting a feel for the flow of the verse and the rhythm of the words. Raelises can run for days at a time without stopping to rest or even sleep, crossing great distances or just scouting all available roads and trails in an area.

Habitat & Society
Their ability to travel discretely and their familiarity with the cities and geography make raelises excellent spies and agents for deities with similar interests. Though many raelises are poets and storytellers, they value the stories mortals create. Few raelises worry overmuch about the accuracy of any given story—they are more interested in the art of the telling rather than the veracity of the tale. Some raelises even prefer the most outlandish tall tales and outright fabrications, as long as the exaggeration furthers the story.

<gallery>
Azata, Raelis.png
</gallery>

===Thyrlien===
A thyrlien is a unique type of azata created by the Goddess of dreams, luck, stars and travelers. Intended as rare warrior counterparts to lyrakien, thyrlien are tasked with watching over nighttime travelers. Specifically hunting the servants of the Goddess of madness, monsters and nightmares and the God of infection, parasites and stagnation, thyrlien wander lonely roads and dark alleys, hoping to confront or counter the dark things that so often hunt such ominous spots. Superficially humanoid, a thyrlien’s attacks reveal its nonhuman origins. Venomous saliva coats mouth and its delicate-looking wings are actually as stiff as wood and have razor sharp edges. A thyrlien is skilled at tracking using conventional and magical methods and is savvy to the ways of its chosen prey.

These servants of the goddess of luck stand about 2 feet tall and weigh around 15 pounds.

<gallery>
File:Azata, Lyrakien.jpg
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===Uinuja===
Born in Elysium and formed from planar energies charged by pleasant dreams, these beings watch over and study dreaming mortal minds. Uinujas live in collective mindscapes, which are often moonlit islands where rock spires rise to great heights, topped by large cocoons of night-blue silk. These azatas both hunt and are hunted by the painajai demons. Dreamthief hags and mortal dream travelers who disturb dreamers might also incur the ire of uinujas.

Uinujas enjoy stories about the stars and planes, particularly the Material Plane, which they can usually only see through mortals’ dreams. When uinujas are happy, their wings glow iridescently, while at other times their wings take on a calmer blue or a sullen gray hue.

An uinuja stands 9 feet tall and weighs 500 pounds.

===Veranallia (Rebirth Azata)===
Veranallias are among the most powerful azatas known and embody the changing of the seasons, from blossoming spring to dormant winter. They command the growth and decay of plants, control various aspects of the weather, and enrich soil with the remains of fallen foes. A veranallia stands 8 feet tall and weighs about 350 pounds.

Beautiful and majestic, the queenly veranallia possesses a form that combines aspects of a feylike woman and the subtle power of nature. A veranallia appears humanoid from the waist up, but where her thighs and legs should be, sprout countless vines, leaves, and various kinds of plant matter instead. These flora represent the life of plants throughout all stages of the year, continually shifting from blooming, verdant colors and textures to crisp, withered specimens and back in a matter of seconds.

Veranallias hail from the wildest regions of Elysium, primeval realms where few but the mightiest azatas dare tread. They are creatures of transition, preferring the unpredictable maelstroms of weather at Elysium’s edges to the more temperate or consistent regions of that plane. They also have a particular appreciation for areas where one element transitions into another, such as coastlines, geysers, hot springs, and underground lakes. Many among their kind can be found in various heavily wooded forests throughout Elysium; as many as a dozen veranallias are reputed to dwell among the ever-changing trees and plants of the forest, and it is thought their annual tribunals are actually the source of the eldritch woodland’s transformative climate and continually shifting composition.

At first glance, a veranallia’s lower body may appear to be made of living plants that wrap themselves around her, but these vines are in fact a part of the azata’s strange physiology. Despite this, she is not subject to blight or similar plant-affecting magic, and attempts to use such abilities to hinder her inspire a veranallia’s ire like little else. A veranallia’s vines are incredibly strong and can entwine and crush an enemy as easily as a python would crush a field mouse. These vines often change appearance based on the veranallia’s environment, but not always in any predictable or sensible manner.

Veranallias prefer the company of other azatas, and may have any number of faithful bralani or ghaele followers. Their fickle natures make it difficult for most other creatures, even other azatas, to interact with them.

Lillends are not inspired by the dangerous power of veranallias, and brijidines‘ belief in the cleansing power of fire does not make friendship with the verdant veranallias easy. While most other celestials concede that veranallias have only the best intentions, most would still rather deal with more predictable members of the celestial planes.

Archons in particular find it almost impossible to speak to veranallias, and the noble angels and agathions have trouble following a veranallia’s leaps in logic and rapidly shifting moods.

Due to their power and influence, it takes a force of great evil to slay veranallias. When a veranallia does die, however, her body explodes into a fine glittering dust that covers a radius of up to a mile. This area becomes exceedingly fertile and subject to indeterminate weather. Storms, snowfalls, heat waves, and gentle showers come by turns regardless of the region’s usual climate. Veranallias who have died on the evil Outer Planes have left such fertile areas behind, but the soil inevitably becomes corrupted again, giving rise to vile creatures such as sards and spawning vicious weather patterns.

Hardy plane-traveling adventurers speak of ancient veranallias living in the remotest corners of Elysium, and claim that these unique azatas possess even greater mastery over the elements than their more commonly encountered kin. Veranallias with the ability to shower entire mountains with lightning or cause heat waves so intense that they turn lakes to sand are spoken of in arcane texts. These most powerful of the veranallias are ancient entities indeed, beings known as veranallia elders. These veranallias appear as aged but still beautiful specimens, their upper human bodies looking like elderly women and their lower bodies always featuring what seems to be vegetation in late autumnal colors of red, yellow, and brown.
<gallery>
Azata Veranallia.png
</gallery>

===Yamah===
Yamahs travel throughout the planes promoting the ideals of freedom and fairness, using their unique talents to rob evildoers of their magic and turn it into a weapon for good. Yamahs harbor ill will toward anyone who would use magic for cruel or evil purposes, especially necromancers and creatures that use magic to trap souls and pervert life.

Though yamahs often bear a stern countenance, they nonetheless enjoy lighthearted pranks and cheery jokes when appropriate. The white markings that cover their bodies may at first appear to be tattoos, but are actually natural sigils unique to each individual. The average yamah stands just over 6 feet tall and weighs 140 pounds.

Yamahs can often be encountered during lunar eclipses and other significant celestial events in regions where worship of any chaotic good deity or demigod is strong. Legends among such faiths claim that yamahs sometimes accompany good spellcasters on crusades against otherworldly fiends, though every story inevitably ends with the yamah mysteriously departing after the deed is done, abandoning its mortal partner without a word.
<gallery>
Azata, Yamah.jpg ‎
</gallery>

==Monstergirls==
{{Monstergirls}}

Needless to say, given the fact that eladrin look like various types of [[elf]] and [[fairy]], female eladrin - and especially Azatas - are very much sexually attractive. Add in that, as the Chaotic Good angel type, eladrin are the most likely to interact with mortals in that kind of way, and it should be no surprise that eladrin are surprisingly common progenitors for [[aasimar]]. Indeed, sun [[elves]] and firre eladrin apparently hold yearly celebrations that take on a distinctly carnal bent, leading to a whole new [[planetouched]] race, the [[celadrin]].

==Gallery==
;Azatas
<center>
<gallery>
File:PF Lillend.jpg
File:Azata, Brijidine.jpg
File:Azata, Lyrakien.jpg
File:Azata, Yamah.jpg ‎
File:Azata Veranallia.png
</gallery>
</center>
;4e Eladrin
<center>
<gallery>
File:Eladrin Knight.jpg
File:Eladrin MM.jpg
File:Eladrin Star Pact Hexblade.jpg
File:Questing Eladrin Knight.jpg
File:Eladrin Wizard.jpg
File:Eladrin Shaman.jpg
File:4e Eladrin City.png
File:Athasian Eladrin.jpg
File:Winterkin Eladrin.png
File:Feywild Riders.png
File:Eladrin Nethermancer.jpg
File:Eladrin Avenger.png
</gallery>
</center>

;5e Eladrin
<center>
<gallery>
Autumn Eladrin 5e.png|Autumn
Spring Eladrin 5e.png|Spring
Summer Eladrin 5e.png|Summer
Winter Eladrin 5e.png|Winter
</gallery>
</center>

Human

2026-05-20T13:07:18Z

107.189.8.16:

[[Image:Happy_human_killing_songs.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Humanity: everybody's friend. Also, no hard feelings guys. Happy human songs are about killing invading humans too.]]
{{Topquote|[[/tg/|Humans need fantasy to be human.]] To be the place where the falling angel meets the rising ape.|[[Discworld|Sir Terry Pratchett, ''Hogfather'']]}}
{{Topquote|1=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McQ58nhhpHM I'M A PIONEER! I'M AN EXPLORER! I'M A HUMAN, AND I'M CUMMING!]|2=Alex Jones, alleged Human}}
{{Topquote|You are a violent and irrepressible miracle. The vacuum of cosmos and the stars burning in it are afraid of you. Given enough time you would wipe us all out and replace us with nothing — just by accident.|Disco Elysium}}
{{Topquote|I'm ahead, I'm a man, I'm the first mammal to wear pants, I'm at peace with my lust, I can kill 'cause in god I trust.|Pearl Jam, ''Do The Evolution''}}

'''Humans''' (Scientific name ''Homo sapiens'', "Inferior/simple-minded race" as seen by your [[Eldar|generic super-intelligent and advanced race]], "weak/frail race" as seen by your [[Orks|generic war-mongering race]], and "Nom noms" as seen by [[Tyranid|the race that only exists to consume and grow]]) are a species of bilaterally symmetrical carbon-based creatures native to a small rocky planet orbiting Sol.

Humans have five appendages: the two longest ones underneath for locomotion, two more flexible appendages in the middle that split into very fine tentacles on the ends for manipulation and pleasure, and a cranium up top for sensation. They stand upright and have nearly their entire cognitive organ contained within a bony shell inside the sensory limb, the rest of it in a bone sheathe in the middle "baggy" part. Humans on average stand erect between 1.5 and 2 meters in height, and mass between 50 and 100 kilograms.

Humans are descended from arboreal omnivores which migrated on the plains of a landmass in the Eastern hemisphere. They have gender dimorphism: females are smaller by 9% on average, only males have protrusions at the base of the locomotor limbs, and nearly all mature females have two protruding subdermal glands on their front thorax near the base of the manipulation limbs. A large sample of data from various competitions and world records based on gender have also shown human sexual dimorphism also extends to attributes of physical fitness. For example, males are slightly faster and considerably stronger than females, while females possess [http://www.latrobe.edu.au/news/articles/2011/opinion/women-and-their-resistance-to-disease greater resistance] [http://www.medicaldaily.com/man-flu-real-estrogen-makes-women-more-resistant-respiratory-diseases-men-307471 to diseases]. Both are particularly obsessed with mating.

Humans have an exceptionally high endurance (for killing aliens longer), and their long distance running is unmatched by all but a few species. Some speculate early Humans hunted simply by stalking prey till it had to rest then bashing its head in, though the practicality of this is questioned. Human pain tolerance is high enough that they willingly ingest plants [[Wikipedia:Capsaicin|high in irritants]] that render them unpalatable to most species. Humans must consume [[Wikipedia:Ascorbic acid|a variety]] [[Wikipedia:Retinoic acid|of acids]] [[Wikipedia:pantothenic acid|every day]] to maintain health. Failure to do so results in [[Wikipedia:Scurvy|weakness followed by death]]. Human blood is literally made of iron and [[Wikipedia:Blood#pH_values|capable of neutralizing acids]] if combined with them.

==Okay, but seriously==
Now on to the REAL reason you're on this page.

Humans are a playable race in almost every game, which is a complete mystery if contemplated long enough ([[derp|which may be too long]]). If you're going to imagine your character as a gunfightan, spell-slingan, wall-vaultan, asskickan superman, what's the point of suddenly slapping that little bit of realism in there? Therefore, they are largely overlooked in most games (except for 3.5e [[D&D]] players who HAD to have that extra first-level feat). Indeed, most descriptions of the species for playable races go something like "they're just like humans, except for this." Most of the time, you'll honestly prefer some of the actual DEFINING TRAITS that come with playing another race, whether it's Never-Say-Die Elfdar vehicles (as opposed to [[Space Marine]] 14-armor dickery) or some kind of crazy mutation/horns/dragon wings. Basically, the benefits can never truly erase the relative boredom you'll get from still being a human, despite all your other options.

Humans are represented in most games as the most balanced and widespread race, which is a blatant bit of self-flattery, or it can be read to mean that they are the most mediocre and suck equally at everything. Most notable can be in D&D 2.0, in which every race had a given benefit, save the humans who had nothing (unless you count the ability to be any class and reach max level in any of them, whereas other races had restricted classes and restricted levels in said classes - but then, everyone hated that rule and homebrewed it out anyway). When they ARE given distinct advantages, is to be more versatile, adaptable or "jack-of-all-trades" than other bipeds, which is kind of a non-advantage: "we didn't know what to give you, so here's a gift certificate at the local racial feature shop to buy something." You would think that humans' exceptional endurance compared to other Earth species would come into play, (we are one of the best long distance runners in the whole animal kingdom), but it never does; though there is a difference between animals and sapient humanoid races such as elves and dwarves.

On the other hand whenever there is a coalition of multiple races and humans are part of them, you can bet the one leading them will be human. Talk about self-flattery again. In sci-fi video games they also tend to be portrayed as skilled diplomats, which is ironic considering how most leaders [[Skub|never see eye-to-eye in real life]].

Then again, there's a certain appeal in [[Humanity Fuck Yeah|humans showing other species what they're truly capable of]].

==Human Physiology and Psychology==
Humans are medium creatures, averaging between 1.6-1.8 meters tall (though there are exceptions of course) and weighing in between 69-89 Kg. Appearance-wise there exists a wide diversity of skin tones and minor body features which was commonly described as "race" but has fallen out of favour due to gigatons of [[Skub|skub]] associated with the term. There is some difficulty on pinpointing a defining trait since our real life intelligence is moot if there are other sentients, but alternatively one could realistically invoke [[Humanity Fuck Yeah|"human grit and perseverance"]] since, again judging from real life, we survived so much shit and clawed our way to the top in spite of it (and ourselves) that it is at least somewhat deserved.

Body-wise humans have little obvious weapons, we can actually give a decent bite and our legs and fists can handle wolf-tier animals one-on-one with some ease, but realistically speaking without some sort of weapon, be it only a big rock or a stick, an average human will not get too far even against such "mid-tier" animals like boars or stags. That being said, humans do have some natural resilience and recent anthropological research has shown that we can also pride ourselves as being an "implacable man" style hunters - we will just casually follow an animal until it drops from exhaustion and we either tame it (horse) or nom it (pretty much everything else that can run fast, and yes [[/d/|that includes horse as well]]).

Due to their intelligence, social-cooperative nature and fecundity, humans generally occupy virtually all but the harshest environments of a given world or setting (and we will damn well try to settle those too). If there are other races/sentient species present the contact between them and humans runs the gamut of merry trading and [[Monstergirls|coexistence]], grudging tolerance and isolation to near-incessant warfare and genocide.

Human psychology is also a smorgasbord of various traits since we can form societies that are [[Mongols|barbarian reavers]] like Orks, [[China|introspective and ordered]] like Elves, [[Japan|industrious and seclusive]] like Dwarves an so on. A major innate psychological trait is human sociability, while there are "lone wolves" out there, most humans will want at least 2-3 companions, be they members of their own species or a fellow sentient, this trait also likely causes humans in most settings to develop civilizations of varying sophistication akin to Dwarves and Elves and as opposed to Ogres or Trolls, although depending on the setting humans can just as well be primal and savage with little or no civility.

==Human Cultures==
As previously mentioned, humans are a varied bunch so the cultures we develop will be such as well. In real life our societies tend to follow a few basic patterns like the rough social organisation (rulers-nobles-middle class-lower class) and a proclivity towards clannish organisation (this was prevalent in Europe too until the Church engaged in a feat of massive social engineering by banning cousin marriage and thus effectively destroying the clan structure in favour of a nuclear family). Aside from those, a given culture is also greatly influenced by its environment and availability of resources - [[Japan]] for instance places great emphasis on cooperation and social harmony since you need social cohesion to survive all the earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis, while [[Egypt]] was a totalitarian theocracy due to the Nile concentrating people along the fertile areas and being vital for survival thus making it one of the centers of life and religion.

In various fantasy and sci fi works, as mentioned in the Human Special Rules the cultures tend to broadly coalesce into fantasy Europe/Middle East/Asia with an occasional Mayincatec, African or Greco-romano-egyptian expies if the author is a bit more imaginative. Said societies also tend to have one trait increased out of proportion like war, trade or diplomacy. One can also expect a huge human empire in various stages of [[The Empire|advancement]] or [[Imperium of Man|degeneration]] which will often be inspired by Rome or HRE. Interestingly human societies are practically never shown as peaceful or pacifist, having almost always be(en) engaged in a war with other races or themselves, sometimes at the same time.

==Human Religions==
Again, in real life humans have dozens of religious and hundreds of spiritual beliefs and systems, many of them offshoots of previous ones like Christianity and Islam or regional/national variations as with the bajilion sects of Buddhism and Protestantism OR Hinduism which is practically an entire world onto itself and that's before we even get to the indigenous world faiths or past religions.

In fantasy works humans however will generally fall into two broad categories:

- Worship of a pantheon of about half-dozen or dozen gods inspired by the ancient Bronze and Iron age civilizations of Earth. Said pantheon will likely have the equivalents of chief god, war god, magic god, harvest/life god, sea god and so on though certain settings will shake things up and give a more unusual pantheon.

- Worship of a Judeo-Christian equivalent commonly called Crystal Dragon Jesus by TvTropes. This religion will be monotheistic or have 2-3 gods at most with a [[Ecclesiarchy|Catholic or broadly Christian aesthetic and maybe some doctrinal similarities]]. Alternatively the inspirational source will be toned down and you will end up with one capital-g God and a "church" which may often be in conflict with a "pagan" pantheon though the latter will usually not be as powerful as a full fledged pantheon described in the first point.

- A combination of the prior two where depending on a region you will have religions centered around gods, a god, the God, immensely powerful beings (Dragons are usually the go-to race for this) and various minor spirits and others. Also expect any asian-based culture to have some sort of confucian equivalent that throws around words like "enlightenment" and "harmony", usually with little emphasis on gods.

In science fiction religion will often be handwaved as an afterthought or depicted as declining or nearly gone due to the supposedly enlightened humans no longer needing or deigning to believe in anything supernatural and aliens still believing in gods or having religious beliefs will either be shown as primitive or crusading zealots. Alternatively there will be races or beings present that will be so advanced that they may appear to be godlike or even become indistinguishable from what an actual deity would be (like in the Culture series where the AIs are so powerful that they can create real afterlives with relative ease). Lastly, humans may simply have their old 20th-21st century major religions in slightly altered form or have a new set of beliefs altogether.

==Human Flaws==
Humans will generally run the gamut of failings though a hack author or someone with an ax to grind may exaggerate certain flaws in order to prove a point or send a message. These usually take the form of humans being [[Imperium of Man|genocidal maniacs who are exterminating other races left, right and center for not much more than simple bigotry and xenophobia]].

This unfortunately has some basis in reality as the most immediately destructive human activity (warfare) has often been if not motivated, then at least shrouded in xenophobia and ethno-racial hatred in order to motivate the troops to slaughter the opponents when in reality the real goal was resources or territory.
Additionally Homo Sapiens Sapiens in general seems to have been at least partially somewhat genocide-happy if not callous in their expansion since many other species of humans are, well, not with us anymore. The Neanderthals are brought up as the most common example although the fact that modern Europeans and Asians have 1-2% of Neanderthal DNA so the truth may be a bit more balanced (a combination of genocide, displacement, grudging co-existence and intermixing).

On the physical side of things, Humans when compared to many other races or animals fall more or less into the mid category - not too bad but nothing to write home about either. A Human can with some effort take down most animals that are smaller than them (wolves, boars, deer etc.) when going 1-on-1, but increase the number of opponents or move into something that is heavier/bigger and we start having problems even with bladed weapons. Smaller humanoids (with possible exception of [[Dwarves]]) are also doable but anything ranging from [[Half-Orc]] and bulkier is going to be a challenge to say the least. This is usually not a problem what with Humans speccing into INT and CO-OP but in any situation or setting where physically stronger and organized opponents outnumber the Humans and technology is not the deciding factor will give Humanity some hurting.

More realistic settings will give humans a more balanced set of virtues and flaws if not outright eschewing this approach altogether and focusing on individuals.

==Human Special Rules==
# In every sci fi movie and game involving aliens, humans MUST suck. No exceptions. Unless they're [[Space Marine|grimdark psycho-indoctrinated, genetically enhanced, Catholic Space-Nazis]], an [[Chaos Space Marines|evil(er) version of thereof]] or the [[Primaris Space Marines|grimdark psycho-indoctrinated, genetically enhanced, Catholic Space-Nazis big brother]]. Or [[Setting:Halo|Master Chief]]. In which case, they're the best damn things in the setting where combat is concerned. In every fantasy movie and game involving elves, dwarves, goblins, etc. humans MUST be boring. No exceptions. Elves are the tall fast guys with great magic who live in the trees, Dwarves are the short strong guys with badass technology who live in the tunnels, humans are the boring medium guys with absolutely nothing special and completely average stats.
#* Unless this is John Carter of Mars in which the title human is an unstoppable one man army, who can kill four armed giant bug Martians with ease.
#* Or if it's [[Tolkien|Middle Earth]] (if you don't think the Edain are awesome, you probably don't know enough about the setting),
#* or [[Star Wars]] (where the humans are the most powerful, diverse, and influential race in the setting),
#* [[Star Trek]] (where the humans are the ones responsible for much of the good stuff in the setting),
#* or [[Avatar]] (where the humans are awesome, but portrayed as villains for being pragmatic).
# Humans ''always'' have the crappy weapons when fighting technologically advanced/intelligent xenos(eg: [[Setting:Halo|Halo]] - Bullets vs. Plasma. [[Warhammer 40,000]] - [[Lasgun|factory-built flashlights]] vs. alien [[Shuriken Catapult|ninja-star guns]]/[[Splinter Weapons|living poison guns]]/[[Gauss|molecular disassembly weapons]]/cursed-soul-shooting guns). In the case of simple-minded/primitive xenos, the humans must be eaten/dismembered/eviscerated/disemboweled/some combination thereof by said xenos (eg: Bugs vs Mobile infantry, Xenomorphs vs Colonial Marines). In fantasy, humans ''always'' have the boring practical weapons when fighting any other race (eg: Humans vs Elves or Dwarves - Long swords and crossbows vs. magic bows and badass knives or giant hammers and axes and cannons).
# in [[vidya|video games]], especially but in table top and roleplaying as well, humanity's special trait is always brute force. We're never as fast as the space elves, but we always build [[Basilisk Artillery Gun|really big guns]] (sometimes ones that are [[Ordinatus|utterly massive]]) and [[Titan (Warhammer 40,000)|massive humanoid robots covered with weapons]]. As another example, when I say "elf" you think archers in the woods, but when I say "fantasy human" you think a knight in full plate mail atop a horse, effectiveness may vary but humans' trait is normally thick armour and hitting hard.
# Compared to any other race, Humans must always be subjected to horrendous deaths in any war, real or fiction, by the hundreds, and often disproportionately to their involvement in said war.
# In every work that involves armed fictional conflict, there must always be one [[Mary Sue|heavily plot-armoured character that can beat the odds no matter how retardedly outnumbered and outgunned he is.]] This character is human if humans are involved in the conflict at all.
# In almost every setting where humans are not fanatical racist nut jobs, human are always the ones most likely to reproduce outside their species. If someone says they're a half-elf, dragon or demon, you never need to ask what the other half is. Among the first questions any human asks upon discovery of a new sapient is "can I have sex with it?", and then humans also ignore all rules of logic and genetics by managing to have kids with it.
# In most fantasy settings, humans create various "Western-European-like" nations, one "Middle-East-like" nation and one "Chinese-like" or "Japanese-like" nation.
# Despite any inferiority to other races; Humans '''ALWAYS WIN. ''ALWAYS''''', in the end of it all. Either by the efforts of pre-mentioned [[Mary Sue]] or through [[Imperial Guard|the well-honed tactic of drowning their enemies in their own blood and corpses]]. This is because we can't win any other way, unless you're SPESS MARHEENS (That's a fact). In rare cases conflict spans for a few centuries, and the setting it happens in isn't in medieval stasis, humans win through their adaptability due to their short lifespans combined with sufficient intellect, while more long-living races fail to change their society in response to evolving technology, even if they happen to out-science humans (which they usually don't), and less intelligent races get wiped out or enslaved due to the giant technological edge humans have against them.

==Media That Prominently Feature Humans==
[[File:Ravenloft 3e Humans.png|thumb|right|250px|Humans tend to adopt different styles in different settings. These humans come from [[Ravenloft]], for example.]]

All of them. No really, all of them ([[Bionicle|almost]]). It's only natural that the only intelligent race we know of is the one we add everywhere and into everything. The reason for this can be numerous - It makes it easy to relate to it for most people when your race is represented, and since we ''are'' the only intelligent race we actually know, humans are the only template we can work off of.

Well, Dragonlance, but then, they had [[Kender]], so...

Some do it more than others, tho - e.g, everybody knows that DnD only has the Human race because some people are too xenophobic to play an actual interesting race, while other media, like in 40k, humans are the best goddamn thing ever.

==Human mating practices==
{{Topquote|And their reproductive system is the same as their waste-elimination system. Did you know that? It’s true. I’ve done the dissections.|Trazyn the Infinite}}

We do have these. The writers of this wiki have not studied them. Why should we?

In role-playing games, humans (especially those of the [[bard]] [[class]]) tend to be the most fertile race, and the one most amenable to interspecies romance and cross-breeding (rivalled only by [[dragon]]s).

P.S. If you don't know how babies are made just ask your parents what "fucking" is. They will be delighted to give you a detailed explanation.

==Humans in Dungeons & Dragons==
In [[Dungeons & Dragons]], humanity's "hat", or singular defining racial trait, is ''Versatility''. What this means in practice varies from edition to edition, but it generally means that humans may not get the specific bonuses that certain races do, but they don't get any penalties, either.

In [[Basic Dungeons & Dragons|Basic]], humanity's biggest strength was that they were the only race that could actually take classes like [[Fighter]], [[Thief]] or [[Wizard|Magic-User]]. Other races, like [[Elf]], [[Dwarf]], [[Halfling]], [[Goblin]], [[Orc]], [[Gnoll]], etc, were treated as classes in their own right (early D&D was ''weird''), and often relied on [[Variant Class]]-analogues to expand their options. 
For example, [[Dwarf#BECMI|Dwarves could be taken as Dwarf-Clerics]], who were like [[Clerics]] but: better fighters, unable to turn undead, could reach 12th level and, -- oh yeah -- they were mandated to '''avoid''' casting spells where non-Dwarves could see them do it (unless it was a matter of life and death).

In [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons|Advanced]], again, humanity's only major strength was their lack of penalties; humans alone could take any class to any level, whereas other races could only take specific classes, and could only rise to certain levels within those classes. It's unclear just how viable this was, because nobody seemed to really like the idea of non-humans having level limits based on their race; [[Baldur's Gate]] and [[Icewind Dale]] both dropped that mechanic like a hot potato. And even within the official supplements there were some treading on humanity's toes. 
For example, whilst the [[Paladin]] was envisioned as a human-only class, several races were released that could also become paladins, namely [[Rakasta]], [[Lupin|Lupins]], and [[Saurial|Saurials]]. 
Humans also had unique [[Multiclassing#Advanced_Dungeon_.26_Dragons|multiclassing]] mechanics in the form of [[Multiclassing#Dual-classing|dual-classing]], which involved basically completely stopping your advance in one class and starting over from scratch in another one. Which, if you weren't using level limits, was demonstrably inferior to the [[demihuman]] ability of [[Multiclassing#Multiclassing|multiclassing]], where you progress in multiple classes ''simultaneously'' from character creation.

In [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition|3rd Edition]], humanity again had no ability score modifiers. However, a trend started that would influence the next three editions (and one spin-off): human versatility was given a mechanical basis, with humans now gaining a bonus feat at character creation, an expanded array of skill points (+4 at first level, +1 at each level), and having a [[Favored Class]] of Any, allowing them to [[Multiclassing#3rd Edition & Pathfinder|multiclass]] freely and without suffering XP penalties if they weren't taking levels in their "iconic" class. 
[[Pathfinder]] followed the same idea as 3E. The only changes are system wide where they only get +1 skill point at every level starting from first (getting 4 times as many skill points at level 1 no longer exists for anyone, instead you get a +3 bonus to a skill if it's a class skill), and [[Favored Class]] was changed so drastically that it couldn't be a bonus. Still awesome since they still gain that bonus feat and now they get a +2 to any one ability score of their choice. Humans also get the best alternative [[Favored Class]] bonus for spontaneous casting classes, gaining an extra spell known (of one level than the highest you can cast).

Ironically, [[Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition|4th Edition]] did something similar: humans in that edition gained a +2 to a single ability score of their choice, and then progressed with a bonus skill (because in [[4e]] you're either proficient in a skill or not, there's no ascending scale anymore), a bonus feat, a +1 to all three of their [[Non Armor Defenses|NADs]], ''and'' a bonus At-Will power from their chosen class. 
This actually makes humans a pretty powerful race choice in their own right. Like the [[half-elf]], humans got the option to take a unique racial power instead of their bonus at-will: Heroic Effort lets them, once per encounter, add a +4 bonus to the result of either a missed attack roll or a failed saving throw.

Unfortunately, [[5e]] is where that winning streak basically collapsed. There are two different mechanical versions of humans in 5th edition; the standard human just gets a +1 to all six ability scores, which is... not ''bad'', but pretty low-down on the useful scale. Then there's the variant human, who instead gets a +1 to two ability scores of their choice, a bonus skill proficiency (5e skills working mostly like 4e skills) and a bonus feat. This makes variant humans '''the''' race of choice for power gaming, simply because feats in 5e are extremely powerful and other races can't get them until several levels into the game - and even then, only at the expense of an increase in ability scores. The [[Eberron]] Guidebook also included Dragonmarked subraces for humans that aren't as powerful as the PHB Variant Human, but still leaps ahead of the default mold.

Also, fun fact, 5e finally gave an explanation for why humans are the only race in the [[Great Wheel]] that don't have a single defining monolithic culture (orcs are savage brutes, elves are magic and nature-loving, etc): all the other races are like that because they have a racial god or pantheon of gods telling them how to behave. Humans originally had such a god, but they were killed very early in the Great Wheel's history. Info on this god is hard to come by, but secondhand sources say that it was Asmodeus' brother, and that he was the one who did the deed, but this sounds suspiciously similar to Pathfinder Asmodeus' backstory. All we know for sure is that we probably don't have to worry about [[Zarus]] rearing his nazi head any time soon.

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== Humans in Star Wars==
[[Star Wars]] is one of the many human-centric settings out there. Humans are the dominant and most populous species in the galaxy, [[What| despite the franchise explicitly being set in the distant past and another galaxy]]. Originally seeded throughout the galaxy as slaves by the long dead Rakata and the first post-Rakata species to discover hyperdrives on their own (aside from Duros, who invented it at roughly the same time), humans can be found almost anywhere in the known Galaxy. Most works of fiction in the Star Wars universe centre around the exploits of humans with non-humans as supporting cast. Ironically, the early ''Droids'', and ''Ewoks'' cartoons are still among the few that don't. Too be honest, all intelligent species in Star Wars act like human, from individual behaviors to social structure, they may has well just be different racial groups of humanity.

Human crossbreeds are actually quite limited in Star Wars. The only known crossbreeds are with near-human species that were human off-shoots in the first place, the result of Sith magic and possibly [[Twi'lek]]. The last one has one shown family of hybrids, but previous works explicitly established Humans and Twi'leks can't produce children. Since it wasn't ''explicitly'' a natural conception, it led to speculation it was the product of genetic engineering or other science. Even with near-humans, just because a crossbreed can be made doesn't mean they should: Hybrids can end up quite poorly. The most notorious being with the eyeless Miraluka who "see" through the force, who produce Human-Miraluka hybrids that most times end up with '''neither''' form of sight, producing an eyeless child that can't see through any means.

The Empire took human-centric to an extreme and became human supremacist. Aside from force sensitive minions (the early [[Star Wars d6]] content says the Emperor wanted to eventually establish a dark side theocracy with castes of Sith>Dark Jedi>Military>Everyone else, and that's still fits after 25 years of further material) and a few talented military leaders, most non-humans were second class citizens at best under the Empire. All stormtroopers are assumed to be human (or cloned human) under their armour. Ironically [[Nazi#Nazi_Portrayal|one of the fiercest supporters of this was not human]], but a hybrid of two near-human species with unusual skin tones that cancelled each other out. After the Battle of Endor and the descent of the remaining Imperials into factions ruled by warlords, this was often relaxed due to manpower shortages, factions being left far away from human-majority space, alien leaders, and plain-old the people that implemented it in the first place being dead.

Mechanically: The original [[Star Wars RPG|d6 based roleplaying game]] assumed a character was human if not stated otherwise. [[Star Wars d20]] literally uses the 3E D&D stats for humans with no changes except a minor difference in height and weight ranges (and that's mostly due to rounding when converting to metric system). d20 Humans were top of the pack since every other race was super weak, even compared to core 3.5. Saga Edition humans are virtually the same as d20 and 3.5, but are adjusted for the skill system working differently: They get an extra trained skill instead of bonus skill points. Saga edition buffed alien races enough and made class talent more important than feats that humans are actually fairly close in balance to other races. [[Star Wars Roleplaying Game|The system]] by [[Fantasy Flight Games]] has Humans in the core book of all three "games" (though for some reason it can't decide if humans should be listed first or alphabetically) and also takes the approach of giving humans a broader range of skills. There humans get balanced attributes (all 2s), 10% higher starting XP (point buy) and two extra skill points. Since humans are the majority of the population and near entirety of the Empire, disguise is most useful on a human.

== Humans in Magic: The Gathering ==
Humans in [[Magic: The Gathering]] are mostly defined and given a place in the colour pie by their class, so they can be anything. Humans do have a few common trends however. Firstly they are all generally either cheap+weak, or are Legendary (unique individuals). Human tribal tends to occur in White, though this is largely due to tribal itself favouring White.

==Humans in Warhammer Fantasy Battle==
Humans in WFB were a third race created by the [[Old Ones (Warhammer)|Old Ones]] to fight [[Chaos]], presumably in [[Nehekhara]] or [[Cathay]], and are implied to be a completely failed project, because unlike preceding [[High Elves (Warhammer Fantasy)|Elves]] and [[Dwarfs (Warhammer Fantasy Battle)|Dwarfs]], they weren't particularly good at magic and were too easily corrupted. Their only advantage was fast breeding, and due to that, they were left by Old Ones on their own.

After the collapse of Polar Gates and the coming of Chaos, [[Warriors of Chaos|some people]] were corrupted or [[Beastmen|mutated]] by the Big Four, but generally human nations are Order-aligned. All of them are based on real-life nations and countries and are situated almost exactly in the same spot as their counterparts (like, for example, [[Albion]] is an island near [[Bretonnia]]). Generally speaking, they are the protagonists of WFB (especially [[The Empire (Warhammer Fantasy)|The Empire]]) and exist pretty much everywhere.

==Humans in Age of Sigmar==
After the death of the entire setting, a new one was presented, and unsurprisingly, it features the same set of generic fantasy races, although stupidly renamed. Humans managed to evade the renaming though, and are generally similar to WFB humans in pretty much everything. Only two differences exist - they have [[Stormcast Eternals|Sigmarines]], and the Order-aligned ones are generally unified under the command of [[Sigmar]] and inspired solely by Holy Roman Empire. At least Azyrite ones.

==Humans in Warhammer 40k==
<s>Same shit, but they're more unified than in WFB and much, much more xenophobic. There are also no independent undead factions, instead there are [[Squat|human biker dwarves]], [[Ogryn|human ogres]]</s> {{BLAM}} {{BLAM|Find out yourself, Heretic!}}

TLDR: Humanity fuck yeah, purge the xenos.

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==Humans in Kings of War==
There are many humans splintered across the whole of Pannithor, some have been blessed/tainted by the Gods.
Like all humans they are of any alignment and fall into loose them vs us factions, including:
* [[Kings of War/Tactics/Kingdoms of Men|Kingdoms of Men]] - Human soup faction, meant to represent any and all "generic" kingdoms, in-lore however they are the various Successor Kingdoms.
* [[League of Rhordia]] - Humans and Halflings sharing an uneasy alliance.
* [[Basilea|Basileans]] - the holier-than-thou dictatorship of Good.
* [[Order of the Brothermark]] - a splinter faction made from some from the Basileans and the now disbanded [[Brotherhood]].
* [[Northern Alliance]] - a faction made from an alliance of the northern tribes of Dwarves, Elves, Naiads and Humans.
* [[Order of the Green Lady]] - a splinter faction made from some from the Forces of Nature and the now disbanded [[Brotherhood]].
* [[Abyssals|Forces of the Abyss]] - there are a few Humans, or whats left of their humanity within the ranks as Infantry and Cavalry.
* [[Twilight Kin]] - there are a few Humans, or whats left of their humanity within the ranks as Cavalry.
* [[Varangur]] - a Human faction which worship the old gods, considered evil by the other Pannithor dwellers.

The Humans even wield magic within some other factions
* The Druids within the [[Forces of Nature]] and [[The Herd]]
* The Necromancers of the [[Undead]]

'''Some notable Humans include:'''
* [[Danor the Wizard]]
* [[Gnaeus Sallustis]]
* [[Orlaf the Barbarian]]
* [[Clarion]]
* [[Javis]]
* [[The Captain]]
* [[Dogs of War]]
* [[Battle Shrine]]
* [[Lady Ilona]]
* [[Magnilde of the Fallen]]
* [[Swain]]

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[[Category:Scarred Lands Races]]

Eilistraee

2026-05-20T13:05:02Z

107.189.8.16:

{{Promotions}}
{{Infobox Deity
|Name = Eilistraee
|Symbol = [[File:Eilistraee symbol.jpg|150px]]
|Aliases = The Dancing Goddess, the Dark Dancer, the Dark Maiden, Lady of the Dance, Lady Silverhair
|Alignment = Chaotic Good
|Divine Rank = Lesser Goddess
|Pantheon = [[Dark Seldarine]], Faerûn
|Portfolio = Beauty, Dance, Song, Freedom, Moonlight, Swordwork, the Hunt
|Domains = '''3E:''' Chaos, Charm, Drow, Elf, Good, Moon, Portal '''5E:''' Life, Light, Nature
|Home Plane = '''[[Great Wheel]]:''' ''Svartalfheim'' ([[Ysgard]]) '''[[World Tree]]:''' [[Arborea|Arvandor]]; she also detains a small domain in the ''Demonweb Pits'' ([[Abyss]])
|Worshippers = Mostly, but not exclusively: surface drow, goodly drow, elves, bards, hunters, and people who want to be naked
|Favoured Weapon = ''Moonsword'' (bastard sword)
}}
'''Eilistraee''' is the daughter of [[Corellon Larethian]] and [[Lolth|Araushnee]]. Exclusively belonging to the [[Forgotten Realms]] setting, she is the only good [[drow]] goddess, and her domains include: beauty, dance, song, moonlight, hunt, swordwork and, as of [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition|5e]] [[Dungeons and Dragons|D&D]] (post-Sundering timeline of the Realms), freedom. The Dark Maiden, as she is called, pursuits the goal of freeing the drow from Lolth's cruelty and tyranny, helping them retake their future and forge their own path on the surface after centuries of living blind to the world. She also strives to promote peace among all races, and to reunite the drow with their [[elf|elven]] brothers and sisters. Therefore, she is the patroness of all dark elves who long for a life free from the strife imposed on them by Lolth, but also of artists (especially dancers, bards, and musicians), crafters, and hunters. She looks kindly on outcasts as well, and encourages her followers to offer them shelter. Even though focused on drow, Eilistraee firmly believes in the possibility of redemption for individuals from all races, and gladly welcomes anyone willing to walk a path that revels in life and its celebration. As a result, she is mostly followed by drow, but has worshippers among various races.

==Appearance==
[[File:Eilistraee Harping.jpg|250px|thumb|left|Eilistraee playing music]]
Eilistraee appears as a tall and lithe drow woman of glowing beauty (usually unclad), described by Sharlario Moonflower as "the answer to that question which every soul feels but no words can frame". Her skin is as dark as the night sky, and her ankle-long hair, of a luminous silvery hue, frames the graceful and delicate features of her face. Her eyes—larger than in most drow, whose color reminds of moonstones—are warm and expressive of the goddess' emotions. Those who gaze upon her often feel suffering and sadness dissolve, and even the most hopeless night turn into a moment of beauty and solace. However, a feeling of loss—even desolation—can take them upon her leaving because she is another one of Greenwood's excuses to have naked elves be apart of lore.

==Personality==
Due to her choice of sharing the fate of her people, Eilistraee went through many hardships and much pain in her life, but she learned to turn her wounds into empathy and compassion. In order to fight her suffering and grief, she turned her efforts towards healing and looking for the beauty in all things and souls, including what was broken or corrupted. The Dark Maiden can still find hope, and the strength to create and nurture, even in the darkest place, and she works to bring her warmth to those trapped in the cold of their night--especially her people. She knows far too well that the world isn't all bright and happy, but the possibility for joy exists even at the height of suffering, and she wants all to see and find it.

The burden of loss made Eilistraee a generally melancholic goddess, but also kind-hearted, gentle, and caring. She knows what it is to suffer, so she cherishes and cares about all beings for what they are (including the scars of the battles that every individual faces), and shows compassion and mercy to all who need them. No one deserves to be alone in their pain, and even individuals who have fallen to cruelty can still hold good within them. She finds joy in helping people in need in various practical ways, including those who are not her followers or drow, if they act for good or uphold her principles.

That said, the Dark Maiden is also a lover of freedom and nature, with an impish streak and a wild side to her personality (in fact, she wishes and works for peace, but is known to often act quite fiercely in protection of her followers when they are harmed). Her suffering taught her to find happiness in the small things, and in bringing happiness to other people. An act of kindness towards a stranger, learning a new song, or the splendor of a sunrise will be enough to make her smile. She loves all arts and forms of creativity (especially dance and song), and delights not only in performing herself, but also in filling artists with bursts of inspiration (a sign of her favor). She strives to nurture and keep alive the spark that exists in all people, and art and compassion are the most powerful forces to defeat fear and resignation. For that reason, she teaches to celebrate life in its fullness, as to bring passion and a sense of wonder to everyone, and make the world a better place for all.

==Attitude Towards the Drow==
[[File:Eilistraee and follower.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Eilistraee manifests to a lost drow]]
Having shared the path and struggles of the drow, and having chosen to be one of them, Eilistraee is convinced that those who are still trapped in Lolth's web aren't monsters as many believe, but the result of lifelong abuse and neglect from those who should have loved them the most (as even maternal or paternal love are considered taboo and weakness under Lolth). She knows their pain, sees the part of them that was silenced by hatred and strife, their hidden beauty, and strives to nurture it. The Dark Maiden works to "redeem" the drow by showing them all that they've been missing on in life due to Lolth's oppression, and by taking the role of a nurturing mother. While they were taught that love and affection are weakness, Eilistraee loves them as they are--including vulnerabilities and wounds--and shows them the strength in caring for each other. While they were taught that an individual has no value except for the power and favor from Lolth that they detain, Eilistraee shows them that they matter as people. Lolth's society is governed by rigid roles and rules, and every drow is forced to constantly wear a mask and enegage in the perennial strife. Eilistraee, on the other hand, teaches them the freedom of expressing themselves, of casting off their chains, and experience that full, vivid joy that too many are denied. With her focus on beauty and freedom, Eilistraee lures the drow out of their prison (and, weirdly, comfort zone, due to Lolth's indoctrination), to embark on a journey to see and marvel at what life actually is, to open their eyes and make them understand that a different existence is not only possible, but that it leads to actual happiness and liberation.

The Dark Maiden is there in all the important parts of this journey; while she can't guarantee safety, she tends to her "children" in various practical ways, nurturing, protecting and teaching them about the surface world that is their forgotten home. For example, she often scares off aggressors, sends visions warning of danger, or leads an edible animal within the reach of a hungry drow. She provides dancing beams of moonlight that move about guiding those who are lost in the dark and leading them to safety, or to lighten childbirths. She is also known to often appear when her children need confort and her visible support in difficult moments (or to welcome a new drow to "join her dance"). It usually happens through her own moonlight, or as a protecting, shadowy, tall female dark elf that dances with the drow.

Even then, Eilistraee tries to leave the drow free to choose; she is subtle and delicate when offering her help, and careful to never impose herself or to forcefully intervene in people's choices. She wishes for her children to find their own path, and to see with their own eyes what life has to offer.

==History==
[[File:Eilistraee and Corellon.jpg|250px|thumb|left|Eilistraee with her father, Corellon]]
During Eilistraee's youth, Araushnee's schemes to usurp Corellon's position led various deities, enemies of the Seldarine, to assault and enter [[Arvandor]]. In the ensuing battle, as Eilistraee fired an arrow meant to save her father, Lolth's magic cursed it mid-flight, causing it to pierce the elven god's chest instead. Eventually, the treachery was unveiled and Corellon saved, but--despite having been judged as innocent--Eilistraee chose to share her mother's exile. She had foreseen that the drow would need her warmth and guidance in the dark times that were to come, and she couldn't provide that from the luxury of Arvandor, but only by being by their side in their struggle. Feeling guilty, she also swore to never use the bow again, and started sword-dancing instead. Corellon was pained to see his child go, but at the same time he was proud of her choice.

After her exile, the Dark Maiden followed the elven people--including the dark elves that she had chosen to watch over--to [[Forgotten Realms|Toril]]. There, alone, she fought [[Vhaeraun]]'s (her brother) and [[Ghaunadaur]]'s corruption of the drow in southern Faerun (and, later, Lolth's as well, when she started exerting her influence on Toril). However, in the end, she wasn't powerful enough to prevent their rise, and became hunted by them alongside her followers. Eilistraee and her people would found a flourishing center of arts and magic in Miyeritar, rivaling the splendor of the great elven kingdoms, but it wouldn't last. During the Crown Wars, a conflict started by the power plays of the sun elves of Aryvandaar and fueled by the ruthlessness of the dark elves of Ilythiir, her efforts couldn't contain the so called Dark Disaster, a magical cataclysm unleashed by the Aryvandaari, which caused the death of the majority of her people in Miyeritar, leading her to lose everything she had worked for, and bringing her to a near powerless state.

Eilistraee found a precious friend in the demigod [[Selvetarm]] (her nephew and son of Vhaeraun and Zandilar the Dancer) who, neither good nor evil, had walked away from both his parents. She took care of him, raised him by teaching her ways, and the two grew close to each other. Selvetarm admired his aunt and wished to gain, in turn, her admiration; the Dark Maiden hoped that Selvetarm could reunite the drow with the elves and the Seldarine. However, Lolth would later trick him into slaying her rival Zanassu, a demon lord of spiders, with the promise that such a feat would neat him Eilistraee's admiration. Predictably, it didn't go like that; Selvetarm was corrupted by the demon, becoming a near mindless berserker and Lolth's pawn, stripping the Dark Maiden of her friend.

As the Crown Wars raged on, Lolth and Ghaunadaur kept corrupting the dark elves by tempting their rulers, warriors and nobles with demonic powers, until the Seldarine cursed and exiled all of them (including the surviving Eilistraee's followers, or those who were otherwise innocent) in the event that became known as "Corellon's Descent". Once again, Eilistraee chose to share the path and curse of her people, but in her powerless state she could not rival Lolth as deity of the dark elves, and the Spider Queen led them in the Underdark. After this event, Lolth's and Ghaunadaur's efforts to exterminate the followers of the other drow gods brought Eilistraee and her people to a virtual collapse, and her relationship with her father and the Seldarine became strained, if still polite, due to the deep schism caused by their choice to curse and punish the entirety of the drow.

Ever since Lolth wrapped her web around the drow, Eilistraee has tried her best to recover from that blow, to offer her people a new life and lead them to flourish once again. She is alone in this battle, however, an underdog who faces forces much greater than her (most of the Dark Seldarine), and too often the results of her efforts and of those of her followers have been swept away like ashes in the wind. Despite all this, after each fall, Eilistraee kept starting over and never stopped fighting for her people, and in the 1300s DR, all the sacrifices were rewarded with substantial gainings and progresses in her cause (in no small part due to the actions of Qilué Veladorn, her chosen). Eventually, the Dark Maiden chose to put her own life at risk in a battle to free the drow from Lolth once and for all. She was left alone to face the deities of the Dark Seldarine one by one, as neither Corellon nor the Seldarine did anything to help her. The Dark Maiden took down Kiaransalee and Vhaeraun (Ed Greenwood said that she spared the latter, merely KOing him with the help of Mystra, who trapped his sentience in the Weave, and borrowing his portfolio), and her church merged with that of her brother for a few years. In the end, however, she was defeated and (apparently) killed--even though, as suggested by Ed Greenwood, thanks to the help of [[Mystra]], the hit that took her down only made her lose her divinity for a while, making her unable to function as a goddess for that time (but still able to communicate with mortals through visions and manifestations). Either way, it lasted only for about 100 years, until the Second Sundering (circa 1480s DR/5e D&D), when Eilistraee returned to her people, and her followers immeidately resumed their activities (which supports the idea that the goddess actually survived and kept in contact with them). Currently, she no longer holds Vhaeraun's portfolio, as he too has re-emerged.

At some point during the above-mentioned war, an Eilistraeen drow mage (Q'arlynd Melarn) cast a High Magic spell that turned a few hundreds among the few thousands followers of Eilistraee into brown skinned "dark elves" (like the drow used to be before being cursed by the Seldarine more than 10k years before). The mage wanted to target all drow except Lolth's followers, but only those of "pure Miyeritari" descent were affected, with the result that most Eilistraeens remained unchanged. Corellon then decided to acknowledge the new brown skinned elves as "redeemed" (despite the fact that they were already good before changing race, and that many of them, born outside of a Lolthite society, had nothing to be redeemed for) and allow them into Arvandor--even though they could already go there, since Eilistraee's realm is in that plane. Now, this has a lot of problems; for example, in 10k+ years Eilistraee has never once cared or acted to change the race of her people (she literally became one of them to build a place in the world for them, as drow), and forcing such a massive chnage on a mortal runs contrary to everything she stands for. The meaning of this transformation is also something that probably should have never seen the light of the day in 2008, because it implies that the mark of being a "good" drow is a lighter skin tone, that goodness is somehow tied to physical appearance, and that one has to conform to arbitrary standards set by others in order to be acceptable, no matter the actual value of their actions (since this is literally what Corellon does with Eilistraee's followers). It's no surprise that WotC decided to entirely ignore and then retcon this matter: both Eilistraee and all her followers are currently still drow, and the "brown elves" have never been mentioned again.

==Worshippers and Beliefs==
[[File:Sword Dancer of Eilistraee.png|250px|thumb|right|A typical Sword Dancer of Eilistraee]]
Eilistraee's [[cleric|clergy]], collectively called "Sword Dancers", is mainly composed of elven or drow women (usually skilled dancers, musicians and diplomats), whose duty is to make sure that the communities entrusted to them thrive in the surface world and establish friendly relationship with other races. They are protectors, healers, and teachers--of survival skills as well as arts--and take care of the physical and emotional well-being of their people. Most Eilistraeen communities form around shrines or temples, and are led by the clergy. Therefore, they are often goodly matriarchies--where men are valued and treated with affection and respect (unlike the Lolthite matriarchy). When in positions of leadership, men often take the role of advisors and decision makers in certain areas of expertise; lay men and lay women have the same roles: gatherers, hunters, workers, scouts, etc... For a time, in order to become clerics, male drow had to spend some time as women through a ritual known as Changedance (according to Ed Greenwood, this was because, due to the goddess' nature and role of nurturing mother for the drow, it was only possible to fully cleave to her as a woman and certainly not be because he is horny). This is no longer needed in the current era, as of 5e/post-Second Sundering, and male clerics (and therefore possibly leaders) are becoming more numerous.

Aside from tending to their communities, the priest(esse)s encourage the dark elves to return to the surface world, and reach to them whether they are fugitives, raiders, or inhabitants of the Underdark. They show that a different kind of life, far from Lolth, is possible, and assist the drow in making this choice by giving them aid, food, acceptance, and safe places to live. The clerics rely on a portal network and on a series of tunnel to lead missions underground (or infiltrate within Underdark settlements) to look for drow who are in need of their help and that can be brought to abandon the Way of Lolth (mostly slaves, commoners, fallen and hunted nobles, or drow who are generally unsatisfied). The priest(esse)s then work to gain their trust: generally, they avoid to force their view, but rescue them, hide them from their enemies, look after them, and offer sincere kindness. When the drow are ready, they are given the message of Eilistraee and a new opportunity:

{{Quote|''A rightful place awaits you in the Realms Above, in the Land of the Great Light. Come in peace, and live beneath the sun again, where trees and flowers grow.''}}

The clerics of Eilistraee work to uphold the ideal of harmony among all races (obviously including the drow) so that their people can be accepted and live in peace, and all races can be united against suffering. As the goddess shows, this includes actively providing aid and protection to the needy, no matter their race or condition. Be it by bringing healing to the wounded, food to the hungry and clothing to the poor; by helping to rebuild, or by offering shelter to travelers, homeless and outcasts (even under their own roof), the faithful strive to lend a helping hand. They constantly prepare for such occasions, by growing and storing food, preparing cures, and regularly patrolling the lands in harsh climates.

The Dark Maiden teaches to help those who fight for good and to show kindness to all, but also to "repay violence with swift violence, that the fewest may be hurt, and danger fast removed from the land"--basically, make people's lives better, but take no shit. However, "swift violence" doesn't necessarily mean killing. On the contrary, evil isn't always monster that can be slain with the simple blade; sometimes the only way to truly defeat it passes through understanding and healing. The sword is needed for defense, but there's strength in compassion and in letting a life bloom and rise from their evil as well--otherwise, there would be no redemption for anyone. That said, clerics of Eilistraee are known to fight threats that endanger not only themselves, but also other races, especially on the surface. The Darksong Knights are an example: these warriors, paladins and clerics devoted to the Dark Dancer choose to actively fight Lolth and her pawns, working to thwart their plans and to hunt down the Spider Queen's demonic minions. Another example is the efforts of the church of Eilistraee to fight slavers. Freedom is an important tenet for them, especially due to the oppression that the drow have to endure under Lolth, so they strive to hunt down those who would see others in chains, and offer shelter and protection to slaves.

Many clerics work as diplomats and emissaries living near (or sometimes within) other races' communities or cities, trying to integrate the drow followers of Eilistraee among the locals. Usually, the priest(esse)s try to find people who would be more open to engaging in trade or coexistance with the drow; they then explain their history, goals, and beliefs, and make an offer in exchange for sponsorship. The offerings range from something as simple as their performance, to healing, travel magic (throuh their Moonsong, especially useful to merchants), knowledge of the Underdark, or exotic goods crafted by the drow. If the deal goes through, the clerics proceed to solidify the new friendship and coexistence (for example, they did this with the old Myth Drannor--under Coronal Tannivh--with Elventree, Raven's Bluff, and--lately--Waterdeep).
[[File:Priestess of Eilistraee.jpg|250px|thumb|left|A priestess practicing her art]]
Besides their work towards their main goal, the faithful of Eilistraee are taught by their goddess to be beacons of hope--not only by fighting for good, but also by nurturing beauty, and practicing and spreading music, arts, and all that is good in life (such as cooking tasty food) as much as possible. The clerics have to be proficient in playing (and crafting/repairing) at least one instrument, to be good singers and graceful dancers, and to teach their skills and knowledge whenever possible. They use any opportunity to learn and compose new music, as well as experimenting with new recipes and spices. Eilistraeens who go adventuring are encouraged to travel and bring joy wherever they go, be it by kind acts, by sharing their arts, stories, and performances, or by trying out recipes to delight those met along the way. They strive to spark passion into people, so that no moment is lost to the grayness of bore and melancholy, and resignation may always be overcome.

Such focus on arts and beauty is not just hollow optimism. Suffering is well known to both the goddess and her followers, but the act of fully, freely embracing the beauty that the world has to offer can still resonate with the dark elves (despite being absent or corrupted in the Lolthite society). Many unconsciously feel the need to rediscover such joys, which become a way to lure the drow to a life that they have forgotten, and to speak to that part of them that was silenced by Lolth's hatred. Song and music, as well as dance, are also a powerful mean of self-expression, and mark the rhythm of the daily life in the Eilistraeen communities. Even the iconic magic of the Sword Dancers, the Spellsong, is based on music capable of healing, creating and protecting, and their distinctive fighting style relies on a series of evasive, graceful movements that combine dance and swordplay into one.

Finally, the clerics of the Dark Maiden are also known to be proficient smiths who specialize in the making of blades, and skilled users of the Dancing Swords (for the symbolic resonance of these items with their goddess' portfolio).

Mechanically speaking, in 5e D&D a College of Swords [[bard]] whose spell selection focuses on healing, support, enchantment and illusion, would be a good fit to represent a Sword Dancer of Eilistraee (while the rest of her clergy is well represented by the Nature, Life, and Light [[Cleric Domain|domains]] that they get. [[Cleric Domain#Mearls' Creations|Mearls' Beauty domain]] is thematically perfect too). In 3e D&D there was a prestige class for it; in 2e, there was a cleric kit.

===Militant Orders===
;Darksong Knights
[[File:Darksong Kight.jpg|250px|thumb|right|A paladin of Eilistraee]]
The Darksong Knights are an order of elite [[fighter|warriors]] and [[paladin|paladins]] who serve as a bulwark between the followers of Eilistraee and the zealot crusaders and the fiendish servants of Lolth. Similarly to the Sword Dancers, their fighting style is graceful and acrobatic, but they favor heavier armor than their priestly counterpart, and receive specialized training aimed to face the creatures of the lower planes. The Darksong Knights make a sacred oath, swearing to uphold the teachings of the Dark Maiden, and to tirelessly hunt the Spider Queen's handmaidens—the yochlol—as well as all demons. Fiends caused the downfall of the drow in the ancient times, and no matter what tricks they use to corrupt mortals, the Darksong Knights give them no quarter. They are especially active in southern Faerun, the lands once occupied by ancient Ilythiir. In mechanical terms, in 5e D&D this order would likely include Oath of the Ancient, Vengeance and Devotion paladins, and probably also Horizon Walker [[ranger|rangers]]. In 3e D&D, there was a substitute levels option for the fighter class to represent the Darksong Knights.

;Silverhair Knights
Emissaries of redemption, the Silverhair Knights are an order of paladins focused on bringing any and all drow the choice to be free from Lolth. Like the Darksong Knights, they swear to uphold the teachings of Eilistraee, but focus on mercy and compassion. They take an oath to never willingly kill those who can be redeemed, especially the drow (they can use lethal means only if that means saving more lives; even then, a quest for atonement is needed), and--among the followers of Eilistraee--they are the most dedicated to the missions to reach for their kin in the Underdark and bring them to the light. The Silverhair Knights approach the potential converts with caution, by taking many careful steps to make them feel as safe and comfortable as possible, and offer them the path to a life free of endless strife and paranoia. The Silverhair Knights personally escort the drow to safety, and constantly offer their protection to all followers of Eilistraee, especially the new converts, in order to show that the life that the goddess wishes for her children is not a fairy tale, but a concrete possibility. In extreme cases, these paladins can perform a risky ritual that allows them to take the cruelty and suffering experienced and inflicted by a creature upon themselves, facilitating the process of redemption (a skill that earned them the nickname of "Sin Eaters"). After the Second Sundering, Eilistraee herself often chooses to personally provide direct guidance to the members of this order. Mechanically speaking, in 5e D&D, the Oath of Redemption paladin would be a good fit for a Silverhair Knight; in 3e D&D they were a prestige class.

===Internal Differences===
Despite trying to uphold the teachings of their goddess, and despite working for good, the followers of Eilistraee are varied: while it's easier for a drow born on the surface to put the tenets of the faith in practice, converts have a much harder time. They come from a place where paranoia is the norm, and where every smile hides a threat; furthermore, on the surface, many people still react aggressively to seeing a drow. For those reasons, former Lolthites can be very jumpy, distrusting, and in some occasions even outright murderous (fearing that someone who found the location of a community could alert their people and then come to kill the drow). New converts (and even a few old timers) can also still display the sexism common among the Lolthites.

===Rituals===
[[File:Drow Dancers of Eilistraee.jpg|300px|thumb|left|The first ever depiction of a holy rite of Eilistraee, from AD&D FR's "Drow of the Underdark"]]
The followers of Eilistraee practice many rituals, but the iconic form of worship is a nude dance (usually solitary, but sometimes in group) in a moonlit glade (or, lacking that, using any source of light--often a candle), in which they let out all the emotions of the day in a wordless message for the goddess to listen (called Evensong). Some say that this was created as fanservice (and, in part, it likely was) but it can also have a fitting function. The life in a Lolthite society is based on constructs, falsehood, deceit; conflict is constant and trust and spontaneity are taboos. A nude dance in which the drow let out all their emotions is the act of laying down the mask and feeling free to just be themselves and embrace life. Furthermore, in a society of perpetual conflict, where trust is taboo, vulnerability must be hidden. To be free to dance in the nude with others (or while invoking a goddess) is to be free to show one own's vulnerability—it means that vulnerability is sometimes acceptable, forming a bond of trust, and being accepted as a whole. All of this is surely helpful to "heal" a drow who escapes the abuse of Lolth and her society.

In any case, despite their iconic dances, unlike many seem to believe, the followers of Eilistraee are '''not''' nudists. They wear the most practical garb for a given occasion and armor (generally light) in battle.

A peculiar ritual is the Run, celebrated at least once per year (and lasting at least one month and a half). The faithful venture to places where they are strangers, reaching communities of elves and other races to bring them gifts, food, and their art, showing that the drow can be rightful citizens of the surface world and establishing new friendships.

When a follower of the Dark Maiden who hasn't fallen in battle and who has reached old age feels that their moment is nearing, Eilistraee sings her call to them. The follower goes out in the moonlight to dance to the music, until the goddess herself joins them in a ritual known as "The Last Dance". As the two revel together, the worshipper becomes more and more youthful, the silvery radiance of the Dark Maiden surrounds them, and they slowly fade away. In the end, only the radiance can be seen, and the voices of the goddess and her faithful sing together a tender yet melancholic song.

==Vandria Gilmadrith==
{{Infobox Deity
|Name = Vandria Gilmadrith
|Symbol = [[File:Holy symbol of Vandria Gilmadrith.jpg|150px]]
|Aliases = Lady of Grief, Steelheart
|Alignment = Lawful Neutral
|Divine Rank = Intermediate Goddess
|Pantheon = [[Seldarine]]
|Portfolio = War, Justice, Vigilance, Decision, Grief
|Domains = '''3E:''' Law, Protection, War '''5E:''' Grave, War
|Home Plane = [[Arborea|Arvandor]]
|Worshippers = Lawful Elves
|Favoured Weapon = Longbow
}}
Meanwhile back in "Core" D&D, in something similar to a "What if?" scenario, we have Vandria, who is also the daughter of Corellon and Lolth (no Araushnee in core D&D), but an elven goddess rather than a drow one (though her hair, often worn in a long braid, is white due to her dark elven heritage). In her story, before Lolth's betrayal, she was a free spirit like most elven gods, and lived enjoying the beauty of Arvandor. When Lolth schemed against Corellon, she contributed to the defense of Arvandor like Eilistraee, but her arrows weren't redirected to her father's heart by her mother's magic. After the battle, Vandria didn't follow Lolth in exile; she instead resolved to become the elven goddess of vigilance and war, patroness of elven guardians and warriors. Due to having gained the portfolio of War, Vandria can feel every wound and death suffered by the elves in battle, alongside the pain for the loss of loved ones due to conflict. For that reason, and for the tragedy brought by her mother's betrayal, her carefree personality has turned into a grim and somber attitude, embodying the ability of the elves to adapt to strife. Her focus is on preventing wars, or making them as quick and bloodless as possible when unavoidable.

Vandria's followers participate strongly with the town militias, and they have strongholds hidden all over the place. They also act as arbitrators as diplomats because they are likely to be the most even handed amongst elves.
{{clear}}

==Fanart==
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{{D&D-Nonhuman-Deities}}

[[Category:Forgotten Realms]]

Aranea

2026-05-20T13:04:51Z

107.189.8.16:

[[File:Subtle Aranea Hybrid Form.png|300px|thumb|left|The amazing Spider-Woman.]]
[[File:Aranea MCAV3.jpg|300px|thumb|right|The amazing Woman-Spider.]]

{{Monstergirls}}
Originating from the [[Mystara]] setting back in the 1e module X1: [[Isle of Dread]] and [[X2: Castle Amber]], the '''Aranea''' are a race of intelligent, magically adept spiders, easily recognizable due to the fact they have small, human-like arms where a "normal" giant spider would have its pedipalps, the characteristic "bulge" on their thorax that houses their brain, and their surprisingly human-like eyes.

They are also shapeshifters of the "therianthrope" type, having a singular humanoid form (usually [[human]], [[elf]], [[half-elf]], [[dwarf]], [[lupin]], [[rakasta]] or [[shazak]] in Mystara) that they develop shortly after birth and the ability to shift into a "demi-spider" form that adds random-for-each-individual spider traits, always including at least one pair of eyes, venomous fangs, and the ability to project webbing from their hands, to their humanoid form.

All Aranea are magically talented, to the point that, in 2e, it was noted that every Aranea should have the spellcasting abilities of a 3rd level wizard, whilst 3e gave them inherent sorcerer spells. Needless to say, wizard and sorcerer have been their traditional favored classes throughout the game's various editions. Mystaran Aranea secretly rule the Magiocracy of Herath, living quiet lives in the forests that they prefer to call home.

Aranea although "Chaotic" (which implied evil in Moldvay D&D) never caught on as a villain race, so have been gradually retconned to a libertarian neutrality. They can be kind of arrogant and creepy, but they generally don't want to hurt anyone. Their reproduction is also weird; despite their spider origins, they are very loving individuals and form intense, long-lasting relationships, which is at least an interesting subversion of the usual nastiness (cf: [[Drow]]). They also give birth to live young, which is kind of creepy when you remember that their fluff states they don't develop their humanoid form until a few weeks ''after'' being born.

Aranea are enemies of the [[phanaton]] in X1. The two share the demiplane / Yggdrasil-branch Thorne in [[M5: Talons of Night]]. Elsewhere in the multiverse [[Beyond Countless Doorways]] confronts them with aggressive [[formian]]s. Overall, 'tis safe to assume phanaton care more about them than the reverse.

They have appeared in X1: Isle of Dread, X2: Castle Amber, AC9 Creature Catalogue, the Mystara Monstrous Compendium Appendix, the Monstrous Compendium Annual Three, the [[Red Steel]] campaign setting (''i.e.'' [[X9: Savage Coast]] done properly), the [[Monster Manual]] (3e and 3.5 "revised" version), Savage Species, Dragon Magazine #351, and [[Pathfinder]] Bestiary 2. And GAZ13, ''The Shadow Elves'', around Losetrel.

[[Pathfinder Second Edition]] revived the idea of aranea as shapeshifting non-evil spider people as a race called the [[Anadi]] for their Mwangi Expanse [[splatbook]], and even made them a playable race.

==Red Steel Writeup==
Since you can't find the official bestiary entry from [[Red Steel]] online anywhere these days, meaning only the drastically cut down version from the Mystaran Monstrous Compendium is available, /tg/ decided to get shit done and transplant the old lore here for those looking to find it.

===General Notes===
Aranea are intelligent giant [[spider]]s skilled in magic. Few people believe that they still exist, because the creatures are careful to hide their nature, and they are difficult to expose.

Aranea of the Savage Coast have two true forms - that of their ancestors (a large, intelligent spider) and that of a [[humanoid]]. They can also take on a shape that combines elements of the two. In spider form, an aranea has a body about four feet long and two feet wide. As with normal spiders, the body is divided into two segments, the abdomen and the thorax. Two spinnerets are located at the end of the aranea's abdomen, and eight hairy, segmented legs, each about four feet long, are attached to the thorax. Two more limbs, each about two feet long, sprout from the front of the thorax, beneath the mandibles and eyes. Each of these forward limbs has four many-jointed fingers, plus a single thumb with an extra joint. These digits can be used to manipulate simple tools, or to perform the motions needed to cast spells.

Aranea have a set of impressive mandibles, with large fangs. Adults can inject a damaging poison with them. Behind and above an aranea's mandibles are eight eyes. Four are small, simple eyes, used to detect motion. The other four are larger, and apear almost like humans', with a colored iris and black pupil, though set in a round, lidless socket. Two of the larger eyes face forward, and the others are positioned on either side of the creature's head. Above and behind the eyes is a large, oddly shaped lump that houses the aranea's brain.

Each aranea has one [[humanoid]] form that it can shift into. The humanoids that can be emulated are many, though some are too large or small to be imitated (see below) and others are not familiar enough to the aranea for them to be copied. Because of magical restrictions, one race in particular, the [[wallara]]s, cannot be imitated at all. Races chose can range from as small as a [[goblin]] to as large as a [[gnoll]], but those typically emulated are [[human]], [[elf]], [[half-elf]], [[dwarf]], [[lupin]], [[rakasta]] or [[shazak]]. Some few aranea choose a [[goblinoid]] form instead.

An aranea's humanoid form is chosen very soon after birth, and cannot be changed to another form later. The humanoid form must be the same gender as the aranea. Height, weight, eye color, and hair color are all appropriate to the humanoid type imitated. For aranea PCs, the choice of exact race and form is left to the players (within the guidelines listed above).

In its third, demispider form, an aranea appears as a humanoid with arachnoid elements. These always include fangs, spinnerets in the palm of each hand, and four eyes. The demispider form typically has an extra joint in each finger and thumb as well, and the two extra eyes are generally located on the temples. But no two individuals ever have exactly the same demispider form. Since aranea gain no initial Legacy from the Red Curse, aranea characters usually claim that this form is part of their Legacy. The fiction works well, considering that aranea are relatively rare and very secretive, and some Legacies give a demispider form.

Aranea have their own language, known now as Herath. All aranea know this language and a native language of the race they emulate. Most aranea are neutral in alignment, though most other people consider them to be evil.

===Combat===
Aranea prefer to avoid physical combat. In humanoid form, they battle as the race emulated. In spider form, they wait in trees for prey to pass beneath, then lower themselves silently on web strands, and attack with spells. A victim attacked in this manner suffers a penalty of -1 to surprise rolls.

If forced into physical combat, an aranea can attempt to inject venom into an opponent. This requires a successful hit with fangs, so it can be performed only by aranea in arachnid or demispider form. A victim who fails a saving throw vs. poison after being bitten feels a faint stiffness in the limbs immediately, and takes 1d4 damage per round for the 1d4 rounds. Damage for multiple bites is cumulative. Aranea venom becomes nonpoisonous upon contact with air, so it cannot be saved and used on weapons. The aranea can inject venom up to three times each day.

An aranea gains web-spinning ability at maturity (1st level for PCs). This allows the creature to descend on webs, climb them, and entangle opponents. Naturally, webs can be spun only by aranea in spider or demispider form. An aranea can produce 10 feet of webbing per level per day (half from each spinneret). It can be spun in pieces of any size, up to the maximum length. A web strand is about a quarter-inch in diameter and strong enough to suspend about 500 pounds. Aranea climb webs at a Movement Rate of 12, (again, only in spider or demispider form). They have no special abilities against a web spell, however. Using webbing to entangle a target requires a weapon attack. A strand can be severed easily (requiring only 2 hit points of cutting damage inflicted in a single blow), and can be broken by a successful "open doors" roll.

Aranea place much value on magic, and nearly all of them are spellcasters, so [[magic]] is fairly common in their lands. DMs should treat aranea NPCs as 3rd-level [[mage]]s. They can cast spells in any of their forms. Most aranea are mages or specialist [[wizard]]s. They prefer [[Illusionist|illusions]] and [[Enchanter|charms]], and avoid [[Elementalism|fire-based]] spells. Some dwelling among humanoids keep their spellcasting abilities secret, to avoid arousing suspicion. Many are multi-class [[mage]]s or single-class [[Rogue|thieves]]. Single-class [[cleric]]s or [[fighter]]s are very rare. Though aranea might seem particularly well suited to be [[bard]]s, that class is forbidden to them, for the idea of being an entertainer is foreign to their culture, and their histories are kept by "real wizards," rather than those who simply "dabble in magic". Because of their special natures, aranea who emulate [[human]]s, [[lupin]]s, or [[rakasta]] can choose to become [[Multiclassing|dual-class, and cannot be [[Multiclassing|multi-class]] characters. Dual-class aranea usually take the non[[mage]] class first, so they may advance to high levels as [[wizard]]s.

Aranea choose [[kits]] appropriate to their humanoid forms, and can take any available to their character class and the race they emulate. The Noble kit is a favorite, but no aranea ever takes the Local Hero kit, because they consider it degrading.

Aranea wear armor appropriate for their clas. Most feel they will never need to change into their arachnid forms quickly enough to take daamge from restrictive armor. If they do change into spider form while wearing armor, damage suffered equals 10 minus the AC of the armor, and the armor is ruined.

===Special Abilities===
In spider form, aranea have AC 7 and never wear armor. In humanoid or demispider form, they have the base AC of the emulated race (AC 10). Aranea have infravision with a range of 60 feet. They can take proficiency in animal handling and animal training for spiders, the ability being applied to spiders with an Intelligence of 1 or more. Because of their other abilities and their involvement with the creation of the [[Red Curse]], aranea do not receive an initial Legacy. However, when they reach maturity, they must wear [[cinnabryl]] or suffer the detrimental effects of a randomly chosen power. An aranea can gain Legacies by becoming an [[Inheritor]].

Aranea change shapes with ease. The ability is automatic, learned within a few weeks after birth, and is not limited in duration or number of uses per day. However, an aranea trying to maintain secrecy will assume demispider form no more than three times per day, as per the Legacies, and the creatures never assume spider form among non-aranea. It takes one round to change from humanoid to demispider, demispider to spider, or vice versa. Thus, changing from spider to humanoid or the reverse takes a minimum of two rounds.

An aranea in humanoid form is effectively a member of the race emulated, and has any special abilities of that race. For instance, an aranea in [[lupin]] form has excellent senses of smell and hearing. In all cases, though, the aranea follows the character class and level restrictions for aranea.

In essence, an aranea has two real identities. The creature's true race cannot be determined unless someone actually watches the change into spider form or has some way to read the character's mind (or possesses some other extraordinary means). Even a true seeing spell is generally useless, because it allows the recipient "to see all things as they actually are," and aranea of the Savage Coast actually have dual "true" forms. If a true seeing spell is used on an aranea in demispider form, it reveals either the arachnid form or the humanoid form (equal chances). Note that the identify species spell was invented by aranea, so it is useless against them. (The aranea use the spell to ferret out spies and ensure the security of special meetings.)

Though the aranea's shapechanging ability was originally gained through arcane means, neither form is magical, so a dispel magic spell cast on an aranea in humanoid form does not cause it to revert to spider form. If cast on an aranea in demispider form, dispel magic can (if a successful roll is made, using the aranea's level or Hit Dice as the value for the opposing caster) cause the aranea to change into humanoid or spider form (again, equal chances).

The shapechanging ability gives aranea partial immunity to polymorph spells, as with [[Therianthrope|lycanthropes]] and [[doppelganger]]s. (They can resume their normal form after being affected by the spell for one round.) Aranea are easier to hit and take extra damage from weapons enchanted with bonuses against shapechangers (such as a Sword +1, +3 vs. Lycanthropes & Shapechangers). Shapechanging does not heal wounds an aranea has taken. When killed, an aranea stays in the form held just before death.

===Habitat/Society===
Aranea prefer to live in forests, the natural homes of their ancestors, where they can hunt and hide. The aranea are the secret rulers of the [[Magocracy]] of Herath, where they live in cities and villages that resemble those of neighboring lands, but with an apparent mixture of several different races. Otherwise, an aranea village seems very much like any other typical of the region, with stone and wood buildings built more for practicality than artistic value.

Aranea follow the mating customs of the race they emulate, and their love can be quite deep. Aranea young are born live, and parents take good care of their children, to make sure they are given a proper background. Each aranea is taught to emulate its humanoid form from infancy. They believe the form is chosen by fate, and aranea of the same family usually have similar forms (if not, an infant might be sent away to be raised by relatives).

Aranea take great pains to conceal their dual natures, partly because many other races feel animosity toward them, due to their secretive nature and their history. Aranea are taught from birth that they have two, discrete identities, one the spider form, shown only to other aranea, and the other a humanoid form, which law demands must be used to deal with outsiders. Individuals are compelled by aranea culture to keep the two identities separate, and never to reveal the aranea's existence to other races. Those who do are considered traitors, and are dealt with harshly and quickly by other aranea.

Because of old stories and legends of their purported evil, aranea are almost universally despised as a sort of "bogeyman". Aranea who reveal what they really are suffer from a +10 penalty to reaction rolls for anyone who has heard of them. A revealed aranea will often be hunted by almost everyone in the region (especially by other aranea). However, it may be possible for the character to assume the pose of a "tame" aranea, one who has "converted to the cause of good." But even these characters would suffer from prejudice and hunts by other aranea.

Most aranea feel they are superior to other races, due to their long history and special abilities. Often, they are cold, calculating, and secretive. But few are truly evil; they simply have a different outlook on things. They also tend to be suspicious of others, expecting them to have secrets as well.

Aranea usually take the acting proficiency. This allows them to blend in perfectly in another society, appearing open and honest, if they so choose. This is not to say that aranea without the acting proficiency will automatically be discovered, but they are less able to blend, in terms of personality. An aranea without the acting proficiency will often be considered strange, but since the creature looks like a member of another race, others usually simply assume the character is an odd member of the other race.

===Ecology===
Aranea use [[magic]] to subdue their environment, shaping it to fit their desires. They are predators, and many enjoy the taste of the flesh of sentient beings, though these are the exception rather than the rule. Their culture produces art that most other sentients find disturbing. Aranea are generally good with cloth, and naturally dominate the silk market with the silk they produce. Aranean technological development is typical for the Savage Coast. They use tools and weapons common to the races they emulate, and they covet magical items.

Currently, the creatures get along reasonably well with other races.

==Undead Aranea==
Given that the aranea are so obsessed with magic, naturally, they have more than their share of [[necromancer]]s. And this has led to the development of two different kind of aranean [[undead]] creatures.

'''Yeshoms''' were an experiment to grant an aranea immortality, augmented shapeshifting, and enhanced spellcasting power. It went horribly, horribly right, transforming the araneans who underwent the procedure into [[slime]]-like [[undead]] monsters whose psyches were scarred by the transformation, which ultimately drove them insane and evil. In its normal form, the yeshom resembles a large puddle of oily, black tar, but it can take the form of any man-sized or smaller creature, but each form retains its characteristic shiny, black, liquid texture. These grotesque creatures are virtually indestructible; alongside a 75% resistance to magic, they are immune to any form of energy discharge, as well as being immune to charm spells, sleep spells, hold spells, death magic and poison. Plus, they can only be hurt by magical weapons. They can dissolve creatures with their touch, like a black pudding, and any creature destroyed by a yeshom has its very ''soul'' destroyed; not even a '''Wish''' can restore their victims! They can also envelop victims and trap them in suspended animation within a pocket-plane that only the yeshom can access, where the yeshom can draw upon that victim's memories. Cruel, irrational and very, very bored, these sadistic undead prefer to draw out the agony of a death, prolonging the victim’s terror. About the only good thing about them is that they are extremely territorial; they rarely, if ever, move from their isolated lairs, and never have minions, not even undead slaves.

'''Arashaeem''' are believed to be the result of aranea attempting to undergo the [[lich]] transformation, although whether or not they are successes is a matter of perspective. These undead spiderweres retain their shapeshifting, being able to transform between three [[zombie]]-like forms; a giant undead spider, a humanoid, and a hybrid form. Highly intelligent and equally arrogant, they retain an appetite for flesh, much like a cannibal zombie or [[ghoul]], but are still powerful mages wielding deadly magic in pursuit of their goals of conquest and domination. Their venom is a powerful paralytic, and some strange aspect of their necrology causes their webbing to be imbued with a similar paralytic toxin. Unlike a true lich, whilst arashaeem are resilient, they have no phylacteries and thus they cannot return if destroyed. They also retain the vulnerability to anti-shapeshifter weaponry carried by their living kin.

<gallery>
yeshom MCSC.jpg|Yeshom
arashaeem MCSC.jpg|Arashaeem
</gallery>

==PC Stats==
===BECMI===
Aranea first appeared as monsters in BECMI's Creature Catalogue. But they also received a PC writeup in [[Dragon Magazine]] #183, whose entry in [[The Voyage of the Princess Ark]] brought the protagonists to the realm of Herath, an aranea-dominated [[magocracy]].

::Ability Score Modifiers: +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, -2 Strength, -2 Constitution
::Mandatory Alignment: Neutral or Chaotic
::Mandatory Skills: Aranea PCs must prioritize using skill slots to acquire Spiderspeech (1 slot, grants the ability to communicate with both normal and giant spiders) and to raise Acting to 18.
::Spider Shifter: Aranea in their natural form are giant spiders, with an alternate Humanoid Form (see below), and can change between forms over the course of a full game turn.
:::Spider Form: In spider form, aranea have an Armor Class of 9 (minus Dexterity bonus) and a movement value of 180'(60') - or 120'(40') on webbing, whether generated by aranea or any giant arachnid. They can make 1 attack per round, and can make a bite attack that does 1d6 damage. They also have infravision, secret-door detection, and can only be surprised on a 1d10 roll of a 1 due to their wide-angle vision. Finally, they possess the Climb Walls ability of a [[Thief]] of equivalent level, save for not suffering a -40% penalty to climb checks made to move along ceilings. In spider form, aranea use their generated Charisma score when dealing with other aranea, but are treated as having Charisma 3 when dealing with other races.
:::Humanoid Form: An aranea selects a single "humanoid" race ([[human]], [[demihuman]], [[goblinoid]], [[rakasta]], [[lupin]], [[gnoll]] or [[tortle]]). In humanoid form, an aranea gains all of the special racial abilities associated with that race (enhanced senses, extra attacks, etc). In humanoid form, aranea have a default Charisma of 8 (or less, if the aranea's intiial Charisma is 7 or lower), but make an Acting check each time they gain an experience level; if successful, the aranea's Charisma in humanoid form permanently increases by +1, to a maximum of 18.
::Racial Class: Regardless of form, aranea use the experience, hit points, saves and spell-casting abilities of a [[human]] [[wizard]].
::Racial Abilities: Aranea gain a number of special abilities as they gain levels:
:::Level 2: Aranea can generate silk, using it either to spin webs (1 square foot per round) or silken strands (20' per round). Silk strands can be used like rope, with half the encumbrance value. Webbing functions like a web spell, although it needs to be big enough to cover the creature it's trying to hold, and a small web (3'*3') can be tossed at creatures like a net.
:::Level 3: Creatures bitten by an aranea must pass a save vs. poison or be paralyzed for 1 turn per level of the aranea.
:::Level 5: Aranea can sense the presence of all normal spiders within 30', and can control up to 4HD worth of them at will.
:::Level 7: Once per day, an aranea can summon a swarm of spiders, which arrives within 1d4 rounds and obeys its commands.
:::Level 9: A creature bitten by an aranea whose hit dice are equal to or lower than the aranea's must make a second save vs. poison if it succumbs to the paralysis. If this second roll is failed, the creature dies within 1d4 turns.
:::Level 12: Once per day, an aranea can summon giant spiders to its side and command them. This power summons Hit Dice of giant spiders equal to or less than 1/3rd of the aranea's experience level.

===AD&D===
The first playable depiction of the Aranea in [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] was in 2e's [[Red Steel]] campaign setting book, where they shared the "new races" entry with their fellow [[beastfolk]]; the [[Lupin]]s, the [[Rakasta]] and the [[Tortle]]s. They would later be reprinted in Odyssey's "Characters of the Savage Coast".

::Ability Score Minimums/Maximums: Minimum of 8 [[Dexterity]], Minimum of 12 [[Intelligence]], Maximum of 16 [[Constitution]], all others are standard 3/18 value.
::Ability Score Modifiers: -2 [[Strength]], -2 [[Constitution]], +2 [[Dexterity]], +2 [[Intelligence]]
::Racial Class & Level Limits: [[Fighter]] 6, [[Wizard]] (Any) Unlimited, [[Cleric]] 9, [[Druid]] 12, [[Rogue|Thief]] 12, [[Psion]]icist 10
::Classing: Aranea can choose to either [[Multiclassing|dual-class or to become multiclassed]] Mage/Fighters, Mage/Clerics, Mage/Psionicists or Mage/Thieves. They can multiclass as generalist or specialist mages.
::Racial Thieving Skill Adjustments: +10% to Move Silently and Read Languages, +5% to Hide in Shadows and Climb Walls
::Base Armor Class: 7 in spider form, 10 in humanoid/demi-spider forms
::Spider's Ambush: Aranea have the option to ambush victims by assuming spider form and waiting in a high, concealed spot, such as amongst the branches of a tree, before dropping down on a silken tether behind the victim. When attacking in such a fashion, the victim suffers a -1 penalty to their surprise roll.
::Spider's Bite: When in spider or demi-spider form, an aranea can deliver a deadly toxin with their fangs, inflicting 1d4 damage per round for 1d4 rounds upon successfully biting a victim who then fails their save vs. poison. Aranea venom quickly becomes harmless when exposed to air, so they can only deliver this venom with their own fangs. An aranea produces enough venom to deliver three toxic bites per day.
::Spider's Silk: In spider or demi-spider forms, an aranea can spin up to 10 feet of webbing per level each day. In their arachnid forms, aranea can climb webbing with movement value 12, although this grants them no protection against a Web spell. Webbing can be used to entangle a foe with a weapon attack; this webbing has only 2 hit points and can be broken with a successful Open Doors roll.
::Shapechanging: Aranea treat both their humanoid and their spider forms as "true forms", so neither true seeing nor dispel magic will force them to change shape from either of these forms. In demi-spider form, a dispel magic will force an aranea to randomly assume either humanoid or spider form. It takes one round to progress one stage along the spider-demispider-humanoid axis, so it takes two rounds to go completely from one "true form" to the other. If forced to shapechange from humanoid to spider whilst wearing armor, an aranea takes (10 - armor's AC) damage and the armor is ruined in the process. Aranea have the same partial immunity to polymorph spells as any other shapechanger, and are likewise vulnerable to shapechanger's bane weapons. An aranea in its humanoid form has all of the racial traits of that form - for example, an aranea that transforms into a [[lupin]] would gain the lupin's enhanced sense of smell.
::Infravision 60 feet
::Evil Reputation: An aranea whose race is revealed will suffer from the "common knowledge" of its ancestral "legacy of evil". This cultural demonization inflicts a +10 penalty to reaction rolls from anyone who is familiar with the stories and legends of the ancient aranea.

===3.5===
The 3rd edition version of the Aranea appeared for the first time in Savage Species, but received an updated PC writeup in Dragon #351. Ironically, they were probably worse than their 2e versions, given the scourge of [[Level Adjustment]].

::Ability Score Modifiers: +4 Dexterity, +4 Constitution, +4 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom, +4 Charisma
::Racial Type: Magical Beast (Shapechanger)
::Size: Medium
::Hit Dice: 3 Monstrous HD
::Movement: 50 feet, Climb 25 feet
::Special Attack: Poisonous Bite; inflicts d6 damage and injects a venom that requires a Constitution-based Fortitude save against DC 13. Inflicts d6 initial Strength damage and 2d6 secondary Strength damage.
::Special Attack: Web; When in spider or hybrid form, an aranea may throw a web as a ranged attack. This is treated as making a thrown net attack, except that it has a maximum range of 50 feet, a range increment of 10 feet, and is effective against targets of Large size or smaller. A creature hit by the web is entangled and cannot move unless they succeed at either a DC 13 Escape Artist check or a DC 17 Strength check. Aranea webbing has 6 hit points, 0 hardness, and takes double damage from fire. An aranea only produces enough webbing to make six Web Attacks each day.
::Special Attack: Spells; An aranea has the spell-casting ability of a 3rd level sorcerer. They traditionally prefer illusions and enchantments, but avoid fire spells.
::Supernatural Ability: Change Shape; An aranea's natural form is of a Medium-sized monstrous spider, but it may assume two other forms. The first is of a Small or Medium Humanoid creature; this form is unique to the aranea, as with a lycanthrope. In this form, it cannot use its poisonous bite or web attacks, and its movement values change to that of the humanoid. The second form is a "demi-spider"; although it can pass as a Medium Humanoid at first glance, a DC 18 Spot check will reveal subtle spidery flaws in the aranea's form, such as fangs or extra eyes. In hybrid form, it can use weapons and armor like a humanoid, but still use its poisonous bite and web attacks. An aranea cannot be forced into its true form by any Dispel Magic type effect, but a True Seeing will show the aranea for its true form when shapeshifted.
::Darkvision 60 feet, Lowlight Vision
::Racial Skill Bonuses: +2 to Spot, +2 to Listen, +2 to Jump, +8 to Climb, can always Take 10 on Climb checks.
::[[Level Adjustment]]: +4

{{D&D2e-Races}}

==Monstergirls==
Weirdly, despite the artwork shown at the top of the page, the aranea never really caught on in /tg/ eyes as a [[monstergirls]]-friendly species. Precisely why is unknown, and probably has to do with the species' obscurity amongst the modern /tg/-going crowd. This is a shame, because the species is actually very compatible with such a depiction. After all, their background as sapient spiders that developed the ability to assume wholly & partially humanoid form is reminiscent of the [[hengeyokai]], one of the older real-world monstergirl species. The fact that every "demispider" form is unique gives you all but explicit permission to make your aranea look like whatever floats your boat in terms of spider-girls; want a not![[Drider]]? A bipedal spidergirl? Something more human? Something more monstrous? You can go with whatever angle you like, and you're still being canon. Add in all the stuff about them being passionate, loving, and monogamous by their canon fluff, and they're practically tailor-made for the spider-waifu crowd.

Perhaps, one day, they will get the recognition they deserve, but until then, they languish in obscurity where only those MG fans most interested in D&D will venture to go.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
aranea MCSC.jpg|2e
aranea 3e.jpg|3e
aranea B2 PF.png|Pathfinder
</gallery>

{{D&D-Therianthropes}}

[[Category:Monsters]]
[[Category:Mystara]]

Star Spawn

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'''Star Spawn''' refers to either of two groups of [[Monster]]s in [[Dungeons & Dragons]], although precisely which group depends on the edition.

==World Axis Star Spawn==
The original Star Spawn appeared in [[Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition]]. Here, they were intimately tied into one of the more Lovecraftian aspects of the [[World Axis]] cosmology; long story short, the World Axis is full of stars that are sapient creatures, strange cosmic [[aberration]]s who were mostly known for serving as patrons to [[Warlock]]s, with a list fleshed out heavily in the article "Wish Upon A Star" from [[Dragon Magazine]] #366, which also features the Student of Caiphon [[Paragon Path]] and the Radiant One [[Epic Destiny]], both tied to these dark stars. The Starspawn, as their name suggests, are cosmic aberrations born from these stars - although it can also be used to refer to the aberrant stars themselves, as Allabar, Opener of the Way, is considered a "Starspawn" in his own right. These Starspawn were detailed in the [[Monster Manual]] 2 and 3.

In "Wish Upon A Star", only the following information is presented about the Star Spawn:
* Acamar: Acamar is a [http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_star_(Newtonian_mechanics) corpse star whose motions and behemoth size send celestial objects that draw too close spiraling to their doom].
* Caiphon: This purple star is usually on the horizon. It has the guise of a helpful guide star, but sometimes betrays those who rely upon it.
* Delban: An ice-white star often visible only during winter, Delban might surprise the star-gazer with an impromptu flare during any season.
* Gibbeth: Better not to write or think overlong on this greenish point in the sky.
* Hadar: Hadar is the extinguished cinder of a star lurking within the cloaking nebula of Ihbar.
* Ihbar: A dark nebula between stars, Ihbar is slowly expanding and eating the light of neighboring constellations.
* Khirad: A piercing blue star, Khirad’s radiance sometimes reveals secrets and gruesome insights.
* Nihal: Nihal is a reddish star that writhes around the position it should hold in the heavens.
* Ulban: Ulban’s blue-white light disrupts cognition and the ability to recognize danger.
* Zhudun: Another corpse star, Zhudun is historically described as shining a baleful light over the Ruined Realm of Cendriane in the Feywild before its fall.

Further information on Star Spawn was presented in the second and third Monster Manuals, whilst Ulban was fleshed out in Dragon #381 as a potential patron for a Star Pact [[Warlock]]. An article called "Strange Constellations" in Dragon #403 furthered the Star Spawn by converting several of the monsters from the 3e splatbook [[Elder Evils]] into Star Spawn; [[Atropus]], [[Father Llymic]], [[Pandorym]], [[Ragnorra]] and [[Kyuss|The Worm That Walks]]. It was functionally a repeat of "Wish Upon A Star", with brief adaptations of the Elder Evils into the Star Spawn of the Elder Constellation in terms of lore, plus a [[warlock]] spell or two tied to each one.

===Ulban, the Messenger===
''After crossing paradoxes of space and time, Ulban, self-proclaimed remnant from a thousand eons hence, arrives.''
'''Origin:''' Streaking across the night sky in a radiant flash, the comet Ulban has appeared throughout the centuries at times of great distress. With each passing, those sensitive to the power of the stars receive an opportunity to commune with the sentience bound within it. It reveals truths by opening one’s eyes to the greater reality and limitless scope of the universe, and potentially one’s pivotal place in it. Such listeners learn that Ulban is no mere comet; the Messenger exists outside space and time, and it is the last survivor of the universe’s final undoing. It searches for one it believes can alter its past, ensuring the survival of the cosmos. It claims that you, more than any other individual at any time, can direct the fate of the universe, saving everything that will ever exist from the atrophy of the Star Spawn.

'''Goals:''' Ulban’s appearance marks dark times ahead. It crosses the alignment of Allabar and other baleful celestial bodies when their influence is greatest, disrupting their machinations by instructing you in the use of the powers of warlock champions from its own time. Its mysterious knowledge drives you to instigate plots taking years to complete. These plots test the limits of morality by sending entire regions spiraling into chaos, uncovering secrets best left hidden, and confronting enemies without regard to moral motivations. All this, Ulban claims, shall avert disaster in coming eons.

'''Interaction:''' Ulban’s mission does not accommodate mortal frailty. Its directives are so forceful that they paralyze your mind. These episodes bombard you with unfathomable images from across time. After recovery, you have instantaneous understanding of new star magic and Ulban’s will as you watch the comet disappear into the night sky.

'''Communication:''' Contacting Ulban demands intricate astrological calculations that change with phases of the night sky or hostile meddling of the other stars.

'''Pact Boon:''' Ulban has foretold the felling of your last enemy and—as also foreseen—sends you brief glimpses of the doomed future, giving you insight into your next action.

'''Roleplaying:''' The comet’s revelations have left their mark on you. Can you still find meaning in familiar experiences? Do you go through life in nihilistic apathy, foretelling doom? Or do you accept Ulban’s pact because denying it would invite the death of the universe? With your knowledge you could protect countless innocents or philosophize with sages about the true nature of reality. What of Ulban itself? Do you fully trust it, or do you doubt its intentions? You can only guess who or what will benefit most from the manipulation of its past, but is ignoring its ominous predictions worth the risk?

'''Suggested Traits:''' Apathetic, bizarre, nervous, pessimistic, prophetic, truth-seeking, unreadable, unsettling

===MM2 Star Spawn Lore===
Warlocks and sages know that when one looks up at the stars, some stars glare back with hunger. When a star hangs in the correct position in the sky and its light strikes the world at precisely the right angle, the star spawn walk the world. Star spawn are utterly malevolent beings.

Dungeoneering DC 20: The star spawn are creatures sent by the baleful stars of the night sky, accursed celestial objects that gaze upon the world with a mixture of hatred, anger, and hunger. The spawn are the avatars of these stars, sent to wreak havoc. Some stars have only one spawn, but others manifest a multitude of creatures. The spawn of a particular star appear only once a year at most, but sometimes a spawn becomes trapped in the world and continues its depredations until slain.

Dungeoneering DC 25: Sometimes cults form around a star spawn. Some star spawn simply devour their worshipers, but others tolerate their presence and use them as allies. Warlocks who have the star pact flock to star spawn. Whether they serve, study, or slay them depends on a particular warlock’s goals and attitudes.

Dungeoneering DC 27: Star spawn are known to appear before great tribulations and at the convergence of unparalleled levels of power. During great wars, battles between divine beings, and the preparation of mighty rituals, the spawn appear across the land. The star called Allabar, a wandering object known as the Opener of the Way, courses across the sky, causing the spawn of any stars it nears to manifest upon the world. Some believe that Allabar is a trickster star that merely spreads havoc between the world and its kin. Others claim that Allabar itself is the greatest of the stars, a strange being from beyond the world, manipulating the other stars to its own end. What that end could be, and the role played by the star spawn, none as yet can guess. Before his disappearance, the warlock Thulzar claimed that he had successfully charted the incursions of all star spawn since the fall of Bael Turath. His research showed an emerging pattern, but he, his tower, and all his works simply vanished one starless night, leaving behind only a smooth, glass-coated crater.

;Herald of Hadar
Hadar's dull red glow is barely visible in the night sky, as the star slowly burns down into a lifeless, dead cinder. According to the Revelations of Melech, Hadar was once the brightest star in the sky, but during the calamities that led to the fall of Bael Turath, it surged into a searing brand of light and then faded into a blood-red ember. Hadar now hangs on the edge of annihilation. A herald of Hadar is an avatar of Hadar’s dying gasps, a fiendish monster that grows stronger in the presence of living creatures.

Dungeoneering DC 18: A herald of Hadar is spawned by its namesake, a dying ember of a star. The herald feasts on life energy, channeling it back to its creator in an effort to avert its demise.

;Maw of Acamar
The star Acamar is a corpse star, a dead star of utter inky nothingness that devours other stars that draw too close. The maw of Acamar is that star’s hunger made real, an avatar of devastation that eats everything in its path.

In battle, the maw of Acamar strides amid its foes, relying on the powerful magic that surges from its form to drag victims to their doom. Winds howl as Acamar draws the very air around the maw into itself. Creatures slain by the maw are ripped apart and dragged away to disappear into Acamar’s endless darkness. The maws are deadlier still when encountered in numbers; they crowd around a foe and tear him in half as they pull him in several directions at once.

Dungeoneering DC 18: A maw of Acamar enters the world when the dark influence of the star Acamar is at its peak. The maw wanders the world, pulling living creatures into its destructive void to feed Acamar, a dead star wracked by endless hunger.

;Scion of Gibbeth
Gibbeth is a cursed green star, said to have at its core an utterly unknowable being. Warlocks and other arcane users say that Gibbeth shall show its face only at the end of the world, when the very glare of its eyes and the monstrous aspect of its being pushes all of creation into inescapable madness. The scion of Gibbeth is a terrible shard of that green star, a herald of Gibbeth’s curse and a forerunner of what might come.

When the scion appears, no two observers can agree on its actual appearance. Some see a green-skinned, horned giant, while others report a red, spider-like creature with a child’s face or a serpentine monstrosity with dozens of gibbering mouths along its body. Sages maintain that this outer appearance is merely an aspect projected by the shard that dwells within the scion. The mental strain of seeing even a shadow of Gibbeth’s essence is such that mortal minds must conjure knowable, though strange, images to contain it. Anyone who sees the scion’s true form is doomed to madness.

Dungeoneering DC 20: A scion of Gibbeth wanders the world seemingly at random. Prophets, the insane, and cultists are drawn to its presence. The scion typically lashes out at any living creature that draws near, but it tolerates these worshipers.

Dungeoneering DC 25: The scion of Gibbeth manifests in the world when Gibbeth is in conjunction with the star Allabar, a celestial object known as the Opener of the Way. Allabar wanders the sky in a pattern unlike that of any other star. It follows a seemingly random path, and when it draws near one of the baleful stars, that star’s spawn appear in the world. The wandering star avoids only Acamar, because that object’s hunger is so great that it would destroy even the star that would open its path to the world.

===MM3 Star Spawn Lore===
Distant stars glimmer in the reaches of the cosmos, portending the advent of sinister creatures, the culmination of dark conspiracies, and the occurrence of catastrophes. In the world, a green star flares brightly in the night, watched only by cloistered scholars and mad warlocks. With the sound of a thousand screams, a rift tears through the fabric of reality, releasing an aberrant monstrosity into the world. It surveys the surroundings and spots the glimmer of lantern light from a nearby farm. The creature then creeps forward, advancing on its target.

Star spawn come in all shapes and sizes, but most bear a semblance of humanoid features. The stars are their only masters. Although nihilistic cultists offer frenzied petitions to star spawn, the creatures follow their own ambitions. Warped by proximity to the Far Realm, the creatures have a purpose incomprehensible to even the most unbalanced humanoids.

Regardless, one can be sure that the appearance of a star spawn is a harbinger of terrible things to come.

Dungeoneering DC 33: Before his disappearance, the warlock Thulzar posed a question to the scholars and philosophers of the world. “Why do some stars hate the world?” he asked. None could answer the question, because the stars and their spawn have remained quiescent about what motivates their loathing. A silent war has persisted between the stars and the world for millennia. Sometimes called the Forgotten War, owing to the subtlety of the conflict compared to the Dawn War, this battle is more significant than most believe. Star spawn are the stars’ soldiers in this battle, and through these creatures’ influence in the world, the stars seek to unravel civilization—and, ultimately, life. With the aid of powerful looking-glasses, a few warlocks have dared to search the deepest parts of the sky for the answer to Thulzar’s question. Those who have retained their sanity—who have seen the place where the Far Realm meets the oblivion of space—have seen dark, sinister creatures stirring. Forgotten by the gods and the primordials, these malevolent creatures wait for something. They watch as Allabar, Opener of the Way, glides patiently across the sky, inciting the stars to war.

When a star spawn descends from the sky, it has no allies. Soon after, it might have an entire cult or town under its thrall. A spawn such as an emissary of Caiphon might disguise its form to insinuate itself within a town, gaining powerful allies there. Because star spawn seek to cause chaos and destruction, they find allies among [[demon]]s, [[tulgar]]s, [[undead]], [[elemental]]s, [[beholder]]s, [[mind flayer]]s, and [[aboleth]]s. Whether they are leaders or servants to such creatures, the spawn hold no allegiance to their allies; whether those creatures live or die is of little concern. Self-interest and the interest of the star it represents is a star spawn’s only motivation.

;Spawn of Ulban
A bolt of blue fire comes streaking down from the cosmos, racing across the night sky above a peaceful kingdom. The kingdom’s citizens look on with awe, yet soon they see the significance of the event. Rebellions spring up in the realm’s borders, and soothsayers cannot sense the future or provide guidance to the kingdom’s leaders.

The spawn of Ulban is a cunning star spawn whose presence upsets creatures’ ability to distinguish friend from foe. A spawn of Ulban assures itself a place of security while it undermines those around it. Foes must fight their way through traps and lackeys before they can confront one of these creatures. Even then, the spawn is a nimble combatant. For these reasons, a spawn of Ulban makes an excellent villain or villain’s sidekick

;Emissary of Caiphon
Caiphon lurks on the horizon and watches the world day and night. With each passing year, it bides its time, providing guidance. As times grow hard and a community is beset by famine, plague, or oppression, Caiphon grows bright, as if to remind people of its reassuring presence. When prayers to gods fail, people offer whispered pleas to the star for help. And Caiphon listens. When their calls grow loud enough, Caiphon sends one of its emissaries. A stranger might arrive in town one day, offering hints for how the people might end their suffering: The stranger subtly suggests that because the lord of the town hasn’t been afflicted by the plague yet, perhaps he has a cure. Soon, those who whispered pleas to Caiphon lie strewn across a vacant battlefield or at the walls of a fortress, victims of a desperate revolt they staged at the suggestion of the stranger.

An emissary of Caiphon magically disguises itself as a humanoid while it works to bring about the downfall of those around it. The creature operates covertly within a society, studying its inhabitants and learning their weaknesses. Thus, when one confronts an emissary of Caiphon, the creature already knows a good deal about its enemies. An emissary might jeer during combat to incite its foes to be reckless, or it perhaps has gathered allies that are resistant to the types of attacks its enemies make.

;Serpent of Nihal
The dreaded serpents of Nihal have long held a place of infamy in the annals of history. The jungle nation of Az-Kiral once had a mighty presence in the world due to backing from [[Zehir]] and his snaketongue cultists and [[yuan-ti]]. The leaders of the nation sought more power than Zehir alone could offer, and they began to search the stars for a force that would help them grow their nation into an empire. They found their solution in the form of Nihal, sometimes called the Serpent Star because of its slithering route across the sky. They created a portal to the star, and through it they brought serpents made of star-stuff into the world. Nihal had different plans, though, and the onslaught of serpents consumed the nation’s inhabitants, leaving its cities desolate. The dreaded serpents still wander the jungles of the cosmos, swallowing any prey they find, feeding Nihal’s unceasing hunger.

Where one serpent of Nihal is present, more lurk nearby. A serpent blinks in and out of reality, so in combat, a group of them might appear initially, only to be followed by more and more as the first round unfolds. A serpent on its own acts at the behest of Nihal. A powerful master might control a group of serpents, sending a slithering mass against its foes.

;Allabar, Opener of the Way
As it wanders the sky, Allabar seeks to fulfill a dire vision of the cosmos. A few stars are not confined to stationary positions, bound to watch distant worlds and exert minimal influence. Allabar is one such star, and it has used its mobility to generate strife between the creatures of the stars and those of the world. In the early days of creation, the [[Archomental|primordials]] created Allabar as a planet like the mortal world. The gods noticed the primordials’ new creation and experimented with it, attempting to create a thinking, living planet. The gods managed to ignite a spark of life within the planet, but they feared the power that their creation possessed. Thus, they cast away the planet, Allabar, into the [[Far Realm]].

In the Far Realm, Allabar was warped in body and mind, so when it returned to the cosmos millennia later, it came full of cunning and malevolence. In the intervening years, Allabar has instigated the stars’ hatred of the world. It has used its power to help create star spawn and transport them into the world to sow chaos. Its ultimate goal might be nothing short of the world’s destruction, or it might plot something more sinister—perhaps to transform the world into a perverted semblance of life, much like itself.

Allabar is intelligent and cunning, so it tries to fight on its own terms. Allabar works to keep its foes close so that when they inevitably die, it can absorb them into its fleshy bulk. When Allabar is bloodied and senses that its enemies pose a true threat, it sprouts more tentacles and enters into a flurry of attacks.

===The Elder Constellation===
'''[[Atropus]]''', the World Born Dead, drifts through the gulfs of space, searching for worlds to consume. When it finds a world, it erases all life from it with a single gruesome touch. As the afterbirth of creation, this entity is committed to unmaking all things. Nothing, not even the gods, can halt the relentless progress of Atropus.

A mote of alien thought given form and flesh, '''[[Father Llymic]]''' dwells in an icy prison, awaiting a time when the world will be right for his arrival. As his age of freezing darkness draws near, his brood begins to appear, stalking the wastes in preparation for his reign. If he is released from his prison, he will cover the entire world with a deadly glacier and remove the world from light and hope for all time.

'''[[Pandorym]]''' personifies the emotionless void of utter annihilation. Though imprisoned millennia ago, a future era will see its release. The god-slaying weapon awaits the arrival of a being powerful enough to reunite its awesome mind with its potent body. Pandorym seeks freedom, and thereafter it intends to bring about the extinction of every god in the cosmos.

'''[[Ragnorra]]''', Mother of Monsters, is a primeval source of corrupted life. Bloated, hideous, and filled with a terrible love for her children, this entity waits at the end of time to gather all her fell offspring back to her awful bosom.

'''[[Kyuss|The Worm That Walks]]''' is a sentient tear in reality through which one can see a swarming mass of maggots and worms that goes on forever. The light from this star is green, and it writhes eternally. Nihal is brother to the Worm, or rather, they are aspects of the same entity as seen from different ends of time.

All of these previously appeared in the book [[Elder Evils]].

==5E Starspawn monsters==
In [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition]], Starspawn is used as a new grouping for various [[Lovecraft]]ian monsters, mostly edition upgrades of the [[Foulspawn]] and a handful of new faces, such as the D&D [[Worm That Walks]]. Statted Star Spawn in Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes consist of the '''Grue''' (a spindly, ghoulish humanoid, weakest of its ilk), the '''Hulk''' (a skinless, [[ogre]]-like brute), the '''Larva Mage''' (aka the Worm That Walks), the '''Mangler''' (a many-armed horror that slithers along the ground), and the '''Seer''' (a distorted humanoid form that acts like a parody of a cleric), the '''Emissary''' (an amalgam shapeshifting mastermind). They are the creations of the [[Elder Evils]]. A few of the Starspawn from 4th edition have had cameo appearances in 5e, including some appearing as [[Vestige]]s in [[Curse of Strahd]]'s amber temple.

[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons]] [[Category: Monsters]]

Sarrukh

2026-05-20T13:04:20Z

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[[File:Sarrukh.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]

'''Sarrukh''' are a reptilian "Elder Race" in the [[Forgotten Realms]] setting of [[Dungeons & Dragons]]. They were most fleshed out in the [[splatbook]] "[[Serpent Kingdoms]]" for [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]], which fleshes them out in detail and establishes them as the creators of all [[serpentfolk]] and [[scalykind]] races native to the Realms.

They subsequently returned in [[Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition]], in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide, which mostly preserved their lore (albeit cut due to the drastic lack of space), but tweaked a few major details, most notably portraying them as sterile and with the ability to shapechange between [[lamia]] style and bipedal forms.

==Official 3e Fluff==
At one time, the sarrukh dominated all of Faerûn. Their mighty empires—the first in the world—encompassed the jungles along the shore of Azulduth, the eastern shore of the Narrow Sea, and the Chultan Peninsula. The sarrukh enslaved or sacrificed other creatures in the name of their god, the World Serpent. Eventually, problems of their own making caused the sarrukh empires to crumble. In the vacuum created by the fall of the sarrukh, their created races rose to prominence, establishing power centers of their own—many of which are still active today. Amazingly, however, the sarrukh have managed to remain relevant even in modern-day Faerûn. Despite their small numbers, they can still command the loyalty of the races they once created. But an immense rift has opened up between the surviving sarrukh clans, and the enmity among them could lead to a period of open warfare between the scaled races.

===Description===
Sarrukh bodies come in two shapes: bipedal and snakelike. The latter resemble certain [[yuan-ti]] abominations, with snakelike bodies and heads as well as powerful arms that end in vicious claws. The bipedal sort has a humanoid upper torso, humanoid arms and legs, and a snakelike lower body. All sarrukh have distinctive, gleaming red eyes that strike fear into the hearts of all the scaly races.

===Racial History===
The first significant civilizations of Toril were the empires of the sarrukh, which rose and fell between –35,000 DR and –33,500 DR. This race of intelligent scaled creatures first appeared in the area known as Okoth, south of Mulhorand. The development of the sarrukh was relatively uncontested in their homeland, and their population quickly surpassed the level sustainable by the local resources. Thus, the sarrukh were forced to expand. They spread rapidly throughout much of Faerûn, conquering other lands and sowing the seeds for civilization as they went. They encountered short-lived and disorganized resistance from the savages that inhabited the lands, but the fact that the sarrukh had already learned to smelt iron for steel weapons and armor made them virtually invincible. Within a hundred years, most of Faerûn was theirs.

The Mhairshaulk Empire arose in –34,800 DR on the Chultan peninsula, and the Isstosseffifil Empire followed in –34,500 DR, based in what is now the Great Desert of Anauroch. Okoth, the first of the sarrukh empires, still encompassed the race’s original homeland. Lesser realms, including the city of Ss’thar’tiss’ssun ( in what is now the Forest of Wyrms) and the city of Ilimar (which is split between the Great Swamp of Rethild and the Gulthmere Forest) sprang up outside of these two great empires. These regions constituted the major hubs of sarrukh civilization, and the first stable portals in Faerûn were created to connect them.

As the sarrukh spread out, they discovered that the shamans of the chaotic races living in certain wilderness areas held magical lore that they had not yet encountered. After studying these primitive forms of magic, the sarrukh consolidated their discoveries into a series of tomes. Upon completion, the books where brought to Oreme, the capitol of Isstosseffifil, for study. The most magically gifted among the sarrukh and their servitor races pored over these tomes, which contained both easily researched magical knowledge and obscure information. The empires of the sarrukh didn’t last long enough to gather the full fruits of their work, but this collection of minds eventually grew into its own secret organization, which was called the Ba’etith. The members of this group consolidated and extrapolated the bounds of their newly found knowledge, penning the Golden Skins of the World Serpent (otherwise known as the [[Nether Scrolls]]) many thousands of years after the fall of the empires.

The empires continued to grow until the sarrukh had conquered so many races that they became the minority in their own empire. Thousands of other races fulfilled their needs and satisfied their every desire. The sarrukh savored the finest meats, surrounded themselves with gold, gems, and other finery, and enjoyed all the luxuries of a civilization at its height. But as with so many empires since, their increasing dependence on other races and their growing indolence spelled the beginning of the end.

Okoth was the first empire to fall, collapsing about –34,100 DR after a century of civil strife that drove many sarrukh to the [[plane]]s. Isstosseffifil followed suit around –33,800 DR when, during a war with the phaerimms, its leaders rerouted the Narrow Sea, fl ooding the Underdark and precipitating climatological changes that doomed their own realm. Mhairshaulk was the last to fall, sliding into a slumber from which it never emerged circa –33,500 DR.

Although most of the sarrukh died in the collapses of their great empires, many survived. The sarrukh of Isstosseffifil retreated into [[lich]]dom in the depths of Oreme where, protected by the [[asabi]]s they had created, they sleep safely to this day. The sarrukh of Mhairshaulk, faced with starvation, began a cycle in which thousand-year hibernations alternated with brief periods of activity, during which food gathering and procreation could take place. The great clans of Okoth wandered the planes for millennia but never found a plane where they wished to remain for more than a generation. This nomadic existence hardened them, turning them inexorably toward evil.

As the sarrukh of Okoth increasingly embraced their darker natures, a few dissenters, despairing of their kindred’s push toward evil, broke off from the main group. They entreated [[Jazirian]], a fragment of the [[World Serpent]], for succor, and it responded by transforming them into [[couatl]]s. A bitter war ensued, but the couatls held their own against the more numerous Okothian sarrukh until [[Merrshaulk]], a darker fragment of the [[World Serpent]], finally slew [[Jazirian]]. At that point, the [[couatl]]s were forced to flee to Abeir-Toril, where they eventually settled in [[Maztica]]. The god [[Qotal]] embraced them as his divine minions, and they acknowledged him as Jazirian reborn. Most remained there, but a few [[couatl]]s eventually returned to Faerûn to deal with the fell legacies of their kindred in the Jungles of Chult. This splinter group embraced [[Ubtao]] as its patron deity.

After the war with the [[couatl]]s, the sarrukh began to explore the Barrens of Doom and Despair, where they happened upon the [[khaasta]]s. Believing these creatures to be inferior and weak reptilians, the sarrukh attempted to enslave them. Much to the invaders’ surprise, not only were the khaastas extremely resistant to serving, but they also had powerful [[demon]]ic allies willing to aid them. Thus began a centuries-long war between the sarrukh and the khaastas, which the sarrukh ultimately lost. To escape the wrath of the victorious khaastas, the sarrukh secretly returned to Faerûn and began skulking around the ruins of Okoth, on the shores of Azulduth.

Before the Fall of the Gods, the Okothian sarrukh realized that [[Sseth]] had sunk into some sort of hibernation and was barely answering their prayers. To complicate matters further, the [[khaasta]]s had finally tracked them to Faerûn and were seeking to obliterate the last few of them. Lacking the full support of a divine patron, the sarrukh once again found themselves in danger of extinction.

Then, during the [[Time of Troubles]], [[Sseth]] stopped answering prayers from the Okothian sarrukh altogether. [[Cleric]]s of Okoth felt the need for action, so the approached the minions of [[Set]] and bargained with the Lord of Evil. Set agreed to answer their prayers if they in turn aided him in binding [[Sseth]] to eternal slumber. The deal was struck, and at the conclusion of the Avatar Crisis, Set claimed Sseth’s portfolio. About eleven years after the [[Time of Troubles]], [[Set]] began answering the prayers of all his newly acquired worshipers (including the [[yuan-ti]], who s till believed their divine power to come from [[Sseth]]).

The treachery of the Okothian sarrukh has resulted in unintended consequences. Beset by nightmares, [[Sseth]] has begun thrashing against his bonds, awakening the [[serpentfolk]] elsewhere in Faerûn. The sarrukh of Mhairshaulk are emerging from hibernation, seeking a means by which to liberate their god from his prison and oppose the Okothian sarrukh. Toward that goal, the Mhairhshaulk sarrukh have begun working to re-energize the long-slumbering yuan-ti empire known as Serpentes. In Okoth, the Cult of [[Set]] is growing in strength under the leadership of Pil’it’ith, the legendary albino sarrukh leader. The cult’s membership consists primarily of Scaled Ones, but a few others have joined its ranks as well. Opposing the cult are the [[khaasta]]s, which have begun appearing in the Lakes of Salt region. Battles between these two ancient foes have given rise to strange reports of tremendously powerful lizard races openly fighting one another.

The sarrukh have not forgotten the heights to which their race once climbed, but they also know that many other races would happily eradicate the last few sarrukh should they learn of their continued existence. Thus, they choose to remain in hiding, quietly seeking to increase their numbers so that they can one day rebuild their ancient empires. Occasionally the sleeping sarrukh of Mhairshaulk awaken and draw the [[yuan-ti]] to them, but even these former servitors have since found their own leaders in the form of anathemas. On the rare occasions that sarrukh do become involved with the outside world, they work to help the scaled races that they created.

===Outlook===
The sarrukh are well aware that their race has fallen far from the heights it achieved just after the dawn of time. Though they are individually powerful, their low numbers now force them to rely upon the races that serve them, creating a high degree of vulnerability.

During the heyday of their empires, the sarrukh became lazy and domineering. Rather than become directly involved with the rest of the world, they delegated their building and fighting to the [[lizardfolk]] and the supervision of those activities to the [[yuan-ti]], who also acted as their personal servants. To the [[naga]]s they delegated the tasks of magical research, exploration, and guarding individuals and places of importance. The sarrukh withdrew within the walls of their palaces and never emerged without heavy protection.

Despite the fall of Isstosseffifil, Mhairshaulk, and Okoth, the attitude of the sarrukh has changed very little. They have an interest in knowing what is happening in the world, but they still choose to remain separate from it. Rather than go out and explore, they send out their [[yuan-ti]] servants or small groups of [[naga]]s to learn what they can and report back to them.

Preserving each and every living sarrukh is now the most important consideration for the race. Because none are expendable, sending one out into humanoid society is always a critical decision, even if there is much to be gained by doing so. In the past, a few sarrukh have used magic to take human form and infiltrate the leadership structures of human societies, posing as advisors or other important officials.

===Sarrukh Society===
At its height, sarrukh civilization was as grand as that of any humanoid empire that has risen since. The arts flourished, and anything was available in the great markets of the sarrukh empires.

====Relationships====
Sarrukh form lasting friendships unmarred by the petty jealousies and bickering that mark many of their servitor races. They take mates for life and treat other sarrukh with respect. In the days of the empire, one or two sarrukh constitutes a household, but circumstances have since forced many to live in communal groups.

====Life Cycle====
Sarrukh hatch from eggs that are protected and tended by both parents until they hatch. A sarrukh can live up to a thousand years, or much longer if it undergoes periods of hibernation. This deathlike sleep, which can last for years at a time, preserves the sarrukh’s body and temporarily eliminates its need for food and water.

Beyond these facts, little is known about the life cycle of these creatures. Few creatures living today have had occasion to study the race up close, and the sarrukh, for their part, aren’t willing to share their secrets with “lesser beings.” Thus, they have remained godlike in their obscurity.

====Organization====
While the three great empires thrived, the sarrukh were organized into several great clans that lived in relative peace with one another. The clans that commanded the most troops and held the most political pow er ( by virtue of either wealth or social standing) made up the leadership structure. The acting leadership body of each empire was called the Sh’arrim and consisted of five to eight sarrukh drawn from the great clans. This group elected an emperor, called a kudzar, from its membership. The Sh’sarrim from the three great empires occasionally came together in Okoth to form a council called the Kazim, but that body had authority over the entire race only when a unanimous vote could be achieved.

The khuzdar provided spiritual, strategic, and social leadership for the rest of the sarrukh. The two most famous khuzdars were Ghiz’kith, founder of Mhairshaulk, and Pil’it’ith, the albino sarrukh who drove Ghiz’kith from Okoth. Pil’it’ith ruled Okoth until its fall, then used powerful magic to prolong his life into the modern day. (Pil’it’ith remains the leader of the Okothian sarrukh, but he no longer wields any authority over the sarrukh in Serpentes or Anauroch.)

Sarrukh law, which was administered by judges known as kleigmasters, was strict but flexible. Penalties were stiff, and the burden of proof fell to the accused rather than the prosecutors. The sarrukh disliked jailing citizens, so the preferred methods of punishment were death for more serious crimes and disfigurement for minor ones. Incarceration occurred only when the leaders felt that the offender had something important to contribute to the realm, despite his crime.

Penalties were assigned on a case-by case basis for greater flexibility, but the system became corrupt over the years. The same crime might result in death for one defendant and only disfigurement for the next. In any case, even the highest-ranking kleigmaster could be bribed into setting free the worst-offending defendant if enough money changed hands.

====Slavery====
The sarrukh began keeping slaves even before they had any dealings with other species. Enslaving their own kind was viewed as right and proper, as long as the slaves received proper care and fair treatment. Sarrukh slaves lived in their masters’ homes, received good food, and were not overworked. Occasionally they were sold or traded from one sarrukh to another, but for the most part, slaves remained with the same family for life. When a slave became too old to work, he might be freed, or assigned to rear the master’s young, or be sacrificed to the [[World Serpent]], according to his own wishes and his past performance.

Upon discovering the other progenitor races, the sarrukh quickly realized that such creatures would make passable servitors and enslaved them. Since the sarrukh felt little social responsibility for creatures of other races, nonsarrukh slaves were not treated nearly as well as sarrukh slaves. A Scaleless One might be starved for days at a time and then beaten for her inability to work. In the early days of the sarrukh expansion, Scaleless Ones were not even viewed as worthy sacrifices for the World Serpent. This abysmally low status meant that they could be killed with impunity and eaten by their masters.

By the founding of Isstosseffifil and Mhairshaulk, the sarrukh had enslaved so many creatures that they had stopped keeping sarrukh slaves at all. Each sarrukh lived in comfort, surrounded by the finery that had once been reserved for their leaders. Eventually, the sarrukh stopped fighting their own wars and trained their slaves to fight for them, promising that the best warriors would be freed to enjoy the same lifestyle as the sarrukh. Occasionally they actually kept this promise and freed a particularly powerful warrior as an example to the others. The lure of freedom and wealth created an enormous and loyal fighting force that helped the sarrukh maintain control over their empires.

Eventually, Scaleless Ones were deemed suitable sacrifices for the World Serpent, thereby freeing the sarrukh from the need to choose sacrifices from among citizens of supposedly equal rank. Though the World Serpent did not object to the decision, it did violate his original agreement with the sarrukh. To maintain the letter of the agreement while accommodating the changing needs and demands of his worshipers, the World Serpent split off an aspect of himself that was called M’daess, whose task was to purify the souls of unclean sacrifi ces and make them equivalent to sarrukh.

====The Scaled Races====
Part of the reason that nonscaled slaves were treated so poorly was the fact that their masters actually loathed them. They found the Scaleless Ones’ odor offensive, their primitive languages grating on the nerves, and their smooth skins unsettling.

While exploring Faerûn, the sarrukh encountered numerous scaly animals in the wilds, including dinosaurs, snakes, and lizards. Some of these animals were developing along the same lines as the ancestors of the sarrukh had, but they hadn’t evolved to the point of sentience yet. The sarrukh collected thousands of such creatures in hopes of breeding one or more new intelligent races to serve them.

Realizing that breeding programs alone would not be enough, the sarrukh began magical experimentation on the creatures they had collected. They combined a few of their scaly specimens with humans to see whether a single servitor race that was less offensive to them could be formed. Their earliest experiments resulted in badly deformed creatures that didn’t survive long. But through selective breeding and more subtle forms of magical manipulation, the sarrukh finally managed to create viable races that were much more to their liking.

Their first successes were the [[asabi]]s, the [[lizardfolk]], and the [[pterafolk]]. Though not as intelligent as humans, these creatures had the same bipedal form and were relatively easy to manipulate. Once they had reassured themselves as to the loyalty of these races, the sarrukh began handing off fairly easy tasks to them. At first they were trained as personal servants, then as warriors. Finally, entire groups of them were planted in the wilds of Faerûn in the hopes that they would multiply and conquer the surrounding territories.

The next successful experiment produced the [[naga]]s. Though the sarrukh approved of the serpentine form with a humanoid head, the nagas proved difficult to control. Rather than destroy their creations, however, the sarrukh allowed those who posed little threat to remain in their service as guards, explorers, and magical researchers. The rest were freed.

Their final—and perhaps finest—creation was the [[yuan-ti]], developed by the sarrukh of Mhairshaulk. This race represented the first truly successful cross between human and sarrukh, with a touch of serpent thrown in. The yuan-ti came in several different physical forms, depending on the amount of sarrukh blood used. Though not as obedient as the [[lizardfolk]] subraces, the [[yuan-ti]] were more biddable than the [[naga]]s, and highly intelligent besides. Because they greatly enjoyed being in charge of Scaleless Ones, the yuan-ti became the slavemasters, military leaders, and managers of the sarrukh empires.

With so many highly skilled servitors, the sarrukh were no longer forced to find their own food, build their own cities, or even care for their own slaves. The sarrukh of Mhairshaulk slowly withdrew from the cares of the world as they turned over more and more of their responsibilities to the [[yuan-ti]]. For their part, the yuan-ti appreciated the lifestyles that their creators allowed them to h ave, so they remained mostly loyal. A few, however, would periodically withdraw from sarrukh society, strike out on their own, and form their own groups. The sarrukh knew of such defections but ignored them, knowing that yuan-ti who were allowed to leave in peace would go out into the world and create their own societies, which the sarrukh could later call upon for aid.

====Dwellings====
The sarrukh lived in stonework buildings, which were typically adorned with the holy symbols of the [[World Serpent]]. Icons set into the walls depicted the sarrukh concept of divine creatures, which often appeared demonic by modern standards. Statues of sarrukh in plazas, courtyards, and along the roadways depicted either the noble sarrukh leaders, resplendent in their flowing robes, or armored sarrukh in dramatic battle stances.

==Official 4e Lore==
Sarrukh are the progenitor race of all serpents and most nondraconic reptilian creatures on Toril. They view those not of such a glorious heritage as weaklings suitable only as slaves.

Each sarrukh is a distinct elite monster, usually of epic tier, with its own powers and goals. It can have any role but favors artillery, controller, or soldier, often with the leader subrole. Some sarrukh use magic items to supplement their own formidable abilities.

Sarrukh Lore: A character knows the following information with a successful Nature check.
::'''DC 15:''' All creatures have an innate fear of sarrukh that can be quelled only by seeing one near defeat. The sarrukh’s primeval splendor allows them to warp an enemy’s perception with a look.
::'''DC 20:''' A sarrukh can take one of two forms: a humanoid body that tapers to a serpentine tail or a bipedal humanlike form, either form topped by a snakelike head. Their dual nature inspired the sarrukh to create such a diversity of creatures.
::'''DC 25:''' Supernaturally able to avoid danger, sarrukh seem to bend around some attacks. Although they use rituals to do careful shaping, they all have the ability to quickly seal eyes, bend bones, and inflict great pain.
::'''DC 30:''' Like their creations, especially the yuanti, sarrukh once lived in clans or noble houses. Now their numbers are so few that they are unified, with their eyes toward the Imperator of Okoth. Sterile and outnumbered, they move slowly and subtly to reclaim their former glory and birth new generations.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Sathfissith.jpg
File:Pilitith.jpg
File:Sarrukh tomb.jpg
</gallery>

[[Category: Monsters]] [[Category: Dungeons & Dragons]] [[Category: Forgotten Realms]]

Oriental Dragon

2026-05-20T13:03:52Z

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'''Oriental Dragons''', as their name suggests, are what happens when [[Dungeons & Dragons]] tries to recast [[dragon]]s to better fit an [[Oriental Adventures]] mold. There are two known examples of these; the '''Lung Dragons''' of [[Dungeons & Dragons]] and the '''Imperial Dragons''' of [[Pathfinder]].

==Lung Dragons==
[[File:Lung Dragons 1.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:Lung Dragons 2.jpg|right|300px]]
Lung Dragons first appeared in the [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] 1e supplement "[[Fiend Folio]]"; here, rules were presented for 6 different types of Oriental Dragon; Li Lung (Earth Dragon), Lung Wang (Sea Dragon), Pan Lung (Coiled Dragon), Shen Lung (Spirit Dragon), T'ien Lung (Celestial Dragon) and Yu Lung (Carp Dragon). Two more were added in the 1e supplement [[Oriental Adventures]], the Chiang Lung (River Dragon) and the Tun Mi Lung (Typhoon Dragon).

All eight Lung Dragons were subsequently updated to AD&D 2e in the [[Forgotten Realms]] Monstrous Compendium Appendix.

They then made their final appearance to date in the [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]] [[Oriental Adventures]] sourcebook. Lung-blooded [[Half-Dragon]]s were subsequently statted in the 3e Draconomicon; it was noted in the Kara-Tur and OA sourcebooks that their children were actually [[Spirit Folk]]. One way to resolve the discrepancy is that the direct descendants of lung dragons are Spirit Folk with the Half-Lung Dragon template, and subsequent generations become simply spirit folk.

Information about what the Lung Dragons actually ''do'' has grown over time. When they first appeared in the Fiend Folio, absolutely nothing was stated about who they are or what they actually do. In [[Kara-Tur]], they were stated to be agents of the Celestial Bureaucracy, with each subspecies having its own particular function in ensuring the smooth governance of the world. It was further noted that, every year, the oriental dragon officers journey to the Celestial Palace to file their reports of the previous year's activities and events. Rewards and punishments are distributed based on the evaluation of the records. A corrupt or inefficient dragon may be removed and replaced by a new appointee; an industrious dragon may be promoted to a position of higher responsibility. This was later re-used for the OA material.

===Yu Lung (Carp Dragon)===
[[File:yu lung MC3.jpg|right|200px]]
The Carp Dragon is the infantile form of the lung dragon species as a whole. All lung dragons lay their eggs in or close to fresh water, because regardless of the mother's species, her offspring will hatch as this strange tadpole-like dragon. A carp dragon almost resembles a draconic version of a [[merfolk]], with the tail of a giant carp connecting to the forequarters of a small dragon with prodigiously webbed foreclaws. Their scales are blue-gray with variously colored markings, and their eyes are bright yellow and rather cat-like.

Shy and reclusive, they are the smallest and most docile of their kin, building crude (by draconic standards) lairs of mud and stone in the murkiest parts of their lakes, where they scavenge the bottom for food and generally just wait until they reach their final maturity. On the midnight of a yu lung's 101st birthday, it will spontaneously transform into an adult lung dragon of a random species; the 2e version possesses a table to determine which one it evolves into, but this lore isn't present in 3rd edition. Upon evolving, a Yu Lung reports to the Celestial Bureaucracy and is assigned appropriate duties for its new species. For this reason, they have little interest in collecting treasure, and don't assemble the traditional hoard.

Yu lung are known to be quite friendly towards humans who approach them in the right manner, and their bonds are lifelong; even after a yu lung evolves into its adult form, it never forgets its human friends.

In 2nd edition, yu lung of the Young Adult stage possessed a Swallow Whole attack, but they lost this in 3rd edition. They also lost their breath weapon, a cloud of curative vapors that functioned as a 10ft Potion of Healing (2d4+1) that they could exhale once per day.

::Roll - Result
::01-30 - Shen lung
::31-50 - Pan lung
::51-65 - Chiang lung
::66-80 - Li lung
::81-90 - Lung wang
::91-95 - Tun mi lung
::96-00 - T’ien lung

===Li Lung (Earth Dragon)===
[[File:li lung MC3.jpg|right|200px]]
Easily confused for [[sphinx]]es by the unwitting, li lung are the only winged species of lung dragon, and resemble giant lions with human faces and mighty eagle-like wings. A li lung hatchling is covered in light green scales, but as it ages, these darken and are covered by a layer of dense, wiry fur that sprouts from between the scales; a great wyrm earth dragon is nearly black in color and looks completely fur-covered. Their wings are adorned with colorful quills, resembling the tail-feathers of a peacock, and their eyes are a molten gold in color.

Reclusive by nature, these lung dragons are spirits of the deep earth; masters of the earthquake and punishers of the wicked, they are most commonly sent to punish communities that have angered the Celestial Bureaucracy by leveling those settlements with earthquakes. On rare occasions, a community in good standing and great need may be visited by a li lung, who uses its powers to reveal veins of precious metals or to open underground springs.

These dragons are lithovores, feeding primarily on earth and stone - precious metals such as gold and silver are a favorite snack, however.

===Lung Wang (Sea Dragon)===
[[File:lung wang MC3.jpg|right|200px]]
The oriental sea dragon shares the same body-plan as the far more malevolent [[Dragon Turtle]], consisting of a giant sea turtle with the head of a shen lung. Rulers of the sea and protectors of its denizens, lung wang are among the most materialistic of the lung dragons, regularly demanding tribute from passing ships. For this reason, regular travelers in the area learn to form arrangement with the local lung wang, dumping a pre-determined amount of treasure overboard at a specific spot to be granted the right to use the lung wang's territory.

Despite being herbivores who prefer algae and seaweed as their primary foodstuff, lung wang are merciless in defending their territories, and will slaughter and/or consume entire ships that they feel have failed to honor them or who have committed "unforgivable" trespasses. They are one of the only two species of lung dragon who possess breath weapons, being capable of exhaling gouts of superheated steam, just like a dragon turtle.

Whilst they maintain cordial relationships with most other lung dragons, lung wang do '''not''' get along with tun mi lung. They are often served by communities of intelligent aquatic humanoids, such as [[merfolk]].

===Shen Lung (Spirit Dragon)===
[[File:shen lung MC3.jpg|right|200px]]
The shen lung are the most common of the oriental dragons, and the most humble looking. Long and slender, they resemble lizards more than anything, taking the form of giant lizard with spiked tails, ridged backs, two sharp horns atop the head, and golden whiskers around the snout. Like most of the adult lung dragons, shen lung are wingless and fly through the power of a magical pearl of great size embedded in their brains; a shen lung's pearl is yellow in color, a trait they share with the t'ien lung. The scales of youthful shen lung are dull shades of red, blue, green, orange, or any combination of these colors; the scales brighten into brilliant hues as the dragon ages - curiously, their AD&D lore forgets that they begin their life as yu lung, referring to dull "hatchlings" and achieving full brightness by the age of "young adult".

Although they prefer a diplomatic approach, if roused to battle, shen lung are fiercely physical attacks, lashing out with their exceptionally long and powerful tals, clawing, and biting. They also possess the ability to grant Blessings and inflict Curses, conjure Ice Storms, and Control Weather, depending on their age, with 3e adding Cone of Cold and Horrid Wilting to their arsenal. No insect, arachnid or arthropod will approach within 60 feet of a shen lung, and they can also command the loyalty of scaled animals through a kind of magical charm. Immune to lightning and poison, shen lung are vulnerable to fire. They are one of two breeds of oriental dragon capable of using Water Fire, an aura of ghostly, multi-colored fire they can activate whenever touching or submerged in water. This magical flame can be dispelled by the touch of true fire, be it magical or mundane in origin, but burns melee attackers.

These amphibious dragons serve the Celestial Bureaucracy as its courtiers, as well as working as the assistants and guards of the chiang lungs. They are known for being modest, loyal and naturally diplomatic, as well as for a tendency to be fascinated by humans (or humanoids, in less humanocentric settings). Shen lung are the oriental dragons most likely to adopt human form in order to interact with humans, which makes them one of the most likely progenitors of Oriental [[Half-Dragon]]s. Humanoids return this admiration, viewing shen lung as messengers of the gods and bringers of good fortune, often constructing ornate shrines and staging elaborate ceremonies to invoke their attention and gain their favor.

These dragons typically establish modest yet well-kept lairs in the form of mansions of stone built on the bottoms of rivers and lakes, and often share their territory both with others of their kind and with a chiang lung superior.

===Pan Lung (Coiled Dragon)===
[[File:pan lung MC3.jpg|right|200px]]
Pan Lungs resemble shen lungs, and are closely related to them, but they are longer and thinner in frame, and possess different coloration; pan lungs are found in a number of brilliant hues, with various shades of red, orange and green being the most common. They possess multi-colored manes on their necks and dark whiskers growing from their snouts. Their scales are oily, causing them to gleam. The magical brain-pearl that grants them flight is blood-red.

The biggest difference between pan lungs and shen lungs is their assigned role. Whilst shen lungs are courtiers, assistants and body guards, pan lungs are guardians of crypts and temples, as well as being assigned the role of serving as wardens over mortals who were unfaithful spouses. Such unfortunates are condemned to serve their pan lung for a term in years equal to the number of tears they have caused their mate to shed, and rendered immune from aging so long as they are under the dragon's service.

Pan lung are vegetarian by preference, often maintaining elaborate gardens to provide them with fruits and vegetables.

They are generally indifferent to the other lung dragons, ignoring their existence unless commanded otherwise by the Celestial Bureaucracy. The exception is the t'ien lung; pan lungs resent the power and position afforded to the celestial dragons, and have been known to get so caught up in their jealousy that they will spontaneously attack them in a frenzy.

In battle, pan lung share most of the shen lung's abilities, including their Water Fire, but their different body structures allow them to crush foes in constricting coils, rather than wield the powerful tail slaps of their shen lung brothers.

===T'ien Lung (Celestial Dragon)===
[[File:t'ien lung MC3.jpg|right|200px]]
The regal t'ien lung are iconically a golden yellow in color, but have been seen with orange or light green scales. They possess multi-hued manes and whiskers, and antlers rising from their skull. They give off a sweet scent reminiscent of cherry blossoms. Wingless, they can fly through the power of a magical yellow pearl embedded in their brains, like that of a shen lung.

Noble and honorable, though often rigid and unmerciful, t'ien lung are believed to be amongst the most favored officials of the Celestial Bureacracy; this is presented as speculation, which the t'ien lung neither confirm nor deny, in AD&D, but as fact in 3rd edition. They dwell in resplendent castles, built either atop the peaks of high mountains or within banks of clouds, and often surround themselves with [[elemental]]s of air. Notorious for their love of eating opals and pearls, and their tendency to look kindly upon mortals who give them these delicacies, farmers often make offerings of these in order to coax the t'ien lungs into using their power to control the weather on their behalf.

T'ien lung are the only species of lung dragon with an offensive breath weapon, being capable of exhaling gouts of fire when roused to battle. This serves them well in battling the envious pan lung and the rebellious tun mi lung, both of whom are often drawn to violence with the t'ien lung.

===Chiang Lung (River Dragon)===
[[File:chiang lung MC3.jpg|right|200px]]
Whilst the lung dragons as a whole are more serpentine than their [[Chromatic Dragon]] and [[Metallic Dragon]] counterparts, it is the chiang lung who take this to the ultimate extreme, resembling giant serpents whose four short limbs with their webbed feet are easily missed by a casual observer. Underbellies of brilliant yellow offset bodies comprised of various shades of blue and green, whilst multicolored "beards" sprout beneath their chins. These wingless dragons fly through the power of magical giant blue pearls imbedded in their brains.

Assigned to guard rivers and lakes by the Celestial Bureaucracy, chiang lung establish lairs in the form of immense, opulent and magical palaces beneath the surface of the water. Such places sometimes border on [[demiplane]]s in their own right, and are usually shared by subordinate nature spirits and shen lung. One nasty little surprise for would-be hoardstealers is that a nascent enchantment causes anything of value within a chiang lung's lair to become absolutely worthless if it is taken from the palace by force; only gifts retain their original value.

In addition to being spirits of rain and water, these noble and honorable dragons are also patrons of the arts and scholarship. They have been known to entertain virtuous scholars, artists, and other men of sufficient learning and art, sometimes by posing as wealthy nobles or governmental officials and taking them for rides on lavishly decorated boats, other times by inviting them down into the chiang lung's palace.

Alongside the shen lung, the chiang lung are particularly fascinated by humans, and frequently interbreed with them. Young female chiang lungs are particularly infamous amongst lung dragons for their tendency to be attracted to handsome human men, resulting in secret love affairs and marriages.

Chiang lung can generate rain at will by exhaling storm clouds, a form of breath weapon that has no combat use.

Whilst they can consume any type of mineral or gem, chiang lung possess more earthly tastes, and are very fond of fish and sheep.

===Tun Mi Lung (Typhoon Dragon)===
[[File:tun mi lung MC3.jpg|right|200px]]
The only truly malicious members of the lung dragon family, the tun mi lung, as their common moniker suggests, are charged with the dispensation of destructive hurricanes and typhoons. They are supposed to only do so when instructed by the Celestial Bureaucracy, but such is their love of their own powers and their enjoyment of storms that they frequently do so of their own volition. As a result, they are on very bad terms with the t'ien lung, who must often reign them in by force.

Largest and bulkiest of the lung dragons, tun mi lung have long, sinuous bodies covered with thick scales in a variety of colors, with blue-green, dark red, and violet among the most common. They have dark beady eyes, stringy beards dangling from their chins, and enormous jaws lined with hooked teeth as sharp as razors. Though wingless, tun mi lung can fly from the power of a magical black pearl embedded in their brains.

It's believed that tun mi lung maintain lavish palaces on the floor of the ocean, hidden in remote areas away from more peaceful and cultured subaquatic denizens. However, they rarely spend time at home, most frequently roaming the skies above the sea or patrolling coastlines. This does not endear them to their kinsfolk, as tun mi lung are indifferent to the territorial claims of other dragons. Of course, such dislike pales in comparison to that felt for the tun mi lung by any seafaring mortal race.

When it comes to food, tun mi lung are the least choosy of all oriental dragons, equally fond of fish, precious gems, and capsized ships.

When drawn into battle, tun mi lung lash out with gale force winds and magical lightning bolts.

==Imperial Dragons==
[[File:Di Lung Bestiary 3.jpg|thumb|right|300px|A Di Lung]]
Imperial Dragons, sometimes termed Dragons of the Celestial Host, are a type of dragon that are serpentine agents of cosmic balance native to Tian Xia. Like other true dragons, they grow in power as they age. Although they are true dragons, imperial dragons differ in appearance from other true dragons, possessing a long serpentine body. They lack wings, but can fly gracefully through supernatural means. All imperial dragons have large horns with which they can make deadly gore attacks. Like all dragons, imperial dragons can breathe potent torrents of elemental force, cast spells, and perform other supernatural feats. Additionally, all can magically transform themselves into a humanoid shape.

Imperial Dragons consist of five breeds; Forest, Sea, Sky, Underworld, and Sovereign. These are known in Tian Xia as Dilung, Jiaolung, Tienlung, Futsanglung and Lungwang respectively, making their origins in AD&D quite clear. Each, however, only has a single sentence worth of lore so far, as a result of the stupidly huge statblocks taking up all of their page space in the Bestiary 3, where they first appeared.

===Forest dragons===
Forest dragons, or '''dilung''', Chaotic Evil, are fickle and malevolent dragons that dwell in deep, rugged woodlands. While a forest dragon can fly, it prefers to stalk the earth, flying only to pursue objects of its wrath. As they age, they gain increasingly earth-based powers, such as being able to create clouds of blinding dust with their crush attack, summoning an earth elemental, and petrifying those slain by their breath weapon. A dilung's breath weapon is a conical barrage of piercing thorns.

They are like green dragons, both are plant-themed, but Forest dragons care nothing for manipulations. They wish to destroy all technology and civilization and treat everything in the first as part of thier hoard.

In 2e, being wood dragons, they get more foresty powers. They are practically a living forest, know plant spells, are able to turn into a tree and Suck moisture out of creatures around them (which heals them as they are fed by water). THier breath weapon is a swarm of insects with paralytic stingers.
<gallery>
PF2eDragonImperial Forest.png
</gallery>

===Sea dragons===
Infused with the power of waves and storms, sea dragons—or '''jiaolungs''', as they are known in many lands—are draconic protectors of oceans and their creatures. Possessing tempestuous natures, sea dragons wander widely, sometimes claiming thousands of miles of ocean and coastlines as their protectorates. Obviously, their powers revolve around water, such as teleporting between bodies ofe water and creating tidal waves. Their breath weapon is a cone of super-heated steam, but those of at least Very Young age can also expel blasts of pressurized water.

2e gave the Sea dragons the ability to momentarily turn into water as a reaction and inject thier prey with water poisoning. Thier breath is now an exploding ball of water.
<gallery>
PF2eDragonImperial Sea.png
</gallery>

===Sky dragons===
Benevolent and noble, sky dragons, or '''tienlungs''', are fearsome champions of good and protectors of those in need. They are often sought out for their wise council, which they grant only to the deserving and true. Their power over the sky increase as they age, to the point the oldest can knock fliers from the sky with their breath weapon, which is a cone of lightning. Old sky dragons can even affect creatures normally immune or resistant to lightning with their breath weapon.

2e replaced the Breath weapon with divine lighting, which is extra effective against fiends and undead.
<gallery>
PF2eDragonImperial Sky.png
</gallery>

===Sovereign Dragons===
Guardians of balance, sovereign dragons, or '''lungwangs''' as they are also known, were placed in the skies by the gods themselves to safeguard harmony in the world. The magical powers of a sovereign dragon relate to its rulership, such as having greater potency against creatures of good and evil, summoning magical golden armor, and an enhanced ability to counter both melee and magical attacks. Their breath weapon is a cone of sonic damage.

In 2e, many layers of shade were thrown at the Sovereign Dragon. They were originally tasked with choosing rulers, they eventually started picking themselves. Other Imperial dragons are suspicious about what dark magic they have done to trade thier vulnerability to wood or their ability to feed on fire despite being the earth dragon. They make fun of having five fingers, don't grant sovereignty, and thier obsession with wearing armor despite being a dragon. Thier breath is now a psychic roar instead of sonic.
<gallery>
DragonImperial Sovereign2e.png
</gallery>

===Underworld Dragons===
Underworld dragons—also called '''futsanglungs'''—are calculating, greedy creatures that carve great labyrinthine tunnels beneath the world, defending their hidden treasures. Preferring the earth to the heavens, they channel the fires of the world's core within their twisting, stonelike bodies and through flaming breath hot enough to turn granite into slag. The futsanglung is also a formidable melee opponent, as their claws are made of adamantine and rip through their foes as you'd expect. They burrow with ever-increasing speed, and great wyrms can surface in an eruption of molten lava.
<gallery>
PF2eDragonImperial Underworld.png
</gallery>

{{D&D-Dragons}}

Type

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'''Types''' are a system of categorization in Dungeons and Drangons used to sort the various creatures of DnD into useful categories for ease of use. Introduced in the Creature Catalogue for 1e/AD&D it has been refined over the editions and is now a main stay in all monster stat blocks.

==Creature Types in 1e and AD&D==
The beginning of all this nonsense. Created in the Creature Catalogue, yes Catalogue not [[Creature Catalog|Catalog]], a book all about having all the monsters in one place. Or at least an index of what books have what monster, plus a couple made for this book. But were getting sidetracked, the main reason were talking about this book is because it's the one the introduced Types as sorting system for Creatures of D&D.
* Animals: Your basic run of the mill real life animals such as [[Bear Lore|bears]] and [[Shark|sharks]]. Also includes more "fantastical" animals such as [[Dinosaur|extinct ones]] and [[Dire Animals|giant ones]].
* Conjurations: This includes creatures which either live on other planes of existence or which have strong links with other planes (e.g. elementals, fundamentals). Although many which live on other planes can appear on the Prime Plane of their own volition, others must be summoned in some way. The remaining creatures in this group are mostly [[constructs]] or creatures created by magical means.
* [[Humanoids]]: The main criterion far including creatures in this group is that they are more or less human-shaped (e.g. giants, orcs). Shape is not the only condition, however, since the creatures included in this group are also, in general, free-willed, moderately intelligent, and have a language (or other means of communication). Most also wear clothes and use weapons and tools, while many form tribes or other social groups. Thus, for example, [[Bargda]], apes, and human-shaped undead and constructs are nor considered to be humanoids, while [[Hutaakan|Hutakaans]] and [[Lupin|lupins]] (who have dog-like heads) are.
* Lowlife: The creatures in this group are, for the most part, non-intelligent and have simple life styles. Most are plants (e.g. [[Vampire Rose]]), [[Fungus|fungi]] (e.g. yellow mold), [[Slime|"goos"]] (e.g. green slime), insects (e.g. giant beetles), [[Spider|arachnids]] (e.g. spiders) or other invertebrates (e.g. worms, slugs).
* [[Monster|Monsters]]: This section takes in all manner of fantastic and frightening creatures. Often these creatures have weird appearances (e.g. beholder), while others, although they outwardly resemble members of other groups (e.g. humanoids or animals), have strange magical abilities or other powers that set them apart.
* [[Undead]]: The undead are beings who owe their existence to the action of powerful sorcery on the bodies and spirits of dead creatures.

==Monster Types in 2e==
* Normal Animal (plus Giant Animal and Prehistoric Animal):
* [[Construct]] (Enchanted Monster):
* [[Dragon]] (and Dragon-Kin):
* [[Humanoid]] (plus Human, Demihuman, and Giant Humanoid):
* Lowlife:
* [[Monster|Monsters]]:
* [[Outsider|Planar Monster]]:
* [[Undead]]:

==Types and Subtypes in 3e and 3.5==
'''Types'''
* [[Aberration]]:
* Animal:
* Beast:
* [[Construct]]:
* [[Dragon#Dungeons & Dragons|Dragon]]:
* [[Elemental]]:
* [[Fey]]:
* [[Giant#Giants in D&D|Giant]]:
* [[Humanoid]]:
* Magical Beast:
* Monstrous Humanoid:
* [[Slime|Ooze]]:
* [[Outsider]]:
* Plant:
* Shapechanger:
* [[Undead]]:
* Vermin:
'''Subtypes'''
* Air:
* Aquatic:
* Chaotic:
* Cold:
* Earth:
* Electricity:
* Evil:
* Fire:
* Good:
* Incorporeal:
* Lawful:
* Reptilian:
* Water:

==<s>Origin, Type, and Keyw</s>- 4e's Mess==
In 4e for some inane reason types and subtypes are split up into three categories, those being Origin, Type, and Keywords. Origins determines a creatures origin in the universe. Type describe they're body and/or mind. And finally Keywords describe all other major attributes, and is also the one category that can have multiple on a single creature acting much like how Subtypes worked in last edition. Keywords are also made confusing by the facts that both creatures and attacks used Keywords. Notable developments in this edition's version of types is that Animals and Beasts were fused into a single Beast category and... nothing else because 4th just really made a mess of things.
===Origin===
* [[Aberration|Aberrant]]: Aberrant creatures are native to or strongly corrupted by the distant alien plane known as the Far Realm. Many aberrant creatures have tentacles, eyestalks, or other strange physical characteristics.
* [[Elemental]]: Elemental creatures are native to the Elemental Chaos or the Abyss. They are strongly tied to elemental energies or substances.
* [[Fey]]: Fey creatures are native to the Feywild.
* Immortal: Immortal creatures are native to the Astral Sea. They include angels, devils, and other creatures with strong ties to the gods. They do not age or die of natural causes.
* Natural: Natural creatures are native to the natural world—the world of humans, dwarves, elves, halflings, and dragons. Most natural creatures breathe, eat, and sleep. Natural creatures with the construct or undead keyword are exceptions.
* Shadow: Shadow creatures are native to the Shadowfell.
===Types===
* Animate: Animates are objects magically given life or intelligence. Animate creatures do not need to breathe, eat, or sleep, regardless of their origin.
* Beast: Beasts look and act like animals, although they sometimes have a bizarre or monstrous appearance. Natural beasts fill the same role as animals. Beasts with other origins behave in the similar instinctive ways, though they are unfamiliar to ordinary people.
* [[Humanoid]]: Humanoid monsters are usually bipedal, but some have monstrous or animalistic characteristics, such as the squidlike head of a mind flayer or the serpentine body of a yuan-ti abomination.
* Magical Beast: A magical beast looks like a beast but acts like a person. Magical beasts often superficially resemble animals, sometimes with a human face or head, but are more intelligent (Intelligence 3 or higher).
===Keywords===
* Acid: The creature uses acid in some way.
* Air: Elemental creatures made of air (such as earthwind ravagers) have this keyword.
* [[Angel]]: Angels are immortal creatures with vaguely humanoid forms and lower bodies that trail off into astral mist. Most angels have wings. Since they don’t have mouths and cannot speak, angels communicate via telepathy. They do not breathe, eat, or sleep. However, this does not render the creature immune to any effect.
* Aquatic: An aquatic creature can breathe normally in water and ignores rough water while swimming. It never needs to make Athletics checks to swim.
* Blind: A blind creature cannot detect creatures and objects by sight. It relies on special senses, such as blindsight or tremor sense, to detect things within a certain range. A blind creature cannot make Perception checks to notice things beyond the range of its special senses. A blind creature cannot be blinded. Blind creatures are immune to gaze attacks and other effects that rely on sight.
* Charm: Powers and effects that control the subject’s actions sometimes have this keyword.
* Cold: A type of damage. Creatures made of ice (such as ice archons) also have the cold keyword.
* Conjuration: An effect that creates a creature or object out of nothing. A conjuration effect can be dispelled using the dispel magic spell.
* [[Construct]]: Constructs are not living creatures; spells and effects that specifically target living creatures do not work against them. Most constructs have resistance or immunity to disease and poison. Constructs do not need to breathe, eat, or sleep.
* [[Demon]]: Demons are evil elemental creatures native to the [[Abyss]]. They breathe and eat, but do not sleep. They are not immune to sleep effects, however.
* [[Devil]]: Devils are evil immortal creatures native to the [[Nine Hells]]. They breathe and eat, but do not sleep. They are not immune to sleep effects, however.
* Disease: Some monsters, such as [[slaads]] and [[lycanthropes]], inflict disease on creatures they hit. A creature that contracts a disease makes a saving throw at the end of the encounter. If the saving throw succeeds, the creature shakes off the disease and suffers no ill effects. If the saving throw fails, the creature is infected and suffers the initial effect of the disease. An infected creature makes an Endurance check after each extended rest to see if it improves, worsens, or maintains its current condition. The disease specifies two target Endurance DCs. If the creature’s check result beats both DCs, the creature moves one step up the disease track as its condition improves. If the creature’s check result beats the lower DC but not the higher DC, its condition remains the same. If the creature’s check result doesn’t beat either DC, the creature’s condition worsens, and it moves one step down the disease track. When a creature reaches the far left of the disease track, it is cured. When a creature reaches the far right of the disease track, it suffers the final effect of the disease. Once a creature suffers the final effect, it no longer moves up the disease track and can only be cured by the Cure Disease ritual (unless otherwise noted).
* [[Dragon]]: Dragons are reptilelike creatures. Most dragons have wings as well as some kind of breath weapon.
* Earth: Elemental creatures made of earth (such as [[Galeb Duhr|galeb duhrs]]) have this keyword. Earth creatures are immune to petrification.
* Fear: Powers and effects that impose penalties through fright or cause the affected creature to flee carry this keyword.
* Fire: A type of damage. Elemental creatures made of fire (such as fire archons) also have this keyword.
* Force: A type of damage.
* Gaze: A type of attack. Blind creatures are immune to gaze attacks, and a creature cannot make a gaze attack while blinded.
* [[Giant]]: A giant is a humanoid creature of at least Large size.
* Healing : Powers and effects that restore hit points have this keyword.
* [[Homunculus]]: A homunculus is an animate construct tasked with guarding a specific creature, area, or object.
* Illusion: Powers and effects that deceive the senses or the mind use this keyword.
* Lightning: A type of damage.
* Living Construct: A living construct is considered a living creature that does not need to eat, drink, or breathe. However, this does not render the creature immune to any effect. A living construct needs only 4 hours to benefit from extended rest, and it gains a +2 bonus to saving throws against ongoing damage. When a living construct rolls a death save, it takes the better of its die roll or 10 as the result.
* Mount: Not all monsters that can be ridden as mounts have the mount keyword. This keyword is applied only to creatures with special mount rules, such as an ability gained when ridden or an ability granted to the rider. These rules and benefits only apply if the rider has the Mounted Combat feat.
* Necrotic: A type of damage.
* [[Ooze]]: Oozes are amorphous creatures that rely on blindsight, tremor sense, or both to discern their surroundings. They don’t suffer penalties to attack rolls or penalties to their speed while squeezing.
* Poison: A type of damage.
* Polymorph: Powers and effects that alter a creature’s physical form have this keyword.
* Plant: Plants are creatures composed of vegetable matter. They breathe and eat, but do not sleep. They are not immune to sleep effects, however.
* Psychic: A type of damage. Some nondamaging effects that target the mind also have the psychic keyword.
* Radiant: A type of damage.
* Reliable: If a creature misses every target with a reliable power, the use of that power isn't expended.
* Reptile: Reptiles are cold-blooded creatures that lay eggs. Examples include crocodiles, drakes, lizardfolk, snakes, troglodytes, and yuan-ti.
* Shapechanger: This monster has the innate ability to alter its form, whether freely or into specific shapes. Examples of shapechangers include doppelgangers and lycanthropes.
* Sleep: Powers and effects that render a creature unconscious have this keyword.
* Spider: Spider monsters include arachnids as well as creatures with spiderlike features: eight legs, web spinning, and the like. Examples include driders and ettercaps.
* Swarm: A swarm is considered a single monster even though it is composed of several Tiny creatures. Most single swarms are Medium, but some can be larger. A swarm takes half damage from melee and ranged attacks. It is vulnerable to close and area attacks, as indicated in the monster’s stat block. A swarm is immune to forced movement (pull, push, and slide) effects from melee and ranged attacks. Close or area attacks that impose forced movement affect the swarm normally. A swarm can enter or move through an enemy’s space; this movement does not provoke opportunity attacks. An enemy can enter a space occupied by a swarm, but the space occupied by the swarm is considered difficult terrain, and doing so provokes an opportunity attack. A swarm can squeeze through any opening large enough to accommodate even one of its constituent creatures. For example, a swarm of bats can squeeze through any opening large enough for one of the bats to squeeze through.
* Teleportation: Powers and effects that transport a creature instantaneously from one location to another use this keyword. A creature that teleports is removed from play at the origin square and placed in the destination square. Teleporting does not provoke opportunity attacks, and the creature does not move through the intervening squares. Unless stated otherwise, a creature must have line of sight to the destination to teleport there.
* Thunder: A type of damage.
* Undead: Undead are not living creatures; spells and effects that specifically target living creatures do not work against them. Most undead have resistance to necrotic damage, are immune to poison, and are vulnerable to radiant damage. Undead do not need to breathe or sleep.
* Water: Elemental creatures made of water (such as thunderblast cyclones) have this keyword.
* Weapon: An accessory type. This keyword identifies a power that is used with a weapon, which can be an unarmed strike. Monster attacks don't use proficiency bonuses.
* Zone: Zones are persistent area effects that can be dispelled using the dispel magic spell.

==Types in 5e==
Types are back to being a simple set of categories in this edition, in fact it's almost exactly just 3rd's set minus subtypes except for a few differences. These differences being that they dropped Vermin and Shapeshifter, fused Beast from 4th with Magical Beast, folded Monstrous Humanoid into Humanoid, and most bizarrely, divided Outsider into Celestial and Fiend. That last change leads to many creatures no longer easily identifiable as originating from outside the Prime Material. As a result of these changes a lot of creatures got their type shuffled around, along with some creatures who's type didn't get removed but had their type swapped anyway.
* [[Aberration]]: They're utterly alien beings. Many of them have innate magical abilities drawn from the creature's alien mind rather than the mystical forces of the world. The quintessential aberrations are [[Aboleth|aboleths]], [[Beholder|beholders]], [[Illithid|mind flayers]], and [[Slaad|slaadi]].
* Beast: They're nonhumanoid creatures that are a natural part of the fantasy ecology. Some of them have magical powers, but most are unintelligent and lack any society or language. Beasts include all varieties of ordinary animals, [[Dinosaur|dinosaurs]], and [[Dire Animal|giant versions of animals]].
* [[Celestial]]: They're creatures native to the Upper Planes. Many of them are the servants of deities, employed as messengers or agents in the mortal realm and throughout the planes. Celestials are good by nature, so the exceptional celestial who strays from a good alignment is a horrifying rarity. Celestials include angels, couatls, and pegasi.
* [[Construct]]: They're made, not born. Some are programmed by their creators to follow a simple set of instructions, while others are imbued with sentience and capable of independent thought. [[Golem|Golems]] are the iconic constructs. Many creatures native to the outer plane of [[Mechanus]], such as [[Modron|modrons]], are constructs shaped from the raw material of the plane by the will of more powerful creatures.
* [[Dragon|Dragons]]: They're large reptilian creatures of ancient origin and tremendous power. True dragons, including the good [[Metallic Dragon|metallic dragons]] and the evil [[Chromatic Dragon|chromatic dragons]], are highly intelligent and have innate magic. Also in this category are creatures distantly related to true dragons, but less powerful, less intelligent, and less magical, such as [[Wyvern|wyverns]] and [[Pseudodragon|pseudodragons]].
* [[Elemental]]: They're creatures native to the elemental planes. Some creatures of this type are little more than animate masses of their respective elements, including the creatures simply called elementals. Others have biological forms infused with elemental energy. The races of genies, including djinn and efreet, form the most important civilizations on the elemental planes. Other elemental creatures include azers, invisible stalkers, and water weirds.
* [[Fey]]: They're magical creatures closely tied to the forces of nature. They dwell in twilight groves and misty forests. In some worlds, they are closely tied to the Feywild, also called the Plane of Faerie. Some are also found in the Outer Planes, particularly the planes of Arborea and the Beastlands. Fey include dryads, pixies, and satyrs.
* [[Fiend]]: They're creatures of wickedness that are native to the Lower Planes. A few are the servants of deities, but many more labor under the leadership of archdevils and demon princes. Evil priests and mages sometimes summon fiends to the material world to do their bidding. If an evil celestial is a rarity, a good fiend is almost inconceivable. Fiends include demons, devils, hellhounds, rakshasas, and yugoloths.
* [[Giant]]: They tower over humans and their kind. They are humanlike in shape, though some have multiple heads (ettins) or deformities (fomorians). The six varieties of true giant are hill giants, stone giants, frost giants, fire giants, cloud giants, and storm giants. Besides these, creatures such as ogres and trolls are giants.
* [[Humanoid]]: They're the main peoples of the D&D world, both civilized and savage, including humans and a tremendous variety of other species. They have language and culture, few if any innate magical abilities (though most humanoids can learn spellcasting), and a bipedal form. The most common humanoid races are the ones most suitable as player characters: humans, dwarves, elves, and halflings. Almost as numerous but far more savage and brutal, and almost uniformly evil, are the races of goblinoids (gol:ilins, hobgoblins, and bugbears), orcs, gnolls, lizardfolk, and kobolds. A variety of humanoids appear throughout this book, but the races detailed in the Player's Handbook- with the exception of drow-are dealt with in appendix B. That appendix gives you a number of stat blocks that you·can use to make various members of those races.
* Monstrosity: They're monsters in the strictest sense- frightening creatures that are not ordinary, not truly natural, and almost never benign. Some are the results of magical experimentation gone awry (such as owl bears), and others, are the product-of terrible curses (including minotaurs and yuan-ti). They defy categorization, and in some sense serve as a catch-all category for creatures that don't fit into any other type.
* [[Ooze]]: They're gelatinous creatures that rarely have a fixed shape. They are mostly subterranean, dwelling in caves and dungeons and feeding on refuse, carrion, or creatures unlucky enough to get in their way. Black puddings and gelatinous cubes are among the most recognizable oozes.
* Plant: They're vegetable creatures, not ordinary flora. Most of them are ambulatory, and some are carnivorous. The quintessential plants are the shambling mound and the treant. Fungal creatures such as the gas spore and the myconid also fall into this category.
* [[Undead]]: are once-living creatures brought to a horrifying state of undeath through the practice of necromantic magic or some unholy curse. Undead include walking corpses, such as vampires and zombies, as well as bodiless spirits, such as ghosts and specters.

[[Category:Dungeons & Dragons]]
[[Category:Game Mechanics]]

Ratatosk

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[[File:Ratatosk 2.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Ratatoskr''' is a minor figure in Norse mythology; a giant squirrel who lives in the branches of the [[World Tree]] Yggdrasil and carries insulting messages between Nidhoggr, the dragon gnawing at its root, and the nameless eagle who sits atop its highest branch. It's also the plural for '''Ratatosk''', a species of [[beastfolk|humanoid flying squirrels]] who inhabit Yggdrasil the World Ash in the [[Great Wheel]]. They were introduced as a minor enemy race in [[Planescape]], and haven't officially appeared since then. Outside of Yggdrasil, they are most commonly found in [[Arborea]] and "sylvan woodlands", so they're arguably also an appropriate fit for the [[Feywild]] or [[Plane of Faerie]].

==AD&D Lore==
[[File:Ratatosk 3.jpg|right|300px]]
Ratatosk are tree-dwelling gliders, able to leap wide chasms from branch to branch of Yggdrasil with sure-fooled ease. Ratatosk serve the World Ash as a sort of messenger system, but they are also very antagonistic to anything they feel doesn’t belong in their home tree, such as most planars, especially tieflings, dwarves, and githzerai. They tolerate elves, most Ysgardians, and bariaur, though only just.

The ratatosk steal the goods left for the spirits and the gods, and have little regard for anyone or anything but themselves. If properly bribed, they carry messages to or from any plane connected by Yggdrasil. These bribes usually take the form of the enormous, sterile seed pods of Yggdrasil.

Ratatosk look like humanoid flying squirrels, with furry membranes between their arms and legs and a large, flattened tail that they use to direct their gliding. They wear no clothing other than harnesses for gear and protective hats. Their fur is thick enough to keep them comfortable in all but the coldest winter freezes. Their color varies from black to gray to brown to red, though each pack has almost entirely the same coloring. Thelr tails are uniformly darker than the rest of their fur, usually matching the bark or the nears trees.

Ratatosk speak their own language, the language of birds, and the Ysgardian common tongue.

Ratatosk are panicky fighters, more willing to attack en masse than risk single combat. They are careless of their own lives, but they lash out violently when their children are threatened. Even then, their strength comes from panic rather than bloodlust. Their sharp claws strike for 1d4 points of damage each.

When they are forced to fight, ratatosk prefer to swoop out of a tall tree’s branches to attack. From the dive, they strike with their clawed hands and feet for double damage, then climb up Yggdrasil to dive again.

All ratatosk are excellent cursers, and their insults act as a taunt spell on any opponent who fails a saving throw versus spell. This ability is partly magical, and the ratatosk need not be able to speak the language of their target for their taunts to be effective. However, only creatures of low intelligence or greater are affected.

Many groups of ratatosk have adopted iron weapons as well as their natural claws, but these are all imported or stolen, since the ratatosk have no skill at forgecraft. In any given group, 30% of the ratatosk are unarmed, 20% have slings, 5% have staff slings, 10% carry spears, 20% carry hand axes, and 15% carry whatever weapons they have scavenged, such as swords, axes, polearms, and bows. The ratatosk steal or loot more weapons whenever they can.

While gliding, ratatosk can twist and dodge quickly enough to avoid missiles fired at them. A ratatosk can avoid a missile that would normally hit by rolling its current hit points or less on 1d20. This also applies to magical missiles that require an attack roll, such as Melf’s acid arrow or minute meteors.

Each pack has a ruling male and female who are the absolute rulers of the pack, a mated pair called the fireholders. The fireholders have 3 Hit Die and do 1d6 points of claw damage, but are otherwise identical to their followers. Any pack member can challenge the rulers, but those who lose a challenge are exiled or reduced to the lowest rung of the pack’s social ladder. The two leaders are the only ratatosk who mate and bear litter; all other pack mumblers are prevented from mating by the pack leaders. The only exceptions are the priests of Yggdrasil, who can reach 7th-level of ability and gain 1 additional Hit Die after reaching 5th level. Only 1 in 4 packs has a priest, but those that do always ask the priests for their counsel in any major decision.

The reaction of ratatosk packs to outsiders varies widely. Some packs are tricksters, others are very solemn — their personality is dependent on their leaders. All the ratatosk strive to be like their pack leaders, imitating their habits and behavior. Some pack leaders imitate powerful creatures that they meet, admire, and then “adopt”, and the poor adoptive parent is followed around for weeks or months by dozens of bright-eyed ratatosk that do whatever he does.

Ratatosk use fire sparingly, with only a single firepot held by the two leaders. Most food is eaten cold, and fire is used for light at night and for heat in winter. They fear the effects of fire on Yggdrasil and discourage others who use it. For them, burning Yggdrasil’s wood is a sacred act, and others who casually toss a few logs on the fire often wake up to find their mounts are loose, their food is scattered, and their tent has collapsed around them.

When the young males reach their full growth they are thrown out of the pack to survive on their own. They must steal brides away from an established pack to start their own group. Those that fail must join as lesser members with little status, never to become leaders. Young females are never thrown out of the pack and are protected by all other members of the pack, who know that she is the target of raiders.

Yggdrasil itself is the god of all ratatosk, and they fight to the death to protect her (in their eyes, Yggdrasil is a female tree). The legends of the ratatosk say that they were hatched from a huge nut at the top of the tree, and that they are therefore both the children and the chosen — the protectors or Yggdrasil. It’s useless to argue this point with the creatures: no story of Nidhogg or the eagles of Yggdrasil will convince them that the tree doesn’t love them best, and arguments about their origins can quickly lead to bloodshed. Whether Yggdrasil wants them to protect her doesn’t seem to be a question that occurs to them.

The ratatosk can’t seem to decide on where they like to live. A few packs of ratatosk are wanderers, nomads that range Yggdrasil from roots to crown. Each night, they weave tree nests from branches and leaves, as a way to avoid unwanted guests. The nests are built to just hold their weight, so that heavier creatures cannot reach them. When cold weather threatens, these ratatosk often migrate to Arborea for its mild winters.

Most ratatosk live in small lairs gnawed out of the wood of the World Ash or other impressively gigantic trees. Each burrow is large enough for a single adult and one young ratatosk. The entrance is sealed with the ratatosk’s own tail when it is sleeping, simply but effectively camouflaging the entryway. If the pack grows large enough, these small burrows are expanded, but most packs are dispersed or kept small by predators and famine.

A few tribes of ratatosk live in large hollows and dens dug deep into the tree’s living wood. In winter, the settlements are hibernation dens, small hollows that can hold the entire pack in tightly curled, dreamless slumber. Nearby, the ratatosk always hoard winter food in dozens of specially prepared nut storage caches.

The ratatosk love riddles and sometimes tease and taunt Yggdrasil’s travelers with them until the squirrel-folk get an answer. Some bloods have even gained the respect and aid of the ratatosk with riddles of their own. The following are a few of the more common ratatosk riddles:

Falling to earth, rising to the sky,
Before I fall again, years must go by. [A nut.]

Shivering but fearing flame,
Wanting sun but needing rain. [A leaf.]

Never an acorn, Taller than stars,
His fingers hold us, Our fingers hold him. [Yggdrasil.]

Ever moving under trees, Startled by the slightest breeze,
We need the sun to join our play, And hide ourselves on rainy days. [Shadows in the forest.]

Ratatosk eat nuts, roots, berries, fruits, insects, growing bark, and tender leaves. They also eat the eggs of the eagles nesting in Yggdrasil’s branches — one or the few foods they bother to cook. In the spring, they eat the young shoots and branches that Yggdrasil offers. A few groups of ratatosk have moved along Yggdrasil’s branches into the largest and most ancient woodlands of Arborea and Ysgard, where they are prey for giant eagles, giant wolves, giant owls and giants, who don’t seem to realize that the squirrel-folk are sentient creatures and spit them like rabbits.

==Ratatosk PCs?==
[[File:Ratatosk 1.jpg|right|300px]]
Whilst Ratatosk have never had an official PC writeup, fans of Planescape in AD&D did try their own hand at statting them up for that edition, and the results can still be found on the sadly long-abandoned Mimir.net fanpage... but we're reprinting them here, because we're nice like that.

Ratatosk a humanoid race resembling giant squirrels, who inhabit Yggdrasil, the plane-spanning World Ash. They appear as 4-5 foot flying squirrels with a spark of intelligence in their eyes. They have furry membranes between their arms and legs they use to glide, and a flattened tail they use to steer themselves while in the air. Their black, grey, red, or brown fur is usually the only clothing they wear aside from harnesses for gear and protective helmets. Their language resembles chatters and chirps. Ratatosk may spend a proficiency slot to learn the language of birds, as well as the common tongue and any Ysgardian or Arborean language. They are very curious and often mischievous.

The ratatosk race inhabits Yggdrasil, and views her (ratatosk see Yggdrasil as female) in a spiritual light, and actually worship the World Ash. The playful ratatosk will fight to the death to protect her. They are very wary of fire, because of the destruction it can cause their wood home. Few ratatosk would ever dream of leaving Yggdrasil, but it does happen. Some have been ostracised and outcast by their brethren. Some become lost. And some are simply overwhelmed by curiosity and wanderlust, often latching onto an adventuring party as a new source of authority.

::Ability Score Minimum/Maximum: Strength 3/18, Dexterity 11/18, Constitution 3/18, Intelligence 3/18, Wisdom 3/18, Charisma 6/18
::Ability Score Adjustments: +2 Dexterity, +1 Constitution, -1 Strength, -1 Intelligence
::Class/Level Limits: [[Fighter]] 8, [[Druid]] 9, [[Thief]] 12, [[Bard]] 12, Fighter/Thief, Druid/Thief
::Thieving Skill Adjustments: -5% Pick Pockets, -5% Open Locks, -5% Find/Remove Traps, +5% Move Silently, +10% Hide in Shadows, +10% Detect Noise, +25% Climb Walls, -15% Read Languages
::SPECIAL ABILITIES: Ratatosk have very sharp senses, and have a +1 bonus to their surprise checks. They have a base ground movement rate of 9. However, they have a climbing movement rate of 12, and a flying (actually, gliding) rate of 15 with a D manoeuvrability rating. They may not climb or fly while wearing armour of any sort, so most rely solely on their high dexterity or magical protection. Their sharp claws, normally used for climbing, do 1d4 damage per hit. Their favourite attack is a swoop, however. They must be able to dive from a height of at least 20 feet to make this attack, causing double damage on a successful hit. However, they must also save vs. breath weapon or take the same amount of damage as their target. Ratatosk are very agile, and can twist and turn in midair to dodge missiles. If a ratatosk in flight rolls under her level on a d20, she may avoid a missile attack that would have hit. This applies to magical attacks that require a "to hit" roll as well, such as Melf's acid arrow or minute meteors, but not attacks that have no attack roll, such as magic missile.
::SPECIAL HINDRANCES: In spite of the fact that it isn't true, ratatosk are seen as giant rodents by most other sentient races. This gives them a -2 penalty on reaction rolls to all characters except those with an unusually open mind towards animals (such as rangers and druids). A ratatosk's health and well-being is tied into Yggdrasil or their other forest homes. Each day a ratatosk spends away from a forest, he must save vs. spell or suffer 2 hit points of damage. Returning to a forest will prevent these hit points from being lost, but only healing them normally or returning to Yggdrasil for a day will restore them. Ratatosk may be of any non-evil, non-lawful alignment (NG, CG, CN, or TN ).
::Druids of Yggdrasil: Ratatosk druids always worship and thusly draw power from Yggdrasil. As a result, they treat any [[plane]] touched by the World Ash as being an Adjacent Plane for the purposes of planar spell modification.

* The Mimir.net page contradicts itself, stating in its writeup that ratatosk have "+2 Dex/-1 Str/-1 Int", but in their Vital Statistics the modifications are given as listed above
** The Class Options in the writeup states that ratatosk can be "fighters, druids, or rogues (including bards on rare occasions)"... but the Level Limits entry states that they can only be fighters, clerics and thieves.

==Midgardian Ratatosk==
In the [[Midgard]] setting by [[Kobold Press]], being it was inspired by [[Norse Mythology]], ratatosk feature as a planar race of gossip-mongers, information brokers, travel guides and general nuisances. Debuting statwise in the [[Tome of Beasts]] for [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition]], a series of articles have been posted on the Kobold Press website that flesh out their racial lore, including providing a writeup of the ''original'' Ratatosk as a minor god.

This culminated in their being promoted to a playable race in the [[splatbook]] "The Book of Ebon Tides", which expands upon the [[Plane of Shadow|Shadow Realm]] and its native races, such as the [[Shadow Fey]]:
::Ability Score Modifiers: +2 Dexterity, -2 Strength
::Speed: 25 feet, Climb 10
::Darkvision: 60 feet
::Grounded Celestial: You are vulnerable to effects that target either humanoids or celestials specifically.
::Sharp Tusks: When making an unarmed strike, you can choose to bite, inflicting 1 Piercing + 1d4 Psychic damage.
::Telepathic: You can communicate telepathically with any creature visible to you from a distance of (10 X your level) feet.
::Subrace: Choose either the Ekorre or Tradvakt subrace.

''Ekorre:''
::Ability Score Increase: +1 Intelligence OR +1 Charisma
::Size: Tiny
::Blessing of Yggdrasil: You know the Message and Vicious Mockery cantrips. From 5th level, you can cast Mirror Image 1/day. All spells granted by this trait use Charisma as their spellcasting ability score.
::Diminutive Weapons: You can only wield weapons with the Light or Finesse properties normally. You have Disadvantage on attack rolls with any weapon that lacks these traits, and must use it two-handed. You cannot use a weapon with the Heavy trait.

''Tradvakt:''
::Ability Score Increase: +1 Constitution
::Size: Small
::War Chatter: As a bonus action, you can unleash a war chatter once per short rest. All non-ratatosks creatures within 30 feet must succeed on a Charisma save (DC 8 + your Proficiency bonus + your Constitution bonus) or have Disadvantage on attack rolls until the start of your next turn.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Ratatosk PoC 1.jpg|''Planes of Chaos''
Ratatock PoC 2.jpg
Ratatosk PoC 3.jpg
Ratatoskr.png|Their namesake, Ratatoskr, in a 17th century Icelandic manuscript.
</gallery>

[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons]] [[Category: Monsters]] [[Category: Planescape]] [[Category: Midgard]]

Shade

2026-05-20T13:03:02Z

107.189.8.16:

A '''Shade''' in mythology is a spirit or a ghost that resides in the underworld, has a tendency to moan about their fate and generally be sorry miserable bastards. They are called shades because they are literally the shadows of their former selves in this existence (hence why they are sometimes referred to as death-shades).

Shades are used in some fantasy and RPG settings as their grimdark fate makes them interesting to the nerdy mind.

== Magic: The Gathering ==
In [[Magic: The Gathering]] Shades are an uncommon creature type. Almost always Black, Shades are often expensive to cast with low stats, but they can pump themselves up to significant power by paying a single point of [[mana]] (though often one B) for each +1/+1 they get.

== Dungeons & Dragons ==
In [[Dungeons & Dragons]], '''Shades''' are a race of [[planetouched]] [[human]]s native to either the [[Plane of Shadow]] or the [[Shadowfell]]. Different versions exist in both the [[Forgotten Realms]] and in the [[Nentir Vale]].

===Forgotten Realmss===
[[File:Shades.jpg|thumb|350px]]
In the [[Forgotten Realms]], shades descend from the Shadovar, a branch of the ancient [[Netheril]] empire which escaped the destruction of their cousins by fleeing into the [[Plane of Shadow]], where they ultimately mutated to gain innate [[Shadow Magic]] abilities. Faerun shades were presented as a PC races in the [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]] splatbook "Races of Faerun". In [[Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition]], stats for true shades would not appear until the release of the Essentials splatbook "Heroes of Shadow", but the article "A Legacy in Shadow" in [[Dragon Magazine]] #391 would state that shades after the [[Spellplague]] sometimes give birth to [[shadar-kai]] offspring, with the unique feat "Shade Heritage" to represent this distinct subrace.

Shades are also responsible for creating the [[Krinth]], a race of [[Shadow Demon]] [[Half-Fiend]]s they use as slave-warriors.

====Races of Faerun Fluff====
Over two thousand years ago, the ruler of a Netherese flying city transported his entire city onto the Plane of Shadow in order to explore that dim and perilous plane. For thousands of years, the City of Shade was lost to human knowledge, but in 1372 DR it abruptly returned to Faerûn above the Dire Wood. Today it soars above the deserts of Anauroch, land that was once a fertile part of the Empire of Netheril. Why the Netherese - now known as the Shadovars - returned, and what they are planning, are two mysteries that trouble the rulers of every nation in Faerûn. Most fear that solving these vital riddles will provide them with answers they will not care to hear. Until then, the Shadovars scheme in secret, their true goals a mystery to all but their ruler, the High Prince Telamont, and his twelve sons, the Princes of Shade.

Not all Shadovars are shades. The Princes of Shade decide who is to be given such a blessing, and they are stingy with their favors, careful to only empower those who are sure to be loyal to them and their causes. Prospective candidates are stringently tested for ability, loyalty, and resourcefulness.

Shades look just like normal humanoids, although their skin is gray to inky black, as are their eyes. They are thinner than most humans, and they prefer to dress in dark-hued clothes or armor.

Human Shadovars are never made into shades until after they have reached the age of majority. There are no such things as young shades, and shades who marry produce normal offspring.

Shades have extraordinarily long lifespans. By trading some portion of their souls for the stuff of shadow, they extend their lifespans tenfold.

Shades live to serve the High Prince and their fellow Shadovars. Most have grown up in the City of Shade as loyal champions of the High Prince's regime. While individual shades may have personal agendas, few conflict with the purposes of Shade's rulers, since disobedient or disloyal Shadovars are not likely to have been transformed into shades in the first place.

Shades consider themselves superior to all nonshades around them. After all, that's what they've been raised to believe from birth. Only the most worthy Shadovars are chosen to become shades. Most shades go adventuring only at the behest of their superiors. They are normally given specific orders about what they are to do on such missions. Shades rarely share their true reasons for adventuring with any non-Shadovar allies they may temporarily make. They do not trust those outside Shade, and any relationships they strike up with strangers are sure to be temporary.

Life in the City of Shade fits into a strictly controlled hierarchy. The High Prince sits at the top of the hierarchy's pyramid, with his sons - the Twelve Princes of Shade - right below him. Beneath them, the arcanists (Shadovar sorcerers and wizards) stand, with the military next down in importance. At the base of the pyramid, there are four levels of commoners. In descending order, these are the crafters (skilled laborers), the merchants (those who distribute necessary goods throughout the City of Shade and import and export needed materials), the servants (those who work as personal servants to people above them), and the slaves (who do the worst of the society's grunt work).

At the age of ascension (13 years old), every citizen is tutored in basic spellcraft and subjected to a battery of tests to determine how his skills can best serve the City of Shade. Then, at the age of majority (18 years old) each person embarks upon the job for which he was trained. Unless the person suddenly displays a new aptitude, he works at his designated career until the day he dies. Those citizens who prove to be especially important and loyal are transformed into shades. This is one of the greatest honors a Shadovar can receive. Only a small percentage of Shadovars are transformed, and commoners and low-ranking military officers are never chosen for transformation.

Outside the City of Shade, most shades keep to themselves. They may travel singly or in small groups, but any alliances they make with non-Shadovars - which are rare - are sure to be alliances of convenience. Only a Prince of Shade or a Shadovar officer of captain's rank or higher can leave the City of Shade without an escort, and such a person had better have a defensible reason for doing so.

====3e PC Stats====
[[File:Leevoth.jpg|thumb]]
All shades have the following powers when within shadows or darkness. In well-lit surroundings (daylight or the radius of a daylight spell) none of these powers function.
::Ability Scores: A shade's Constitution and Charisma scores increase by +2.
::Speed: Increases by 20 ft. (or 15 ft., if the character wears medium or heavy armor).
::Armor Class: The shade gains a +4 deflection bonus to AC.
::Attacks and Damage: The shade gains a +2 competence bonus on attacks and damage.
::Saves: The shade gains a +4 luck bonus on all saving throws.
::Skills: The character gains a +4 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks, and a +8 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks. He does not suffer skill check penalties due to darkness.
::Control Light (Sp): The shade can decrease the levels of light within a 100-foot radius by a factor of 10% per level. For characters and creatures dependent on light to see, this decreases the effective range of vision for them by the same percentage. For each 25% decrease in light, anyone within the area gains a +1 circumstance bonus on Hide checks.
::Fast Healing 2.
::Invisibility (Sp): The shade can use this ability once per round as a sorcerer of his level.
::Shadesight (Sp): The shade has 60-foot darkvision. He can see normally through any darkness effects but not through fog, invisibility, obscurement, and so on.
::Shadow Image (Sp): Three times per day, the shade can use this spell-like ability (similar to the mirror image spell) as a sorcerer of his level. This creates 1d4 figments of the shade, +1 per three levels.
::Shadow Stride (Sp): As often as once every 2 rounds, a shade of 8th level or higher can vanish from his current location and reappear in any shadowy area within 300 feet. This is a move-equivalent action.
::Shadow Travel (Sp): If the shade is 12th level or higher, then he can use teleport without error to reach a shadowy locale on the same world or plane shift to access the Plane of Shadows. A shade can shadow travel once per day.
::Spell Resistance: 11 + character level.
::Level Adjustment: +4. Shades are more powerful and gain levels more slowly than the common races of Faerûn. Their many bonuses and powers are hindered only by the fact that they do not work in bright light. Shadovars do not create shades from characters who are less than 5th level.

===Nentir Vale===
In the [[Nentir Vale]] setting, Shades are [[human]]s who have undergone a dangerous ritual known as the Trail of Five Darknesses that can only be performed either in the [[Shadowfell]] or at Shadow Crossings (those areas which house Shadowfell portals or planar bleed-through); those who survive are granted powerful innate [[Shadow Magic]] abilities, turning them into a kind of artificial [[planetouched]]. Because of this, shades are known for being ruthlessly ambitious and power-hungry, and they don't even like to hang around each other because they know full well just how dangerous they can be! Not helping is that sacrificing a sliver of one's soul for a shard of pure shadow has an emotional stifling affect, causing shades to be emotionally stifled and generally driven by their negative emotions. Shade-centric communities tend to be hellish places full of ruthless byzantine plotting, and most instead live as exiles or near-outcasts, pushed to the fringes of humanoid society.

Ironically, shades and [[shadar-kai]] ''despise'' each other, with an enmity that is compared to the classic hatred of [[elf]] vs. [[drow]], or [[dwarf]] vs. [[orc]]. In contrast, they get on well with [[vryloka]], whose history and origins they respect and see as forming a kinship with their own. They appeared in the [[Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition]] splatbook "Heroes of Shadow".

::Ability Score Modifier: +2 Charisma, +2 Dexterity or +2 Intelligence
::Size: Medium
::Speed: 6 squares
::Vision: Darkvision
::Skill Bonuses: +2 Arcana, +2 Stealth
::Fragile Mortality: Reduce your Healing Surges by -1.
::Practiced Sneak: You automatically have Training in Stealth.
::Shadow Origin: You count as a Shadow creature for any effects that key off of Origin.
::Racial Power: One with Shadow -- At-will, as a standard action gain both the ability to make Stealth checks to become hidden when in cover on concealment, and to gain cover from your allies (this stacks, allowing you to literally hide behind your allies), until the end of your next turn.

Shades can also choose to take any of five racial utility powers, scattered across levels 2, 6, 10, 16 and 22:
* Fleeting Shade: Level 2 Encounter. As a Move Action, become Invisible and gain +5 to Stealth checks until the end of your next turn.
* Twilight Torch: Level 6 At-Will. As a Minor Action, create a Close Burst 1 of Dim Light that lasts either until the end of your next turn or your use this power again, whichever comes first.
* Shadow Monsters: Level 10 Daily. As a Standard Action, summon 4 Shadow Monsters in 4 unoccupied squares in a close burst 3, which remain until the end of the encounter. You can use a Minor Action to move any/all of these shadow monsters up to 4 squares each. Enemies suffer a -2 penalty to attack rolls whilst adjacent to a shadow monster, and take 10 necrotic damage if they end their turn adjacent to or in the square of a shadow monster.
* Shadow Jump: Level 16 Encounter. Teleport up to your speed as a Move Action.
* Five Darknesses: Level 22 Encounter. As a Minor Action, invoke the Five Darknesses; this power up lasts until the end of your next turn, and whilst it lasts you have a Fly speed equal to your speed, are Insubstantial, have Phasing, and inflict a -2 penalty to attack rolls on all creatures adjacent to you. Also, you gain 10 temporary hit points.

{{D&D4e-Races}}

===Shadowbane Shades===
'''Shadowbane Shades''' are another version of the Shade race that appeared in the Silicon Sorcery article for [[Dragon Magazine]] #307, which converted this videogame race to [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]]. These shades are more akin to the [[Fetch]] race, with ties to undeath and the [[Ethereal Plane]] rather than the darkness powers of classic D&D shades.

Also known as '''Pale Ones''', '''The Damned''' and '''The Stillborn''', shades are death-touched [[human]]s born when a man is killed whilst a child of their blood remains unborn in its mother's womb. It doesn't matter if he's resurrected before the birth; so long as he died whilst mom was pregnant, there's a chance that the baby will be born a shade. This has, sadly, led to great deals of persecution over the years for shades; perhaps in part because they only began appearing in their native world a century ago, shades have been targeted with persecution, harsh cleansing rites, enslavement and even slaughter by their human progenitors.

Which, understandably, has made shades very suspicious and self-centered. They don't act rashly, having learned to think before they do in order to survive, and never trust others to look out for them. They can be passionate, when they feel it's safe, and they are fiercely loyal to those who prove worthy of their trust, but in general shades are best described as "muted" personalities. Having often been subjected to both religious and secular law being used as a weapon against them, shades tend towards more of an anarchist mentality; they typically dislike complex bureaucracy and layers of authority.

A shade resembles a human, save for a number of deathly traits. Firstly, they are completely hairless. Secondly, their coloration consists exclusively of gray-white, almost corpse-like skin, and solidly coal-black eyes. Thirdly, their voices are raspy and often faint, coming across as ghostly whispers. Fourthly, their touch carries a grave-like chill. Finally, in what should be of little surprise given how obviously death-touched they are, shades are sterile and cannot reproduce on their own - they depend on human parents and chance.

The exact lifespan of shades is currently unknown, but it definitely exceeds a century. Sages who've studied the race have speculated that, based on comparative aging signs, shades may have a lifespan equivalent to an [[elf]], and be able to reach 700 years or more in age.

Human/shade relations are, obviously, complicated; shades are born to humans and mature at a human rate, but at the same time, they can't forget how humanity has long hated and abused them for the crime of being born different. In general, shades tend to be cautiously reserved towards humans, until they prove worthy of either fierce friendship, or icy hate.

With other races... things are more tentative. [[Half-Orc]]s and shades tend to avoid each other, since the brashness of the former doesn't mix well with the quiet caution of the latter. Still, they share an understanding of being rejected by human kinsfolk for the crime of being different, and thus can bond over that. Whilst shades often try to make friends with [[halfling]]s and [[gnome]]s, the naturally sullen and dour attitudes of most shades tend to be perceived as off-putting by the smallfolk. As for [[elves]] and [[dwarves]]... both races don't get on well with shades initially - elves find the obvious death-touched nature of shades to be unsettling, whilst shades are suspicious of the dwarven subservience to law - but their mutual longevity allows for initially coolly cordial relationships to strengthen and grow over years and decades.

Many shades become [[adventurer]]s, seeking freedom from the pressures of "normal" life, and acceptance amongst their fellow oddballs and outcasts.

Shadowbane Shades have the following PC stats for [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]], having been created during 3.0:
::+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, -2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma
::Medium size
::Base speed 30 feet
::See Ethereal: Shadowbane Shades can see ethereal beings and objects naturally and continually.
::Ghost Touch: A Shadowbane shade's melee attacks ignore the normal penalties or miss chances for attacking incorporeal targets.
::[[Favored Class]]: [[Rogue]]
::[[Level Adjustment]]: +2

[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons]] [[Category: Dungeons & Dragons Races]] [[Category:Monsters]] [[Category:Planetouched Races]] [[Category:Undead]] [[Category:Magic: The Gathering]]

Linnorm

2026-05-20T13:02:45Z

107.189.8.16:

{{NeedsImages}}
[[File:gray linnorm MCAV1.jpg|right|thumb|A gray linnorm from ''AD&D''.]]
'''Linnorms''' are a type of [[dragon]] that, rather than being made up wholesale for ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' in the vein of the [[Chromatic Dragon|Chromatic]] and [[Metallic Dragon]]s, borrows from real-world mythology. Specifically, linnorms are based off of the serpentine dragons of old [[Mythology#Norse_Mythology|Norse mythology]], ''linnormr'', now generally called '''lindworms'''. Fáfnir, Níðhöggr and Jörmungandr the Midgard Serpent are all notable dragons of Norse myth, and they have provided frequent inspiration for antagonistic dragons in fantasy stories and gaming.

Said to be ancient and primordial ancestors or cousins of true dragons, these long and slender monsters more resemble enormous serpents with draconic heads and forearms and can grow to hundreds of feet in length. They lack both wings and hind legs, however some may still fly while others are equally at home in the oceans reflecting some of their Norse roots as calamitous sea serpents. Particularly foul-tempered, intelligent and malevolent, they also share their winged kin's lust for hoarding treasures in their secretive lairs. Linnorms can be found in both ''D&D'' and in ''[[Pathfinder]]'', with some slight differences between the two.

==D&D==
{{topquote|'''Scourge Dragons''', sometimes called ''Linnorms'', embody the afflictions that plague living creatures, much as [[Catastrophic Dragons]] embody natural disasters. They are almost universally evil, even more so than the [[Chromatic Dragon|chromatics]], and they revel in the raw physicality of melee combat. Because they lack wings and rear legs, some scholars insist that they're not true dragons, but more closely related to [[drake]]s.|A quote from the 4th edition [[Monster Manual]].}}

First appearing in ''[[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]]'', linnorms promptly fell into disfavor by the release of [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition|D&D 3e]]. They did receive an "Ecology of the Linnorm" article in ''[[Dragon Magazine]]'' #356. They are sometimes blatantly called "Norse dragons."

4th edition intended to incorporate linnorms into the [[Nentir Vale]] setting as "Scourge Dragons", describing them in brief in the very first [[Monster Manual]]. Alas, beyond that single paragraph, the Scourge Dragons never came to be; they received passing mentions in the flavor text segments of the 4e [[Draconomicon]]s, but dedicated mechanics or fluff failed to materialize. Only the quote above remains to give us any clue as to what might have been for the 4e linnorm.

===Corpse Tearer===
Possibly a unique creature, this gross linnorm looks almost [[undead]], with its cracked claws, slime-dripping hide, weather-beaten scales, and patchy clumps of hair. When at rest, it looks like a grossly diseased or very long dead tree. They are sedentary creatures, preferring to lurk in sepulcher-lairs guarded by the undead where they can dote over their treasure hoard, which they supplement by using the [[Underdark]] or undead minions to loot from graves and necropoli. They possess two different breath weapons; one that paralyzes, and one that inflicts a Strength-sapping wasting disease.
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===Dread Linnorm===
These two-headed monsters wield two separate breath weapons; a chilling wind and a cloud of super-heated dust. They have a weird taste for salt-seasoned wood, and have been known to attack oceanic ships to get this "delicacy" for themselves.
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===Flame Linnorm===
Flame linnorms wield various fiery powers, including separate breath weapons of flame and burning ashes.
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===Forest Linnorm===
Doubly unique amongst the linnorms in that it is completely limbless as an adult, but upon birth has four lizard-like limbs which reabsorb into the body as it matures. The forest linnorm has powerful [[illusionist]] magic as well as assorted spell-like abilities that are of particular use in their forest home. They have a particular hatred for beautiful things, and anything pretty in their hoard has always been smashed for the sake of wrecking it. Their breath weapon is a highly corrosive slime that also has the effect of a Wither spell on whatever it hits.
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===Frost Linnorm===
Without a doubt the most vindictive and savage of linnorms, frost linnorms cannot stand the presence of other intelligent creatures besides their own kind, and work tirelessly to drive away or massacre any intelligent being unfortunate enough to live in the territory around their lair. Their forelimbs are small and weak compared to other linnorms, so they only fight physically as a last resort, preferring to use their icy breath, runic magics, or magic items and superior tactics to overcome their enemies. Frost linnorms, it is said, do not need to eat, somehow drawing sustenance from frigid winds.
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===Gray Linnorm===
The smallest of their kin, the sadistic gray linnorm revels in hurting and terrorizing others, employing its poison-oozing, whip-like tail and black, metal-corroding ooze breath to deadly effect. Unlike other linnorms, which are more calculating, the gray linnorm is far simpler, preferring to engage in more savage combat, rending prey with bites and claws to toying with them for its own pleasure.
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===Land Linnorm===
The only linnorm species to have all four limbs in adulthood, land linnorms are greedy manipulators who hate the nobility of humanoid races and revel in corrupting or destroying them. Cautious, they sometimes stalk potential quarry that enters their territory for days, burrowing, turning invisible, and polymorphing into animals all to size up their threat versus the perceived wealth of the target. When it is time to attack they do so first with their breath weapon, a blast of withering heat, or with rune magic. They particularly envy the humanoid adeptness with magic, and have been known to force such beings to teach them in the ways of arcane prowess.
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===Midgard Linnorm===
A solitary creature, this seafloor-dwelling aquatic linnorm is the biggest and most powerful linnorm known to exist, commanding the reverence of all other linnorms - especially sea linnorms. The spawn of the Midgard Serpent, itself a spawn of Loki, it may be immortal and wiles away the time manipulating the affairs of others from afar with powerful magics. Considering actual combat to be beneath it, it will let its guards defend it, attacking with spells and its three breath weapons - a torrent of boiling water that can drown foes outright, a cloud of choking dust or a powerful blast of wind. Its favorite food is sea foam, anything else unlucky enough to be swallowed up while it feeds is just the cherry on top.
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===Rain Linnorm===
While other linnorms are content to live in unknown and in solitude, the rain linnorm, the vainest and greediest of their kind, are offended if they are not known for the atrocities they commit against lesser creatures, which is pretty much everything in their mind - including other rain linnorms. Rain linnorms earn their moniker for their love of inclement weather; when the sun shines, they hide in their lairs high on a mountain or hilltop, emerging only during downpours to hunt and slay. Their favorite food is said to be [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-W7bV2k6-9Y lightning].
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===Sea Linnorm===
Cold-hearted, vicious creatures, the sea linnorm is, in its own way, a devout protector of the oceans against those who would exploit it. Able to change their color like a chameleon from a young age to stay concealed they are fond of capsizing ships preferring to slay any survivors with spells or clouds of their acidic breath, biting or lashing out with its cruelly barbed tail is less preferred and, if they face serious opposition, will simply slink back into the depths. Whilst all linnorms in ''AD&D'' have weird diets, the sea linnorm's is arguably the oddest; they are ''herbivores'' who feed on seaweed and other oceanic plantlife, even going so far as to dry their meals in the sun for better flavors.
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==Pathfinder==
Treacherous primeval dragons of the northern regions of the world, linnorms thrive on their hatred for those they deem to be lesser creatures and seek to inflict as much suffering as possible unto their unfortunate victims. Sweeping bones and treasures alike into giant piles in its lair, the typical linnorm has a barbaric nature made all the worse by its insatiable greed and atrocious gluttony. Few creatures are as bold and as cruel as linnorms, and for that most people are thankful.

Linnorms are not true dragons, but they nonetheless possess incredible strength and deadly powers that often rival authentic dragon brutality. Their massive frames make crushing smaller enemies a simple task, and of those who have felt the sting of a linnorm’s venomous bite, few have survived the devastating poison long enough to tell the tale. A linnorm’s body is serpentine and lacks wings, yet these dragons fly through the air with supernatural ease, accomplishing the feat as easily as a fish through water.

Beyond the physical might, venom, and devastating breath weapons typical of all linnorms, the beasts all share a potent final defense—the death curse. This powerful plaguing of the mind manifests itself in myriad forms, but always serves as a horrid vengeance against any who might manage to slay a linnorm. Some theorize that the curse is a sending from malevolent gods who watch over linnorms and view them as destruction-loving pets. Others believe the linnorms’ curse is the closest remaining connection they have to the primeval world of the fey, from whence the first of these monsters is said to have come. Whatever the case may be, its curse makes killing a linnorm as dangerous as letting it live.

True dragons of higher intellect often hold linnorms in great scorn, viewing the beings as prematurely evolved beasts and refusing to even acknowledge the creatures as related to them. Linnorms have few feelings regarding the matter, battling younger and older dragons alike just as readily as any other creatures who dare to step foot in their territories. Their simplemindedness stifles any ability to assemble mass sieges or even cooperate in small groups, so linnorms almost always function alone, individually hunting over large territories in order to waylay as many travelers as possible. Linnorms only seek a mate once during their long lifetimes, the female producing several clutches of up to six eggs as a result. Of these eggs, only one will survive—the first to hatch immediately feasts on its unhatched brethren.

Despite their lust for devastation, linnorms usually live in relatively remote areas, never straying far from the northernmost reaches of the world. As they are universally hated and feared by most other intelligent creatures, their tendency to dwell in more isolated regions helps ensure their survival; while linnorms are vicious and unforgiving, their lack of organization makes them highly susceptible to raiding parties seeking to eradicate their presence, though such parties would need to be made up of truly impressive individuals. More often than not, a linnorm resides totally undisturbed in the spot it chooses as its own for hundreds of years, stewing in its own malevolence until finally snapping and going on a rampage. Sometimes, villages aren’t even aware of a slumbering linnorm’s proximity, but usually such settlements have long traditions and local legends revolving around “their linnorm.” Since a linnorm can hibernate for centuries, villages composed of shorter-lived humanoids might consider these tales as little more than quaint stories, but when the linnorm wakes, the truth becomes impossible to doubt.

Linnorms come in many different varieties, but all share the qualities of being horribly strong and bestial. They feast solely on meat, usually eating goats and other mountain animals when more intelligent creatures such as humanoids don’t readily present themselves. Linnorms are prone to gorging and then falling into a deep sleep near their treasure hordes, waking either when they become aware of intruders in their vicinity or to feed once more.

===Cairn Linnorm===
These gaunt, pallid linnorms haunt burial places, for they favor the taste of [[undead]] flesh above all else. Which makes it weird that they suffer a psychological block that makes them very reluctant to enter an enclosed burial site without permission from a priest or its denizens, which can also be used to entrap them in tombs - that said, this is purely a psychological quirk, and they can break through it if pushed, so watch out! Their breath weapon is a cone of necrotic bile, which inflicts acid damage and level drain on its victims, and their Death Curse causes the victim to age a year for every day that passes.

===Crag Linnorm===
The weakest of their kind, these triple-tailed linnorms haunt mountainous regions, where their ability to spew magma makes them deadly predators. Those afflicted by their Death Curse become permanently vulnerable to fire attacks.
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===Fafnheir===
This unique linnorm is the most powerful of all his kind, with a mighty breath weapon of burning winds and a unique Death Curse that allows him to come back from the dead by consuming the soul of his killer and subsuming their body.

===Fjord Linnorm===
These eel-like linnorms, as their name suggests, are predominantly aquatic, haunting the complex coastline regions known as fjords and venturing out to sea in order to hunt whales and sharks. They spew icy fluid at their victims and their Death Curse makes their victims more likely to drown when plunged into water.

===Gare Linnorm===
River-haunting kindred to the fjord linnorms, these malevolent dragons wield their boiling steam breath weapon and a Death Curse that causes its victims to start drowning whenever they imbibe liquid to deadly effect.

===Ice Linnorm===
Dwelling in the deepest ice fields and amidst frozen glaciers, this frosty linnorm isn't the mightiest of its kind, but still a powerful threat. Its breath weapon is a viscous gel that freezes its victims in solid ice, and its Death Curse afflicts people with a vulnerability to cold damage.
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ice linnorm B1.png
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===Taiga Linnorm===
Armored with vicious spines that makes striking them in melee a risky prospect, these linnorms haunt arctic forests. Their breath weapon is a gout of electrified vapor, and their Death Curse makes victims vulnerable to electrical attacks.

===Tarn Linnorm===
The mightiest of all the common linnorms, these two-headed horrors spew gouts of corrosive venom that emit clouds of toxic vapor as they mix with air. Their Death Curse renders its victims unable to heal damage in any way.
<gallery>
tarn linnorm B1.png
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===Tor Linnorm===
These fiery linnorms dwell amidst active volcanoes. Spewing clouds of flame and ash, their Death Curse causes a victim's blood to heat to boiling temperatures in their own veins, leaving them crippled by intense agony as well as being more vulnerable to fire attacks.

{{D&D-Dragons}}

Ulb

2026-05-20T13:02:30Z

107.189.8.16:

[[File:Ulb.png|thumb|right|300px]]

Most Imperial citizens in the universe of [[Dragonstar]] consider the various slimes and oozes found on so many worlds to be a simple (if sometimes deadly) threat to be avoided or exterminated.

The '''ulb''' are anything but.

Less common than many of the other races, the ulb flourish on hot, humid worlds. Even after they were discovered, it took several hundred years before anyone realized that they were an intelligent race, much less that they were an extremely pious race that worshipped aspects of the Unification gods.

Until recently, most citizens had never seen an ulb, except possibly in the largest of the Unification churches, and even then, they probably had no idea what exactly it was they were looking at. Most ulb have been content to either stay on their homeworlds or else join ships crewed entirely by their own kind. Given the damp, thickly smelling environments that they prefer, this was probably for the best for all concerned. However, with the long feared crowning of an Asamet emperor, the ulb have been increasingly active, making allies and earning favors to prepare for the dark times ahead that they claim were foretold by their prophets 6,000 years ago.

==Personality==
The thought processes of the ulb are unusual. The have a strong sense of community and family—they often band together in large groups based on shared ancestry. They believe in immortality through the actions of their children, who they see as an extension of themselves. Combined with their very long lifespan, this leads them to a relaxed, unhurried lifestyle in which the greatest good is to serve the race as a whole.

This is tinged by their strong religious beliefs. Having taken up a religion similar to the Unification doctrine even before encountering the Empire, they view humanoid clerics in much the same light as the humanoids of the church view them—proof of the power of their gods. Or, as the ulb say, “It is amazing and wonderful that creatures so different from ourselves can still be inspired by the divinity of the same gods.” Unlike many races, the ulb revere all of the Twelve equally and openly. Each has a place in their culture, and while the Reaper and Destroyer are frightening in their wrath, the faithful know that ulb clerics devoted to these powers exist to turn that fury on those who would threaten the survival of their race.

While almost identical to each other physically, the ulb vary wildly in outlook. They are roughly evenly distributed in terms of alignment, but even evil ulb will prey on non-ulb before turning on their own. Ulb also place great importance on age, according respect to their elders. Unfortunately most races do not live long enough to be counted as elders among the ulb, and those that do (elves and dragons) are generally not well liked by them because of their elitist views. Still, they are attentive to the voice of experience, and work well in groups once someone has proven their skills to the ulb in a crisis.

==Physical Description==
The ulb are large amorphous
creatures, averaging 4 feet in diameter when mature. They are amorphous—able to adjust their shape at will by extending tentacle-like pseudopods to act as arms or legs. In any shape they are partially translucent, filled with a pale blue liquid and numerous greenish spheres. These spheres act like internal organs do in other creatures, containing structures that process food, filter out waste, and carry out the ulb’s thought processes. These distributed “organelles” make ulb amazingly resistant to some types of harm, while their thick, rubbery skins and fluid interiors leave them at great risk from other attacks. They can eat a wide variety of organic material including meat, vegetables, raw grains, etc., and must consume as much as a human.

Ulb do not have distinct genders. Instead, they reproduce by budding. This takes a considerable amount of extra food intake and about two months of concentration on the part of the ulb (–2 to all skill checks and saves during this period). Afterwards, a miniature ulb 8 to 10 inches in diameter separates from the parent. Ulb have strong parental instincts and will protect and raise their offspring for the 10 years it takes the bud to reach adolescence, when it will be roughly 3 feet in diameter. Ulb live for up to 300 years if they can avoid injury and radiation poisoning, which accelerates their aging process. As ulb grow older, their fluids and organelles become washed out, shifting from blues and greens to a milkier appearance.

Ulb vision is fairly primitive, consisting of specialized eyespots on stalks. This provides poor color vision, and ulb are chronically nearsighted. However, large patches of the ulb’s skin instead act as both ears and speakers, able to detect and produce vibration. This allows ulb to mimic speech despite having no lungs or vocal cords. An ulb’s ability to detect vibration (analogous to “hearing” for most races) is quite good, and some individuals have honed this to remarkable levels, becoming able to detect other creatures in their vicinity with ease.

Despite some rumors to the contrary, ulb cannot extract oxygen from water through their membranes and can drown as easily as any other air-breathing creature. They can, however, trap bubbles of air within their bodies, extending the time they can survive underwater. Without such preparation, they can “hold their breath” only about as long as other non-aquatic races.

==Relations==
Ulb that have ventured off of their homeworlds find the company of humanoids fascinating, since other oozes leave much to be desired in terms of conversation. In spite of this, they have never been welcomed or treated favorably by the rulers of the Dragon Empire, and only see this situation growing worse with a red dragon upon the throne. All inroads they have made with galactic society have been through the Unification Church. That the Unification deities have seen fit to grant the prayers of ulb clerics is their strongest argument for equality on worlds largely dominated by humanoids. While they get along cordially with most races, they often find themselves at odds with the elves. Ulb believe elves to be narrowminded in their views of natural ecology, disregarding the slime and fungal ecosystems that dominate the ulb homeworlds. With both sides possessing tremendously long lifespans, this has degenerated into long-winded debates that have lasted longer than most other races’ lifespans.

Ulb find the idea of humanoid soulmechs somewhat puzzling. They appreciate the desire to preserve the experience of individuals through technology, but have difficulty relating to a soulmech as a living being—since obviously they are not. Unless an ulb has worked with a particular soulmech for several years, they are likely to treat the automata as a sort of clever, automated library of the recorded personality’s thoughts. Only by seeing a soulmech grow over the course of years is this impression likely to change, no matter how often the “clever program” protests otherwise. Due to the radical difference in body types, no ulb has chosen to undergo the procedure themselves, equating existence in such a fixed form to be the equivalent of constant torture. Madness seems to be the most likely outcome of any such attempt.

==Alignment==
Ulb can be of any alignment, having no strong preference for any of them.

==Ulb Lands==
Ulb prefer damp climates and can adapt to most worlds so long as they avoid deserts. They are most frequently found on worlds that are dominated by fungal ecosystems, and as such rarely have had to share their worlds with humanoid races. In the last two centuries, the ulb have begun looking into developing vacuum–resistant fungal technologies like the living ships of the elves so that they can create self-growing colonies on moons or even large asteroids with sufficient water or ice. Acquiring new territory has become one of the race’s highest priorities since the crowning of Mezzenbone.

==Religion==
Ulb are amongst the most pious of the empire’s races. Virtually every ulb at least acknowledges one of the Unification deities as its preferred diety, and many make this preference widely known. Ulb hold clerics of all sorts in high regard, and will go out of their way to be courteous to such individuals.

==Language==
The ulb language is simply impossible for most other creatures to master—it would require the vocal range of a dolphin, a tuba, a tenor opera singer and about 200 wind chimes combined. While melodious and even soothing, none of the major humanoid races can speak it without the aid of a translator. On the other hand, some individuals can understand it unaided, much to the surprise of any Ulb whose “private” conversations are overheard and understood. With portions of their bodies acting much like electronic speakers, ulb do not share this difficulty in speaking the languages of other races. Indeed, some ulb have become famous as linguists, diplomats, and impersonation artists. A bardic ulb is an amazing performer, able to both sing and accompany itself with several reproduced musical instruments.

==Names==
As ulb names are nonsensical in humanoid terms, they always adopt nicknames from the language of whatever race they deal with most.

==Adventurers==
Ulb have become increasingly active in recent years, and are now found among many groups of adventurers, adding the flexibility of their unique abilities to the strengths of others. With their strong sense of community, such ulb adventurers rarely operate alone, and can be essential in smoothing over the differences between their humanoid teammates. After all, if they can work successfully with a 4-foot-tall ball of ooze, their own differences can hardly be unsolvable!

==Ulb Racial Traits==
::–2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution: Ulb biology allows them to resist many threats, but they are both sluggish and not very nimble by human standards.
::Medium: As Medium-size creatures, ulb have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
::Ulb base speed is 20 feet. An ulb may withdraw its pseudopod legs, and adhere directly to surfaces. This reduces the ulb’s speed to 5 feet, but it grants a +10 racial bonus to Climb checks while doing so. Extending or retracting its pseudopod legs is a move-equivalent action.
::Ooze Traits: Ulb are unusual for oozes, being intelligent, but they do share many of the features of that creature type. They are immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, and polymorphing. Further, they are not subject to critical hits and cannot be flanked. Finally, they gain +10 hp due to their construction.
::While an ulb may hold multiple items at once, they may only concentrate on a single limb and a secondary limb at one time. This gives them the same modifiers that a humanoid using items in his main hand and off hand would have. The only significant difference is the ulb may designate different limbs to be their main limb and off-hand limb at the beginning of each round.
::Air bubbles: If allowed one full minute to prepare, an ulb can trap extra air within its body. This allows the ulb to hold its breath for double the normal duration before beginning to make drowning checks. This process is quite uncomfortable to the ulb, and cannot be maintained for longer than 10 minutes out of every 4 hour period.
::Amorphous: Ulb can compress their bodies tight enough to squeeze through a round hole that is 6 inches in diameter. In addition, they receive a +12 racial bonus to Escape Artist checks.
::Nearsighted: Ulb cannot sense anything beyond 60 feet away.
::Piercing Susceptibility: While ulb have thick, multilayered skins and internal baffles, being deeply stabbed still causes them grievous injury. All piecing weapons have their critical multiplier increased by 1 when used on an ulb.
::Radiation Susceptibility: Radiation is quite dangerous to single-celled beings like the ulb, and causes an additional point of damage per die to them. Further, an ulb cannot bud for a number of weeks equal to the damage inflicted as the ulb’s internal chemistry purges and repairs damaged DNA. Any radiation attack immediately ages the ulb 1 year for every die of damage it inflicts.
::Unusual Body Type: Because of their uncommon shape, ulb seldomly find clothing or armor that will fit them. Typically, they must have such items made. Because they are a medium non-humanoid race, such items cost two times as much as normal.
::Automatic Languages: Ulb speak their own language and Common. Bonus Languages: Any spoken language. Ulb have highly adaptable vocal abilities, and may reproduce the sounds, intonation, and inflection of any species that they have the opportunity to study and listen to.
::Favored Class: Cleric. Amulticlass ulb’s cleric class does not count when determining whether or not there is an XP penalty for multiclassing (see PHB, Chapter 3, Experience for Multiclass Characters). Ulb are an extremely pious race.
::Level Equivalent: +1

===Ulb Racial Feats===
Blindsight 30’ Radius
You able to sense tiny vibrations near you.
Prerequisites: Character level 6+, Listen +8, ulb only.
Benefit: You gain the blindsight special quality with a range of 30 feet (see MM, Introduction, Special Qualities).

Blindsight 60’ Radius
You have enhanced your vibratory sensitivity to levels rarely reached by your race.
Prerequisites: Character level 12+, Listen +16, Blindsight 30’ Radius, ulb only.
Benefit: Your blindsight ability’s range increases to 60 feet.

Enhanced Flexibility
You are even more flexible than most members of your race.
Prerequisites: Character level 6+, ulb only.
Benefit: You can compress yourself tightly enough to fit through a round hole 3 inches in diameter. In addition, your racial bonus to Escape Artist checks increases to +18.

Extend Pseudopods
You may extend your manipulative pseudopods a greater distance than most members of your race.
Prerequisites: Character level 9+, ulb only.
Benefit: As a move-equivalent action, you may extend or retract your pseudopods. While they are extended, your reach increases to 10 feet, but you suffer a –2 penalty to your Dexterity.

Extra Secondary Limb
You may split your attention among your pseudopods in such a way that you can maintain an additional secondary limb at any given time.
Prerequisites: Ulb only.
Benefit: You can form one additional arm. This limb is treated as an an extra off hand for purposes of attacking.
Special: You may take this feat a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum 1).

Multiweapon Fighting (General)
You can fight with a weapon in each of your hands.
Prerequisite: Three or more arms.
Benefit: Your penalties for fighting with multiple weapons are reduced by 2. This feat functions just as Two-Weapon Fighting does for a creature with only two hands.

Multidexterity (General)
You are adept at using all your hands in combat.
Prerequisite: Dex 15+, three or more arms.
Benefit: You ignore all penalties for using any of your three off hands. This feat functions as Ambidexterity does for a creature with two hands. Weapons wielded in your off hands still add only half your Strength bonus to damage.

Two-Gun Shooting (General)
You can shoot with both weapons when you have a firearm in each hand. You can make one extra attack each round with the second weapon.
Benefit: Your penalties for firing two weapons are reduced by 2.
Normal: See SHB, Chapter 7, Firing Two Weapons.
Special: The Ambidexterity feat reduces the attack penalty for the second weapon by 4. These penalties are further reduced if the size category of both weapons is one size category smaller than yours.

[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons Races]]

Pershala

2026-05-20T13:01:14Z

107.189.8.16:

[[File:Pershala.png|thumb|right|300px]]
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).

[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons Races]][[Category:Furry]]

Cyclopean

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''Adjective.''

'''1:''' often capitalized: of, relating to, or characteristic of a [[Cyclops]].

'''2:''' huge, massive.

'''3:''' (''architecture'') of or relating to a style of stone construction marked typically by the use of large irregular blocks without mortar.

'''4:''' (''/tg/'') A word that, in the second sense above, it seems the [[Black Library]] requires ''every single author'' to include at least once in ''every single book'' they publish about the 40K universe.

[[File:Cyclopean Dragon 323.jpg|thumb|500px|"Okay who the fuck invited Urgok, he was not on the list!"]]
Alternatively, a race for [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]] introduced in [[Dragon Magazine]] #323. These cyclopeans are essentially a strain of [[Half-Giant]] descended from ancient matings between [[human]]s and [[cyclops]]es, divided into two subraces; the intelligent and magically adept Menta and the brutish, savage Ferals.

Legends speak of an enigmatic race of giants known as the cyclopes. Similar to hill giants in many ways, these brutes had one unique trait: single eyes situated in the middle of their foreheads. Cyclopes lived in an uneasy peace with other giants, with the one-eyed beings losing battles more often than winning. Over time, cyclopes lost the majority of their territory, forcing them to move farther into the wilderness or closer to the settlements of humanoid races, particularly humans. In most of these collisions of cultures, the humanoids treated cyclopes with fear and suspicion, resulting in the slow decline of the cyclopes population. Over the centuries, as the cyclopes died off, other races came to regard them as nothing more than a myth.

However, pockets of these giants survived in the wilderness and along the rocky crags of forbidding shores. Tales persisted of sailors running afoul of cyclopes living on isolated islands. Most of these stories ended poorly for the sailors, but some tell of a cyclops who would trade a glimpse into the future for goods or favors. In one story a flood of refugees fled their city during a siege and sought out the ancient cyclops, Menta the Wizened. Menta foretold of great doom and despair for many of the refugees, but eventual revenge against their attackers. His prophecy came true, and the grateful survivors deified Menta and made his home a sacred place.

Worshippers and omen seekers often visited the island, and Menta took some as mates. His children, although smaller and weaker than the giant who begat them, slowly spread throughout the land and became a viable race in their own right. These first cyclopeans retained both their ancestor's ability to look into another person's future, as well as a deep passion for solitude and respect for nature. Most of these cyclopeans stayed close to the sea, doing their best to remain hidden from others. They made peaceful contact with gnomes, fey, and the rare dwarven clans who regarded cyclopeans with curiosity.

Although most cyclopeans consider Menta the father of their race, other myths persist that tell of tribes that descended from other cyclopes. Known as the feral-kind, these cyclopeans are violent and savage, like many other types of giants. While most cyclopeans descended from Menta wish only to live in peace, their brethren make life difficult for the race, attacking innocent travelers who roam too close to their caves and hovels.

Today, the two cyclopean branches form a minor, fragmented race, eking out an existence among more numerous humanoids. Rumors persist that some cyclopeans see visions of their race's ultimate fate - but none, even under pain of death, reveal what the future holds for their kind. Some sages speculate that the cyclopeans face a slow, agonizing extinction as their bloodline runs dry, although hints abound of the race gaining greater glory and respect.

Optimistic - some say naive - cyclopean adventurers dedicate themselves to increasing their race's beleaguered status. The boldest make quests to locate the few remaining cyclopes in hope of bringing power to their ailing race. The most fervent even believe Menta lives and waits for his children to return to him, and they scour the world seeking him.

==Personality==
Introspective and thoughtful, Menta cyclopeans often take a long-term view. Because of their ability to look into the future, cyclopeans often seem lost in thought, spending more time "looking forward" than paying attention to the world of the present. Even if not actively using their future sight, most cyclopeans spend their time mulling over other creatures' fates and what those creatures mean in the scheme of the universe. To others, a cyclopean might seem distracted and absent-minded and often needs coaxing to pay attention to matters at hand. Otherwise, the relatively peaceful and withdrawn cyclopeans strive to live in harmony with their surroundings. Often witnesses to the folly in others, they maintain a fatalistic attitude toward life that makes them stoic and unemotional. They know of the future's eternal flux and that patience and calm help them survive turbulent times - they believe that if one waits long enough, new possibilities always emerge.

Their unique ability to see into the future creates two distinct personality types among the peaceful Menta cyclopeans. One type becomes deeply intrigued - almost obsessed - with the lives of other sentient beings, peering into the future and watching as their fates play out. Sometimes these cyclopeans befriend beings they see as having interesting fates, guiding those creatures with advice bestowed by their ability. The other type of Menta cyclopean, haunted and overwhelmed by seeing the fate of others, withdraws from society and seeks solitude. They reveal their secrets only through bribes, coercion, or methods of convincing them of the importance of their information.

Either way, many beings seek out cyclopeans in hope of finding out what the future holds. Most Menta cyclopeans loathe revealing too much and become angry or morose if asked to often. Menta cyclopeans cherish those beings who learn to accept them for more than their ability to see into the future.

Bitter and savage, the feral-kind cyclopeans use their great strength and physical prowess to toy with victims before killing them out of spite. These evil loners typically live close to other humanoids to have plenty of "toys" to play with. Feral-kind cyclopeans possess a dark and twisted view of the world, seeing it as a place of hardship where only the strong survive. They see their more peaceful brethren as weak and soft, misusing their talents and heritage for pointless reasons. Smarter feral-kind cyclopeans might even adopt the ruse of acting like their more gentle brethren to lure the naive and overly trusting.

==Physical Description==
Descended from the giant race of cyclopes, these extremely tall humanoids stand just shy of a large size at 7 to 8 feet. With wiry builds and ruddy, leathery skin, cyclopeans weigh between 250 and 350 pounds. Both types of cyclopean females generally wear their hair very long while the males shave their heads bald. Elder male cyclopeans commonly tattoo their smoothly shaved heads with intricate abstract patterns. The higher the male's status, the more complicated the tattoo.

Located immediately above the bridge of its nose, the cyclopean's single eye is slightly larger than normal for a humanoid of its size, and it requires far less blinking to keep it moist and safe. Its eye always has a brilliant color resembling a gemstone, with no two cyclopean irises sharing the same color. Because of their single eye, cyclopeans lack depth perception and few make use of ranged weapons, preferring to hunt with spears and clubs or to fish for their meal. This lack of depth perception often causes them to ignore personal space and move uncomfortably close to others, and it also makes them nervous when people try to talk to them from far away.

Menta cyclopeans prefer to wear simple garb, such as tunics, loincloths, or robes, which they often wear short in the dry, arid regions that they commonly inhabit. They dislike bold and gaudy adornment, although almost every Menta cyclopean wears a necklace or other bit of tasteful jewelry made from natural materials. Feral-kind cyclopeans wear animal skins and bits of jagged metal often culled from discarded or stolen armor.

==Relations==
Cyclopeans live close to the land, and as a result, find themselves dealing most often with gnomes, dwarves, and sylvan beings. Menta cyclopeans respect the privacy and territory of other races and ask only the same. However, due to their future sight, other beings often seek out cyclopeans in hopes of having their futures predicted. Some tribes see little problem with this, trading information from their visions for goods from other races. Other tribes dislike the requests and demands of seekers who ask too much or too often, and they turn their backs on anyone who gets too pushy.

Feral-kind cyclopeans, particularly those who live deep in the wilderness, often find themselves dwelling side-by-side with sylvan races, such as satyrs, pixies. and dryads. Occasionally, this proximity leads to violence, but the feral-kind cyclopeans have lost enough warriors in the past that they rarely start fights anymore. Most cyclopeans treat giants with a neutral attitude, knowing that they share a common ancestry, but one they often wish to leave in the past. In turn, giants, especially hill and stone giants, regard cyclopeans with superstition and begrudging respect. Most giants simply leave them alone, sensing the blood of the cyclopes running in their veins. The more enlightened and intelligent giants, such as cloud and storm giants, have a patronizing view of cyclopeans, seeing them as a failed and dying bloodline doomed to pass into obscurity.

The two cyclopean factions do not get along, their meetings often ending in bloodshed. However, because their race lacks numbers, few cyclopeans actively quarrel with their kin. At best, Menta and feral-kind cyclopeans simply ignore each other and strive to stay far away from each other's territory.

==Alignment==
The introspective Menta cyclopeans like to gather facts before passing judgment, making most of them neutral or lawful neutral. The far more savage and brutal feral-kind cyclopeans tend more toward chaotic and evil behavior, although the isolationists among them lean toward neutral evil.

==Religion==
Concerned with the natural rhythm of life and the ebb and flow of fate in the universe, cyclopean pay little heed to most religions. Those who do pray to deities commonly worship [[Obad-Hai]] (representing balance in nature), or [[Boccob]] (the uncaring deity of magic). Cyclopeans with a violent bent (which occurs most commonly among the feral-kind, but occasionally among the Menta cyclopeans) worship [[Nerull]] or [[Erythnul]]. Overall, however, cyclopeans like to make their judgment on matters and dislike those who preach to them or make them targets of religious conversion. Regardless of their beliefs, all cyclopeans possess deep convictions about their heritage - the Menta cyclopeans believe Menta begat their species, while feral-kind see themselves as the wronged descendants of ancient cyclopes from long ago.

==Language==
Cyclopeans speak Giant as their natural tongue, although those who live close to other races learn to speak Common as well. Linguists note that cyclopeans speak a rather brutish version of Giant with a lyrical tone to their voices, a trait that most other beings find slightly hypnotic. Ocular imagery and numerous phrases discussing fate and the future fill the cyclopean dialect.

==Names==
As befitting their giant ancestry, cyclopeans have short, simple names. They eschew familial names in favor of titles, such as "the Dark Seer," "the Sullen," or "the Waywalker." Only other cyclopeans (or sometimes the tribe as a whole) grant such titles. Titles might change over time as cyclopeans experience life-changing events. A few adopt the naming conventions of other races, particularly dwarves and gnomes, accepting this additional name as just another way to make themselves out as individuals.

Male Names: Brengar, Corvor. Gorr, Merr, Tuffor, Ulbur, Warror.

Female Names: Emara, Kelara, Less, Nallo, Oova, Tamri, Veshe.

==Adventurers==
Rare but active, cyclopean adventurers leave the safety of their rocky homes and succumb to wanderlust. Menta cyclopean adventurers typically become [[wizard]]s - particularly [[diviner]]s - spending their time studying magic to better unravel the tangled web of the future. Because they tend to hail from wild and untamed lands, feral-kind cyclopeans favor the [[barbarian]] class.

===Menta Cyclopean Racial Traits===
::+2 Constitution, -2 Dexterity. Although quite sturdy, Menta cyclopeans lack grace or coordination.
::Medium: As Medium creatures, cyclopeans have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
::Cyclopean base land speed is 30 feet.
::Darkvision: Cyclopeans can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight. Menta cyclopeans function fine with no light at all.
::Future Sight (Su): Three times per day, a Menta cyclopean may spend a full-round action to peer into the future of a creature. This functions as the augury spell, except it do not require any components and cannot predict the future of the cyclopean himself. The cyclopean must touch the target creature for the full round. The Menta cyclopean may only use this ability once per creature per day.
::Single Eye: Because they only have one eye, cyclopeans lack depth perception. Cyclopeans suffer a -2 penalty on all ranged attack rolls, Search checks, and Spot checks.
::Automatic Languages: Common and Giant. Bonus languages: Dwarven, Gnome, Sylvan, and Terran. Cyclopeans live close to the earth and often learn the languages of those attuned to it.
::Favored Class: Wizard. A multiclass Menta cyclopean's wizard class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing. Most cyclopean wizards become diviners, using spells to augment their ability to peer into the future.

===Feral-Kind Cyclopean Racial Traits===
::+2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Dexterity, -2 Intelligence. Just as clumsy as their Menta kin, feral-kind cyclopeans make up for their lack of grace with considerable physical power. However, they lack the cunning of their kin.
::Medium: As Medium creatures, cyclopeans have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
::Cyclopean base land speed is 30 feet.
::Darkvision: Cyclopeans can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight. Feral-kind cyclopean functions fine with no light at all.
::Glimpse the Future (Su): Feral-kind cyclopeans lack the full future sight ability of their Menta cyclopean kind. Instead, they can see brief snatches of the future that let them react to danger better. Feral-kind cyclopeans get a +1 insight bonus on Initiative checks and Reflex saves.
::Single Eye: Because they only have one eye, cyclopeans lack depth perception. Cyclopeans suffer a -2 penalty on all ranged attack rolls, Search checks, and Spot checks.
::Automatic Languages: Common and Giant. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Gnome, Sylvan, and Terran. Cyclopeans live close to the earth and often learn the languages of those attuned to it.
::Favored Class: Barbarian. A multiclass feral-kind cyclopean barbarian's class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing. Already crude and dangerous, feral-kind cyclopeans find it easy to enter berserker rage.

[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons Races]]

Werebat

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[[File:Werebat MC Ravenloft cover.jpg|right|300px]]
{{topquote|I am the night.|[[Batman]]}}

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v98apc2iE8 Page Theme]

If you go way back into mythology, [[werewolves]] and [[vampire]]s were often connected. So, of course [[Dungeons & Dragons]] decided to exploit this by creating a creature with traits of both: enter the '''Werebat''', a [[therianthrope]] with a taste for blood and the ability to become a giant bat!

Werebats originated in the [[Demiplane of Dread]], because [[Ravenloft]] is crawling with so many [[vampire]]s and [[therianthrope]]s that it needed a creature that combined traits of the two. They originated in the adventure "The Baron's Eyrie" in [[Dungeon Magazine]] #58, before making their way into official stats in the Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium Appendix I, and from there to the Monstrous Manual in Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. They also got a werebat [[Darklord]] named Captain Monette in the [[splatbook]] simply titled "Darklords". Strangely, in [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]], in a spectacular display of an editing cock-up, though the Werebat's ability score adjustments and bonus feats would be listed in the Ravenloft [[Monster Manual]] equivalent, "Denizens of Darkness", the actual monster stat block would be completely missing! And even worse, they'd carry this same error over to "Denizens of Dread", the 3.5 updated version of the manual!

[[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]] also saw the reveal that werebats can be found in the [[Forgotten Realms]], with the [[splatbook]] "Monsters of Faerun" providing stats for them. This would lead to the creature returning in [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition]] in the adventure "Waterdeep: Dungeon of the [[Halaster Blackcloak|Mad Mage]].

Despite all this, werebats are not restricted to D&D. [[Pathfinder]] states that they are native to [[Golarion]] as well, with them debuting in the adventure "Broken Moon", part of the Carrion Crown [[Adventure Path]]. They wouldn't formally get written up until the Pathfinder Bestiary 4.

==Ravenloft Werebats==
[[File:Werebat MC Ravenloft.jpg|left|300px]]
As [[Ravenloft]] is the D&D setting of all things spooky, it was only natural to include a variety of were-creatures into the mix, one of which is the '''Were-Bat''. Like other Were-beasts, Were-bats operate on a true and "infected" type of ranking, true were-bats have three forms, consisting of the more stealth-oriented human form, though this does have batty features like an upturned nose and long ears, as well as a general aversion to light, and the craving of raw meat and blood.

The second form is that of a stereotypical vampire bat, flying about <s>biting and sucking</s> *SCRAPING AND LICKING*, scraping and licking blood from helpless victims. The final form is a powerful and feral combination of man and bat, more than capable of ripping a grown man in twain. Infected were-bats have only the option of being either human or one of the other two usually human to hybrid, but some unfortunate ones can only go from human to bat.

==Faerunian Werebats==
[[File:Werebat 3e.png|left|300px]]
Very little information about werebats is actually presented in 3e's Monsters of Faerun... in fact, just three sentences of fluff are interspersed in all the crunch, quoted below:
::''Werebats in humanoid form tend to be dark-eyed, shy, and elusive. They often have pug noses and sharp teeth, and tend to avoid bright light and favor rare meat. Werebats are often found in the [[Underdark]], and frequently come from [[drow]] stock.''

3e's "Lost Empires of Faerun" simply repeats what Monsters of Faerun said.

The 5e version presented in Dungeon of the Mad Mage is not much better, frankly, with a single small paragraph of fluff - but then, this is standard for 5e [[therianthrope]]s. This version stats that most werebats are infected [[goblin]]s, and that goblin society shuns them and pushes them to their periphery due to their voracious appetites; 5e werebats need 1 pint of blood per night to stay strong and healthy.

==Shadkyn==
[[File:Shadkyn Dragon 266.jpg|right|300px]]
In [[Dragon Magazine]] #266, the article "Dragon's Bestiary: Giant Lycanthropes" revealed that [[voadkyn]], or "Wood Giants", are one of the only two species of [[giant]] with a true [[therianthrope|lycanthrope]] subspecies. This is the '''Shadkyn'''; a voadkyn version of the werebat. Shadkyns resemble pale and skinny voadkyns when in their giant form, but have the ability to become mobats (Huge sized carnivorous bats) or a monstrous voadkyn/bat hybrid, resembling a smoky-colored voadkyn with bat-like ears, [[vampire]] fangs, bat wings for arms, and prehensile claws for feet. 75% of infected shadkyns only have access to one of the non-giant alternative forms. Shadkyns can infect both [[humanoid]]s and other [[voadkyn]] with their bite; a non-voadkyn becomes a normal werebat with the shadkyn's smoky coloration.

Ability-wise, shadkyns are basically identical to AD&D werebats, just bigger, stronger and tougher.

Shadkyns live in tribal groups, occupying a similar niche to [[voadkyn]]s - unlike their non-therianthrope kinsfolk, though, shadkyns are voracious carnivores. Farms within shadkyn territory suffer frequent raids, and a distinct lack of large herd animals such as cattle can be one sign that a traveler has entered shadkyn country. Shadkyn tribes are savage bands, ruled over by the largest and most powerful of their ilk, who reigns with a brutal fist; the tribe lives only to breed and feed, consisting of 1d12+3 males, two females per male, and 2d6 children - the weak or elderly are often cannibalized by the rest of the flock if food is scarce. Tribes frequently (60% chance) keep a flock of 1d10 normal werebats as scouts and servants.

Two factors limit shadkyn numbers. Firstly, only one child is produced per pregnancy - furthermore, 5% of these shadkyn children are born with access to only one alternate form (usually the hybrid) and another 2% can't shapeshift at all, resulting in their being driven from the flock to become bitter recluses. Secondly, shadkyn and voadkyn despise each other, and are constantly warring with one another.

Despite that, the two races can interbreed. The product of such a mating has a 50% chance of being either a shadkyn or a voadkyn, and voadkyn children born to a shadkyn parent have a 50% chance of being "lesser shadkyns" (infected werebat voadkyns).

==Golarion Werebats==
[[File:Werebat B4 PF.png|right|300px]]
Fusing the primal thirst of the ravenous bat and the unique abilities of individual humanoids, the werebat is a hybrid creature constituting both bloodlust and cunning. As opposed to vampires, who share some similar abilities with werebats and are often confused with them, these lycanthropic beings are often more savage in their behavior and far less calculating than the shapeshifting undead. As though to prove a point, some werebats go out of their way to take down powerful vampire lords and commandeer the vampires’ higher position—though many also become slaves to such undead after underestimating their prowess.

Natural werebats typically look like normal members of their race, though they often have dark hair, slight frames, severe features, and slightly pointed ears. They typically stand slightly taller than normal for their race, but weigh significantly less.

Ecology:
Werebats exalt in the freedom of flight and delight in the taste of flesh. Whereas some lycanthropes try to maintain some sense of humanity while living with their condition, werebats are less inclined to do so and tend to abuse their powers. Their hunger for blood and the chaos often resulting from such impulsions tend to make wholesome living difficult for werebats, and so most simply give in to their bestial natures.

Those who wish for a less gruesome and more respectable lifestyle are in constant struggle with forces both internal and external to themselves. Natural werebats can control their primal urges, but are subject to the corrupting atmosphere that is werebat society, always under pressure to submit to the influence of a werebat master. Afflicted werebats have it far worse, their bodies in constant conflict with themselves in addition to the external forces urging them to give in.

One of the most telltale signs of a werebat is blindness—about half of natural werebats are born with poor vision and need strong spectacles, and some are even completely blind. They make up for this deficiency with other heightened senses, however, and possess sharp hearing as well as strong senses of taste and smell. In cultures where it does not behoove one to have a lycanthropic background, werebats with poor vision tend to simply go without glasses, as their keen ears are more than able to compensate.

Of course, the most obvious sign of werebat lycanthropy appears beneath the full moon, when an afflicted werebat cannot help but transform into its bestial shape. Werebats in animal form are far more savage looking than average bats, and resemble their dire cousins to a greater extent.

Habitat & Society:
Werebats possess a pack mentality akin to their bestial kin’s, and are able to fly in large, coordinated packs and execute complex maneuvers easily and agilely. This instinctual group dynamic manifests itself in both lycanthropic and humanoid form, the surrounding society reflecting this pack mentality in legal as well as civil configuration. Entire packs of werebats often live in close proximity to one another, and sometimes even entire towns fall to the power of the winged lycanthropes.

Almost always serving a higher master and subscribing to an unspoken understanding of “one for all,” werebats place great importance on meetings and gatherings, holding such events at barren locations such as caves and abandoned castles where the horde will be undisturbed. These gatherings are largely ornamental in purpose and merely provide the afflicted individuals with some sense of unity rather than being a means to any constructive end. Nevertheless, it is a great taboo in werebat culture to show any disrespect toward collaborative efforts or to each other during assemblies, and any infighting is met with harsh punishment.

Turning an individual into a werebat is not ritualistic or organized by any means, unlike other facets of werebat culture. Werebats themselves feel indifferent about transforming unaffected individuals into afflicted werebats; the disease is spread more often because a werebat doesn’t have enough time to finish slaying her victim before she is caught mid-act or her prey has otherwise escaped her, carrying a cursed scratch as a memento of the occasion. Only later does the individual realize what has happened, and usually too late. In paranoid societies, the horror upon realizing one’s own transformation is usually matched with self-loathing and sometimes even drastic measures such as suicide—for in certain regions werebat-hate is so strong that it is easier to simply end it oneself than face the imminent and almost always malicious persecution of one’s peers.

==Old World of Darkness==
In ''[[Werewolf: The Apocalypse]]'', werebats, or camazotz, are one of the extinct Changing Breeds that the Garous tried to wipe out during the War of Rage.

They were originally Gaia's messengers, carrying knowledge through the Deep Umbra and coordinating among the Breeds. Their patron, Bat, was particularly close to and loving towards his children. Their role as messengers made them very good at running away and navigating hidden places without being caught, which unfortunately just meant that it took more than one horrible genocide to completely destroy them.

Their near-extermination during the War of Rage, which ''did'' extinguish all European camazotz, cracked Bat's mind, [[Konrad Curze| spawning two personalities; one devoted to Gaia, the other to vengeance and the Wyrm]]. Most of the survivors of the War of Rage were later hunted down by the Black Spiral Dancers, and then all of ''those'' survivors fled to South America, where Shadow Lord conquistadors mistook them for Tzimisce vampires, given their bat-like warforms and blood magic Bat taught them, and killed them off completely.

After ''that'', Bat went ''completely'' himshit and his Gaian aspect was wholly subsumed as he gave himself over totally to the Wyrm. To their credit, the Shadow Lords eventually realized the utterness of their fuckup, and the descendant of the hunter who slew the last camazotz has devoted himself to undoing his ancestor's mistake, in recent times even freeing an aspect of Bat from the Wyrm's grip. And there are rumors that a few camazotz survived ''even this'' out in the deepest depths of the Deep Umbra, occasionally dropping off information at old dead-drops to aid the other Gaians, though if so, they've understandably had enough of this shit and never show themselves to any other Gaians under any circumstances and no expedition to locate them has ever succeeded.

They reproduced like the corax, binding a spirit to a human child via a complex ritual that could fail at many stages, further limiting their ability to survive and making them vulnerable to population devastation. Also like the corax, they had no metis; the ritual automatically failed if attempted for the child of two camazotz.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Werebat Dungeon 58.jpg
Werebat PC4 1.jpg
Werebat VRG 1.jpg
Werebat MM 2e.png
Werebat CotN Werebeasts 1.jpg
Werebat CotN Werebeasts 2.jpg
Werebat Werecrocodile Wereshark MoF.jpg
Werecreatures.jpg
Werebat CC3.png
</gallery>

{{D&D-Therianthropes}}

[[Category:Dungeons & Dragons]]
[[Category:Pathfinder]]
[[Category:Monsters]]
[[Category:Ravenloft]]
[[Category:Forgotten Realms]]
[[Category:Therianthropes]]

Ursoi

2026-05-20T13:00:29Z

107.189.8.16:

[[File:Ursoi 3e.png|thumb|right|300px|Proudly upholding the right to bear arms!]]

'''Ursoi''' are a minor race from the [[Dragonlance]] setting of [[Dungeons & Dragons]]. A race of [[beastfolk]] who resemble humanoid polar bears, ursoi hail from Charone, the southern polar region of Ansalon, but migrated to the north pole and aided the icefolk - the human arctic barbarians - against the tyranny of the White Dragon Overlord. Unlike the [[thanoi]], the northern walrus-folk, ursoi are a noble and honorable people... save for the little oddity of their practicing funerary cannibalism.

The Ursoi first appeared in the Dragonlance [[splatbook]] "Otherlands", for [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]]; here, they were described in very brief and vague terms as a primitive, tribal society of hunter-gatherers - with an emphasis on the hunting aspect, since they prefer meat to all other food, despite being omnivorous. After this, they fell into obscurity until [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]], where the 3.5 splatbook [[Races of Ansalon]] gave them far greater detail.

==3e Fluff==
Ursoi look like intelligent, bipedal polar bears. They wear some clothing and use tools, and they have thick, clawed fingers instead of paws. Ursoi fur is striped in places, usually in patterns along the sides of their heads, distinguishing them from one another. An ursoi male can reach a height of ten feet and weigh well over 800 pounds; females are only slightly smaller. Though they can understand the various humanoid languages of Krynn, their vocal chords are unable to form them, and so they rely on a combination of their own language of bear noises, body language, and sign language to communicate both with each other and with other races. Ursoi names are bold, gutteral, and almost impossible to pronounce unless you’re an ursoi. Ursoi who become adventurers usually gain nicknames based on their deeds or else allow non-ursoi to make their best attempt at their ursoi name: Axethrower, Farseeker, Hillclimber, Manhunter, Tuskslayer, and Wyrmkiller are common male ursoi names, while females go by less aggressive names such as Clanmother, Deersinger, Iceprayer, Nightwisher, and Truthspeaker. Quite often, they take on Icefolk names as their human name, and rely on their non-ursoi traveling companions to announce them. These adopted names include Gunnar, Helgard, Lars, Reigvasser, Tornassuk, and Volker.

Ursoi have strong, unshakeable beliefs in the importance of nature, clan loyalty, and justice. Individual ursoi place a great emphasis on personal honor and repaying debts owed to others, and some ursoi have been known to serve as bodyguards and protectors to non-ursoi to whom they owe their lives. Ursoi command respect, and they give it to those worthy of it. They have no special intolerance to other races, but form quick impressions of individuals based on their actions. An ursoi’s word is his bond, and this more than any other character trait is key to understanding their personalities.

Although their size and natural weapons seem fearsome, ursoi are not violent by nature. Most are in fact gentle and considerate outside of a fight. Ursoi are ferocious in battle, but do not enter into it lightly. They are not berserkers, and know when and where to choose their fights. Because they are equally dangerous armed or unarmed, an ursoi will not hesitate to use whatever means is necessary to engage an enemy, whether that be with a pick or with its claws and bite. An ursoi will, unless told not to, keep the bodies of those foes it has slain as food for later. This is a behavior that is often curtailed once the ursoi realizes his companions are horrified by it.

The ursoi organize themselves into nomadic clans, which follow sources of food throughout the cycle of the year. Ursoi young are raised by the community of females, while the males hunt and defend the clan.

Ursoi settlements are temporary, as the clans are nomadic and rarely stay in one place for longer than a month or two. Favored sites for ursoi camps include ice caverns, ravines, openings in the side of Icewall Glacier, and other locations that combine shelter with adequate cover against potential threats. The ursoi do not hibernate, the way bears do, but they have been known to settle in for weeks at a time in the coldest months of the year, sending hunting parties out to attain food.

Clans are led by chieftains who are in turn supported by sub-chieftains. Clan chieftains come together regularly to share information, discuss the fate of the ursoi, and plan for war. Chieftains pass their title and position to their nephews or cousins, never to their sons; this has avoided the problem of rigid patriarchy and nepotism. These heirs are usually named as sub-chieftains ahead of time, giving them time to learn the art of leadership. Marriages between families are arranged by chieftains in order to secure enough relatives that a successor may always be found. Because the ursoi are fiercely honorable and loyal to the clan, internecine strife is almost unheard of, and a chieftain remains in his position until he dies or abdicates.

Ursoi revere Chislev, whom they call the Great White Mother, and to a lesser extent Kiri-Jolith and Sargonnas, who are known as the Brothers of the Hunt. During the early Age of Mortals, some tribal shamans developed mysticism, but almost all have turned back to Chislev in the wake of the War of Souls and the return of the gods.

Ursoi do not hold the dead sacred. They believe that once the soul has departed, the body is no longer the person who inhabited it. Due to the scarcity of resources, therefore, ursoi do not bury their dead—they eat them. The same is true for those the ursoi kill in battle. This has given rise to a marked hostility from other races, especially the thanoi, who are furious at the ursoi’s practices. The ursoi, on the other hand, consider it the highest sign of respect for one’s kin and foe to leave their bodies behind as resources.

Although ursoi are very clan-dependent and do not like to leave their families, some go out into the world to seek adventure. For the majority of these bearfolk, they owe somebody or something a debt of honor. Someone may have saved their lives, or the lives of their kindred, and this can result in the ursoi swearing an oathbond for a year or more. Oathbound ursoi can also come about as a result of swearing vengeance against an enemy or promising to recover a lost family member or heirloom. Those ursoi who leave the clan because of an oath are not looked upon by their clan as deserters, rogues, or unfaithful individuals. Indeed, an ursoi is told as a cub to hold fast to a promise and to seek out something greater than himself.

==3e PC Stats==
Because of how powerful they are, Ursoi are naturally victims to the scourge of [[Level Adjustment]], so much so that [[Races of Ansalon]] provided an optional racial class, to make it possible to play an ursoi from 1st level.

===Full-Fledged Ursoi===
::Strength +10, Dexterity +2, Constitution +6, Intelligence -2, Wisdom +2, Charisma –4. Ursoi are one of the strongest races on Krynn, and very tough. While their senses are acute, they are often uneducated and find it hard to interact with others.
::Large: -1 penalty to Armor Class, -1 penalty on attack rolls, -4 penalty on Hide checks, +4 bonus to grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits double that of Medium characters.
::An ursoi’s base land speed is 30 feet.
::Darkvision out to 60 ft.
::Racial Hit Dice: An ursoi begins with 5 levels of monstrous humanoid, which provide 5d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +5, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +1, Ref +4, and Will +4.
::Racial Skills: An ursoi’s monstrous humanoid levels give him skill points equal to 8 x (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1). Its class skills are Climb, Listen, Spot, Survival, and Swim.
::Racial Feats: An ursoi’s monstrous humanoid levels give it two feats.
::+4 natural armor.
::+4 racial bonus on Survival and Swim checks.
::Natural Weapons: An ursoi has two claw attacks that are primary natural weapons dealing 1d6 damage plus Strength bonus. An ursoi can make two claw attacks as a full attack, or when wielding a manufactured weapon, he may use them to make secondary attacks as part of a full attack. Ursoi also have a bite attack that deals 1d8 damage plus half his Strength bonus. The ursoi’s bite is always a secondary attack (-5 to attack bonus).
::Natural Spell: Ursoi with a Wisdom of 13 or higher are able to cast spells with verbal components, even though they cannot form traditional sounds with their mouths. Ursoi with Wisdom of 12 or lower are incapable of casting spells with verbal components and make ineffective spellcasters.
::Improved Grab: An ursoi who hits with one of his claw attacks may immediately attempt to start a grapple. He does not need to make a touch attack first. This ability works only against targets that are one size category smaller than the ursoi or smaller. An ursoi who has something in his other hand (such as a weapon) takes a –20 penalty to his grapple check to maintain the hold, but is not himself considered grappled and can defend himself or even make attacks against other opponents. See Chapter 7 of the Monster Manual for more information.
::Resistance to cold 10.
::Scent: Ursoi have remarkable olfactory capabilities and can distinguish smells easily, giving them the use of the scent extraordinary ability. Many ursoi rangers use this to track their prey even in blinding snowstorms or darkness.
::Automatic Languages: Ursoi. Bonus Languages: Common, Draconic, Icefolk, Thanoi.
::[[Favored Class]]: [[Ranger]].
::[[Level Adjustment]]: An Ursoi has an effective character level (ECL) of 5 + his class levels.

===Ursoi Racial Class===
Racial Traits
Characters using the ursoi racial class start with the following racial traits. Note that these are not identical to the regular ursoi’s full set of racial traits because the ursoi’s ability scores and racial Hit Dice increase with level as shown below.

::Strength +2, Intelligence -2, Wisdom +2, Charisma -4. Ursoi are strong and perceptive, though intellectually and socially disadvantaged compared to other races.
::Medium size.
::An ursoi’s base land speed is 30 feet.
::Darkvision out to 60 ft.
::Natural Weapons: An ursoi has two claw attacks that are primary natural weapons dealing the indicated damage plus his Strength bonus. An ursoi can make two claw attacks as a full attack, or when wielding a manufactured weapon, he may use them to make secondary attacks as part of a full attack. Ursoi also have a bite attack that deals the indicated damage plus 1/2 Strength bonus. The ursoi’s bite is always a secondary attack (-5 to attack bonus).
::Natural Spell: Ursoi with a Wisdom of 13 or higher are able to cast spells with verbal components even though they cannot form traditional sounds with their mouths. Ursoi with Wisdom of 12 or lower are incapable of casting spells with verbal components and make ineffective spellcasters.
::Automatic Languages: Ursoi. Bonus Languages: Common, Draconic, Icefolk, Thanoi.
::Favored Class: Ursoi. An ursoi may not take levels in any other class except ursoi until he has gained all seven ursoi racial class levels. Ursoi usually take levels in fighter or ranger after this point.

Class Features
All the following are class features of the ursoi racial class.
::Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Ursoi are proficient with all simple weapons, light and medium armor, and shields.
::Class Skills: Climb, Listen, Spot, Survival, Swim.
::Feats: An ursoi gains a feat at 1st level and 4th level. Typical choices include Power Attack and Track. After 7th level, he gains feats normally according to his Hit Dice, level adjustment, and class levels.
::Natural Armor: Ursoi begin with a +1 bonus to natural armor at 1st level, increasing to +2 at 3rd level, +3 at 5th level, and +4 at 7th level.
::Skills: At 2nd level, an ursoi gains a +2 racial bonus to Survival and Swim checks. This increases to +4 at 5th level.
::Improved Grab (Ex): At 3rd level, an ursoi who hits with one of his claw attacks may immediately attempt to start a grapple. He does not need to make a touch attack first. This ability works only against targets one size category smaller than the ursoi or smaller. An ursoi who has something in his other hand (such as a weapon) takes a –20 penalty to his grapple check to maintain the hold, but he is not himself considered grappled and can defend or even make attacks against other opponents. See Chapter 7 of the Monster Manual for more information.
::Scent (Ex): An ursoi has a keen sense of smell. Beginning at 4th level, he can detect opponents within the given range (double range if the scent is upwind, one-half range if it is downwind) and may take a move-equivalent action to determine the direction of a scent. If an odor source, such as an opponent, is within 5 feet, the ursoi can pinpoint that source. Ursoi can use the scent ability to track an enemy by smell.
::Cold Resistance (Ex): An ursoi gains resistance to cold 5 at 2nd level and resistance to cold 10 at 7th level.
::Large Size: At 6th level, the ursoi’s size increases one category to Large, and his natural reach increases to 10 feet. He incurs the usual penalties for Large creatures.

The Ursoi Class
{| class=wikitable
!Ursoi Level||Hit Dice||Base Attack Bonus||Fort Save||Ref Save||Will Save||Skill Points||CR||Special
|-
|1st|| 1d8|| +1|| +0|| +2|| +2|| (2 + Int mod) x 4|| 1|| Claws 1d3, bite 1d4, feat, +1 natural armor
|-
|2nd|| 2d8|| +2|| +1|| +3|| +3|| 2 + Int mod|| 1|| +2 Str, resistance to cold 5, +2 Survival, +2 Swim.
|-
|3rd|| 2d8|| +2|| +1|| +3|| +3|| —|| 2|| +2 Con, +2 natural armor, claws 1d4, bite 1d6, improved grab
|-
|4th|| 3d8|| +3|| +1|| +3|| +3|| 2 + Int mod|| 2|| +2 Str, scent 10 ft., feat
|-
|5th|| 3d8|| +3|| +1|| +3|| +3|| — ||3|| +2 Dex, +2 Con, +3 natural armor, +4 Survival, +4 Swim
|-
|6th|| 4d8|| +4|| +1|| +4|| +4|| 2 + Int mod|| 3||+2 Str, scent 20 ft., Large size, reach 10 ft.
|-
|7th|| 5d8|| +5|| +1|| +4|| +4|| 2 + Int mod|| 4|| +2 Str, +2 Con, +4 natural armor, resistance to cold 10, claws 1d6, bite 1d8
|}

[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons Races]] [[Category: Dragonlance]]
[[Category:Furry]]

Kercpa

2026-05-20T13:00:21Z

107.189.8.16:

[[File:Kercpa MCAV4.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Sadly, no, you can't play a Robin Hood squirrelfolk.]]
'''Kercpa''' are a race of [[beastfolk|humanoid squirrels]] from [[Dungeons & Dragons]]. They were invented for [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragon s]] in [[Dragon Magazine]] #241 and were then made official by getting reprinted in the Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume #4, but haven't reappeared since. The biggest difference between them and [[Ratatosk]] is that they are only the size of actual squirrels, and the Kercpa are based on red squirrels, not flying squirrels.

==Official Lore==
The kercpas, a reclusive race of intelligent squirrel-folk, inhabit dense forests far from human civilization. Shy of most races except elves, and skilled at remaining undetected, these small archers are rarely seen, even when their homes are nearby.

Only a foot to eighteen inches tall, kercpas look like large red squirrels (sciuridae tamiasciurus), complete with bushy tails that help them keep their balance as they move along slender tree branches. Their eyes are brightly intelligent and green or hazel, though blue is not unknown. Their garb is similar to that of wood elves — green, russet, tan, and dark brown — enabling them to blend in with their surroundings. They do not cover their hands or feet, for this would impede their climbing. In the trees, they are as nimble and acrobatic as normal squirrels, running and leaping from branch to branch with astonishing grace and ease.

Kercps speak their own chattering language, and many speak the language of other forest races: sylvan or wild elvish, treant, pixie, and so on. About one in ten know at least a little of the common tongue. Among themselves, kercpas can signal (using a system of whistles and bird calls) to 100 yards distance.

Kercpas are peaceful by nature. However, they are quite able to defend themselves, their homes, and their elven allies with a skill that belies their small size and rather harmless appearance. If motionless in forest terrain, they are 90% likely to remain unseen. Their great stealth in woodlands imposes a -5 penalty on others’ surprise rolls. Their own keen senses mean they are surprised only on a roll of 1.

Though they never wear armor, their size and phenomenal agility combine to give kercpas an excellent Armor Class of 3. They make all saving throws as 7 Hit Die creatures — adjusted, when applicable, as if by a Dexterity of 19 (-4). Further, a kercpa can try to dodge any missile directed at it, provided that it could see the attack launched. A successful saving throw vs. death magic (modified by dexterity) means the kercpa successfully dodged the attack, regardless of the attack roll. A kercpa can dodge up to two missiles per round in this way.

If forced into melee, kercpas wield tiny swords and spears that inflict only 1d3 points of damage. Aware of the disadvantage they suffer in hand-to-hand combat against most foes, kercpas prefer to use their tiny, toy-like bows. Though these have only half the range and damage potential of a short bow (range: 25/50/75 yards; damage: 1d3), kercpa skill honed by intense training makes them formidable weapons; a kercpa can fire three times per round, with an attack bonus of +4.

A typical kercpa strategy is to take to the trees, surround the enemy and, darting in and out of concealment, rain a relentless barrage of stinging missiles from all sides. They usually are content to wound, discourage, and drive off intruders who do not press them. It is not uncommon for a band of orcs, gnolls, or other forest marauders thus assaulted to believe themselves under attack by scores of the creatures when they are faced by only a dozen or so. The kercpas do their best to encourage this mistaken impression.

Should their opponents be too numerous to drive away, the kercpas try to lead the intruders out of their territory, goading them to the chase with taunts and jeers. The kercpa hope to fragment a larger band, get them hopelessly seperated and lost in the woods, and then deal with the smaller groups one at a time. Some tribes, particularly those dwelling in or near enemy-infested lands, will lead pursuers into an area of the forest rigged with concealed pits, deadfalls, and other traps. If this fails, the kercpas send runners to alert the nearest elves.

Kercpas coordinate and their tactics with a simple signaling system of whistles and bird calls (range: 100 yards). While limited in its range of expression, this system is an invaluable advantage in combat relying on cunning, stealth, subterfuge, and deception.

Throughout kercpa territory, the squirrel-folk stash caches of arrows and other supplies (in hollow branches, etc.), eliminating the need to return to the village to restock. All adults are intimately familiar with their home areas. Except in unusual cases — a quarry able to fly, pass without trace, or dimension door, for example — kercpas can track enemies in their home area like rangers. Kercpas with spellcasting ability use magic to support these tactics. Favorites include ventrilloquism, taunt, wall of fog, and mirror image.

A typical kercpa tribe consists of 100-300 adults, and a number of young equal to 20% of this number. Male and female kercpas are equally skilled fighters, while the young are noncombatants. The two key elements of kercpa society are the defenders and the shamans.

Defenders: One in every 20 kercpas is an exceptional individual with 2 Hit Dice. For every 100 in a community, one is a leader of 3 or 4 Hit Dice. As the most skilled fighters, the defenders organize patrols, maintain the village’s defenses, and lead the tribe in attack, retreat and, if necessary, evacuation. They take their duties seriously, and will not hesitate to sacrifice themselves for the tribe if the situation warrants.

The base THAC0s, and base saving throws of defenders increase with their Hit Dice; for examples a 3 HD defender has a THAC0 of 17 and the base saving throw of a 9 HD creature.

Through trade with pixies, any defender is 25% likely to have 1d4 sleep arrows (save vs. poison or sleep 1d6 hours). These will not be wasted on enemies that can be defeated by other means.

All kercpa tribes are led by a shaman of 4th or 5th level. For every 50 kercpas in the tribe, there will be 1d2 lesser shamans of 1st to 3rd level. Shamans receive an additional 1d4 points for every level they possess beyond the first, and fight as if having an additional Hit Die for every two levels they possess. They can cast spells from the following spheres: all, animal, creation, divination, healing, plant, sun, and weather. Kercpa shamans are skilled herbalists and can treat numerous ailments. A typical kercpa healing potion restores 1d4+1 hit points; any kercpa traveling far outside the village is 75% likely to have one.

Kercpa shamans are responsible for preserving the tribe’s health, providing advice and spiritual guidance, and presiding over ceremonies. In theory, the shamans govern all internal tribal matters, but in actuality kercpas are by nature cooperative, working together for the common good of the forest community. Internal and intertribal strife is unknown.

Most of the tribe’s defenders are male, while most of the shamans are female. This is by no means the rule, and exceptions are not uncommon. The genders are in all ways equal (and difficult for outsiders to tell apart). Kercpas marry for life, and mates are fiercely protective of their young and of each other.

Some adult kercpas, as many as 5%, dabble in magic, perhaps due to their close relationship with elves. These cast spells as wizards of up to 4th level. They rarely team spells of an offensive nature, and never those involving fire.

Kercpa villages consist of many small buildings located high among the branches, usually spread out among several trees. An elaborate highway of vine ladders and bridges connect their buildings. A village is difficult to see from the ground; even observant outsiders have but a 5% chance to notice it. Actively scanning high into the trees increases the chance to 10%. Villages in deciduous trees are more easily spotted in winter; the base chances are 15% and 50%, respectively. In practice, the kercpas’ vigilant scouts make it impossible for an intruder to come within a mile of one without their knowledge.

The squirrel-folk live by foraging. Dozens of small bands strike out daily from early spring to late fall to gather food, water, and other necessities. Surplus is stored away for the winter. Unlike true squirrels, kercpas do not hibernate. They are less active in the winter, and often sleep for much greater lengths of time. At least a third of the tribe remains active at all times in the event of a threat. Kercpas are strictly vegetarian; despite their archery skill, they do not hunt. Foraging expeditions rarely take them more than 10 miles from the village. If a tribe becomes too large for the immediate area, a group, mainly younger couples, breaks off to found a new village. Tribes in the same region meet on an annual basis (usually summer solstice) for a great festival. These celebrations last several days. The tribes renew familial ties, hold council on matters of mutual concern, introduce young adults to possible mates, and exchange goods and information. Music, song, dance, story-telling, friendly contests of archery, tumbling and speed, as well as an overabundance of food and blackberry wine, round out the festive nature of the gathering.

The simple kercpa religion pays homage to a single deity, an earth goddess. The goddess, while said to be able to take any form in nature, is usually depicted as a vast oak tree. Religious ceremonies are few compared to those of most other races, and pious obligations are fulfilled simply by living in harmonious accord with nature.

Faced with ethical dilemma, kercpas seek precedent in the fables of Rititisk the Clever — the mythical patriarch of the race — and try to emulate his example. Besides being entertaining stories of adventure in their own right — tales of Rititisk thwarting monstrous evil spiders, outwitting oafish giants (humans), questing to the ends of the earth for enchanted ever-striking arrows and the like — the fables contain lessons to guide the kercpas through all as of life. They are essential to every young kercpa’s education.

Strangers traveling through kercpa lands will be trailed and their actions scrutinized (ideally without the kercpas revealing their presence) and allowed to pass unhindered if they do not cause harm to the forest. This remains the case even with obviously evil creatures such as [[orc]]s and [[goblin]]s. The only exceptions to the kercpas’ elusiveness include certain sylvan neighbors who share an interest in preserving the woodland. Kercpas have ties of friendship and alliance to [[elves]], [[sprite]]s, and [[treant]]s. They are indispensable to their elven neighbors, as they convey messages between camps, run errands, and keep them up to date on the latest happenings of the greater forest. In exchange, the elves serve at times as guardians and mentors for the squirrel-folk’s children. Young kercpas delight in the company of these elegant, graceful beings, running amok through their homes and pestering their elves friends with endless questions and requests for talk of “olden times”. Most elves seem to genuinely enjoy the kercpas’ company as well.

On infrequent occasions, some human [[ranger]]s and [[druid]]s have made contact with and befriended (and been befriended by) the kercpas. A few bolder kercpas have been known to befriend parties of good-aligned adventurers, especially those containing elves, acting as guides and otherwise helping with their knowledge of the wilderness. Such examples of eccentric behavior are uncommon.

The presence of kercpas is virtually unnoticeable; forests inhabited for twenty generations appear as virgin woodland even to careful scrutiny. As even the concept of money is unknown to kercpas, they have produced and amassed little that others are interested in acquiring. This has not prevented evil creatures from hunting them out of sheer malice, however.

Frequent threats to the kercpas include giant spiders of all types, ettercaps, stirges, and even some raptors (such as giant owls). Kercpas are usually born singularly, though twins and triplets are more common than with humans. They become mature at 15 and usually marry soon thereafter. Kercpas have an average life expectancy of 60 years.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
kercpa Dragon 214 1.jpg
kercpa Dragon 214 2.png
</gallery>

[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons Monsters]]

Pevishan

2026-05-20T12:59:36Z

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[[File:Pevishan.png|thumb|right|300px]]

Touched at birth by the mysteries of the arcane, many believe the pevishan—quite literally—have magic in their blood. Stories of generations past suggest that the pevishan were born in the image of the god of magic, a chosen people who could truly master and control the arcane powers. Pevishan roam freely in the world of humans and with their outgoing demeanor, always seem to make friends and allies easily. Pevishan are most well known for their natural talents in the mystic arts, but if a friend or ally stands in harm’s way, pevishan will do whatever is necessary to aid them. Whether using spellcraft, swordplay, or fisticuffs, the pevishan can be fierce combatants.

Since entering the Dragon Empire, pevishan have found new opportunities opening up before them, particularly in the Legions or as personal assistants to the aristocracy. However, because of the favor shown to them, some of the other races look upon them with jealousy.

==Personality==
Pevishan are more likely to be friendly than hostile. Charismatic by nature, pevishan have a particular flare for diffusing hostile situations with words and subtle spellcraft as opposed to sharp tongues and destructive magic. Most pevishan are naturally curious when it comes to a new field of magical study, but tend to favor their birth-schools above all others. When faced with fear or prejudice toward their unique appearance and abilities, most pevishan simply smile and make a serious effort to diffuse any hostile or fearful feelings with honesty and charm. This natural charm has served them well in the Empire, allowing them to smoothly integrate themselves into the power structure.

==Physical Description==
Pevishan are Medium-size humanoids who typically stand between 5 1/2 and 6 1/2 feet tall and weigh between 100 and 250 lbs. On average, male pevishan tend to stand slightly taller and weigh more than females. Pevishan are very similar to humans in terms of physical description and musculature, though there are a few notable differences. The most obvious difference is that pevishan are beings of magic; they were forged from it, and they live through it. At birth, all pevishan children have a series of birthmarks that resemble magical inscriptions from a particular school of magic (Evocation, Necromancy, etc.). Along with these markings, pevishan hair color also coincides with their “birth-school,” as these castes are called. And finally, a pevishan’s eyes have no irises (except for the necromancers) and have a faint glow that also coincides with his birth-school. Below are the colors for each birth-school and a brief description of how it might affect a pevishan’s appearance and behavior.

Abjuration (Silver): A pevishan of this birth-school typically has silver-white hair and silver markings on his body. His eyes also glow with a silver sheen that can have a powerful effect on others.

Conjuration (Gold): Pevishan of this birth-school typically have no hair at all. Many of the other pevishan are somewhat envious of the conjurer’s beautiful gold birthmarks and deep golden eyes.

Divination (White): Sometimes mistaken for the abjuration birth-school, the children of divination find that their white hair and hauntingly white eyes tend to make them look a little older than they are. Their birthmarks are barely noticeable.

Enchantment (Blue): A child of the enchantment birth-school is often the center of attention, as his blue hair, blue eyes, and radiant blue markings draw attention wherever he goes.

Evocation (Red): With fiery red hair and deep, crimson eyes the children of evocation often favor combat over rational discussion. The evoker wears his red markings like a barbarian might wear the war paint of a proud clan.

Illusion (Purple): With soft, subdued shades of purple, a pevishan illusionist prefers to blend into a crowd rather than show her true self, many times choosing to cover her lilac markings, hair, and eyes with long sleeves or hooded robes.

Necromancy (Gray and Black): The necromancers are sometimes the subjects of a certain amount of scrutiny and distrust because of their birth-school. With black hair streaked with gray, members of this birth school have coal-black eyes with gray irises.

Transmutation (Green): With deep green hair, birthmarks, and eyes, the children of transmutation change their looks often, whether it be hair-styles or clothing. Always changing, a child of transmutation is often characterized by extreme mood swings.

Pevishan reach adulthood at 22 years of age and typically live into their 50s, but some pevishan can live to be even older. Though strong in the arcane arts, pevishan life spans are very short. Only through magical means can a pevishan exceed his natural life span.

==Relations==
Most pevishan tend to blend into human societies well. With such a strong affinity for the arcane arts, pevishan tend to have close relations with members of the gnomish races. On the whole, pevishan view elves as a bit haughty (as many of the races do), dwarves as too serious, halflings as amusing, and humans as good allies. Since joining the Dragon Empire, pevishan have found half-dragons to be eager employers, although orcs, half-orcs, and drow view them with jealously for the ease with which they move through society. As for soulmechs, many were created by pevishan, so they look upon the race with great respect. In general, a pevishan can get along with anyone until given a reason not to.

==Alignment==
Pevishan characters can cover the spectrum of alignments, from good to evil, chaotic to lawful. The magic that runs through the veins of the pevishan can have a strong influence on their psychology and actions, however. The alignment that each birth-school favors is listed below. As with any race, there are exceptions to the rules.
::Birth School: Alignment
::Abjuration: Lawful
::Conjuration: Neutral
::Divination: Lawful
::Enchantment: Chaotic
::Evocation: Any
::Illusion: Chaotic
::Necromancy: Lawful
::Transmutation: Chaotic

==Pevishan Lands==
Almost all pevishan migrate to areas of high magical activity or centers of arcane study. Often, they are drawn to planets near unusual stellar phenomenon, such as black holes. Most prefer to live in large cities within the comfort of warm, clean homes with a datapad full of arcane knowledge.

As a race, the pevishan are hindered by an inability to function as a collective society over extended periods of time. Though most pevishan have a mutual respect for one another, their differing magical influences cause many disagreements in their communities. While they are of a single race, the birth-schools are too different from one another to truly unify. Thus, there are no planets dominated by pevishan, though they are found on many worlds.

==Religion==
As with their spectrum of alignments, pevishan religion tends to be equally diverse. Most pevishan worship a deity of magic or knowledge, who they believe to be their creator. Others adopt the religious customs of the lands in which they reside. Since joining the Empire, many pevishan have embraced the Unification Church, often worshipping the Magus. There are even a few Dualists among the pevishan, and they worship either the Adversary or the Creator, as their alignment dictates.

==Language==
Common is the chosen language of pevishan, but many also know Draconic and Gnome, particularly now that they often find employment working for half-dragons. Rumors persist that at one time the pevishan spoke an arcane language all their own, but centuries of wandering and interracial marriage have caused the ancient tongue to become lost, possibly forever.

==Names==
As with many of the facets of pevishan society, pevishan names tend to be widely diverse. Generations of travel and exploration have marked the pevishan in many ways. But the process of choosing names is probably the most heavily influenced, depending on the child’s birth-school. For example, the children of transmutation have historically favored the elven races, and these pevishan tend to choose their own names when reaching maturity (as do most elves). The children of enchantment tend to favor more extravagant names that reflect the child’s personality. Children of necromancy might opt for a simple, one-word name (something that can be easily forgotten, as they prefer not to draw attention to themselves).
Male Names: Monzel, Tret, Tazen-Ro, Jerrel, Viskin, and Flattizel.
Female Names: Kalia, Eliza, Ralla, Halie-Sun, Quizna, and Illia.

==Adventurers==
Pevishan adventurers can be motivated by several callings: exploration, love of excitement, lust for power, greed, or self-discovery. Many explore the lands looking for some understanding and mastery of their powers or perhaps the origins of their race. Some pevishan feel the call of heroism and choose to wander evil or enslaved lands, working against the opposing forces as a hero of the people. Equally, many evil pevishan use their unique abilities to corrupt or enslave populations for their own sinister purposes. It is rumored that some of these latter pevishan have been offered high positions in the ISPD, much to the disgust of their drow subordinates.

==Pevishan Racial Traits==
+2 Charisma, –2 Strength: Created as a magical race, the pevishan are not gifted physically, but rather mentally and socially.
• Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, pevishan have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Pevishan base speed is 30 feet.
• Low-light Vision: With their unusually radiant eyes, pevishan can see twice as far as a human in dim light, moonlight, or torchlight. With low-light vision, pevishan retain the ability to distinguish colors and details in poor illumination.
• Read Magic: With such a strong affinity for magic, pevishan have the ability to read magic at will, as per the read magic spell (see PHB, Chapter 11, Spells).
::Birth-School Benefits: The player of a pevishan character must choose his birth-school during character creation. The character is literally infused with the power of this school, and receives the following benefits:
:::The character receives a +4 racial bonus to Spellcraft checks for tasks involving magic from the birth-school. The character also receives this bonus when he attempts to learn a new spell from the birth-school.
:::The character receives a +4 racial bonus on his saving throws to resist spells from the birthschool.
:::When the character casts a spell from his birth-school, the saving throw DC to resist the spell is increased by 1.
::Tapping the Power: Pevishan are a race born into magic. With such a strong connection to the energies of their birth-schools, pevishan can draw upon powers that many other races cannot. Each birthschool has access to a limited number of abilities that a pevishan can call upon in times of need. Below is a list of each birth-school and the abilities each provides.
:::Birth-School: Powers
:::Abjuration: resistance, shield, endure elements
:::Conjuration: ray of frost, mount, summon monster I
:::Divination: detect poison, comprehend languages, detect secret doors
::Enchantment: daze, sleep, hypnotism
:::Evocation: light, flare, magic missile
:::Illusion: ghost sound, change self, ventriloquism
:::Necromancy: disrupt undead, cause fear, chill touch
:::Transmutation: detect magic, expeditious retreat, message
::Each of these powers are usable a number of times
per day equal to the pevishan’s Charisma modifier. Also, a pevishan need not be a sorcerer or wizard to use these abilities—they are powers the pevishan are born with and learn to cultivate naturally during their childhood. When casting these spells, the pevishan’s caster level is equal to his total class levels.
::Automatic Languages: Common. Bonus Languages: Draconic and Gnome.
::Favored Class: Sorcerer. A multiclass pevishan’s sorcerer class does not count when determining whether or not there is an XP penalty for multiclassing (see PHB, Chapter 3, Experience for Multiclass Characters). Pevishan have magic coursing through their blood, making them powerful sorcers.
::Level Equivalent: +2.

===Pevishan Racial Feats===
Powerful Blood (General)
You can tap the power more easily than other members of your race.
Prerequisites: Pevishan only.
Benefit: You can use each of your birth-school powers one additional time per day
Special: You may take this feat multiple times.

Expanded Birth-School Powers (General
You have developed your birth-school powers to an unusual degree, and have gained access to a number of new powers.
Prerequisites: Character level 6+, pevishan only.
Benefit: You gain the following additional birthschool powers, according to your birth-school. In addition, the saving throw DC to resist spells from your birth-school is increased by 2 instead of 1.
::Birth-School: Powers
::Abjuration: protection from chaos/law/good/evil, protection from arrows
::Conjuration: mage armor, summon monster II
::Divination: true strike, see invisibility
::Enchantment: charm person, hideous laughter
::Evocation: flaming sphere, floating disk
::Illusion: silent image, mirror image
::Necromancy: ray of enfeeblement, scare
::Transmutation: feather fall, levitate

Birth-School Mastery (General)
You have completely mastered your birth-school powers, reaching an understanding of your magical nature that few pevishan ever achieve.
Prerequisites: Character level 12+, Expanded Birth-School Powers, pevishan only.
Benefit: You gain the following additional birth-school powers, according to your birth-school. In addition, the saving throw DC to resist spells from your birth-school is increased by 4 instead of 2.
::Birth-School Powers
::Abjuration: protection from elements
::::Conjuration: summon monster III
::Divination: clairaudience/clairvoyance
::Enchantment: suggestion
::Evocation: wind wall
::Illusion: displacement
::Necromancy: halt undead
::Transmutation: gaseous form

Alchemical Blood (General)
You can use the magic in your blood to brew certain potions, depending on your birth-school.
Prerequisites: Character level 3+, Brew Potion, Powerful Blood, pevishan only.
Benefit: Once a month, you can brew a potion of one of your birth-school powers with no XP or gold cost. The brewing time remains unchanged. For instance, if your birth-school is Transmutation and you have the Birth-School Mastery feat, then you could brew a potion of gaseous form once per month.

[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons Races]]

Wererat

2026-05-20T12:59:28Z

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[[File:Wererat 4e.jpg|right|300px]]
The '''Wererat''' is, as its name suggests, a [[therianthrope]] strain in which the victim can transform into the shape of either a normal sized rat, [[Giant Rat]], a [[ratfolk|humanoid rat]], or some combination thereof. It is the only therianthrope strain that has managed to approach the [[werewolf]] in popularity. They tend to embody the rat's symbolism as a sewer-dwelling scavenger, often being distinctly urban predators with a penchant for thievery or destructive behavior.

==In Dungeons & Dragons==
Wererats have a ''long'' history in [[Dungeons & Dragons]]. They debuted in OD&D, in the 1975 [[Greyhawk]] supplement. They've been in the [[Monster Manual]] for every edition of D&D since [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] 1st edition through to [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition]], including in the Basic Set for BECMI and the Rules Cyclopedia. They also appear in [[D20 Modern]].

An "Ecology of the Wererat" article appeared in [[Dragon Magazine]] #251.

The Patron God of the Wererats is [[Squerrik]], who appeared in [[Monster Mythology]] and was then forgotten alongside the rest of his pantheon.

One oddity of the 2nd edition wererat's lore is that they dislike mating with each other, but the condition is only carried through the mother's side when interbreeding with humans; wererat fathers produce small but human children, and only wererat mothers who seduce human men give birth to new wererats. This might be a nod to the [[Fritz Leiber]] story "Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser: The Swords of Lankhmar", where one protagonist is seduced into bed with a human-rat hybrid who appears as [[monstergirls|a human woman with buck-teeth, a tail, and eight tits]].

Wererats have a bit of notoriety from the example wererat being the deceptively low [[Challenge Rating]] of 2. This number is deceptive because they, like all werecreatures, possess a damage reduction of 10. While silver weapons to bypass this are relatively cheap, they still cost a good deal and aren't typically purchased at low levels by players not expecting to fight them. Their DR is enough that most builds can't even hurt them on average damage, but even a damage focused two handed weapon user is going to struggle to hurt it.

===Wererat PCs?===
[[File:Wererat PC4 2.jpg|right|300px|thumb|The handsome one is a Greater Wererat.]]
Playable wererats have actually appeared multiple times. The first time was in [[Dragon Magazine]] #24, for [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] 1st edition. This was followed by the Mystaran Wererat race-class for BECMI in [[Creature Crucible|PC4: Night Howlers]], a monster class for [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]] in Dragon #313, and a character theme (alongside the [[werewolf]] and [[werebear]]) for [[Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition]] in Dragon #310. As a template with a given [[Level Adjustment]], the base Lycanthrope template can be applied to any PC in a game that starts at level 3+.

===Mystaran Wererats===
According to [[Creature Crucible|PC4: Night Howlers]], most wererats on [[Mystara]] are actually "beastweres" - they are normal rats who, having been infected with therianthropy, gained increased size, intelligence, and the power to assume partially or wholly human forms. The more powerful ''Greater Wererat'' is created when a human contracts rodent therianthropy from one of these.

===Ravenloft Wererats===
Next to [[werewolves]], wererats have done the best of all [[therianthrope]]s of the [[Demiplane of Dread]]; they are the only non-werewolf strain of therianthrope to get their own dedicated Domain, in the form of Richemulot (the [[wolfwere]]s of Kartakass don't count since they're not technically therianthropes). You can tell because the domain's name is literally the French for "rich mouse" stuck together as one word.

====Rat Kings====
Not to be confused with large groups of [[Wikipedia:Rat king|rats that get their tails stuck together]] which, surprisingly, don't have a D&D monster based on them (but do in Pathfinder!). "Rat Kings" are a [[therianthrope]] strain native to the [[Demiplane of Dread]], and one of the various werebeasts presented on the [[Ravenloft]] fansite "The Lonesome Road". As their name suggests, they are a more powerful strain of the common wererat, found only in the domain of Richemulot, from which they exert their influence over the wererat population and battle for dominance.

The human and beast aspects of a rat king resemble those of a common wererat. Indeed, much to the frustration of hunters, the rat king has an almost deliberately mundane appearance as both a human and a giant rat. When the rat king assumes its hybrid aspect, however, the horrid difference between the creature and a typical wererat becomes readily apparent. The hybrid aspect resembles an enormous, bloated rat, nearly the size of a bear, with subtle anthropomorphic features. Its relatively small limbs seem inadequate to move its massive bulk, but the creature is surprising fast and agile even in hybrid aspect.

In human aspect, a rat king is capable of speaking human tongues. However, some have been isolated from human social contact for so long that they devolve, forgetting how to communicate properly. Like most lycanthropes, the rat king can speak with animals of its phenotype while in beast or hybrid aspect. At all times, a rat king is accompanied by 4d6 normal rats and 1d10 giant rats, which will obey the creature's every command.

Combat: A rat king is rarely encountered in any form but its hybrid aspect. The creature's physical attacks can be surprisingly brutal. In a single round, a rat king can attack with both of its front claws for 1-4 points of damage each, and also bite for 3-8 points of damage. Anyone wounded in any way by a rat king has a 20% chance of being infected with a fatal disease (as the priest spell, cause disease). Unfortunately, this disease can only be cured by a heal spell. Those who are bitten by a rat king also have a 10% chance of contracting lycanthropy, although the phenotype of the victim is always the normal wererat variety. Wererats can only be struck by magical weapons of at least +2 enchantment, and are utterly immune to poison and diseases, even those of magical origin.

Rat kings have a powerful breath weapon in their hybrid aspect that can produce a variety of effects. A rat king can use its breath weapon three times per day, and must select a specific effect each time it does so:
1) A glob of slimy, bile-yellow fluid with the effects of a grease spell. The rat king can spit this glob up to ten feet away, where it spreads into a roughly 10' x '10' square pool.
2) A 30' radius cloud of glittering motes that acts as a sleep spell with a duration of three turns.
3) An 120' cube fog cloud that lasts for ten rounds.
4) A cloud of inky blackness that lasts for 16 rounds and acts as darkness, 15' radius.
5) A 15' radius dusty cloud that effects all those within as the itching effect of irritation.
6) A 15' radius cloud of pungent, white vapors that acts as the rash effect of irritation.
7) A 20' cube of greenish-yellow mist that acts as a stinking cloud.
8) A 10' cube of gaseous, sticky sap. All those caught within it are affected as if by a summon swarm spell.
9) A blast of seemingly normal hot air directed at single character. The victim is affected as if by a ray of enfeeblement.

No matter what aspect they are in, rat kings can use spider climb and putrefy food and drink at will, as a 6th-level spellcaster.

Habitat/Society: Individually, the wererats of Richemulot are moderately formidable creatures, but the true power of the lycanthropes lies in their organization and perchance for traveling in packs. Despite their evil natures, most wererats in the same pack have an unshakable loyalty to one another. Lacking some of the advantages of other lycanthropes, wererats rely on the mutual support of a pack to give them an advantage over other creatures, allowing them to rise to dominate subterranean environments. Occasionally, however, a wererat emerges who has little patience for pack life. Such individuals are pathologically selfish and egocentric, and resent their fellow wererats. Normally, these creatures are quickly singled out for ritual abuse by the pack, and more often than not are eventually murdered outright for their bad attitude. Rather than await this fate, some rogue wererats flee their packs and retreat into the deepest reaches of the Richemulot sewer systems.

Usually, these wererats are never seen from again, as they have a difficult time surviving on their own. Once in a great while, however, one of these creatures reemerges into the upper levels of the sewers, albeit somehow changed. Boasting a monstrous new hybrid form and formidable, seemingly magical powers, such lycanthropes are called rat kings by normal wererats. It is said that those wererats with the strength of will and cunning to survive by their own means are favored by the rodent god [[Squerrik]]. To show his favor, [[Squerrik]] sends a single rat to bite these powerful rogue wererats and infect them with a magical plague. If the wererat survives the feverish hallucinations and horrid symptoms of this disease, he is transformed into a rat king.

With their newfound power, rat kings quickly establish their dominance over local wererat packs. The wererats, for their part, accept the rulership of a rat king with little complaint, as more often than not, the rat king's intelligence and power lead to more food and treasure for everyone. Furthermore, rat kings quickly devour dissenting wererats to set an example. Indeed, there are few wererat packs anymore in Richemulot that are not under the command of a rat king (Jacqueline Reiner's minions are a prominent exception). The role of a rat king lies in strategizing, and the lycanthropes never engage in the surface activities of their wererat minions. The creatures prefer to wallow in some hidden chamber deep in the sewers, surrounded by hordes of rats and mountains of filth. Generally, there are also 2d6 wererats personally guarding the rat king at any given time.

Rather than being motivated by survival and racial superiority, rat kings are primarily interested in personal power and gratification. They see the manipulation of their weaker kin as the most reliable path to establishing their dominance over a subterranean region, and eventually the surface as well. Generally, however, the activities of the wererats themselves change very little when a rat king is calling the shots. Wererat packs under the aegis of a rat king are often more resolute and fearless, however, and have a morale of 14. Rat kings are uncomfortable around any creatures other than rodents, and they prefer the company of common and giant rats even to other wererats.

Unlike normal wererats, rat kings cannot produce more of their kind through breeding. Since [[Squerrik]] himself supposedly controls the number of rat kings in existence, there is rarely a problem with overpopulation of the powerful lycanthropes. Nonetheless, rat kings occasionally come into contact with one another, and the results are always violently hostile. Rat kings view another of their kind in their territory as a personal attack on their power. Hordes of rats and wererats can be sent to their deaths in the civil wars that inevitably erupt from such conflicts. The Richemuloise themselves usually suffer the most during such times, however, as wererat surface activities step up to significant levels.

Ecology: Rat kings are dangerous beings, but are rarely encountered first-hand by the very people they victimize. Their influence is felt throughout the cities of Richemulot through the murderous activities of their wererat minions.

==World of Darkness==
In the [[World of Darkness#Old World of Darkness/Classic World of Darkness (oWoD/cWoD)|Old World of Darkness]], wererats are known as the '''Ratkin''', and are one of the fera that openly survived the genocidal wars that the [[werewolves]] fought against them. They are devoted most to the Wyld, and seek to topple the Weaver's webs (aka human civilisation) to defeat the Wyrm and spread chaos. They are, to put it lightly, the fear equivalent of fearmongering rednecks that run around in the streets screaming "The End is Near!", sign posts and everything, only replacing God with the Wyld.

In the [[New World of Darkness]], the wererat concept was reworked into the Beshilu, or "Rat Hosts", which are body-stealing demonic rats that seek to rip down the Gauntlet between the physical world and the spirit world.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Wererat Greyhawk.png|Greyhawk Supplement
Wererat PC4 1.jpg|PC4
Wererat 1e.png|1e
Wererat MCV1.jpg|2e
Wererat MM 2e.png
Wererat Dragon 251 1.jpg|Dragon #251
Wererat Dragon 251 2.jpg
Wererat VRMHC.jpg|Van Richten's Monster Hunting Guide
Wererat VRG 1.jpg|Van Richten's Guide to Werebeasts
Wererat VRG 3.jpg
Wererat Realm of Terror.jpg|Realm of Terror
Wererat CotN Werebeasts.jpg|Children of the Night: Werebeasts
Wererat Dungeon 54.jpg|Dungeon #54
Wererat PCS.jpg|Planescape
Werewolf Wererat Werebear 3e.jpg|3e
Werebear Wererat Dragon 410.jpg|Dragon #410
Wererat 5e.png|5e
Wererat B1.png|PF
Wererat CC3.png
Wererat SaS4.png
</gallery>

{{D&D-Therianthropes}}

[[Category:Monsters]]
[[Category:Dungeons & Dragons]]
[[Category:Ravenloft]]
[[Category:Mystara]]
[[Category:World of Darkness]]
[[Category:Werewolf: The Apocalypse]]
[[Category:Therianthropes]]

Tarn Idoun

2026-05-20T12:59:17Z

107.189.8.16:

[[File:Tarn_Idoun.png|thumb|right|300px]]

Among the most ancient races within the Dragon Empire are the mysterious tarn idoun. These beings of living crystal are the first creators of the ioun stones. Most have dedicated themselves to the studies of magic and technology and pursue knowledge in all its forms.

The exact origins of the tarn idoun appear to be lost to history. The first recorded contact with the race tells of a dwarven mining expedition that found rows of strange crystal shapes within an asteroid they had sought to mine. Floating around these crystalline forms were smaller crystals of various colors. When the dwarves touched them, the crystalline forms sprang to life and identified themselves as the tarn idoun. Other races encountered similar communities throughout the galaxy, sometimes on a moon and other times buried deep within a planet. The tarn idoun seemed to have no memory of life before being awakened and had no knowledge of how they had come to be found dormant in the caverns. The tarn idoun adapted quickly to life among the sentient races. They employed their innate magical energies to allow their crystalline forms to interact with the technology and devices of the sentient races. The presence of the tarn idoun’s arcane essence leads many to believe that the tarn idoun or their precursors are extraplanar in origin.

Within a few hundred years, the tarn idoun were an integral part of the galactic community. Their ability to make ioun stones led many tarn idoun to engage in trade and commerce with other races. Tarn idoun made welcome additions to survey and exploration teams where their attention to detail resulted in comprehensive starcharts and voluminous data on various planetary and stellar phenomena. Many tarn idoun turned their attention towards magic, creating new forms of magical protections and propulsion. The tarn idoun’s natural talents for magic and the vast array of technology they encountered made the practice of technomancy a natural choice for many. To this day, the tarn idoun remain a prominent part of the interstellar community and several of the galaxy’s greatest technomancers are drawn from this race.

At some point within the past 10,000 years, the tarn idoun established a strong tie with the dragons, who had begun rising in prominence within the galaxy. Indeed, some claim that it was the tarn idoun who first suggested that the dragons form a unified front, although scholars and the tarn idoun, themselves, dispute such claims. Nevertheless, the tarn idoun contacts with the dragons resulted in an agreement called the “Dragon Pact.” The exact terms of this agreement have been lost, or intentionally obscured by history. Yet, speculation abounds.

Some believe the terms of the Dragon Pact hold the key to explaining the unusual behavior of the tarn idoun during the years that preceded the Dragon Wars. Just prior to the founding of Qesemet on Scion III, hundreds of thousands of tarn idoun, including those that allegedly forged the Dragon Pact, vanished, seemingly over night in an event now known as the “Ioun Exodus.” Whether they left for another area of space or were slaughtered in secret, no one, including the remaining tarn idoun know. What is known is that the dragons and their kin still afford considerable latitude to the tarn idoun. When the Dragon War broke out, the tarn idoun were one of the few races to remain truly neutral in the conflict. However, many of their crystalline cities and monuments, largely abandoned, were destroyed in the ensuing conflict.

==Personality==
Tarn idoun are inquisitive and methodical beings. Their work, whether researching spells or crafting firearms, is detailed and precise. To a tarn idoun magic and technology are relatively interchangeable — one merely a different form of the other. They are often controlled and guarded in social situations. Generally passive, tarn idoun are slow to anger. An irate member of the species is a rare and horrifying sight. Fortunately, tarn idoun display little passion for things outside of their chosen field of study except for challenging puzzles or riddles. They are gender neutral and reproduce asexually, a trait that most sentient races find unusual.

Tarn idoun seem to have little comprehension of the concept of humor, at least as other races consider it. Often a tarn idoun will engage in behavior that other races find amusing, though the tarn idoun is often oblivious to its comedic value. However, there have been some instances in which a tarn idoun appears to be displaying a sense of humor—albeit a peculiar one.

Companionship does not come easily to tarn idoun. However, once forged, the bonds of friendship are strong between a tarn idoun and its comrade. Only a tarn idoun’s most trusted allies are freely given an ioun stone. Such a gift is symbol of a deep trust between the tarn idoun and its companions. A companion of a tarn idoun that displays his ioun stone is welcomed in nearly every tarn idoun community as the ioun stone is a symbol to the tarn idoun that the companion is worthy of respect. The ioun stones are vessels of life force for a tarn idoun. They are objects to be cherished and revered. Even ioun stones obtained from other sources are closely guarded by a tarn idoun.

==Physical Description==
The bodies of the tarn idoun are composed of living crystal. They are vaguely humanoid in shape, but lack any discernible facial features. Most beings have difficulty distinguishing one tarn idoun from another. Their height varies from 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 feet tall. Tarn idoun possess innate arcane energies that their bodies’ formidable crystal shell manages to contain and exploit. The limbs of the tarn idoun remain separate from its torso, eerily floating some distance away from the rest of the body. This distance can vary from less than a foot to nearly eight feet. Denied access to these energies, such as when subjected to an anti-magic field, the limbs reattach to the main torso greatly limiting their reach. Nearly every tarn idoun possesses an ioun stone that constantly circles within a few feet of the tarn idoun’s head. A tarn idoun without an ioun stone is typically either a very young speciman, or it has recently given its stone away to a companion and is regrowing another.

==Relations==
Tarn idoun get along quite well with dwarves, given each race’s interests in things mechanical, although the dwarves at times resent the tarn idoun’s employment of magical solutions. Conversely, they also get along quite well with elves, though the elves often resent the tarn idoun’s use of technology. It is no surprise then that tarn idoun get along best with soulmechs and gnomes. Gnomes, in particular, love the presence of tarn idoun as they make excellent marks for practical jokes—at least until the gnome gets tired of the tarn idoun’s inability to “get it.”

The tarn idoun admire the ability of humans and, to a lesser extent, the orcs to adapt to new situations. Both humans and orcs, however, find the extremely alien tarn idoun somewhat discomforting. This does not prevent power-hungry orcs from attempting to steal a tarn idoun’s ioun stone.

Half-orcs, halflings and half-elves all enjoy the company of tarn idoun as prejudice seems to be a foreign concept to the crystalline beings. Dragons and their kin treat tarn idoun with great respect and demand the same of their drow servitors.

==Tarn Idoun Lands==
Tarn idoun are found on nearly every major planet in the Dragon Empire. They generally prefer isolated locations far from major population centers. A few dwell within colossal crystalline towers placed amidst the Empire’s great metropolises, where they live in relative seclusion.

==Religion==
Tarn idoun worship is rarely limited to a single god, though most find that they gravitate their prayers toward the Father and the Magus. Dualism, though tolerated, is practically unheard of among the tarn idoun.

==Tarn Idoun Racial Traits==
::+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, –2 Charisma, –2 Wisdom: The floating limbs of the tarn idoun give them great flexibility. These energies may be suppressed as described below. Although tarn idoun are naturally intelligent, their alien outlook and mysterious quirks make interaction with them difficult and tends to lead them into trouble.
::Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, tarn idoun have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
::Speed (Su): Tarn idoun base speed is 30 feet. Although the limited crystal form of a tarn idoun would normally inhibit its movement, the arcane energies within it allow it to move as other creatures its size. These energies may be suppressed as described below.
::Outsider Traits: Tarn idoun are descended from nonelemental creatures of extraplanar origin. They have darkvision with a range of 60 feet. A slain tarn idoun cannot be raised or resurrected, although a wish or miracle spell can restore it to life.
::Extended Reach (Su): Tarn idoun have a reach of 10 feet. By employing the arcane energies within their crystalline shells, tarn idoun can extend their limbs to allow them to reach further than other creatures their size. These energies may be suppressed as described below.
::Damage Reduction: A tarn idoun has damage reduction 2/—. A tarn idoun’s skin is resistant to injuries.
::Dragon Pact: Tarn idoun receive a +4 racial bonus to Diplomacy checks involving dragons and half-dragons. This is a result of a pact that prominent tarn idoun made with the dragons just before the Dragon War.
::Ioun Stone Creation (Su): A tarn idoun can create charged ioun stones (see DMG, Chapter 8, Wondrous Items) from burned out dull gray ioun stones, which it can grow on its back. All tarn idoun starting characters begin with one dull gray ioun stone. If the tarn idoun wishes to create additional dull gray ioun stones, it may do so at the rate of one per month, snapping off the stones when they are finished forming. This does not cost the tarn idoun anything. Once the tarn idoun has a dull gray ioun stone in hand, it can charge the stone, turning it into any other type of ioun stone through the following process: First, the tarn idoun decides what sort of ioun stone it wants to create and then it begins to charge the stone. To charge a dull gray ioun stone, the tarn idoun simply sets it in orbit around its head for a number of days equal to the stone’s market value divided by 1,000 gp. The tarn idoun’s character level must equal or exceed the stone’s market price divided by 1,000 gp and it must expend XP equal to 1/25 of the ioun stone’s market value. Thus, an 8th-level tarn idoun can create any ioun stone with a market price of 8,000 gp or less. A 12th-level tarn idoun is no longer restricted to the type of ioun stones it can create. Regardless of the number of character levels the tarn idoun has when it creates an ioun stone, the ioun stone’s caster level is always 12th. A tarn idoun does not need to meet any of the prerequisites for an ioun stone to create one in this manner.
::Sonic Vulnerability: A tarn idoun takes double damage from sonic attacks unless a save is allowed for half damage. A successful save halves the damage and a failure doubles it.
::Arcane Essence (Ex): Tarn idoun rely upon ancient arcane magic and innate energies to hold their crystalline form together. They possess a magical aura that can be sensed through detection spells, such as detect magic. The strength of a tarn idoun’s magical aura depends upon its total number of character levels. A tarn idoun’s total character levels are treated as the tarn idoun’s “item caster level” when detected through magic (see PHB, Chapter 11, Aura Strength). Thus, a 7th-level tarn idoun emits an aura of moderate strength. A tarn idoun’s magical aura registers as being of the Transmutation school. If a tarn idoun’s arcane essence is disrupted, then the tarn idoun loses its ability to competently interact with its surroundings. A tarn idoun that is subject to an anti-magic field suffers a –6 penalty to its Dexterity, its speed is reduced to 20 ft, and its reach diminishes to 5 feet. These penalties cease once the tarn idoun leaves the anti-magic field. Likewise, if a tarn idoun is the target of a successful dispel magic spell, it suffers the same penalties. For purposes of dispel checks, the tarn idoun’s caster level is equal to its character level. A tarn idoun subject to the spell disjunction must make a Will save or be permanently subject to the penalties outlined above. The permanent loss of these abilities cannot be restored through restorative magic, such as lesser restoration, but can be restored through the use of a wish or miracle spell.
::Automatic Languages: Terran. Bonus Languages: Common, Draconic, Dwarven, and Ignan.
::Favored Class: Mechanist and wizard. A multiclass tarn idoun’s mechanist class or wizard class does not count when determining whether or not there is an XP penalty for multiclassing (see PHB, Chapter 3, Experience for Multiclass Characters). Tarn idoun are equally adept with both technology and magic.
::Level Equivalent: +1

===Tarn Idoun Racial Feats===
Suppression Resistance (General
You are resistant to anti-magics that could otherwise temporarily or permanently cripple you.
Prerequisite: Tarn idoun only.
Benefit: You receive a +4 bonus to all saves against having your magic essence suppressed or dispelled.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times, gaining an additional +4 bonus each time you take it.

[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons Races]]

Quasta

2026-05-20T12:59:10Z

107.189.8.16:

[[File:Quasta.png|thumb|right|300px]]

As the Dragon Empire expanded, the range of intelligent races that one could encounter expanded with it. One race that was found with increasing frequency was the quasta. Formally acknowledged during the middle of the Copper Age, the coming of the Dragon Empire has been a great boon to this race. Quasta look nothing like the humanoid races, but share many mental traits, including a sense of mercantilism, a love for technology, and an insatiable curiosity. Once exposed to Imperial technology, the quasta leapt at the opportunity to join, and have worked with a sort of comic diligence to become respected traders and inventors.

==Personality==
Quasta thinking is dominated by two desires—a driving curiosity and a craving for respect. Most quasta are able to rein in this inquisitive spirit enough to avoid major mishap, but put an unknown device or a clever puzzle in front of a quasta and it will work relentlessly to understand it. With their ability to examine an object from all angles at once and superior three-dimensional thinking ability, quasta make excellent technicians and pilots. Unlike most natural flyers, confined spaces do not disturb quasta, and they find space travel (especially on simpler, zero-gravity vessels) to be quite comfortable and indulge in it frequently.

Quasta are somewhat resentful of their relative size—it was exceedingly unfair of the gods to make nearly everyone else so much bigger! Combined with their unusual appearance, they feel they have to work twice as hard to gain respect in the Dragon Empire. Sometimes this backfires, leaving others with the impression that they are hyperactive and childlike. Other times this desire leads to dark ends—the handful of quasta wearing the silver trimmed black of the ISPD are as malicious and cruel as any drow. Most are simply efficient, and those who have worked closely with them realize that the quasta is a highly reliable associate, determined to never, ever fail. Just don’t make jokes about them where they can hear you.

==Physical Description==
A quasta’s body is generally bird-like, with a wingspan of about 5 to 7 feet (though their bodies are much smaller) and weighing 75-100 lbs. There are significant differences, however. The head of a quasta is dominated by a single central eye, and there is no beak to speak of. Instead, the mouth is quite small and located below this eye, hidden by a protective ridge. The feathers are vivid green for most quasta, though parrot-colored variations are the norm on some worlds. Quasta enjoy using dyes and ornamentation to spice up their appearance, so many other colors and patterns are possible. Quasta have four hook-like limbs, two extending from each of their flanks, which they use in combination like a single hand. The arrangement looks awkward to most humanoids, but is actually quite functional and quasta have a noticeable gift for handling complex electronics and other technological devices. Quasta have no legs, instead maneuvering by an innate form of levitation.

Unquestionably the quasta’s most distinctive feature is their independent eyes. Each has between eight and ten floating eyes that accompany it everywhere. New eyes form as buds about one inch across along the quasta’s back, and are periodically released to replace aging or damaged eyes. An eye will grow to up to six inches in diameter, and will fail (and be replaced) in about two years. These eyes range in color quite a bit, and eye coloration is a poor method of distinguishing between two quasta, since new buds do not necessarily match the colors of the eye being replaced. With their singular central eye and multiple lesser eyes, along with the quasta’s ability to levitate, it is speculated that the quasta may be distantly related to beholders. The fact that beholders have been found on every world where quasta have been spotted and they seem to share the same language only adds more weight to this theory.

Quasta have two genders, and the females lay clutches of anywhere from one to four eggs. Both parents generally tend to the children. Before making contact with the Empire, quasta had come to accept that only one child at best was likely to survive to adolescence at the age of 10, but the introduction of Imperial medical science has led to nearly all quasta children surviving. This has led to a population boom the quasta have yet to come to grips with, and driven many quasta into high risk, high reward occupations to support their growing families. The quasta lifespan has also been greatly improved, with individuals living to as old as 90 years in the Empire. Those quasta on backwater planets can still only expect to live to the age of 60 or so.

==Relations==
Quasta are friendly and outgoing—sometimes annoyingly so. As such they will happily deal with anyone who seems to share their interest in technology. While dwarven craftsmanship is greatly respected, the quasta have found special delight in their dealings with gnomes. A gnome and quasta in the same room can rapidly degenerate into a technical discussion that leaves everyone else scratching their heads. Still, the quasta’s acquisitive instincts make gnomes somewhat cautious around them—a technical secret revealed is likely to end up incorporated into some new gadget and sold far and wide by one of the quasta trading guilds. Quasta are also favorably inclined towards halflings. They believe that all of the smaller races need to stick together.

Quasta hold the dragons and dragon-kin in awe. The Dragon Empire is a masterpiece of craftsmanship in their eyes, having endured for millennia, and bringing powerful medicines to the quasta people. Many quasta do not understand the significance of the shift in rule from Qesemet to Asamet, and remain deeply loyal to the Empire and eager to serve its emperor.

Quasta are intrigued by soulmechs, and sometimes have to be physically restrained from examining them.

==Alignment==
Depending on their ability to discipline their own curiosity, quasta can be found of lawful, neutral, or chaotic alignment. Most quasta are of good alignment, but many neutral quasta also pursue lives of trade or research. Those few quasta of evil alignment have usually been driven to it by ridicule, or have taken on the attitudes of the Emperor. This last group is the most frightening, as many quasta are hugely loyal to the Empire, and as the reign of Mezzenbone continues, it is likely that many more members of this race will turn to evil.

==Quasta Lands==
Quasta can often be found in small numbers on many imperial worlds, almost always on worlds plagued by beholders. They tend towards jungle climates and some light forests. Their population has exploded in the last 300 years as Imperial medicines have greatly reduced the quasta’s crushing infant mortality rate. Now the colorful quasta can be found on nearly any high-tech world.

==Religion==
The quasta adopted the worship of the Unification Church quite easily, favoring the Judge, the Mother, and the All-Seeing Eye (The Magus). In the last few decades the worship of the Destroyer and the Reaper has taken an upswing as more quasta follow the example of the current Dragon Emperor.

==Language==
Quasta speak their own language, which is shared with the beholders, and Common. Many quasta deliberately practice speaking in a deep voice when dealing with others, as they despise sounding “tiny.”

==Names==
Quasta children are not named at all, simply referred to as “little one” until adolescence. This practice is a holdout from the quasta’s debilitating infant mortality rate. Upon reaching adolescence, the quasta may choose his or her own name, often an ancient form of a virtue that the young quasta aspires to. Since joining the Empire, quasta have adopted the habit of taking a surname after their personal name, based on the planet from which they came. As the quasta population grows, it seems likely they will have to devise a more varied naming scheme, but the quasta have yet to decide on what it will be.
Male Names: Aquii (nobility), Hecko (fortitude), Lusaqu (precision), Quisa (magic)
Female Names: Chalu (swiftest), Teema (perception), Uma (beauty), Yulil (healthy)

==Adventurers==
While quasta have always been involved in the use and development of technology, in recent years they have also begun to ply their skills as pilots—their own movements can be related to the controls of an air or space craft, and their ability to monitor a dozen indicators or screens at once lets them integrate combat information at the breakneck pace of a dogfight. With so many young quasta coming on to the scene, traditional, relatively safe technician roles have been filled and now quasta are seeking their fortunes elsewhere.

==Quasta Racial Traits==
::+2 Dexterity, –2 Strength, –2 Constitution: Quasta are quick to dodge blows or manipulate fine tools with their talons, but are not terrifically strong or hardy.
::Small: As Small creatures, quasta receive the standard +1 size bonus to Armor Class, +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks. However, they must also use smaller weapons than those wielded by humans, and their carrying/lifting limits are three-quarters of those of Medium-size characters.
::Aberration traits: As aberrations, quasta are immune to spells that target humanoids, such as charm person and hold person.
::Quasta base speed is 30 feet. Further, while a quasta cannot fly (their wings only assist them in maneuvering), they may levitate up to a height of 10 ft. above the ground, supporting up to a medium load. To go any higher requires a Jump check by the quasta. In zero gravity, the quasta may move freely in any direction with a speed of 30 feet and good maneuverability. In an anti-magic zone, quasta may pull themselves along slowly with their wings and talons, but no faster than 5 ft. as a full round action, and may not take their 5 ft. bonus step while so impaired.
::Darkvison up to 60 feet.
::+2 racial bonus on all Pilot, Repair, and Use Device
checks.
::+8 racial bonus on all Freefall checks.
::All-Around Vision (Ex): A quasta’s multiple eyes move in a coordinated, constantly scanning pattern, giving them a +4 racial bonus to Spot and Search checks. In addition, they can’t be flanked.
::Unusual Body Type: Because of their uncommon size, quasta seldomly find clothing or armor that will fit them. Typically, they must have such items made. Because they are a Small non-humanoid race, such items cost two times as much as normal, and are half as heavy.
::Automatic Languages: Quasta speak a language they share with beholders (commonly known as Quasta), and Common. Bonus Languages: Gnomish, Dwarven, Draconic.
::Favored Class: Mechanist or Pilot. At 1st level, a quasta must choose one of these two classes. The quasta’s levels in the chosen class do not count when determining whether or not there is an XP penalty for multiclassing (see PHB, Chapter 3, Experience for Multiclass Characters). Quasta are well adapted to be either mechanists or pilots.
::Level Equivalent: +0.

===Quasta Racial Feats===
Probing Eye
You may send one of your eyes a short distance away
from your body to scout.
Prerequisites: Character level 3+, quasta only.
Benefits: You may send one of your eyes up to 100 ft. from your body in any direction (including around corners). You may see through this eye normally, and retain the use of your darkvision. While you and your eye are separated like this, you are considered flat-footed. The lone eye is a Fine creature with 1 Strength, your Dexterity, and the same levitating movement as a quasta. It has 2 hp, and if it is destroyed, you lose 2 hp, which may be healed normally. Lost eyes are replaced at the rate of one per month.
Normal: Quasta eyes may not normally be targeted separately from the main creature.

[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons Races]]

Werecobra

2026-05-20T12:59:05Z

107.189.8.16:

[[File:Werecobra CotN Werebeasts.jpg|thumb]]
'''Werecobras''', as their name suggests, are a subspecies of [[weresnake]] that partially or wholly assume the form of cobras. These [[therianthrope]]s were invented for the [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] 2nd edition version of [[Ravenloft]] and [[Masque of the Red Death]], appearing in the [[Books of S]] series; the "standard" werecobra, the Were-King Cobra, appeared in the Book of Secrets and the Were-Spitting Cobra appeared in the Book of Shadows.

==Were-King Cobra==
Were-King cobras have three forms: human, snake, and a hybrid between the two. In snake form they appear as a typical king cobra, covered with black scales fading to a yellowish underbelly. They measure from 12 to 18 feet long, but are never more than a half foot wide. As a normal king cobra, the were-king cobra has a “hood” that extends from around its throat. The back of the hood has the familiar eyespot pattern of a typical king cobra. If threatened the creature flattens out its neck ribs, spreading the hood wide. When preparing to attack, the were-king cobra can rear up to a third of its body length, making it as tall as a man. The snake’s rearing height is important, as it bites by attacking forward and down, so it cannot attack anything above that height. The king cobra has half-inch long fangs that inject one of the deadliest poisons in nature, known to have killed elephants in half an hour.

In human form, were-king cobras appear entirely human, and are able to blend into the community around them. A few features stand out about were-king cobras. For one, they lack most body hair; except for the hair growing on their scalp, were-king cobras are hairless. Other noticeable characteristics are their height and weight: Were-king cobras are usually taller than the average human, though not abnormally so. They range in height from 5’11” to 6’4” for males, and 5’8” to 6’2” for females. They are also more slender than humans, never weighting more than 150 lbs. for males or 110 for females.

In the were-king cobra’s third or hybrid form, black scales cover the creature’s body. Its torso stretches longer and thinner, until the creature stands 8 feet tall. A 3-foot tail grows from the creature’s lower back, and its hair disappears under the newly formed scales on its head. As scales cover the were-king cobra’s head the vertebra in its neck form a hood, larger but otherwise similar to the one in its snake form. Its tongue becomes forked and doubles in length.

===Combat===
Were-king cobras try to avoid direct confrontations, preferring to attack by surprise. When stalking prey were-king cobras move through the undergrowth in silence, approaching to within a few feet of their prey before striking. The utter silence with which the wereking cobra moves imposes a -4 penalty to its opponents’ surprise rolls.

The were-king cobra is able to inject a deadly poison into its prey with its half-inch long fangs. A victim of the were-king cobra’s bite must save vs. poison with a -4 penalty or die in 6+1d4 rounds. If the die roll of a human victim’s saving throw indicates failure, but fall within 4 points of the number needed for success, the victim will not die, though he may wish he had. Instead, his body is racked with tremors and pain. The victim soon falls comatose, bedridden with a high fever and chills for a week, but will then mysteriously recover. Unknown to the victim, he has contracted lycanthropy from the bite and will transform into a were-king cobra as described below.

While in snake or hybrid form, hereditary and maledictive were-king cobras can use a mesmerizing dance called the “Dance of the Cobra.” All those within 60 feet who watch the snake’s hypnotic dance must save vs. paralysis or be enthralled (as per the spell) for 1d6 rounds after the dance ends. Some were-king cobras have mastered the dance enough to inflict a -2 penalty to the victim’s saving throw.

Only weapons made of ivory or imbued with at least a +1 magical enchantment can harm were-king cobras. Contrary to popular belief, were-king cobras are not mesmerized by pipe music. However, the sound does make them lethargic. If a were-king cobra hears the pipe music of a snake-charmer for 5 consecutive rounds, it will be affected as if by a slow spell. Typically, a hereditary or maledictive were-king cobra will simply flee at the sound of such music, returning at a later time when its prey is unaware.

===Habitat/Society===
In the [[Demiplane of Dread]], were-king cobras are natives of the domain of Sri Raji. There they live on the outskirts of the two smaller cities of Pakat and Tvashsti. A few live as hermits in the jungle itself, but most prefer to live near the communities of man to feed off livestock and the occasionally human. Most attempt to remain unnoticed by the domain lord, Arijani, and his cult of Kali, whom they fear. Occasionally a were-king cobra will join one of the other evil cults in Sri Raji, such as Shiva, but none have ever joined the Dark Sisters that serve Arijani. Such were-king cobras can advance as [[priest]]s up to 8th level. A few of those were-king cobras living near the city of Tvashsti have gained access to that city’s large university. These creatures have taken up the study of magic and become [[wizard]]s. Were-king cobras can advance as wizards up to 10th level.

===Ecology===
An infected were-king cobra transforms for one week following the summer and winter solstice and the spring and fall equinox. During this time the were-king cobra must eat the equivalent of a large human child, though they can and do eat larger prey. The were-king cobra swallows its prey whole after using its poisonous bite. Once it does so, the infected were-king cobra is typically lethargic for ten days following the meal. The affected were-king cobra acts as if under the affects of a slow spell. This lethargy continues even after it returns to its human form.

Hereditary and maledictive were-king cobras also suffer from lethargy after feeding, but they recover after only five days. Such were-king cobras need only feed once per month, though they often eat small meals while in human form to maintain their disguise.

Were-king cobras hunt a variety of prey large and small, including humans. However, for some unknown reason, were-king cobras will not attack cattle for any reason.

===Gothic Earth===
On Gothic Earth, were-king cobras are solitary, and do not form communities of their own, instead living in small communities in rural India and throughout Indochina. They prefer to live in villages near rivers or bodies of water, but travel to large cities on occasion. Were-king cobra are excellent swimmers and typically hunt their prey near the water’s edge. If anything goes wrong in its attack, the were-king cobra uses the water to escape.

Most were-king cobras are Lawful Evil, though 5% of them are Lawful Neutral. Were-king cobras are very ambitious creatures, and typically pose as the holy man in their village in an attempt to exert influence in their communities. The influence they hold varies from one were-king cobra to the next, but all promote a respect for snakes of all kinds. Communities in which were-king cobras live do not fear snakes and often live safely in close proximity to many poisonous snakes. Were-king cobras have no control over normal serpents, however. Another aspect of their status as wise men is they tend to have a strong connection to the past, and many were-king cobras have delved deep into the lost secrets of the ancients to discover adept magic. Such were-king cobras can advance as adepts up to 7th level.

Occasionally, a were-king cobra’s ambition brings it to one of the large cities in southeast Asia to conduct some nefarious plot. Though this is rare, it is suspected that at least two were-king cobras have gained mid-level positions in the British colonial government of India.

==Were-Spitting Cobra==
This variety of werecobra is a human that is able to transform into a spitting cobra. In its secondary aspect, the were-spitting cobra appears as an eight-foot-long slender serpent. It ranges in color from dull black to pink; with the lighter-colored snakes having a black band around their necks. Traits of albinism have also been expressed, but this is rare. The spitting cobra is so named because of its ability to spit venom into the eyes of its opponents and blind them. Like the king cobra, the spitting cobra's bite is venomous.

In their primary aspect were-spitting cobras appear as a dark-skinned human. They are of average human height and approximately 10-15 pounds lighter than average. When talking, whether in human or hybrid form, the creatures speak with a hissing lisp. Because the were-spitting cobra lives in a hot, arid, desert climate, its clothing is loose-fitting and scant. In its tertiary aspect, the were-spitting cobra's hybrid form, it stands approximately 7 1/2' tall. Its hairless body is covered with scales that are the same color as those in its secondary aspect. From its lower back extends a two-foot-long tail, and its tongue forks and doubles in length.

===Combat===
In its human form the were-spitting cobra can use any available weapons, but prefers to use daggers and short swords. If the were-spitting cobra is attacked during daylight hours it will almost always remain human. The were-spitting cobra will only change forms if it is in danger of being killed. In its secondary and tertiary aspects the were-spitting cobra will attack by spitting its venom into the face of its opponent. The were-spitting cobra is extremely accurate at spitting venom and makes all such attack rolls with a +2 bonus. The range for such attacks is 30 feet. If a successful hit is made, then the victim must save vs. poison or be blinded for 2d12 hours. Due to the caustic nature of the venom, the victim has a percentage chance equal to the number of hours they spend in blindness to be infected with lycanthropy. The were-spitting cobra is also capable of delivering a venomous bite to opponents. If bitten by the were-spitting cobra, the victim must save vs. poison or die in 1d6+4 rounds. However, if the victim fails the save vs. poison by 4 or less on the d20 roll they do not die. Instead of death, they experience excruciating pain and discomfort over the next few days (the amount they failed the save vs. poison by determines the exact number of days) before what seems to be a complete and miraculous recovery.

Recovery, however, is not complete, nor is it miraculous, because the victim has been infected with lycanthropy. If the victim's save vs. poison is successful, the victim still receives 1d4+1 points of damage and has a 1% chance per point of damage to become a were-spitting cobra.

While a formidable opponent in combat, the werespitting cobra prefers to rely on stealth and its treacherous nature to defeat enemies. It is capable of sneaking up on prey at a -3 to its opponents' surprise rolls.

Only magical weapons of at least +1 enchantment or those made of ivory can harm this species of werecobra. While in its secondary or tertiary aspects, the spitting cobra has the ability to feign death as per the 3rd level wizard spell. However, because this ability is a biological ability, a Ravenloft powers check is not required. Those who are familiar with lycanthropes may be astute enough to realize what is happening, because if a were-spitting cobra actually dies, rather than using its ability to feign death, it reverts to its human form in one round.

===Habitat/Society===
In the [[Ravenloft]] setting the were-spitting cobra is native to Har'Akir and Sebua, with some migrating to Pharazia. Were-spitting cobras are solitary creatures, preferring to dwell away from both humankind and others of their species. Were-spitting cobras are primarily nocturnal, and because of this, they often find employment as thieves, spies, or assassins. As thieves, were-spitting cobras are not limited in the level of advancement they can attain. Their evil nature also draws some to serve as priests in one of the various evil cults found in the [[Demiplane of Dread]]. Such priests can advance to 12th level in ability.

===Ecology===
Because of their solitary nature, little is known about the ecology of this creature. It is possible, however, that a study of non-lycanthropic spitting cobras would reveal some insights into the ecology of the werespitting cobras.

{{D&D-Therianthropes}}
[[Category: Monsters]] [[Category: Ravenloft]] [[Category: Dungeons & Dragons]] [[Category:Therianthropes]]

Siarran

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[[File:Siarran.png|thumb|right|300px]]

Siarrans are a race from [[Dragonstar]], first detailed in Galactic Races. They consist of artists, musicians, and rebels who love freedom above all else. They prefer an active life and are usually found traveling from world to world, alone or in groups, performing for whatever audience they can find. They often call themselves “children of the wind” and say they go where the wind takes them.

For most siarrans, “freedom” means the liberty not only to go where they wish, but also to do, say, and take whatever they like. There is no malice in their actions—they try not to hurt anyone or take from those who can’t afford the loss—but most siarrans believe that their sacred freedom is more important than obeying arbitrary laws. When their love of freedom brings them into conflict with the authorities, most siarrans prefer to avoid conflict by simply leaving the planet before local law enforcement can confine them.

==Personality==
Siarrans love freedom above all else. Like the wind they revere, they move where they will and refuse to be constrained. This is reflected throughout their culture and in their individual natures. When at rest, siarrans usually give the impression of a barely restrained energy. They seem ready to move in any direction with little notice. Even so, their movements never seem sudden because of their natural grace. The siarrans appreciate things of beauty, particularly beauty of expressions. They prefer their art and their lives to be filled with activity, and it is rare that a siarran remains idle. They grow easily bored with a slow pace of life, a fact that fills many siarrans with wanderlust, often leading them to adventure.

To a siarran, life is a performance meant to be enjoyed. Even as they face danger, they relish the experience for its drama and appreciate their enemies’ beauty and strength. Some even take unnecessary risks for the sake of “putting on a good show.” Because of this attitude, siarrans may seem light-hearted or foolhardy to others.

==Physical Description==
Siarrans are typically tall and thin, between 5 1/2 and just under 7 feet in height. They weigh between 130 and 200 lbs. They have dark, coppery brown, or even black complexions and light brown, blonde, white, or silvery hair. They have four arms—an upper pair placed at the shoulder, much like a human’s, and a second lean and thin pair a little above the waist. Their fingers are long and lithe, giving them superb manual dexterity. Their eyes slant upward at the outside, and they have high cheekbones and thin mouths.

Siarrans usually dress in draping, loose-fitting garments or robes. They use subtle embroidery to decorate their clothes, preferring patterns of earth tone or red threads. Performing siarrans wear brighter colors designed to attract attention. Siarrans are also known to adopt clothing styles from the realms they visit, sometimes combining them into a unique style all their own.

Siarrans are considered adults at age 25, and they live about 150 years.

==Relations==
Among the races of the core worlds, siarrans have a reputation as excellent performers with a penchant for thievery and mischief. As a result, siarrans are more common in the Outlands and other less-developed worlds, where their reputation is not as well known. Siarrans have had excellent relations with elves for centuries, as they have much in common. A siarran will only steal from or otherwise harm an elf if absolutely necessary. Siarrans find humans to be lacking in subtlety and dwarves to be downright repressive. Soulmechs vary so radically from one to next, it is impossible for the siarrans to make any generalizations about them.

Siarrans are wary of dragons, half-dragons, and drow. Too often they have seen these races using their power to restrict the freedom of others. While the siarrans will rarely publicly defy the leaders of the Dragon Empire, they sometimes undermine the authorities through propaganda, espionage, and sabotage.

Orcs and half-orcs are either pitied for their complete lack of artistry, or disdained for serving what the siarrans see as the oppressive Dragon Empire. In either case, orcs and half-orcs find the siarrans condescending at best, and infuriating at worst.

Nevertheless, siarrans believe in allowing everyone their own freedoms, and are rarely bothered by the cultural or social differences found among other peoples. They are willing to get along with most anyone (regardless of their opinions of the person) so long as that person does not restrict anyone else’s freedom.

==Alignment==
Siarrans enjoy freedom of expression. They prefer to speak and do as they choose, demonstrating a chaotic bent. They prefer to avoid conflict, and avoid hurting others if they don’t have to, but aren’t above causing trouble if it’s in the interests of preserving their own freedom. Most siarrans are neutral, though a few veer towards goodness.

==Siarran Lands==
Siarrans have no homelands of their own. According to tradition, they used to share a world in the Rimward Barrens with elves, dwarves, and humans. When the Dragon Empire took over the planet, the other races resisted—and were nearly wiped out for their impudence. The siarrans realized they could not stay on their home planet and retain their freedom, so they set off for the stars and have never looked back. The siarrans flew to the stars on 10 enormous starships. Over the millennia, the 10 ships became the basis for the 10 siarran tribes. Though there are countless smaller ships of siarrans scattered across the Empire today, each of them can trace its history back to one of the first 10 ships, and the siarrans on board count themselves part of its tribe.

While siarran society was originally feudal, it has evolved into a clan-based council system. Each siarran tribe is ruled by a council of mystics. Every 10 years, the mystics of the 10 clans meet to discuss clan matters and to elect a new Namridoth, the siarran king. Siarrans with intertribal conflicts can bring them up at this time for the council to judge.

Namridoth is largely an honorary position. It is his responsibility to represent the siarrans to outsiders and to protect his people from outside threats. Since the siarrans are now spread across the galaxy and are largely autonomous, there is no need for a Namridoth to represent or protect them. Nevertheless, it is a great honor to be named Namridoth, and it usually goes to an old and venerable siarran.

==Religion==
Before fleeing their homeworld, the siarran mystics were priests of Allasyrain, a local good-aligned god of the wind. Allasyrain instructed his followers to be a gentle wind—unseen, unheard, harming no one, and allowing no one to touch them.

In the millennia following the siarran exodus, however, the mystics gradually adopted the Stormlord as their patron deity. The gentle goodness of Allasyrain was slowly replaced by the active chaos of the Stormlord, and the siarrans began to put their freedom above the welfare of those around them.

Today, most siarrans worship the Stormlord as a chaotic wind that blows them towards their destinies. They believe that because they are “children of the wind,” their desires mirror the desires of the Stormlord himself. And because the will of gods is more important than the welfare of mortals, the siarrans are more than justified in doing whatever they need (or want) to do in order to maintain their freedom. Nevertheless, they recognize that wanton theft and destruction are a good way to try the Stormlord’s patience—and end up slaving in a prison colony.

==Language==
The Siarran language is intricate and uses its own unique and lengthy alphabet. The airy tones and soft vowel sounds usually put listeners in mind of breezy days and dancing, as the words roll easily from one to the next. While this does make learning the language a foreboding prospect, once Siarran has been mastered it is ideal for expressing movement and emotion, both of which figure prominently in their songs.

==Names==
A siarran is usually given only a single name at birth. When traveling, siarrans will also refer to themselves by a tribal name derived from the first starships that left their homeworld. Siarrans will only rarely use a place name to identify themselves, as their people too often wander to new places.

Male Names: Allaet, Ballaran, Cionur, Dillaed, Fomael, Kessit, Tilaen, and Umrios.
Female Names: Amaera, Caelli, Diarral, Emaene, Guenna, Jiassae, Paelloa, and Telliar.
Tribe Names: Botarran, Ebonael, Faerios, Killaen, Maaran, Rollit, Saanias, Tinael, Vellitas, and Zianur.

==Adventurers==
Siarrans are always on the move. They are most commonly found in small performing troupes, either with their own ship or booking passage on large freighters. These troupes usually perform for money, but they are driven by far more than greed. Siarrans are eager to see the galaxy and experience for themselves how the wind blows elsewhere.

Beyond the joys of travel and performance, siarrans champion freedom in all its forms. This can entangle them in local politics and other disputes. They have occasionally also been caught up in insurrections against the Dragon Empire, particularly while under Mezzenbone’s rule.

While siarrans are usually found in troupes, lone travelers are not uncommon—especially in the core worlds, where groups of siarrans may attract unwanted attention. Lone siarrans travel for the same reasons that troupes do, forever searching for more new songs, dances, and tales that need to be told.

==Siarran Racial Traits==
::+2 Dexterity, –2 Constitution: Siarrans are dextrous, but fragile.
::+8 racial bonus to Navigate. Siarrans are well-travelled.
::Weak Lower Arms: A siarran’s lower arms are thinner than his upper arms and do not benefit as much from the muscles throughout the torso. As a result, a siarran’s lower arms suffer a –2 penalty to Strength.
::Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, siarrans have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
::Siarran base speed is 30 feet.
::Automatic Languages: Common and Siarran. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic). A siarran's many travels allow him to learn a wide variety of languages from a variety of cultures.
::Favored Class: Any. When determining whether a multiclass siarran suffers an XP penalty (see PHB, Chapter 3, Experience for Multiclass Characters), his highest-level class does not count. Siarrans pursue a number of skills and professions and they show aptitude in a wide variety of abilities.
::Level Equivalent: +0

===Siarran Racial Feats===
Multiweapon Fighting (General)
You can fight with a weapon in each of your hands.
Prerequisite: Three or more arms.
Benefit: Your penalties for fighting with multiple weapons are reduced by 2. This feat functions just as Two-Weapon Fighting does for a creature with only two hands.

Multidexterity (General)
You are adept at using all your hands in combat.
Prerequisite: Dex 15+, three or more arms.
Benefit: You ignore all penalties for using any of your three off hands. This feat functions as Ambidexterity does for a creature with two hands. Weapons wielded in your off hands still add only half your Strength bonus to damage.

Two-Gun Shooting (General)
You can shoot with both weapons when you have a firearm in each hand. You can make one extra attack each round with the second weapon.
Benefit: Your penalties for firing two weapons are reduced by 2.
Normal: See SHB, Chapter 7, Firing Two Weapons.
Special: The Ambidexterity feat reduces the attack penalty for the second weapon by 4. These penalties are further reduced if the size category of both weapons is one size category smaller than yours.

[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons Races]]

Sathoni

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[[File:Sathoni.png|thumb|right|300px]]

The '''sathoni''' are a race of plant-like creatures that, through the use of magic, have spread to worlds throughout the Dragon Empire in the [[Dragonstar]] setting. The sathoni have always had a special bond with the planets upon which they live. Indeed, they depend upon minerals, water, and light to survive. Their traditions are well steeped in the magical forces of nature. Yet, as their populations grew, the sathoni realized that they had to establish holds on other worlds to meet their demands for resources without harming their homeworlds. To this end, the sathoni created the great starstalks, massive plants that burst forth from their worlds, spanning immense distances until they reached other worlds. The sathoni traveled inside the starstalks to new resource-rich worlds. With them, they brought their native plants and way of life. If a world were unsuitable for habitation, the sathoni employed magic and their native fauna to change the new world’s ecosystem to suit their needs. Thus, the sathoni colonized hundreds of worlds.

The sathoni expansion eventually brought them into contact with other races. Those that the sathoni could not win over with diplomacy, they overwhelmed by sheer numbers. As the number of worlds under sathoni occupation grew, the Sathoni Domain was established and sathoni expansion increased. Once the sathoni reached worlds with starcaster vessels, they realized that they could journey to new worlds much more quickly. Travel to other worlds that once took centuries could now be accomplished in days. The sathoni realized that nature—even enhanced through magic—at times had its limits. Technology, they concluded, was sometimes required to strengthen and enhance nature. Though the starstalks had become obsolete, the Sathoni Domain grew to encompass entire clusters of stars.

Then the Dragon War began. The twin kingdoms of Qesemet and Asamet quickly overshadowed the Sathoni Domain. The Domain crumbled and was quickly absorbed into the newly created Dragon Empire. Though their influence has diminished over the past 5,000 years, the sathoni have carved a respectable niche within the Dragon Empire. They have become the Empire’s chief terraformers, employing many of their ancient techniques to make hostile planets more suitable for habitation by the dragon rulers and their kin. Sathoni advances in the areas of hydroponics and environmental engineering are rivaled only by those of the elves. However, the two races often differ in their opinion as to the extent to which technology should enhance or alter nature.

Although some sathoni remain embittered about the end of the Domain, most willingly accept the rule of the Empire. The traditions of the sathoni recognize and honor the cycles of nature. Just as the mighty oak grows above the saplings on the forest floor, robbing them of light, so too are the powerful dragons expected to usurp the resources of the weaker races. Night follows day just as war follows times of peace. Sathoni teachings explain that to everything there is a cycle. Such things are not to be fought, but merely accepted. The decline of the Domain and the rise of the Empire simply marked a new phase in the cycle of the universe. Certainly the dragons knew of this, as proven by the way that the compromise of Khelorn mirrors the cycles of nature.

Some sathoni, however, point to the fact that the mighty oak will eventually grow too heavy and too old to support itself. When it falls, it provides nutrients for the small saplings it once shaded. These sathoni believe that if they are patient enough, the Sathoni Domain will once again rise in prominence.

Until then, the sathoni go about their business. Many provide agricultural resources, while others seek new worlds for terraforming. The sathoni knowledge of plants has given them considerable knowledge of poisons and the drow of the ISPD employ them regularly. A few still tend to the remaining starstalks that were left untouched by war. A few of these ancient starstalks support expansive urban centers, while others conceal pirate bases or societies of isolationists. Some say that secret cabals of “lost” sathoni dwell within the starstalks. There they bide their time, preparing the seeds of new starstalks with which to invade other worlds.

==Personality==
Sathoni, as a whole, are pleasant beings. They are quite open-minded and tolerant of different beliefs and ideas. They expect the same treatment from others and are surprised when they do not receive it. Their liberal attitudes tend to disturb other races. As a whole, sathoni seem to lack any apparent modesty. Most sathoni attempt to maximize their exposure to sunlight during the day and to limit the amount of their clothing, whenever possible. Many sathoni choose to remain relatively inactive while they engage in photosynthesis. Other races tend to perceive such inactivity as laziness. However, sathoni that are able to maximize their production of energy during the day are then able to be more active at night. Sathoni have no need to sleep and make excellent security personnel.

With natural life spans in excess of 500 years, the sathoni have acquired a unique patience. They are a non-violent race, believing that any dispute or disagreement will work itself out in time. The sathoni have a strong appreciation for nature and tend to seek a synthesis between nature and technology.

==Physical Description==
Sathoni vary greatly in appearance, often changing with the seasons of their native or adopted worlds. They may grow in height anywhere from 4 feet to 7 feet tall. During the year, their skin changes from pale yellow to lush green, then deep red or brown before returning to a faint yellow. Similarly, the hair of sathoni changes with the seasons, with many sathoni losing their hair entirely during the winter season.

While living on starships or space stations, sathoni try to maintain their seasonality. However, most sathoni spacers find that their seasonal changes begin to grow muted and indistinct until they are nearly always the same skin tone, usually a pale yellow-green or a muted brown, with hair color often a shade of red-brown all year round.

==Relations==
While open-minded, sathoni have better relationships with certain races than with others. Humans and halflings have life spans that equal those of young saplings and the sathoni treat them as such. Sathoni get along famously with gnomes due to their shared interests in both technology and magic. Half-elves and half-orcs always welcome sathoni tolerance. Likewise, the sathoni have few qualms with dealing with orcs, drow, or other shunned races.

The sathoni view the existence of soulmechs as simply another way in which technology and magic can preserve and perhaps even improve upon nature.

However, these views often place them in conflict with elves who see technology more as a blight on nature. Many elves believe that the sathoni have defamed their ties with nature and have perverted their druidic traditions. Such elves militantly oppose sathoni endeavors.

The dragons and half-dragons generally give little regard to the sathoni. While the sathoni may have once been a powerful force, the relative ease with which they were absorbed into the Empire proves that they are of little concern.

==Alignment==
Most sathoni are true neutral. Their unique insight into the cycles of nature tends to discourage them from adopting any of the extreme alignments.

==Sathoni Lands==
With the advent of starstalks, coupled with their advances in spacefaring technology, the sathoni can now be found throughout the Dragon Empire. Most choose to remain planetbound, avoiding prolonged stays on starships and space stations. Even those who do take to life between the stars often bring large numbers of plants or create elaborate gardens in their living quarters.

==Religion==
Sathoni worship many deities. Many planetbound sathoni are involved in agriculture and worship the Mother, in her nature aspect, as well as the Stormlord. Sathoni scientists and engineers often worship the Smith, the patron of technology, or the Magus in his aspect as the source of scientific knowledge. Sathoni assassins issue their prayers to the Reaper. A few sathoni practice Dualism, with nearly all of them worshiping the Creator.

==Names==
Sathoni typically adopt the name of a plant that they’ve come across in their travels. Because they use whatever word the plant is called by nearby natives, sathoni have names as varied as humans.

==Adventurers==
Often, sathoni will travel great distances to study unusual natural phenomena or rare plants. Sometimes they travel with other adventurers for safety. Other sathoni have become accustomed to the rigors of space travel and enjoy journeying from one planet to the next, seeing all that the galaxy has to offer.

==Sathoni Racial Traits==
::+2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, +2 Intelligence, –4 Dexterity: Sathoni are formidable and hearty, but their tough skin reduces their flexibility.
::Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, sathoni have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
::Sathoni base speed is 30 feet.
::Natural Armor: A sathoni has +2 natural armor. Sathoni skin is extremely durable.
::Limited Regeneration: A sathoni that loses part of its body mass can regrow it in 1d2 days. Holding the severed portion against the mass enables it to reattach instantly. In addition, the sathoni’s natural healing rate is doubled.
::Plant Traits: Sathoni, like other plants, are immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, and polymorphing. They are not subject to critical hits or mind-influencing effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns and morale effects.)
::Speak With Plants (Sp): Sathoni can speak with plants once per day as the spell cast by a 5th-level druid.
::+4 racial bonus to Knowledge (nature) checks: Sathoni have an innate affinity for nature’s processes.
::Darkness Sensitivity: Due to their dependency upon sunlight, sathoni suffer a –2 to attack rolls when in complete darkness. This penalty is in addition to any other penalty or miss chance caused by the darkness.
::Light Dependency: Sathoni produce their energy through photosynthesis and are dependent upon sunlight, or a similar source of light (the internal lighting aboard most starships is sufficient), in addition to water and minerals to make their own food.
:::In normal climates, like other Medium-size characters, sathoni characters need at least a gallon of fluids to avoid dangerous thirst. Sathoni characters need to ingest about a pound of soil or similarly mineral rich substance and receive at least eight hours of sunlight per day to avoid starvation.
:::A sathoni character can go without water or light for 1 day plus a number of hours equal to her Constitution score. After this time, the character must make a Constitution check each hour (DC 10, +1 for each previous check) or sustain 1d6 points of subdual damage.
:::A sathoni character can go without soil for 3 days, growing in discomfort. After this time, the character must make a Constitution check each day (DC 10, +1 for each previous check) or sustain 1d6 points of subdual damage.
:::Sathoni characters that have taken subdual damage from lack of water, sufficient light, or soil are fatigued (see DMG, Chapter 3, Condition Summary). This subdual damage cannot be recovered until the character receives sufficient minerals, water or light, as needed. Neither magical healing that restores hit points (such as cure light wounds) nor the sathoni’s regeneration ability heals this damage.
::Automatic Languages: Sylvan. Bonus Languages: Common, Elven, Gnome, and Terran.
::Favored Class: Druid. A multiclass sathoni’s druid class does not count when determining whether or not there is an XP penalty for multiclassing (see PHB, Chapter 3, Experience for Multiclass Characters). Sathoni are natural druids.
::Level Equivalent: +1

[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons Races]]

Sahkil

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[[File:Zipacna.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Zipacna, a Sahkil Tormenter]]
'''Sahkils''' are a [[fiend]]ish race native to the [[Great Beyond]], invented by [[Pathfinder]] to flesh out the malevolent cosmology of their [[Golarion]] setting beyond the [[Dungeons & Dragons]] trinity of [[Demon]]/[[Devil]]/[[Yugoloth]]. A form of fallen [[psychopomp]], these corrupted, twisted entities have reshaped themselves into the living embodiments of fear, craving to literally terrify all other life into obedience to themselves and rule as cruel god-kings until oblivion itself claims them.

No, seriously. These guys manage to out-[[edgy]] '''[[Kyton]]s'''.

Sahkils inhabit the [[Ethereal Plane]], making them unique amongst the vaster expanse of fiends. Their obligatory super-charged rulers are known as the '''Tormentors''', although currently we have nothing for them beyond a list of names:
* Ananshea, The Skin That Walks on Teeth
* Chamiaholom, Skull Staff
* Charg, The Typhon Wheel
* Dachzerul, The Darkness Behind You
* Eil, The Cancer Note
* Iggeret, She Who Was Lost
* Hataam, River Eater
* Nameless, Upon an Empty Throne
* Ozranvial, Despair’s Smile
* Shawnari, The One Out of Place
* Velgaas, Minds in the Dark
* The Vermillion Mother
* Xiquiripat, Flying Scab
* Zipacna, The Mountain Below

The Sahkils first appeared in the Pathfinder Bestiary 5, and were expanded in Bestiary 6.

==Official Pathfinder Fluff==
[[File:Nucol.jpg|right|300px|thumb|A Nucol Sahkil]]
Psychopomps are the ever-important bureaucrats of life and death in the ''Pathfinder'' setting. They ensure that the progression of souls is done through a well-oiled machine, and preventing interference with the path of souls.

While the psychopomps do their busywork to maintain the cosmic order, the world changes around them. The psychopomps know that eventually, the order of the universe will decay and be undone. Most psychopomps are motivated by this truth, and delaying the inevitable is a good enough reason for them to do their job well.
Some find no peace in maintaining a system that will inevitably rot away and leave them behind.
Some just say "fuck it" and leave the order of the psychopomps to take command of their own fate, and these psychopomps who strike out against the order become the heinous sakhils.

Tired of feeling that they are slaves to the imperfect order of the universe and of working for weak souls, sakhils strike out on their own and leave their duties to hide away at the edges of existence, a great many hiding away in the Ethereal Plane, even having a demiplane within that is all their own: Xibalba, the Land of Dread, a colossal torture chamber where the sakhils cause pain and fear to all mortals unlucky or foolish enough to end up there. No longer slaves to souls like the psychopomps, the sakhils seek to rule all there is through terror and violence.

Sakhils almost universally cast aside their former appearances as psychopomps, and choose to define themselves through fears felt by mortals, whether they appear to represent them or not. They appear with unnatural aggregates of body parts, often with disgusting tendrils or bladed insectile limbs, and are more often than not caked with blood. While at their lower levels, sakhils tend to be uncomfortably similar to things which exist in the mortal world, going up the ladder reveals more alien assemblies of gruesome pieces.

The M.O. of sakhils is to take root in the dark corners of the world. When mortals happen upon their dark influences, their terror turns them to paranoia and cruelty to escape the dread the sakhils seek to bring them. Unfortunately for these mortals, they prey upon the frenzied pursuit of escape their victims indulge in, sending them into a downward spiral of pain and fear. Ultimately, a sakhil's playthings either perish, or lose even the capacity to comprehend suffering. Not content to let their toying with the fates of mortals cease, the sakhils reanimate them as undead - marking them as the furthest thing from the order of psychopomps.

At the top of the pecking order of the sakhils are their lords, the sakhil tormentors. These demigods rule Xibalba, gathering forces of sakhils to aid their inscrutable whims, be that warring against other tormentors for dominance or seeking mortals to exploit. While they have many unique qualities, tormentors choose to hide many things about themselves. The fear of the unknown does have great sway over mortals, after all.

Because the sakhils are consummate edgelords and are generally really good at ruining the order of existence, most outsiders with a mind for good and order opposes them. While their greatest enemies are their former brethren in the psychopomps, the Positive Energy Plane's manasaputras (also described in ''Pathfinder Bestiary 5'') also oppose them; they seek to push mortal souls to perfection instead of grinding them into dust.

Three of the other fiendish races gel with the sakhil, the only beings in the world vile enough to do so. [[Div]]s appreciate the sakhils' motivation to ruin everything and often cooperate with them, [[daemon]]s respect their manipulation of mortal souls and apocalyptic ends, and [[kyton]]s find great intrigue in the sakhils' work in defiling the minds of mortals.

==Breeds of Sahkil==
Naturally, there are many different kinds of Sahkil, and theoretically there could be an infinite number of different subspecies. So far, these are the ones that have been developed.

===Chakanaj===
Originating from the 2E ''Night of the Gray Death'' adventure book rather than a 1E bestiary, the chakanaj sakhils represent the fear that one's secrets will be revealed. Their miniscule size and vague shape makes them incredibly stealthy, and they can pick up on lies being told in their vicinity without anyone knowing. They can hide on someone's persons without being noticed, and they drive people to great anxiety without them knowing someone else is feeding their discomfort.
If a chakanaj wants to be a bit more on-the-nose about keeping someone in line, they can rest on someone's face as a mask. While mundane in appearance, the chakanaj has whoever wears them at their mercy - able to plunge their razor-sharp legs into their face at any moment.

===Esipil===
[[File:Esipil B5 PF.png|right|150px]]
Like every other clade of outsider in ''Pathfinder'', sakhils have a breed that a 7th-level spellcaster of the proper alignment with the Improved Familiar feat can call upon.

These three-foot-long bulldog-worms represent the fear of domesticated animals, and the worry that they could degenerate to their base instincts at any moment. Often, they worm their ways into the lives of people (especially evil spellcasters who use them as familiars), and largely act as loyal pets, occasionally having aggressive, primal outbursts. They're more eager to fight than most, and they tend to not rely on supernatural methods of invoking fear in others.

===Ichkoh===
[[File:Ichkoh B6 PF.png|right|150px]]
Ichkohs feed on the fear of one's body failing. They taunt mortals who feel they're no longer in their physical prime, or torment those with positive body images. They drive these souls to self-destructive behaviors, often culminating in suicide.

===Kimenhul===
[[File:Kimenhul B5 PF.png|right|150px]]
Kimenhuls are the strongest sakhils beneath the tormentors, and represent the fear of failure. They're able to turn the slightest inkling of inadequacy among the mightily competent into a vortex of self-loathing and trauma.
The fleshy tower connecting their three heads to their three legs is constantly changing in shape, and someone who looks into them will often see someone who has caused them pain or trauma in the past, be that through abuse or loss.
Kimenhuls almost always leave indelible marks on the people who encounter them, and they regularly check up on people they've marked to reinforce their burgeoning self-hatred.

===Nenchuuj===
From the ''Ruins of the Radiant Siege'' Adventure Path of ''Agents of Edgewatch'', the nenchuuj is a sakhil that relishes the worry that magic will fail. They are able to show casters all the possible ways that their spells can fail them, and can redirect spells cast targeting them.

===Nucol===
Originating from the ''Book of the Damned'' sourcebook, nucol are sakhils in the shaped of plagued boars who feed on the fear of parasitic infestation and mysterious sicknesses. They plague mortals with diseases, offering to cure them in deals that claim something more dear to them than their physical condition.

===Pakalchi===
[[File:Pakalchi.jpg|left|150px]]
Pakalchis live to see relationships crumble, and are willing to spend as much time as they have to to see a bond be broken. Using manipulation and domination, they find as much pleasure in slowly pulling people apart as they do from dealing massive damage to a relationship with a single spoken word. They enjoy watching the havoc they cause, though they sometimes use third parties to divide people. In the fallout of their destruction, pakalchis take the people torn apart by their interference and finish the job of breaking them.

===Penqual===
Also from ''Ruins of the Radiant Siege'', penqual sakhils take the form of swarms of featureless humanoids, and bunch up with incredible closeness. Their favored fear is that of being lost in crowds.

===Qolok===
[[File:Qolok B5 PF.png|right|150px]]
The massive bloated bodies of qoloks spread feelings of discontent and fear of lacking. Mortals pulled in by them are driven to gluttonous indulgence.

===Tumblak===
Another variety of sakhil described in ''Night of the Gray Death''. Resembling corpses crushed into a rectangular shape, the tumblaks represent claustrophobia in all its forms, including being crushed and being buried alive. They have an affinity for seeking victims in crypts and ruins, and they make the air in their vicinity thin.
Many tumblaks are susceptible to being repelled by burial rites that ward off the undead.

===Wihsaak===
[[File:Wihsaak B5 PF.png|right|150px]]
Wihsaaks are unsubtle sakhils who preside over the fear of vermin, showing off their ugly forms to all those they seek to bring fear to. They push their victims to commit misdeeds, making them think that the onus of their sins lies with them and not with their tormentor.

Uniquely, when in battle against a group, wihsaaks don't single out targets to frighten and pick off. They try to plague all of their opponents with fear, tearing them to pieces when there is nobody left to resist.

===Ximtal===
[[File:Ximtal B6 PF.png|right|150px]]
Ximtals' domain is loneliness and exclusion. Being mighty members among the painfully edgy sakhils, they abhor goodness, and they manipulate the allies of the great and virtuous to discredit and isolate them. When faced with those who proactively work for the cause of good, ximtals seek to burn everything they work for to the ground.
While almost invariably working alone, cooperating with the similarly relationship-breaking pakalchis allows these sakhils to tear apart massive organizations.

===Zohanil===
[[File:Zohanil B6 PF.png|right|150px]].
Zohanils haunt those who fear needles and invasive medical procedures, and push their victims to addiction.
Basically, they are that guy offering drug-laced candy that only exist in your parents' imagination.
They make excellent pushers.

{{Pathfinder-Fiends}}

Sarrukh

2026-05-20T12:57:59Z

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{{cleanup}}

[[File:Sarrukh.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]

'''Sarrukh''' are a reptilian "Elder Race" in the [[Forgotten Realms]] setting of [[Dungeons & Dragons]]. They were most fleshed out in the [[splatbook]] "[[Serpent Kingdoms]]" for [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]], which fleshes them out in detail and establishes them as the creators of all [[serpentfolk]] and [[scalykind]] races native to the Realms.

They subsequently returned in [[Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition]], in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide, which mostly preserved their lore (albeit cut due to the drastic lack of space), but tweaked a few major details, most notably portraying them as sterile and with the ability to shapechange between [[lamia]] style and bipedal forms.

==Official 3e Fluff==
At one time, the sarrukh dominated all of Faerûn. Their mighty empires—the first in the world—encompassed the jungles along the shore of Azulduth, the eastern shore of the Narrow Sea, and the Chultan Peninsula. The sarrukh enslaved or sacrificed other creatures in the name of their god, the World Serpent. Eventually, problems of their own making caused the sarrukh empires to crumble. In the vacuum created by the fall of the sarrukh, their created races rose to prominence, establishing power centers of their own—many of which are still active today. Amazingly, however, the sarrukh have managed to remain relevant even in modern-day Faerûn. Despite their small numbers, they can still command the loyalty of the races they once created. But an immense rift has opened up between the surviving sarrukh clans, and the enmity among them could lead to a period of open warfare between the scaled races.

===Description===
Sarrukh bodies come in two shapes: bipedal and snakelike. The latter resemble certain [[yuan-ti]] abominations, with snakelike bodies and heads as well as powerful arms that end in vicious claws. The bipedal sort has a humanoid upper torso, humanoid arms and legs, and a snakelike lower body. All sarrukh have distinctive, gleaming red eyes that strike fear into the hearts of all the scaly races.

===Racial History===
The first significant civilizations of Toril were the empires of the sarrukh, which rose and fell between –35,000 DR and –33,500 DR. This race of intelligent scaled creatures first appeared in the area known as Okoth, south of Mulhorand. The development of the sarrukh was relatively uncontested in their homeland, and their population quickly surpassed the level sustainable by the local resources. Thus, the sarrukh were forced to expand. They spread rapidly throughout much of Faerûn, conquering other lands and sowing the seeds for civilization as they went. They encountered short-lived and disorganized resistance from the savages that inhabited the lands, but the fact that the sarrukh had already learned to smelt iron for steel weapons and armor made them virtually invincible. Within a hundred years, most of Faerûn was theirs.

The Mhairshaulk Empire arose in –34,800 DR on the Chultan peninsula, and the Isstosseffifil Empire followed in –34,500 DR, based in what is now the Great Desert of Anauroch. Okoth, the first of the sarrukh empires, still encompassed the race’s original homeland. Lesser realms, including the city of Ss’thar’tiss’ssun ( in what is now the Forest of Wyrms) and the city of Ilimar (which is split between the Great Swamp of Rethild and the Gulthmere Forest) sprang up outside of these two great empires. These regions constituted the major hubs of sarrukh civilization, and the first stable portals in Faerûn were created to connect them.

As the sarrukh spread out, they discovered that the shamans of the chaotic races living in certain wilderness areas held magical lore that they had not yet encountered. After studying these primitive forms of magic, the sarrukh consolidated their discoveries into a series of tomes. Upon completion, the books where brought to Oreme, the capitol of Isstosseffifil, for study. The most magically gifted among the sarrukh and their servitor races pored over these tomes, which contained both easily researched magical knowledge and obscure information. The empires of the sarrukh didn’t last long enough to gather the full fruits of their work, but this collection of minds eventually grew into its own secret organization, which was called the Ba’etith. The members of this group consolidated and extrapolated the bounds of their newly found knowledge, penning the Golden Skins of the World Serpent (otherwise known as the [[Nether Scrolls]]) many thousands of years after the fall of the empires.

The empires continued to grow until the sarrukh had conquered so many races that they became the minority in their own empire. Thousands of other races fulfilled their needs and satisfied their every desire. The sarrukh savored the finest meats, surrounded themselves with gold, gems, and other finery, and enjoyed all the luxuries of a civilization at its height. But as with so many empires since, their increasing dependence on other races and their growing indolence spelled the beginning of the end.

Okoth was the first empire to fall, collapsing about –34,100 DR after a century of civil strife that drove many sarrukh to the [[plane]]s. Isstosseffifil followed suit around –33,800 DR when, during a war with the phaerimms, its leaders rerouted the Narrow Sea, fl ooding the Underdark and precipitating climatological changes that doomed their own realm. Mhairshaulk was the last to fall, sliding into a slumber from which it never emerged circa –33,500 DR.

Although most of the sarrukh died in the collapses of their great empires, many survived. The sarrukh of Isstosseffifil retreated into [[lich]]dom in the depths of Oreme where, protected by the [[asabi]]s they had created, they sleep safely to this day. The sarrukh of Mhairshaulk, faced with starvation, began a cycle in which thousand-year hibernations alternated with brief periods of activity, during which food gathering and procreation could take place. The great clans of Okoth wandered the planes for millennia but never found a plane where they wished to remain for more than a generation. This nomadic existence hardened them, turning them inexorably toward evil.

As the sarrukh of Okoth increasingly embraced their darker natures, a few dissenters, despairing of their kindred’s push toward evil, broke off from the main group. They entreated [[Jazirian]], a fragment of the [[World Serpent]], for succor, and it responded by transforming them into [[couatl]]s. A bitter war ensued, but the couatls held their own against the more numerous Okothian sarrukh until [[Merrshaulk]], a darker fragment of the [[World Serpent]], finally slew [[Jazirian]]. At that point, the [[couatl]]s were forced to flee to Abeir-Toril, where they eventually settled in [[Maztica]]. The god [[Qotal]] embraced them as his divine minions, and they acknowledged him as Jazirian reborn. Most remained there, but a few [[couatl]]s eventually returned to Faerûn to deal with the fell legacies of their kindred in the Jungles of Chult. This splinter group embraced [[Ubtao]] as its patron deity.

After the war with the [[couatl]]s, the sarrukh began to explore the Barrens of Doom and Despair, where they happened upon the [[khaasta]]s. Believing these creatures to be inferior and weak reptilians, the sarrukh attempted to enslave them. Much to the invaders’ surprise, not only were the khaastas extremely resistant to serving, but they also had powerful [[demon]]ic allies willing to aid them. Thus began a centuries-long war between the sarrukh and the khaastas, which the sarrukh ultimately lost. To escape the wrath of the victorious khaastas, the sarrukh secretly returned to Faerûn and began skulking around the ruins of Okoth, on the shores of Azulduth.

Before the Fall of the Gods, the Okothian sarrukh realized that [[Sseth]] had sunk into some sort of hibernation and was barely answering their prayers. To complicate matters further, the [[khaasta]]s had finally tracked them to Faerûn and were seeking to obliterate the last few of them. Lacking the full support of a divine patron, the sarrukh once again found themselves in danger of extinction.

Then, during the [[Time of Troubles]], [[Sseth]] stopped answering prayers from the Okothian sarrukh altogether. [[Cleric]]s of Okoth felt the need for action, so the approached the minions of [[Set]] and bargained with the Lord of Evil. Set agreed to answer their prayers if they in turn aided him in binding [[Sseth]] to eternal slumber. The deal was struck, and at the conclusion of the Avatar Crisis, Set claimed Sseth’s portfolio. About eleven years after the [[Time of Troubles]], [[Set]] began answering the prayers of all his newly acquired worshipers (including the [[yuan-ti]], who s till believed their divine power to come from [[Sseth]]).

The treachery of the Okothian sarrukh has resulted in unintended consequences. Beset by nightmares, [[Sseth]] has begun thrashing against his bonds, awakening the [[serpentfolk]] elsewhere in Faerûn. The sarrukh of Mhairshaulk are emerging from hibernation, seeking a means by which to liberate their god from his prison and oppose the Okothian sarrukh. Toward that goal, the Mhairhshaulk sarrukh have begun working to re-energize the long-slumbering yuan-ti empire known as Serpentes. In Okoth, the Cult of [[Set]] is growing in strength under the leadership of Pil’it’ith, the legendary albino sarrukh leader. The cult’s membership consists primarily of Scaled Ones, but a few others have joined its ranks as well. Opposing the cult are the [[khaasta]]s, which have begun appearing in the Lakes of Salt region. Battles between these two ancient foes have given rise to strange reports of tremendously powerful lizard races openly fighting one another.

The sarrukh have not forgotten the heights to which their race once climbed, but they also know that many other races would happily eradicate the last few sarrukh should they learn of their continued existence. Thus, they choose to remain in hiding, quietly seeking to increase their numbers so that they can one day rebuild their ancient empires. Occasionally the sleeping sarrukh of Mhairshaulk awaken and draw the [[yuan-ti]] to them, but even these former servitors have since found their own leaders in the form of anathemas. On the rare occasions that sarrukh do become involved with the outside world, they work to help the scaled races that they created.

===Outlook===
The sarrukh are well aware that their race has fallen far from the heights it achieved just after the dawn of time. Though they are individually powerful, their low numbers now force them to rely upon the races that serve them, creating a high degree of vulnerability.

During the heyday of their empires, the sarrukh became lazy and domineering. Rather than become directly involved with the rest of the world, they delegated their building and fighting to the [[lizardfolk]] and the supervision of those activities to the [[yuan-ti]], who also acted as their personal servants. To the [[naga]]s they delegated the tasks of magical research, exploration, and guarding individuals and places of importance. The sarrukh withdrew within the walls of their palaces and never emerged without heavy protection.

Despite the fall of Isstosseffifil, Mhairshaulk, and Okoth, the attitude of the sarrukh has changed very little. They have an interest in knowing what is happening in the world, but they still choose to remain separate from it. Rather than go out and explore, they send out their [[yuan-ti]] servants or small groups of [[naga]]s to learn what they can and report back to them.

Preserving each and every living sarrukh is now the most important consideration for the race. Because none are expendable, sending one out into humanoid society is always a critical decision, even if there is much to be gained by doing so. In the past, a few sarrukh have used magic to take human form and infiltrate the leadership structures of human societies, posing as advisors or other important officials.

===Sarrukh Society===
At its height, sarrukh civilization was as grand as that of any humanoid empire that has risen since. The arts flourished, and anything was available in the great markets of the sarrukh empires.

====Relationships====
Sarrukh form lasting friendships unmarred by the petty jealousies and bickering that mark many of their servitor races. They take mates for life and treat other sarrukh with respect. In the days of the empire, one or two sarrukh constitutes a household, but circumstances have since forced many to live in communal groups.

====Life Cycle====
Sarrukh hatch from eggs that are protected and tended by both parents until they hatch. A sarrukh can live up to a thousand years, or much longer if it undergoes periods of hibernation. This deathlike sleep, which can last for years at a time, preserves the sarrukh’s body and temporarily eliminates its need for food and water.

Beyond these facts, little is known about the life cycle of these creatures. Few creatures living today have had occasion to study the race up close, and the sarrukh, for their part, aren’t willing to share their secrets with “lesser beings.” Thus, they have remained godlike in their obscurity.

====Organization====
While the three great empires thrived, the sarrukh were organized into several great clans that lived in relative peace with one another. The clans that commanded the most troops and held the most political pow er ( by virtue of either wealth or social standing) made up the leadership structure. The acting leadership body of each empire was called the Sh’arrim and consisted of five to eight sarrukh drawn from the great clans. This group elected an emperor, called a kudzar, from its membership. The Sh’sarrim from the three great empires occasionally came together in Okoth to form a council called the Kazim, but that body had authority over the entire race only when a unanimous vote could be achieved.

The khuzdar provided spiritual, strategic, and social leadership for the rest of the sarrukh. The two most famous khuzdars were Ghiz’kith, founder of Mhairshaulk, and Pil’it’ith, the albino sarrukh who drove Ghiz’kith from Okoth. Pil’it’ith ruled Okoth until its fall, then used powerful magic to prolong his life into the modern day. (Pil’it’ith remains the leader of the Okothian sarrukh, but he no longer wields any authority over the sarrukh in Serpentes or Anauroch.)

Sarrukh law, which was administered by judges known as kleigmasters, was strict but flexible. Penalties were stiff, and the burden of proof fell to the accused rather than the prosecutors. The sarrukh disliked jailing citizens, so the preferred methods of punishment were death for more serious crimes and disfigurement for minor ones. Incarceration occurred only when the leaders felt that the offender had something important to contribute to the realm, despite his crime.

Penalties were assigned on a case-by case basis for greater flexibility, but the system became corrupt over the years. The same crime might result in death for one defendant and only disfigurement for the next. In any case, even the highest-ranking kleigmaster could be bribed into setting free the worst-offending defendant if enough money changed hands.

====Slavery====
The sarrukh began keeping slaves even before they had any dealings with other species. Enslaving their own kind was viewed as right and proper, as long as the slaves received proper care and fair treatment. Sarrukh slaves lived in their masters’ homes, received good food, and were not overworked. Occasionally they were sold or traded from one sarrukh to another, but for the most part, slaves remained with the same family for life. When a slave became too old to work, he might be freed, or assigned to rear the master’s young, or be sacrificed to the [[World Serpent]], according to his own wishes and his past performance.

Upon discovering the other progenitor races, the sarrukh quickly realized that such creatures would make passable servitors and enslaved them. Since the sarrukh felt little social responsibility for creatures of other races, nonsarrukh slaves were not treated nearly as well as sarrukh slaves. A Scaleless One might be starved for days at a time and then beaten for her inability to work. In the early days of the sarrukh expansion, Scaleless Ones were not even viewed as worthy sacrifices for the World Serpent. This abysmally low status meant that they could be killed with impunity and eaten by their masters.

By the founding of Isstosseffifil and Mhairshaulk, the sarrukh had enslaved so many creatures that they had stopped keeping sarrukh slaves at all. Each sarrukh lived in comfort, surrounded by the finery that had once been reserved for their leaders. Eventually, the sarrukh stopped fighting their own wars and trained their slaves to fight for them, promising that the best warriors would be freed to enjoy the same lifestyle as the sarrukh. Occasionally they actually kept this promise and freed a particularly powerful warrior as an example to the others. The lure of freedom and wealth created an enormous and loyal fighting force that helped the sarrukh maintain control over their empires.

Eventually, Scaleless Ones were deemed suitable sacrifices for the World Serpent, thereby freeing the sarrukh from the need to choose sacrifices from among citizens of supposedly equal rank. Though the World Serpent did not object to the decision, it did violate his original agreement with the sarrukh. To maintain the letter of the agreement while accommodating the changing needs and demands of his worshipers, the World Serpent split off an aspect of himself that was called M’daess, whose task was to purify the souls of unclean sacrifi ces and make them equivalent to sarrukh.

====The Scaled Races====
Part of the reason that nonscaled slaves were treated so poorly was the fact that their masters actually loathed them. They found the Scaleless Ones’ odor offensive, their primitive languages grating on the nerves, and their smooth skins unsettling.

While exploring Faerûn, the sarrukh encountered numerous scaly animals in the wilds, including dinosaurs, snakes, and lizards. Some of these animals were developing along the same lines as the ancestors of the sarrukh had, but they hadn’t evolved to the point of sentience yet. The sarrukh collected thousands of such creatures in hopes of breeding one or more new intelligent races to serve them.

Realizing that breeding programs alone would not be enough, the sarrukh began magical experimentation on the creatures they had collected. They combined a few of their scaly specimens with humans to see whether a single servitor race that was less offensive to them could be formed. Their earliest experiments resulted in badly deformed creatures that didn’t survive long. But through selective breeding and more subtle forms of magical manipulation, the sarrukh finally managed to create viable races that were much more to their liking.

Their first successes were the [[asabi]]s, the [[lizardfolk]], and the [[pterafolk]]. Though not as intelligent as humans, these creatures had the same bipedal form and were relatively easy to manipulate. Once they had reassured themselves as to the loyalty of these races, the sarrukh began handing off fairly easy tasks to them. At first they were trained as personal servants, then as warriors. Finally, entire groups of them were planted in the wilds of Faerûn in the hopes that they would multiply and conquer the surrounding territories.

The next successful experiment produced the [[naga]]s. Though the sarrukh approved of the serpentine form with a humanoid head, the nagas proved difficult to control. Rather than destroy their creations, however, the sarrukh allowed those who posed little threat to remain in their service as guards, explorers, and magical researchers. The rest were freed.

Their final—and perhaps finest—creation was the [[yuan-ti]], developed by the sarrukh of Mhairshaulk. This race represented the first truly successful cross between human and sarrukh, with a touch of serpent thrown in. The yuan-ti came in several different physical forms, depending on the amount of sarrukh blood used. Though not as obedient as the [[lizardfolk]] subraces, the [[yuan-ti]] were more biddable than the [[naga]]s, and highly intelligent besides. Because they greatly enjoyed being in charge of Scaleless Ones, the yuan-ti became the slavemasters, military leaders, and managers of the sarrukh empires.

With so many highly skilled servitors, the sarrukh were no longer forced to find their own food, build their own cities, or even care for their own slaves. The sarrukh of Mhairshaulk slowly withdrew from the cares of the world as they turned over more and more of their responsibilities to the [[yuan-ti]]. For their part, the yuan-ti appreciated the lifestyles that their creators allowed them to h ave, so they remained mostly loyal. A few, however, would periodically withdraw from sarrukh society, strike out on their own, and form their own groups. The sarrukh knew of such defections but ignored them, knowing that yuan-ti who were allowed to leave in peace would go out into the world and create their own societies, which the sarrukh could later call upon for aid.

====Dwellings====
The sarrukh lived in stonework buildings, which were typically adorned with the holy symbols of the [[World Serpent]]. Icons set into the walls depicted the sarrukh concept of divine creatures, which often appeared demonic by modern standards. Statues of sarrukh in plazas, courtyards, and along the roadways depicted either the noble sarrukh leaders, resplendent in their flowing robes, or armored sarrukh in dramatic battle stances.

==Official 4e Lore==
{{NotFunny Sourcebook}}
Sarrukh are the progenitor race of all serpents and most nondraconic reptilian creatures on Toril. They view those not of such a glorious heritage as weaklings suitable only as slaves.

Each sarrukh is a distinct elite monster, usually of epic tier, with its own powers and goals. It can have any role but favors artillery, controller, or soldier, often with the leader subrole. Some sarrukh use magic items to supplement their own formidable abilities.

Sarrukh Lore: A character knows the following information with a successful Nature check.
::'''DC 15:''' All creatures have an innate fear of sarrukh that can be quelled only by seeing one near defeat. The sarrukh’s primeval splendor allows them to warp an enemy’s perception with a look.
::'''DC 20:''' A sarrukh can take one of two forms: a humanoid body that tapers to a serpentine tail or a bipedal humanlike form, either form topped by a snakelike head. Their dual nature inspired the sarrukh to create such a diversity of creatures.
::'''DC 25:''' Supernaturally able to avoid danger, sarrukh seem to bend around some attacks. Although they use rituals to do careful shaping, they all have the ability to quickly seal eyes, bend bones, and inflict great pain.
::'''DC 30:''' Like their creations, especially the yuanti, sarrukh once lived in clans or noble houses. Now their numbers are so few that they are unified, with their eyes toward the Imperator of Okoth. Sterile and outnumbered, they move slowly and subtly to reclaim their former glory and birth new generations.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Sathfissith.jpg
File:Pilitith.jpg
File:Sarrukh tomb.jpg
</gallery>

[[Category: Monsters]] [[Category: Dungeons & Dragons]] [[Category: Forgotten Realms]]

Eletum

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[[File:Eletum.png|thumb|right|300px]]

The '''Eleti''' are a race of playable [[undead]] in the [[Dragonstar]] setting for [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]].

The eleti (singular eletum) are undead. They resemble skeletons, but have independent minds and wills of their own.

An eletum is an animated skeleton formed from the remains of a humanoid creature. An eletum can create “offspring” by gathering the necessary magical energy into one of its own bones over the course of a year. It then places the empowered bone within a skeletal corpse that comes to life as the eletum’s “child.” This process is somewhat uncomfortable for the parent, but not really painful. The empowered bone remains part of the child’s body.

The eleti may be undead, but they are neither unintelligent nor inherently evil. For ages, those around the eleti were unable to understand this fact, and regarded the race with fear, suspicion, and hostility. The eleti were forced to live isolated, lonely lives. They either hid their nature in order to exist amongst the living, or shunned the living altogether and lived in solitude. Eleti communities were rare, since gatherings of undead tend to spark anger and violence amongst the living.

All this changed with the advent of the Dragon Empire, which blessed the eleti with two great gifts. The first gift is the tenet of active morality. Under this philosophy, individuals cannot be legally judged by their alignment, and must be judged by their actions. While this doesn’t directly help the eleti get along in living society, it does make society more willing to accept them despite their disturbing appearance and undead nature. After all, if one’s associates are orcs and drow, one will have fewer qualms about working with a living skeleton.

The Dragon Empire’s second and more important gift is that of space travel technology. For it is in the cold, airless vacuum of space that the eleti have truly found their home. Eleti make excellent deep-space engineers, technicians, and explorers because they are undead. They need no air, food, or water, and are naturally protected from heat, cold, and radiation. If a spacecraft with an eleti engineer needs an external repair, the engineer simply steps out the airlock and does the repair without a bulky vac suit to get in his way or worrying about his air supply if the repair runs longer than expected.

==Personality==
Before receiving the gifts of the Dragon Empire, the eleti were a melancholy race, forever isolated from the living societies of which they longed to be a part. Some eleti tried to earn their place among the living by performing good deeds. Others let their longing turn to bitterness and chose to attack the living instead. As citizens of the Empire, the eleti can finally join society, but realize that the living will always be uneasy in their presence. Most eleti ignore the nervous glances from those around them and focus on doing their jobs. A few eleti avoid the living altogether. They spend their immortal existence meditating on their undead state learning to understand their inherent magical nature. These mystics have no hostility towards the living, but can be dangerous when disturbed. They simply want to be left alone.

==Physical Description==
Eleti appear as animated humanoid skeletons. Little flesh clings to their bones, and their joints are held together solely by magic. Eleti stand five to six feet tall and weigh 60 to 80 lbs. Eleti of small size are three to four feet tall and weigh 20 to 25 lbs. This weight is clearly more than bones, but it is unknown what adds to their weight.

An infant eletum is similar to a human infant. It is ignorant and incapable of controlling its body. However, eleti mature to adulthood in about a year. After that, they do not age, and are effectively immortal.

When traveling in the Outlands or other areas where their appearance may cause problems, eleti dress to conceal themselves. When working in space, eleti wear only thruster packs and harnesses for their tools.

==Relations==
The eleti have better relations with the living than they did before the Dragon Empire. Other races are still uneasy around them, but value their usefulness in space. It is a mark of pride to have an eletum engineer serving aboard one’s spacecraft.

Drow, orcs, and half-orcs have no problem with the eleti. Better than any other race, they realize the importance of being judged by one’s actions, not one’s race or appearance. Of course, since these races are typically considered evil, having them vouch for an eletum’s character is of dubious value.

Dragons and half-dragons are interested in the eleti only insofar as they can help expand the Empire. Eleti are often sought out and recruited into the Legions. Soldiers who are immune to the rigors of space are an invaluable asset. The eleti respect the dragons, but do not fear them. After all, they can hide in places few can follow.

==Alignment==
Eleti are independent creatures, with no preference towards any one alignment. They may be malicious, kind, or lawless depending on their own nature. Each is raised by its parent and taught how to interact with others. Because of this closeness, an eletum often has an alignment similar to its parent’s. Eleti Lands: Eleti congregate in small colonies far from habitable planets, typically beneath the surface of airless asteroids or dead, forgotten moons. Because the eleti don’t need food or other resources, there is little for them to fight over, so their colonies are usually quiet, peaceful places.

Each colony reflects the spirits of its inhabitants. A colony of mystics, for example, may be nothing more than a series of underground meditation cells linked by bare rough-hewn tunnels. A more extroverted colony may have well-lit towers stretching miles above the surface, welcoming off-worlders in need of eleti services. A few colonies are mobile. Their homes are “boneships”—large spacecraft without airlocks or even windows to hold back the vacuum of space.

==Religion==
Some eleti offer homage to the
Reaper, believing they owe their existence to the beneficence of the god of death. Others worship the Merchant with an eye towards increasing their wealth and power. Like alignment, however, religious beliefs vary wildly, and are mostly based passed down from parent to child.

==Language==
Eleti have no language of their own. They speak Common but may learn any other languages they choose. Despite the lack of a throat, eleti can speak clearly. Their voices sound human, though there is a subtle hollow ring that can be distinguished by astute listeners.

Eleti also use a complicated sign language (unrelated to the drows’ sign language) that allows them to communicate with each other in vacuum, where sound does not travel. This is not a secret language, and an eletum will often teach at least a few phrases to his companions so they can communicate in space.

==Names==
Most eleti have only one name, which is given to them by their parents and taken from the nearest humanoid culture. In the last century, a few eleti have taken to using the name of their colony as a second, family name.

==Adventurers==
It is not uncommon for an eletum to leave his colony in search of excitement or the acceptance of the living. Eleti can find adventure in space performing missions too dangerous for the living. They are often technicians or engineers, although some actively seek out more military paths.

==Eleti Racial Traits==
::+2 Dexterity: The magical nature that binds the eleti together gives them great speed and flexibility.
::No Constitution: Eleti are not living creatures and have no metabolism. They do not have a Constitution score, and as a result, eleti are immune to any effect that requires a Fortitude save unless the effect works on objects. A spellcasting eletum uses its Charisma modifier when making Concentration checks.
::Medium or Small size: Eleti may be of either Medium or Small size, chosen at 1st level. They gain all the normal benefits and restrictions for their size.
::Eleti base speed is 30 feet if Medium-size or 20 feet if Small.
::Eleti have darkvision up to 60 feet.
::+2 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks. Eleti are naturally adept at stealth.
::+2 racial bonus on Freefall checks. Eleti have adapted to the lack of gravity in space, their new home.
::Immunities: Eleti are immune to cold damage and take only half damage from piercing or slashing weapons as they lack internal organs. In addition, they are immune to vacuum and radiation.
::Gravity Tolerance: All penalties due to high or low gravity are halved for eleti.
::Undead Traits: As undead creatures, eleti are immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, and disease. They are also not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, ability drain, energy drain, or death from massive damage.
::Turn and Rebuke Undead: Eleti are subject to turning attempts by clerics and paladins. For purposes of turning, the eletum possesses a number of Hit Dice equal to its class levels. Turn and rebuke attempts have their normal effects on eleti. If a turn undead attempt would normally destroy an undead of the eletum’s level outright, it receives a Will saving throw (DC 10 + cleric’s class level + cleric’s Charisma modifier). If the save fails, the eletum is destroyed. Even if the save succeeds, the eletum is still subjected to the turn effect.
::Command Undead: Successful command undead attempts allow the eletum a Will save (DC 10 + cleric’s class level + cleric’s Charisma modifier). If the Will save fails, the cleric may control the eletum as if by a dominate person spell. If the save succeeds, the eletum is able to retain control, though it is still affected as if by charm person.
::Automatic Languages: Common. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages). Eleti may encounter any sorts of creatures during their travels and often learn to speak a broad variety of languages.
::Favored Class: Fighter. A multiclass eleti’s fighter class does not count when determining whether or not there is an XP penalty for multiclassing (see PHB, Chapter 3, Experience for Multiclass Characters). The eletis’ many resistances make them good front line fighters.
::Level Equivalent: +3.

Eleti Racial Feats
Self Control (General)
You are more capable of resisting commands from clerics and paladins than most of your race.
Prerequisites: Eleti only
Benefit: When resolving a command attempt, if your save succeeds, then you completely negate the command attempt.

Improved Self Control (General)
You are more capable of resisting commands from clerics and paladins than most of your race.
Prerequisites: Self Control
Benefit: When resolving a command attempt, if your save fails, you are still able to retain control, though you are affected as if by charm person.

Turn Resistance (General)
The eletum has learned to resist the channeled divine power of clerics and paladins and as a result gains additional resistance to attempts to turn, rebuke, command, or bolster undead.
Prerequisites: Eleti only
Benefit: When resolving a turn, rebuke, command, or bolster attempt, add a +3 bonus to the eletum’s class levels. Special: An eletum may gain this feat multiple times, and the benefits stack.

[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons Races]]

Ith-kon

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[[File:Ith-kon.png|thumb|right|300px]]
Ever since the expanding Dragon Empire made contact with the stars surrounding the Dark Zone, bizarre rumors and even stranger creatures have been filtering into the Empire. One of the most terrifying of tales that has sprung up since the Explorer Corps first encountered this region has been the existence of a vast mind flayer kingdom. While found in small groups on a number of planets, these horrific creatures have always remained deep within those planets, unwilling to emerge into the interstellar society.

The drow of Mezzenbone’s ISPD are particularly keen on tracking down these tales—no other race has suffered as much at the hand of these ruthless horrors. So when stories of mind flayer-like creatures began to circulate along the fringes of the Dark Zone, the ISPD sprang into action. They launched an ill-fated expedition into the area. The security recordings from the ship were later recovered, showing the expedition members falling before the onslaught of a group of blurry figures that seemed to be able to see around corners and mentally stun their opponents. A year later, the first ith-kon turned itself in to the ISPD, revealing the information below. A day after that, the ith-kon was dead, killed by another member of its race that had somehow penetrated deep into the ISPD’s headquarters. When the ISPD agents attempted to capture the assassin, it blew itself and most of the room apart with a device strapped around its waist. Since then, other ith-kon have turned rogue, but none have gone to the ISPD with further information.

The ith-kon, it turns out, were created by the mind flayers through careful breeding and unspeakable magical manipulation to serve as psionic commandos. As servitors, it was not deemed necessary for the ith-kon to share in the full mental powers of their mind flayer masters. Attempts to “prune” these abilities in the subspecies gave rise to several new gifts, which allowed the ith-kon to achieve a more respectable place within the mind flayer hierarchy. Most importantly, they developed remarkable powers of stealth. With the ability to blend into their surroundings, the ith-kon quickly became spies operating within the Dragon Empire. The most powerful of the ith-kon can even stun their opponents with the powers of their mind alone, making them deadly combatants and assassins.

==Personality==
The typical ith-kon is quiet and secretive, going out of its way to avoid being the center of attention—except in private, where they prefer to terrify and dominate those they have cornered. They are very goal oriented, and without instructions or a self-imposed objective they become listless and depressed.

They are careful planners and very deliberate in their actions, and rarely fail to account for the consequences of their acts. As junior partners (or most favored slaves, depending on who is asked) in the mind flayer’s kingdom, their status is high, but only so long as the individual ith-kon achieves its assigned goals and advances the agenda of the race. As such, they tend to place deep trust in each other and hide their shared fear of their masters.

While they are initially mistrustful of everyone and everything, those who have operated outside the Dark Zone for extended periods often come to trust one or two close allies who have consistently helped them in the past. This uncharacteristic trust (something no mind flayer would ever consider) has helped the ith-kon to pull off assignments that their masters—with their more limited social skills—considered impossible.

Non-evil ith-kon are uncommon, but not impossible. In some cases a lone ith-kon has been grievously injured, and then nursed back to health by a kind-hearted individual. Ith-kon who place their trust in good individuals may also come to emulate their associates and gradually shift alignments. Within the Dark Zone, however, few ith-kon have the opportunity to consider moral alternatives, and those who rebel in this fashion are quickly slain.

==Physical Description==
Ith-kon share the same general shape as a mind flayer. They have gray skin, a lumpy head, bulbous eyes, and a roughly humanoid torso. Ith-kon are easily distinguished from their masters by the knowledgeable viewer due to their less numerous facial tentacles and heavier, more muscular build. These adaptations were originally intended to create a slave race, suited to physical labor and supervising other slaves. Ith-kon weigh between 140 and 200 lbs. They live for about 60 years (less if residing in the Dark Zone) and reach maturity after only 12 years.

==Relations==
Those ith-kon who have only known life in the Dark Zone have the disposition of a whipped dog—they will bite anything, including the hand that feeds them. But as they adapt to life outside of the Dark Zone, they can become surprisingly tolerant—anyone can be viewed as either an ally or a tool. As such, ithkon can get along with almost all the races of the Dragon Empire. There is one notable exception—loyal ith-kon despise drow. This hatred seems to be encoded into their very cells, and is unwavering in its fierceness. This natural animosity is only intensified by the fact that drow make up the majority of the ISPD, and are a major threat to the mind flayer kingdom.

Renegade ith-kon don’t seem to suffer from this odd hatred, though they remain uncomfortable around drow. Somehow, by abandoning their masters, the ith-kon are able to suppress whatever conditioning the mind flayers have inflicted on them. These ith-kon are free to form their own opinions of the other races.

==Alignment==
Many ith-kon are evil, but exceptions exist. Virtually all ith-kon are lawful, and chaotic individuals are even rarer than good individuals. Chaotic members of the race are considered deviants by other ith-kon, while good-aligned individuals are merely seen as weak and soft-hearted.

==Ith-kon Lands==
The ith-kon have no worlds or territories of their own, but can be found on many worlds within the Dark Zone. Outside of that dangerous realm they are only found as individuals or small groups who do not announce their presence to others.

==Religion==
Ith-kon rarely have religious leanings—the ancient powers venerated in the Dark Zone would be hard to describe in Unification terms (being more of a form of ancestor worship among the mind flayer overlords). Outside of the nebula, some ith-kon find solace in the worship of the Reaper.

==Language==
All ith-kon speak Undercommon and Common. In addition, they sometimes learn other languages to spy on their enemies or to carry out their missions.

==Names==
All ith-kon are assigned a given name by their masters, which are followed by the designator “-kone”. This shows both their breed and rank within the mind flayer kingdom. Lower ranked creatures have only a rank designator, and do not receive names. They have no family names, but many take nicknames based on the identities they create for themselves. Often, rogue ith-kon will drop the “-kone” from their name to declare their independence from their mind flayer masters.
Male Names: Abold-kone, Greld-kone, Naveth-kone, Helvad-kone.
Female Names: Ferel-kone, Halal-kone, Nimil-kone, Zamil-kone.

==Adventurers==
Ith-kon outside of the Dark Zone are usually spies or messengers dispatched from the mind flayer kingdom, but this is a poor choice for player characters. A better choice is an ith-kon that has gone rogue, perhaps leaving traces of a faked death to avoid having packs of loyal ith-kon assassins sent to destroy them.

==Ith-kon Racial Traits==
::+2 Strength, –2 Wisdom, –2 Intelligence: The ithkon were bred as servitors, and then moved into other roles, but the marks of their origins remain.
::Medium: As Medium-size creatures, ith-kon have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
::Ith-kon base speed is 30 feet.
::Aberration traits: As aberrations, ith-kon are immune to spells that target humanoids, such as charm person and hold person.
::Darkvision up to 120 feet.
::Chameleon Skin (Ex): Ith-kon can change their skin color to blend into their background at will. They receive a racial bonus of +10 to Hide checks. This ability does not function in bright light.
::Psionic Scouting (Sp): Once per day as a standard action, ith-kon can cast clairaudience/clairvoyance as a 6th-level sorcerer. However, unlike the spell, the ith-kon cannot use this ability to see further away than 300 feet.
::Mental Blast (Sp): An ith-kon may use this ability as a standard action against an opponent it can see within 20 feet a number of times per day equal to 1 plus its Cha bonus, if any. The target must make a Will save (DC 10 + the ith-kon’s character level + the ith-kon’s Cha modifier) or be stunned for 1 round. This ability cannot be used in conjunction with the ith-kon’s psionic scouting ability.
::Light Blindness (Ex): Abrupt exposure to bright light (such as sunlight or a daylight spell) blinds an ith-kon for one round. Ith-kon also suffer a –1 circumstance penalty on all attack rolls, saves, and checks when operating in bright light.
::Automatic Languages: Common and Undercommon. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Gnoll, and Orc.
::Favored Class: Rogue. A multiclass ith-kon’s rogue class does not count when determining whether or not there is an XP penalty for multiclassing (see PHB, Chapter 3, Experience for Multiclass Characters). The ith-kon were born and bred to be stealthy commandos operating in hostile areas.
::Level Equivalent: +0.

===Ith-Kon Racial Feats===
Improved Mental Blast
Your mental blast is extremely powerful.
Prerequisites: Ith-kon only.
Benefit: When you select this feat, choose one of the following benefits:
* Increased DC: The DC of the Will save against your mental blast ability is increased by 2.
* Increased Duration: Creatures affected by your mental blast are stunned for 1 additional round.
* Increased Range: The range for your mental blast is increased by 20 feet.
* Extra Use: You may use your mental blast an additional three times per day.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times. You may select different benefits each time or choose the same benefit multiple times. All benefits stack.

Mindspeech
You retain the mind flayer ability for telepathy, though your range is not as great as the dark masters’.
Prerequisites: 1st level only, ith-kon only.
Benefit: You may communicate telepathically with any creature within 20 feet that has a language. This is a supernatural ability.

Seer
You have spent time mastering your psionic scouting ability.
Prerequisites: Ith-kon only.
Benefit: You may use your psionic scouting ability an additional two times per day.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times.

[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons Races]]

Oruk

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[[File:Oruk.png|thumb|right|300px]]

'''Oruks''' are a race of powerful, warlike humanoids from the [[Dragonstar]] setting of [[Dungeons & Dragons]].

It is believed that the precursors to the oruk were the result of various unions between starfaring [[orc]]s and the more primitive [[ogre]]s that they encountered. These brutish [[giant]]s are quite adept at employing strength and intimidation, yet they are much more disciplined than their orc or ogre kin.

Orcs are among the most populous races in the galaxy and they have expanded throughout the Empire and beyond. During this expansion, usually on less advanced worlds, the orcs would encounter ogre tribes. The ogre tribes were often little match for the more technologically advanced orcs and entire ogre populations were enslaved. Eventually, hybrid offspring were born. Welcome in neither ogre nor orc company, these offspring, calling themselves “oruk,” could find only companionship and comfort among each other. Left to their own devices, the oruk bred among themselves.

Eventually, a new species developed. The oruk race resembles their orc and ogre kin, but also gained their own unique genetic characteristics. This genetic inbreeding resulted in much stronger oruk, with tough, durable skin, but it also created an entire population that lacked a normal lung capacity. The same thick skin and massive bone structure that gave the oruk their awesome strength that proved too rigid and inflexible to allow their lungs to expand properly. For the most part, the oruk remained on the primitive worlds of their ogre ancestors for thousands of years. There they developed a society of their own, untouched by other races.

Then the Dragon War came. The war brought an increase in offworlders and the oruk became exposed to the larger galaxy. In a short amount of time, it became clear to the [[dragon]]s of Asamet that the oruk made excellent foot soldiers in the dragon’s armies. The dragons recruited large numbers of oruk for their conflict. For the most part, the oruk were willing participants. They relished the chance to obtain prestige and considerable personal wealth as part of the dragons’ forces. Those oruk communities that defied the dragons’ will were often subjected to harmful airborne chemicals and noxious spells until they submitted to the dragons’ rule.

Although the oruk took heavy losses during the war, their resolve to survive and thrive was only strengthened. With lifespans relatively equal to that of their orc kin, generations of oruk were born on the battlefields during the Dragon War. When the war was over, many oruk found acceptance and even respect within the Imperial Legions. To this day, many oruk are career military as their parents and grandparents were before. Even those who do not serve in the military work in jobs that require strength and discipline. Despite their respiratory limitations, many oruk have taken to the spacer’s life, where a strong arm and tough skin is almost always an asset. A few oruk have displayed an unusual talent for magic, which lead some to speculate that the oruk have some [[oni|ogre mage]] blood in them as well.

==Personality==
Oruk are generally straightforward and gruff. They have little patience for those who appear timid or weak. They despise deceptions of all kinds and demand, and expect, total honesty in their dealings, although they don’t always give it. Oruk are much more disciplined and controlled than either their orc or ogre kin, and they resent being thought of as stupid because of their large size and goblinoid appearance. They realize that there are times when intimidation, or even diplomacy, can achieve a desired end much more quickly and cleanly than a fight. Yet, when pushed or teased about their intelligence, they are aggressive and relentless fighters. Nonetheless, oruk are cunning enough to know when they are outnumbered or outgunned, and are careful to pick fights that they at least stand a chance of winning.

==Physical Description==
Oruk stand between 8 1/2 and 10 feet tall and weigh from 350 to 500 lbs. Their skin is often a muddy yellow, though some have a darker skin closer to a deep olive green or reddish-brown. Their long, coarse hair is often a deep black or an earthy brown. Oruk eyes are predominantly red or yellow in color and their gaping mouths sport pronounced lower canines that jut forth from the lower jaw like tusks. A few walk around in the stooped posture that is common among their orc kin.

==Relations==
Oruk face considerable prejudices and are often loners. Orcs have little use for oruk, seeing them as tainted halfbreeds. Likewise, ogres despise the oruk, but are too lazy or indifferent to expend the effort to eradicate them. Dwarves consider oruk to be as distasteful as other giants, even more so due to the oruk’s orc heritage. Elves generally distrust them and even gnomes, usually accepting of other races, find oruk companionship undesirable.

Halflings are more tolerant of oruk, as are half-elves, but oruk are most comfortable around humans and half-orcs. Humans and half-orcs respect the oruk’s ability to overcome adversity, the half-orcs particularly as they know the hardships that come with an orc heritage. Oruk also get along well with soulmechs, as they too are creatures drawn from two worlds, yet uniquely different from each.

Dragons and their kin find the oruk to be particularly useful. While the oruk tend to engage in freethinking, a trait not always desirable in a soldier, the dragons find them to be relatively easy to control, if necessary. The drow have begun employing the techniques of their dragon masters, but are not nearly as successful.

==Alignment==
Most oruk are lawful, reflecting their tendency to follow orders.

==Oruk Lands==
The oruk have no lands of their own. Most are found in mercenary companies or other military organizations. Large gatherings of oruk also occur in cities and major urban centers where they are more likely to be tolerated. A number of oruk communities have fled toward the Outlands to live their lives free of those who seek to oppress them. A few independent oruk strongholds remain on some of the more primitive worlds where the oruk developed. These worlds largely contain bleak wastelands and poor resources and, thus, were left relatively untouched by the Empire.

==Religion==
Many oruk worship the Warrior, who they praise for delivering them from a life of greater oppression by the orcs and ogres. The more aggressive and savage among the oruk heed the call of the Destroyer. A growing number, particularly those who are drawn to explore their heritage are drawn to Dualism. The majority of these worship the Adversary.

==Language==
Oruk generally speak Giant, the language of their ogre ancestors, but many also learn Common and Orc.

==Names==
Oruk typically have orc names, preferring to distance themselves from ogres.

==Adventurers==
Oruk are unusual in that most of them become adventurers. They lack a stable home life, so most of them set off to seek their fortune among the stars. Fortunately, their imposing size and incredible strength make them ideal mercenaries. Many oruk have found their place in life serving in the Legions. Others have decided that they want no part of their traditional lot in life and become smugglers or pirates.

==Oruk Racial Traits==
::+6 Strength, +4 Constitution, –2 Dexterity, –2 Wisdom, –2 Charisma: Oruk are strong and tough, but also clumsy and awkward.
::Large: As Large creatures, oruk have a –1 size modifier to Armor Class, a –1 size modifier on attack rolls, and a –4 modifier on Hide checks. They can use larger weapons than humans use, and their lifting and carrying limits are double those of Medium-size characters.
::Extended Reach: An oruk’s reach is 10 feet.
::Oruk base speed is 30 feet.
::Darkvision up to 60 feet.
::Orc/Ogre Blood: For all special abilities and effects, an oruk is considered an orc or an ogre. Oruk, for example, can use special orc weapons or magic items with racially specific orc powers as if they were orcs. The same holds true for items with racially specific ogre powers.
::Inefficient Lungs: Due to their rigid bone structure and inflexible skin, the lungs of oruk are much less efficient than other humanoids. Unlike other creatures, an oruk can only hold his breath for a number of rounds equal to his Constitution score. In addition, oruk lungs are not as effective in absorbing oxygen from the air. Oruk characters suffer a –6 racial penalty to Fortitude saves in conditions of low oxygen or those resulting from altitude sickness. Their inefficient lungs and slow metabolism make oruk more vulnerable to attacks conveyed through gas, including stinking cloud, cloudkill, and poisonous gas. Oruk suffer a –4 racial penalty to saves against gas-based effects and attacks.
::Unusual Body Type: Because of their uncommon size, oruk seldomly find clothing or armor that will fit them. Typically, they must have such items made. Because they are a Large humanoid race, such items cost two times as much as normal, and are twice as heavy.
::Automatic Languages: Giant. Bonus Languages: Common, Draconic, Goblin and Orc. Oruk have difficulty with other languages and although they can understand and read all the bonus languages they know, they cannot speak them without spending skill points.
::Favored Class: Fighter. A multiclass oruk’s fighter class does not count when determining whether or not there is an XP penalty for multiclassing (see PHB, Chapter 3, Experience for Multiclass Characters). Although they can be ferocious and aggressive, oruk tend to be more disciplined than their orcish and ogre ancestors.
• Level Equivalent: +2

===Oruk Racial Feats===
Tough Skin (General)
Your tough skin can sometimes ward off blows.
Prerequisites: Character level 3+, oruk only Benefit: You gain a +2 natural bonus to AC.

Improved Tough Skin (General)
Your skin has become extremely tough, often deflecting even solid hits from an opponents’ weapons.
Prerequisites: Character level 6+, Tough Skin, oruk only
Benefit: Your natural bonus to AC from Tough Skin is increased to +4.

Greater Tough Skin (General)
Your skin is incredibly thick and tough, even by your race’s standards. It can turn aside even the most powerful weapon.
Prerequisites: Character level 9+, Improved Tough Skin, oruk only
Benefit: Your natural bonus to AC from Improved Tough Skin is increased to +6.

Mighty Strength (General)
Your mighty strength and hardened skin allow you to perform feats of strength that other races can only marvel at.
Prerequisites: Oruk only
Benefit: You receive a +4 racial bonus to all Strength checks.

Incredible Strength (General)
Your strength is so great that even other oruk look at you in awe when you display it.
Prerequisites: Character level 3+, Mighty Strength, oruk only
Benefit: You receive a +8 racial bonus to all Strength checks.

Legendary Strength (General)
Your strength is legendary among your people.
Prerequisites: Character level 6+, Incredible Strength, oruk only
Benefit: You receive a +12 racial bonus to all Strength checks.

[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons Races]]

Fetchling

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[[File:Fetchling.jpeg|thumb]]
'''Fetchlings''' (or '''Kayal''', as they call themselves) are a [[planetouched]] race native to the [[Golarion]] [[multiverse]] of the [[Great Beyond]], originating from [[human]]s who were trapped on the [[Plane of Shadow]] and mutated into a new form through planar energies and interbreeding with its native denizens, presumably the [[Dark One]]s. They are essentially the [[Golarion]] equivalent of [[Shade]]s.

==Racial Fluff==
Descended from humans trapped on the Shadow Plane, fetchlings are creatures of darkness and light intertwined. Generations of contact with that strange plane and its denizens have made fetchlings a race apart from humanity. While fetchlings acknowledge their origins, they exhibit little physical or cultural resemblance to their ancestors on the Material Plane, and are often insulted when compared to humans. Some members of the race also take offense at the name fetchling, as it was given to them by humans who saw them as little more than fetchers of rare materials from the Shadow Plane. Most fetchlings instead prefer to be called kayal, a word borrowed from Aklo that roughly translates to “shadow people” or “dusk dwellers.” Infused with the essence of the Shadow Plane and possessing human blood commingled with that of the Shadow Plane’s natives, fetchlings have developed traits and abilities that complement their native plane’s bleak and colorless terrain. Though most fetchlings treat the Shadow Plane as home, they often trade and deal with creatures of the Material Plane. Some fetchlings go so far as to create enclaves on the Material Plane in order to establish alliances and trade routes in areas where the boundary between the two planes is less distinct. These fetchlings often serve as merchants, middlemen, and guides for races on both sides of the planar boundary.

Physical Description: Superficially, fetchlings resemble unnaturally lithe—bordering on fragile—humans. Their adopted home has drained their skin and hair of bright colors. Their complexion ranges from stark white to deep black, and includes all the various shades of gray between those two extremes. Their eyes are pupilless and pronounced, and they typically glow a luminescent shade of yellow or greenish yellow, though rare individuals possess blue-green eyes. While their hair tends to be stark white or pale gray, many fetchlings dye their hair black. Some members of higher station or those who dwell on the Material Plane dye their hair with more striking colors, often favoring deep shades of violet, blue, and crimson.

Society: fetchling are adaptable creatures, and as such display no singular preference for moral philosophy or the rule of law. Most mimic the cultural norms and governmental structures of those they live near or the creatures they serve. While fetchlings are arguably the most populous race on the Shadow Plane, they rarely rule over their own kind; most serve as vassals or subjects to the great umbral dragons of their homeland, or the bizarre nihiloi who dwell in the deeper darkness. Above all, fetchlings are survivors. Their tenacity, versatility, and devious pragmatism have helped them survive the harsh environs of the Shadow Plane and plots of the powerful creatures dwelling within it. On the Material Plane, especially if unable to return to their home plane at will, fetchlings tend to cluster in small, insular communities of their own kind, mimicking the cultural norms and political structures of those they trade with.

Relations: Because of their shared ancestry, fetchlings interact most easily with humans, though they also find kinship with gnomes and other races that were cut off from their home planes or are not native to the Material Plane. Their pragmatism and adaptable nature put them at odds with warlike or destructive races, and when they do have to deal with orcs, goblinoids, or other savage cultures, fetchlings will often play the part of the fawning sycophant, a tactic learned from serving umbral dragons and one they see as key to their race’s survival. Strangely, their relationship with dwarves and elves are rather strained. Dwarves find fetchlings duplicitous and creepy, while the tension with elves is so subtle and inexplicable that both races find it difficult to explain.

==PC Stats==
===Standard Racial Traits===
::Ability Score Racial Traits: Fetchlings are quick and forceful, but often strange and easily distracted by errant thoughts. They gain +2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, and –2 Wisdom.
::Type: Fetchlings are outsiders with the native subtype.
::Size: Fetchlings are Medium creatures and thus receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
::Base Speed: Fetchlings have a base speed of 30 feet.
::Languages: Fetchlings begin play speaking Common. Fetchlings with a high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Aklo, Aquan, Auran, Draconic, D’ziriak (understanding only, cannot speak), Ignan, Terran, and any regional human tongue. See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.
::Defense Racial Traits
::* Shadow Blending (Su): Attacks against a fetchling in dim light have a 50% miss chance instead of the normal 20% miss chance. This ability does not grant total concealment; it just increases the miss chance.
::* Shadowy Resistance: Fetchlings have cold resistance 5 and electricity resistance 5.
::Feat and Skill Racial Traits
:::Skilled: Fetchlings have a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (planes) and Stealth checks.
::Magical Racial Traits
:::Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): A fetchling can use disguise self once per day as a spell-like ability. He can assume the form of any humanoid creature. A fetchling’s caster level is equal to his total Hit Dice. When a fetchling reaches 9th level in any combination of classes, he gains shadow walk (self only) as a spell-like ability usable once per day as a spell-like ability. A fetchling’s caster level is equal to his total Hit Dice. When a fetchling reaches 13th level in any combination of classes, he gains plane shift (self only, to the Shadow Plane or the Material Plane only) usable once per day as a spell-like ability. A fetchling’s caster level is equal to his total Hit Dice.
::Senses Racial Traits
:::Darkvision: Fetchlings can see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.
:::Low-Light Vision: In addition to their ability to see perfectly in the dark up to 60 ft, fetchlings have low-light vision, allowing them to see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.

===Alternate Racial Traits===
The following alternate racial traits may be selected in place of one or more of the standard racial traits above. Consult your GM before selecting any of these new options.

* Bound to Here: Some fetchlings are from families that have fearfully avoided the Shadow Plane, living on the Material Plane for generations. As a result, these fetchlings are closely tied to the Material Plane. Fetchlings with this racial trait count as outsiders with the native subtype and humanoids with the human subtype for any effect related to race, including feat prerequisites and spells that affect humanoids. They can pass for human without using the Disguise skill. This racial trait replaces the +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (planes) checks from the skilled racial trait, and alters the native outsider racial trait. Source PZO9466
* Boundary Walker: Some fetchlings deftly navigate between the worlds of shadow and light. A fetchling with this racial trait gains spell resistance equal to 5 + his character level against spells and spell-like abilities with the light or shadow descriptors, as well as spells and spell-like abilities of the illusion (shadow) subschool. This racial trait replaces the shadow blending and shadowy resistance racial traits. Source PZO9466
* Deep Shadow Explorer: Fetchlings who widely explore the Shadow Plane learn to confront fearsome things best left undescribed. Fetchlings with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on all saves against fear effects. This racial trait replaces the skilled racial trait. Source PZO9466
* Emissary Rare fetchlings excel in the role of emissary between the Shadow Plane and the Material Plane. Once per day, such a fetchling can roll twice when making a Bluff or Diplomacy check and take the better roll. This racial trait replaces shadow blending.
* Gloom Shimmer Some fetchlings can manipulate shadowy energy in order to displace their location instead of transporting between shadows. Upon reaching 9th level, instead of gaining shadow walk as a spell-like ability, these fetchlings gain displacement as a spell-like ability usable twice per day. For this ability, a fetchling’s caster level is equal to his total Hit Dice. This racial trait modifies the spell-like ability racial trait.
* Recluse: Some fetchlings learn how to deflect unwanted attention. Fetchlings with this racial trait can use sanctuary once per day as a spell-like ability. When such a fetchling reaches 9th level in any combination of classes, he gains nondetection (self only) as a spell-like ability usable once per day, and at 13th level, he gains veil (self only) usable once per day. A fetchling’s caster level is equal to his total Hit Dice. This racial trait modifies the fetchling’s spell-like abilities racial trait. Source PZO9466
* Shadow Agent: Families of fetchlings make their livings serving as agents, diplomats, and spies mediating between humans and the powers of the Plane of Shadow. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Bluff and Diplomacy checks. This racial trait replaces skilled. Source PZO9280
* Shadow Magic Fetchlings who spend their time studying the subtle magic of their adopted plane gain arcane insights on the use of shadow spells. These fetchlings gain a +1 racial bonus to the DC of any illusion (shadow) spells they cast. This racial trait replaces the skilled racial trait.
* Subtle Manipulator Rather than taking on the forms of others, some fetchling are adept at destroying the memories of other creatures. Instead of gaining disguise self as a spell-like ability, such fetchlings can use memory lapse once per day as a spell-like ability. For this ability, a fetchling’s caster level is equal to his total Hit Dice. This racial trait modifies the spell-like ability racial trait.
* Umbral Escort: Some fetchlings descend from talented planar travelers who dwelled in the dark places between worlds and could conduct others across the planes. A fetchling with this racial trait loses the disguise self spell-like ability, but his shadow walk and plane shift spell-like abilities need not affect himself only. This racial trait replaces the low-light vision racial trait and modifies the spell-like abilities racial trait. Source PZO9466
* Unnerving Gaze: Some fetchlings gain an upsetting gaze attack that they can activate three times per day as a standard action, affecting all creatures within a 30-foot cone that can see. All creatures that meet the fetchling’s unnerving gaze are shaken for 1 round (DC = 10 + 1/2 the fetchling’s character level + her Charisma modifier; Will negates). When the fetchling reaches 9th level, her gaze instead causes creatures to be staggered. When the fetchling reaches 13th level, her gaze instead causes creatures to be stunned. Unnerving gaze is a mind-affecting fear effect. This racial trait replaces the fetchling’s spell-like abilities.Source PPC:AoE
* Whispers from Shadow: Fetchlings are known for wheeling and dealing. A fetchling with this racial trait gains a +4 racial bonus on Bluff checks when he tells a lie and wants to convince an opponent that what he is saying is true. This racial trait replaces the skilled racial trait. Source PZO9466
* World Walker Fetchlings who have spent most of their lives on the Material Plane can become more acclimated to their new environments. Instead of gaining a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (planes) checks, these fetchlings gain a +1 racial bonus on Knowledge (nature) and Knowledge (local) checks. This racial trait modifies the skilled racial trait.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Kayal Fetchling.jpeg
Fetchling from Inner Sea Races.jpeg
Fetchling escape.jpeg
Fetchling ARG 1.png
Fetchling ARG 2.png
</gallery>
{{Pathfinder-Races}}
[[Category:Planetouched Races]]

Drik

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{{NeedsImages}}

'''Drik''' (not to be confused with [[Dagger#Types_of_Daggers|Dirk]]) are a race of gargantuan, herd-dwelling armored lizards native to the [[Dark Sun]] setting of [[Dungeons & Dragons]]. Found in the rocky badlands near Urik and Raam, they are almost like an Athasian version of a giant tortoise, but far grumpier. [[Sorcerer-King]] Hamanu of Urik has also pioneered a process by which [[fleshcrafting|unholy magic can transform unhatched drik]] into a [[scalykind]] known as "High Drik".

=Regular Drik=
A drik is a powerful animal, built low to the ground and covered by a thick horn-encrusted shell. At birth the drik has no shell. But while growing, the young drik secretes a resin and bits of bone that form the beast’s carapace. The shell hardens as the creature matures to an adult and protects the drik from behind the head all the way to the tail. This shell is a dark gray, speckled white with bone chips. The scaly hide of the drik is a deep brown, though some appear light brown or even yellow. The drik’s heavy body is supported by four thick, stublike legs, each sporting four huge claws. The drik’s head is enormous and has two black eyes. It has a large mouth capable of swallowing a human whole. Several jagged tusks protrude menacingly from below the creature’s mouth. The drik communicates with other driks through grunts and bellows. More intelligent creatures must use psionics or magic to communicate with a drik.

Its sheer bulk gives it an awesome might, making young driks targets for beast masters from both Urik and Raam to serve in their armies. The capture of the young driks has all but depleted the wild drik.

Wild driks live in small family units dominated by a single female. Other adult females are not welcome within a family. They generally eat the grasses and shrubs of the badlands or the slower animals they can catch. Feral driks often lie still and wait for unwary creatures to wander within attack range. They drink from the Black Waters, making it fairly easy for trappers to locate them. Driks are the only animals known that can ingest Hamanu’s terrible poisons from the Black Waters and survive.

In captivity, driks are ideal animals for siege combat. Their natural ram attack is quite valuable, as is their great size and natural protection. Some driks are used to pull massive siege towers or wagons, but often they are used as individual, mobile weapons platforms (see drik war machine, below).

A drik mother lays its eggs in the Black Waters every three years. The young then find the nearest adult female (not necessarily its mother) and become part of that family. A drik reaches adulthood in two years and can live to be 30 years old.

An adult drik weighs roughly 5 tons and can carry as much as 2,000 pounds on its back before it simply refuses to move. A drik can pull as much as 10 tons on wheeled vehicles or drag 5 tons behind it on a litter or similar platform.

A drik is particularly foul-tempered in captivity. In battle, each drik has its own psionic master who directs its activities. However, in the everyday life of a captive drik, trainers must deal with them without the benefit of psionicists. Casualties among drik trainers are high. No driks have been bred in captivity.

A drik war machine is similar to the standard drik, but the shell has been reshaped to allow siege weapons to be mounted on its back. Captors reshape the shell to permit greater ramming power.

The drik’s resin shell is melted and partially reshaped. Workmen with torches flatten the surface of the shell to more readily accept ballistae and catapults. Raamese engineers have perfected a technique whereby a wooden mold is built around an immobilized young drik as its shell is forming. Though only one drik in three survives the process, the results can be spectacular. A drik so customized has siege weapons mounted on its back, the number and damage caused varies by weapon type and the type of structure being attacked.

=High Drik=
Another more foul and corrupt method for altering the drik is known only to the defilers under the directorship of King Hamanu, warrior king of Urik. The minions of Hamanu are sent to the shores of the Black Waters to find drik eggs. These eggs are brought back to a bestiary that has been especially designed for this type of experimental conversion.

The defilers use their foul magics to change the way the beasts develop within their eggs. Only 20% of the treated eggs survive the process. The process stunts their growth, allowing them to grow to a maximum height of only 18 feet. However, the benefits to the armies of Hamanu far outweigh this minor setback.

High driks are relatively quick and nimble bipeds. Their forelegs have mutated and now boast three fingers instead of the clawed hooves of their brethren. The skin of high driks is a dark, blood-red to black and veins protrude beneath the thick hide of the creatures. Their shells retain a smaller but relatively unchanged shape except that they are more twisted and jagged than the natural form. The shell color ranges from gray to black with sickly-green flecks riddling the surface.

The tusks around the high driks’ heads are proportionately smaller than those of their unaltered relatives. Their mouths, however, are filled with multiple rows of black, razor sharp teeth. Green, viscous fluid seeps from their slavering maws.

High driks are also relatively intelligent and can speak in a crude form of the common tongue if taught. They can also communicate with other natural driks.

It is believed that the transformation this creature undergoes causes it to become insane and psychotic. It is, however, impossible to tell as there is no equivalent being to compare the high drik to. At the very least, the high drik is sadistic and cruel, taking great joy in causing pain to others.

Because of the high driks’ ability to communicate with lower driks, high driks have been implemented by Hamanu’s army for use as beast masters to control driks in warfare.

In melee, high driks can attack using their teeth to cause 2-12 (2d6) points of damage If, while attacking a human-sized opponent or smaller (though no smaller than three feet), a high drik’s roll is a natural 20, it has succeeded in tearing a limb from its target. To determine which part is torn off, roll a 1d10: 1 = head, 2-3 = left arm, 4-5 = right arm, 6-7 = right leg. 8-9 = left leg, and 10 = tail (head if no tail). Anyone bitten by a high drik must make a save vs. poison or receive an additional 3-18 (3d6) points in poison damage from the vile green secretions that drool from the beast’s mouth.

High driks can also hold weapons in their three-fingered hands. Weapons of favor are giant versions of the club (7-14 (1d8+6) points of damage), long sword (8-18 (2d6+6) points of damage), spear (8-18 (2d6+6 points of damage), and trident (9-24 (3d6+6) points of damage).

Because high driks have retained their native language of grunts and growls, they are usually used as beast masters to Hamanu’s war driks. The control high driks exercise over war driks requires no psionics or magical links and little training is necessary for a war drik to learn to obey the commands of its high drik master. If a controlling high drik is killed in combat, the war drik becomes confused and begins to rampage, attacking and ramming random structures and even allied driks.

Capable and even imposing in melee, high driks are at their most formidable while using their innate abilities as defilers and psionicists. High driks have magical abilities equal to those of 8th level defilers, a result of the intense magical treatment the drik eggs receive at the hands of Hamanu’s defilers.

The intensity of the transforation from drik to high drik is so traumatizing to the psyche of the driks that there is a 75% chance the high driks will have psionic wild talents and a 15% chance of them having the abilities of 5th-level psionicists.

High driks are unnatural creations. They are kept in separate quarters especially made for the needs of this creature. They are treated well by the Drajian guards and servants that are entrusted with their care, though few servants have survived longer than a year at the beck and call of high driks. To bring harm to a high drik evokes the fiercest wrath of Hamanu as these are currently some of his most favored subjects.

==Playing High Drik?==
Whilst never presented as a PC option in official Dark Sun material, the [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]] [[netbook]] "Terrors of Athas" did offer options for playing a high drik.

::Ability Score Modifiers: +16 Strength, +4 Dexterity, +8 Constitution, +4 Intelligence, -2 Charisma
::Size: Huge
::Space/Reach: 15ft/10ft
::Base Land Speed: 40 feet
::Low-Light Vision
::Racial Hit Dice: 8 levels in Magical Beast (Augmented Animal), which gives it 8d10 HD, BAB +8, Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +2.
::Racial Skills: 11 X (2 + Int modifier) skill points, class skills are Concentration, Intimidation, Knowledge (Any), Listen, Search and Spot.
::3 feats
::Weapon Proficiency: All Simple Weapons, All Martial Weapons
::+10 Natural Armor Bonus
::Natural Weapons: 1 Bite (2d8), 2 Claws (1d8)
::Special Attacks:
:::Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 18, Initital damage 2d6 Constitution, secondary damage 1d6 Constitution, save DC is Con-based.
:::Spells (Sp): A high drik casts spells as a wizard (defiler) of level equal to its Hit Dice.
::Special Qualities: +1 wizard caster level per Racial Hit Die.
::Automatic Languages: Common, Drik. Bonus Languages: Urikite.
::[[Favored Class]]: [[Wizard]]
::[[Level Adjustment]]: +5

[[Category: Dark Sun]] [[Category: Monsters]]

Galeb Duhr

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[[File:Galeb duhr MM 2e.png|thumb|right|...oh...hey....guys.]]
'''Galeb Duhr''' are an obscure species of vaguely [[dwarf]]-like rock [[elemental]] from the worlds of [[Dungeons & Dragons]]. Described as boulders that walk, with primitive faces, they are generally described as something akin to [[treant]]s of stone; they look after rocky badlands and mountains, collecting gems and keeping their dwelling places from being wantonly destroyed. They even have the power to animate stones around them and use them as allies in combat, similar to how treants can animate trees.

==[[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]]==
[[File:Galeb duhr Monster card.jpg|thumb|right|The Galeb Duhr's first appearance.]]
Galeb duhr first appeared in 1982, as part of the 2nd set of Monster Cards, alongside the much-more-famous [[thri-kreen]]. They first saw print as an AD&D 1e monster in the [[Monster Manual]] II, and were updated to AD&D 2e in the Monstrous Compendium Volume 2, which was then reprinted in the Monstrous Manual. They also had an "Ecology of the Galeb Duhr" article in [[Dragon Magazine]] #172.

The galeb duhr is a curious boulder-like creature with appendages that act as hands and feet. These intelligent beings are very large and slow-moving. They live in rocky or mountainous areas where they can feel the earth power and control the rocks around them.

A typical galeb duhr is from 8 to 12 feet tall. When not moving it looks like part of the terrain it lives in.

Combat: Galeb duhr are fairly solitary creatures, preferring to live with a few of their own kind, and none of any other kind, including earth elementals. When approached, a galeb duhr is liable to avoid the encounter by disappearing into the ground. If chased or otherwise irritated, however, a galeb duhr does not hesitate to fight the intruder.

Galeb duhr can cast the following spells as 20th-level mages, once per day: move earth, stone shape, passwall, transmute rock to mud, and wall of stone. They can cast stone shape at will.

They can animate 1-2 boulders within 60 yards of them (AC 0; MV 3; HD 9; Dam 4d6) as a treant controls trees. Galeb duhr suffer double damage from cold-based attacks and save with a -4 penalty against these attacks. They are not harmed by lightning or normal fire, but suffer full damage from magical fire (though they save with a +4 bonus against fire attacks).

Habitat/Society: Galeb duhr, thought to be native to the elemental plane of Earth, are sometimes encountered in small family groups in mountainous regions of the Prime Material plane. It is not known how (or whether) galeb duhr reproduce, but “young” galeb duhr have occasionally been reported — those specimens encountered being a smaller size than normal.

While galeb duhr seem to have no visible culture above ground, they are known to collect gems, which they find through their passwall ability. They sometimes have small magical items in their possession, evidently taken from those who attacked them to take their gems.

The “music” of the galeb duhr often provides the first evidence that these creatures are near — and usually the only evidence, as the unsociable galeb duhr are quick to pass into the ground when they feel the vibrations of approaching visitors.

Sitting together in groups, the galeb duhr harmonize their gravelly voices into eldritch tunes; some sages speculate that these melodies can cause or prevent earthquakes. Others argue that the low rumbling produced by these creatures is a form of warning to others in the group, but there is no conclusive evidence either way.

Ecology: Galeb duhr have no natural enemies, other than those who crave the gems they collect. Galeb duhr eat rock, preferring granite to other types, and disdaining any sedimentary type. The rocks they eat become part of the huge creatures; such a meal need take place only once every two or three months.

Besides the gems that they carry with them, galeb duhr are likely to know where many other gems are, as well as veins of precious metals, such as gold, silver, and platinum, though galeb duhr seem to have no interest in these minerals for themselves. A few powerful mages have been able to bargain with the galeb duhr for this information. This is a difficult agreement to consummate, for the galeb duhr are valiant fighters, and usually have no difficulty in escaping from any harm if they are inclined to do so. Further, the galeb duhr are territorial, and would be irritated at any attempt to make use of this knowledge in their vicinity.

In some strange way, galeb duhr feel responsible for the smaller rocks and boulders around them, in much the same way that a treant feels responsible for trees in its neighborhood. A traveler who disturbs the area near a galeb duhr does so at his own peril.

==[[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]]==
[[File:Galeb duhr 3e.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Now with arms!]]

In 3e, galeb duhr didn't appear until the [[Monster Manual]] 2, in which they were treated much the same as they had been in the previous edition: quiet, inoffensive, mountain-dwelling [[elemental]]s who look after the earth and stones around them, similarly to [[treant]]s.

Galeb duhrs are among the oddest creatures that an adventurer can encounter, but they are seldom dangerous. They live only in the mountains and seldom, if ever, venture onto other terrain. It is not known whether galeb duhrs can reproduce on the Material Plane, or whether the ones found there have all come from the Elemental Plane of Earth.

To all appearances a galeb duhr is a living boulder with two dark, brooding eyes, a mouth, and rough-hewn appendages that serve as hands and feet. The typical galeb duhr stands about 4 feet tall, though advanced versions can reach heights of up to 16 feet.

When sitting perfectly still (an activity that occupies much of its time), a galeb duhr is nearly indistinguishable from the surrounding stone—so much so that many travelers walk right past one without realizing it. Galeb duhrs do love to sing, however, and occasionally their deep, resonant, slow, and often palpably sad songs reveal their presence. The frequency of much of their singing falls below the range of human hearing, but the subsonic tones can be felt through the ground for many miles and tend to make horses nervous.

As one might imagine, galeb duhrs are slow-moving, slow to anger, slow to action, and always take the long view. They have no known enemies except time. Now and then reckless monsters or adventurers attack them, hoping to acquire either gems or information about where to find rich veins of gold or other precious ore. Such attempts are generally doomed before they even begin. Galeb duhrs do know all there is to know about their mountain homes, both aboveground and below, but forcing them to give up those details is difficult in the extreme.

To further complicate matters, galeb duhrs are quite territorial, even to the point of feeling protective about rocks and boulders, in much the same way that a treant feels responsible for the forest in which it lives. Anyone damaging, destroying, or even mining the mountains near a galeb duhr’s home often discovers some very staunch opposition.

==[[Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition]]==
[[File:Galeb duhr 4e.png|thumb|right|300px]]

4th edition turned the galeb duhr's fate around, debuting them in the very first [[Monster Manual]] of the edition. Perhaps inspired by the surprisingly humanoid artwork given to them in the previous edition, 4e changed galeb duhr into an offshoot branch of the [[dwarf]] race; similarly to [[azer]]s, galeb duhr were now envisioned as the descendants of dwarf clans that had been enslaved by the rockier breeds of [[giant]] for so long that they had transformed into a race of lesser elementals in turn. Despite this, most galeb duhr have fought their way into freedom; whilst they are most common in the [[Elemental Chaos]], they are also found throughout the mortal world, and some have even made it to the [[Astral Sea]], where they have been welcomed into the portions of [[Celestia]] controlled by [[Moradin]].

The Monster Manual contains stats for two galeb duhr variants; the Earthbreaker and the Rockcaller. [[Dungeon Magazine]] #198 would add two more versions in the form of the Rockbreaker and the Rockspawn.

{{clear}}

==[[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition]]==
[[File:Galeb duhr 5e.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]

Finally, galeb duhr returned to 5e in the [[Monster Manual]], having resumed their old fluff as small earth elementals with a [[treant]]-esque mentality.

The galeb duhr is a boulder-like creature with stumpy appendages that act as arms and legs. It has the ability to animate the rocks and boulders around it, and is thus usually encountered in rocky terrain.

Powerful magic allows a spellcaster to summon a galeb duhr from the Plane of Earth. Some galeb duhr also form naturally in places touched by that plane. The galeb duhr is imbued with greater intelligence than most elementals, allowing it to better assess threats and to communicate with creatures entering its guarded area.

A galeb duhr doesn't age or require sustenance, making it an excellent sentinel. A powerful druid might charge a galeb duhr with protecting a stone circle or sacred hilltop. Another galeb duhr might be created to guard an underground tomb or a wizard's tower. When it chooses to, the galeb duhr can make itself look like an ordinary boulder, remaining perfectly still for years at a time.

A galeb duhr is permanently bound to the Material Plane, so that when it dies, it doesn't return to the Plane of Earth. It has an excellent memory and is more than happy to share information regarding its environment with creatures it doesn't regard as threats.

A galeb duhr can become one with the earth around it, allowing it to imbue nearby rocks and boulders with a semblance of life. The galeb duhr uses its animated boulders to frighten away interlopers and defend whatever it has been charged to protect. When it needs to move close to those intruders, it presses its limbs tight to its body and rolls forward at a furious pace.

==Related Species==
The dridge are a race of rock-like creatures who once lived beneath the surface of the world of Lukkum in Shadowspace in the Spelljammer adventure Heart of the Enemy (1992).

The faerie phiz from Dragon #191 (March 1993) is described as a mystical entity similar in nature to a galeb duhr.

The Monstrous Compendium Mystara Appendix (1994) notes that the shell-dwellers known as the [[geonid]]s may be related to the galeb duhr.

The demigod-like dharum suhn from Planescape Monstrous Compendium III is also related to the galeb duhr.

The City of Ravens Bluff (1998) details the dragger, a slightly weaker but more aggressive cousin of the galeb duhr.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Galeb duhr 1e.jpg|1e Monster Manual 2
Galeb duhr MCV2.jpg|2e Monstrous Compendium Vol. 2
</gallery>

[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons]] [[Category: Monsters]]

Ee'aar

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[[File:Ee'aar MCSC.jpg|thumb]]
The '''Ee'aar''' are a race of winged [[elf]]-like beings native to the [[Dungeons & Dragons]] setting of [[Mystara]]. They resemble the better-known [[Avariel]], and may in fact be an alternative version of them, perhaps based more on the avariel's original depiction as the "Al Karak Elam" in [[Dragon Magazine]] #51.

Ee'aar are depicted and fully fleshed out in the "Orc's Head Penninsula" [[splatbook]], which updates a more obscure region of Mystara to [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] 2nd edition.

Except for a pair of very large, feathered wings, ee’aar appear to be stocky elves. They posses the typical elven arched eyebrows, pointed ears, quick reflexes, and natural grace in movement. Though ee’aar eye color follows typical elf shades, it is of a paler wash than usual. The predominant hair color is silver or white, though some have been known to have lighter shades of auburn and blonde. Ee’aar also tend toward lean, well-muscled bodies and are slightly taller than their earthbound relatives.

The wings of an ee’aar spread almost 30% wider than the entire body length and, when folded, stretch from the heels to several inches above the head. Though feathers tend to be lighter in color – mostly white, gray, and light blue – perhaps as many as 40% of the ee’aar possess darker shades – such as brown, gold, and black.

Most ee’aar speak several languages. All know Aeshtyn, the standard ee’aar language, which is very soft and musical and carries well on the winds. Ee’aar also grow up around Nimmush, the language of the enduks. Other languages would be those of any mountain-dwelling race or those races along the western edge of the Savage Coast. Ee’aar also gain the special elf abilities of infravision, resistance to sleep and charm, and heightened perception.

Combat: Ee’aar learn to fight on the ground as well as in the air. For purposes of combat, the average ee’aar should be considered a 2nd-level warrior, though many of them are much more proficient. They gain a +1 attack bonus with all normal swords and any one of the clan’s hunting weapons – lasso, net, bolas, blowgun, or spear. Ee’aar can also use short bows with no penalty for being airborne. They generally stay away from bulky weapons such as two-handed swords and long bows.

On the ground, the ee’aar base AC is 8, due to its dexterity. They can wear leather armor, but most despise using anything so restricting (it changes flight maneuverability to class C). They never use full shields, but in rare cases a buckler might be employed. Ee’aar put high stock in improving their Armor Class with magic, such as bracers and rings of protection.

In the air, an ee’aar can use its greater speed and maneuverability to gain an additional -1 bonus to its overall Armor Class.

During melee, ee’aar can hover, allowing normal combat, or they can confine their aerial battle maneuvers to passing attacks and dives at the ground. A passing attack occurs when an ee’aar flies past another creature, making a single attack and possibly a defensive maneuver. Creatures with multiple attacks must be able to claim special consideration (a haste spell, special initiative rules, etc.) if more than one attack is to hit the ee’aar in a single pass. When attacking a ground-based opponent from the air, an ee’aar can employ a ranged weapon, land for melee combat, or make a diving attack with a melee weapon. Because the diving attack comes so swiftly, the ee’aar gains another -1 Armor Class bonus, the defender’s Dexterity bonus is negated, and all attacks inflict double damage. This attack puts the ee’aar on more even footing with an armored opponent. Ee’aar can attempt this attack every round, but it cannot be used in conjunction with the dancing maneuvers described below.

Often, the ee’aar utilize dancing maneuvers in combat. This ability modifies their flying ability to make larger leaps, sharper turns, and faster spins. They literally appear to be dancing while engaged in melee attacks. This ability works similarly on the ground and in the air; it adjusts the ee’aar’s Armor Class by one half its level. (A 4th-level ee’aar warrior receives a -2 AC bonus against any form of attack, except for area-affecting attacks.) The dancing maneuvers even provide a saving throw for one quarter damage from direct spell attacks like lightning. Wearing any form of armor or carrying a shield makes using this skill impossible. Also, an ee’aar cannot use this skill and simultaneously fire a missile weapon.

The ee’aar normally fly at a speed of 240 feet per round; however, this lowers to 60 feet per round if climbing straight up. A casual ascent of 45 degrees allows 120 feet of forward movement with 120 feet of ascent. When descending, the ee’aar can drop 1 foot for every foot moved forward, allowing 240 feet both forward and downward. They can also dive, which doubles their movement rate to 480 feet of movement both forward and downward. An ee’aar may carry up to 50 pounds of weight plus 5 pounds for every point of Strength without penalty. After that, its movement rate drops to half, and its maneuverability drops to C.

An ee’aar must make a Constitution check for each hour of flight. If this check fails, it must land and rest one-half hour for every hour spent recently in the air. Constitution checks are subject to a penalty of -1 for each 50 pounds (or fraction thereof) of weight carried above the initial 50. A further penalty is assessed at -1 per 5,000 feet of altitude above the first 5,000, with a maximum ceiling of 20,000 feet. However, if favorable wind conditions are present (such as a strong mountain updraft or good steady sea breeze) the ee’aar may glide and receive a +4 bonus to its check.

As with all flying creatures, an ee’aar must land immediately if its hit points are fall below 50% of maximum. Flight (even gliding) becomes impossible if 75% of its overall hit points are lost, and if already airborne, the ee’aar will fall from the sky. If 25% of the ee’aar’s total hit points in damage is applied directly to its wings, it must land immediately; 50% prevents any flight until healed.

Due to their size, the wings have an AC rating 1 point worse than the ee’aar itself. Also, armor never covers the wings, possibly widening this gap. The wings cannot be hit by a frontal attack unless the attacker is taller than the ee’aar. If attacked from the side, an attack too low to successfully hit the ee’aar’s AC but high enough to hit the wing AC is applied to the wings. Wings cannot be specifically targeted except in a rear attack; a successful attack from behind always hits the wings. Wings also suffer an extra 1d6 points of damage per round if exposed directly to flame. The wings will keep burning until the ee’aar loses more than 75% of its normal hit points or action is taken to extinguish the flames.

Recovering from direct damage to the wings takes 1 full week for each 10 of the ee’aar’s total hit points. Cure spells will heal damage but will not regrow feathers, so flight is still not possible. Regeneration and heal spells will replace feathers. Magical healing always applies to direct wing damage last. As the percentages fall below 75% and 50% (or 50% and 25% as applied to direct wing damage), the ee’aar regains the ability to glide and, then, fly. Also, an ee’aar regains additional hit points for healing wing damage according to its Constitution bonus. (An ee’aar with a 16 Constitution heals an extra 2 points per week.)

The ee’aar have extreme claustrophobia. Ee’aar that are confined must make a Wisdom check each day or become temporarily insane. This can be cured by a heal or cure disease spell. Four missed checks in any period of confinement makes the condition permanent, cured by nothing short of a wish or limited wish.

Habitat/Society: The ee’aar normally live in the mountains on the Arm of the Immortals peninsula. They have adapted to the cold and can survive comfortably with little more than light, down-lined fur tunics, soft leather boots, and thick leggings. Only recently have they come down from those heights to join their enduk friends in the Savage Coast lands. It takes an ee’aar months to get used to the warmth and humidity of the lowlands, especially in the tropics the enduk favor. Anywhere along the Savage Coast, other than the area directly surrounding Um-Shedu, ee’aar are a rare sight.

Ee’aar live in family communities called aeries. An ee’aar village is made up of several aeries, while in a city, aeries can number in the hundreds. Every ee’aar works toward the survival and improvement of the clan, as well as the welfare of the entire ee’aar community. Those clans considered noble are responsible for leading the others. A noble clan is not a permanent endowment; the honor is bestowed on those with a proven history of successful leadership. Noble lines sometimes relinquish this honor to another clan which has proven more worthy, contenting themselves with a place of honor in the armies the ee’aar maintain for defense.

Though they have their own language (Aeshtyn), the ee’aar follow many standard elven practices, including arranged marriages. A mate is usually selected from another clan of equal social standing; sometimes, interclan marriages occur if an orphan was adopted into the clan. The ee’aar very rarely have twins, but they do have children more frequently than other elves.

Ecology: Ee’aar generally have little to do with other races besides the enduks. While they consider their ways superior, the ee’aar do not lord it over other races. They simply recognize the benefits their long history gives them over the “infant” races. The ee’aar have even been known to assist some of these races, like they did with the enduks, helping them to reclaim their lands from the manscorpions.

Despite their reserved demeanor, ee’aar craft elaborate jewelry, delicate figurines, and ornate weapons. Their cultural artwork is in high demand throughout most of the Savage Coast, bringing high prices where it is available.

{{D&D2e-Races}}
[[Category: Mystara]]

Sidhe

2026-05-20T12:54:29Z

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{{dnd-stub}}

'''Sidhe''' is a term from the ancient Irish language; directly translated, it means "a mound of earth", but was used specifically to refer to various hillocks and barrows that were believed to be home to the [[Fey]]. Due to the fact several Irish fey have names featuring the term (Bean Sidhe - ancestor to the modern [[Banshee]], Leanan Sidhe and Cat Sidhe), pop culture has assimilated it as a common moniker for the [[fey]] in general, usually used in loose equivalent to the [[elf]] race.

==Sidhe in D&D==
The term Sidhe has popped up several times in [[Dungeons & Dragons]]. The first and main usage was as a race in the first [[Creature Crucible]] [[splatbook]] for BECMI; "Tall Tales of the Wee Folk". Here, the Sidhe was presented as essentially a [[fey]] counterpart to humanity, differing mainly in its innate magical abilities and its aversion to iron. In [[Ravenloft]], one of the [[Shadow Fey]] breeds is the Shee, which is the actual pronunciation of Sidhe, and this race is likewise based on the mystical Irish Celtic [[elf]]-type [[fairy]].

In AD&D, magical Elven-bred cats and dogs are usually called cat shee and cu shee respectively (but spelling varies wildly).

===Mystaran Sidhe===
Below is repeated the entire entry on the Sidhe from Tall Tales of the Wee Folk, complete with PC stats for BECMI.

The word “sidhe,” pronounced “shee,” is in fact a general term for a fairy, so technically it could be correctly used to describe any of the other fairy races. But in this supplement we mean it in more specific sense, excluding the other fairy races; though, as will be seen, it still applies to a very diverse group. In a sense, the sidhe are the “generic” fairies of legend; we are describing them in such a way that many fairies from literature and folklore could be described as sidhe.

Were it not for certain peculiar traits and abilities, many sidhe might be indistinguishable from [[human]]s and [[demihuman]]s; they are at least as varied in appearance and temperament. Most appear to be humans, perhaps with slightly [[elf]]in features; others resemble the other [[demihuman]] races: [[dwarves]], [[elves]], [[gnomes]], [[halflings]]; and they may plausibly pass through all these societies without being recognized as anything different.

There are three characteristics that definitely distinguish the sidhe from humans and demi-humans: they are capable of becoming invisible to mortals at ill; they are capable of breathing water as easily as air; and iron is poisonous to them. A more subtle difference, related to the last one, is that their blood is not so deep a red that as the other races, since it lacks iron.

Iron’s poisonous nature is not quick-acting; for example, iron weapons do not cause sidhe additional damage. But long term contact with the metal will slowly and permanently drain a sidhe’s vitality (hit points and ability scores); ingested iron will do the same, but some damage can be reversed if the substance can be removed from the sidhe’s system. In any case, sidhe will never have weapons, armor, tools, or anything else fashioned of this metal; they use instead various stones (flint, obsidian, etc. ), and nonferrous metals and alloys (bronze, silver, gold, mithril, ect. ). Note that most powerfully enchanted weapons ( +3 or more) are made of allows containing little or no iron, and may thus be used by sidhe.

Some sages gave said, that humans are to demi-humans, so the sidhe are to the rest of the fairykind. Like humans, the sidhe are flexible. They can chose to combine either fighting or thieving skills with magic use; however, like other fairys, they can never become clerics. But again like humans, their general adaptability makes them natural leaders; the high king of fairies has been sidhe more often than any other race.

Normal sidhe, like normal humans, have 1/2 hit die and few abilities. Higher-level sidhe have more hit dice, and accordingly have higher-level abilities as magic-user and either [[fighter]] or [[thief]]. Those with fighting and magic abilities are warrior sidhe; those with thieving skills and magic are [[rogue]] sidhe.

Among the large groups of normal sidhe, these will be some extraordinary individuals, possible acting as leaders. Treat them as humans, except with regard to the differences as described. Exceptional individuals are totaled cumulatively. For every 10 sidhe, there will be a 2nd level warrior sidhe (compared to a second level [[elf]]), and a 50% chance of a [[rogue]] sidhe of 1st – 3rd level. For every 25 sidhe, there will be a warrior sidhe of 3rd to 6th level (1d4 +2). Groups of 50 have either a warrior sidhe (33%) pr 7th- 12 level (1d6 +6), or a rogue sidhe (33%) of 5th – 12th level (1d8 +4) , or both (34%). Groups of 100 will almost always (95%) be led by a warrior or rogue sidhe (Equal chances) of not less than 10th level.

The sidhe may be found anywhere at all, but they prefer to make their homes in beautiful, isolated, peaceful, natural locales, especially near woodlands. Sometimes they build grand palaces in underground caverns or underwater grottoes. Lairs are always well hidden and likely disguised, possible by magic.

Wandering is a favorite pursuit of the sidhe; while invisible to mortals, they love to travel around, playing jokes, assisting those in need, and generally looking for adventure. They are sometimes willing to befriend humans and demi-humans for long periods of time; it is even known for one of these fairies to marry into their societies. Many folk tales concern such fairies and their mortal families; inevitable the sidhe moves on, since his lifespan might cover millennia, and even an elven spouse would die of old age in a relatively short time.

All sidhe beyond normal monster level have [[fairy]] spellcasting ability, combined with either fighting or thieving skills; they may therefore be warrior sidhe or [[rogue]] sidhe. Most are the former; to be a rogue sidhe, a minimum dexterity of 8 is required.

Both class combinations progress on the same level advancement table; but while the warrior sidhe have eight-sided hit dice, those of the rogue sidhe are four-sided.

No sidhe may use weapons or armor fashioned of iron; see the section of “equipment” for information on non-ferrous. Otherwise, warrior sidhe can use any weapon or armor open to [[fighter]]s, and [[rogue]] sidhe may use any open to thieves. Sidhe may use any magic item permitted to magic-users and either fighters or thieves, according to class combination.

Warrior sidhe make saving throws as [[fighter]]s and [[rogue]] sidhe as thieves, of the same level.

'''Spellcasting'''
::Sidhe of 1st level and above have spellcasting ability, as shown as Table 16 below. As can be seen, their spellcasting ability is not equal to that of human magic-users, elves, sprites, neither in terms of total spells nor spread of spell level mastery.
::Spells are chosen from the list of fairy-charms (see page 41).
::Recommended Spell List Adjustment: The sidhe are particularly renowned shapechangers, for this reason, they may take polymorph self as a second level spell. Also, this spell lasts until the sidhe wills to return to old shape, is killed, or until a dispel magic successfully counters it.

'''Other special Abilities:'''
::Warrior sidhe can make multiple attacks at higher levels, like fighters.
::Rogue sidhe have special skills of thieves of equal level (lockpicking, backstabbing, etc. )
::All Sidhe may become invisible to mortals; and, since they often have underwater homes, they can breathe water and air with equal facility.
::A Sidhe can take Polymorph Self as 2nd level spell. Additionally, when they cast this pell, the spell lasts until the sidhe willingly returns to their former shape, is killed, or has it countered by a dispel magic.

{| class=wikitable
!Sidhe Level ||Experience Points || Warrior Hit Dice || Rogue Hit Dice
|-
|0 ||0 ||1d4 ||1d4
|-
|1 ||2,500 ||1d4 ||-
|-
|2 ||5,000 ||2d8 ||2d4
|-
|3 ||10,000 ||3d8 ||3d4
|-
|4 ||20,000 ||4d8 ||4d4
|-
|5 ||40,000 ||5d8 ||5d4
|-
|6 ||80,000 ||6d8 ||6d4
|-
|7 ||160,000 ||7d8 ||7d4
|-
|8 ||320,000 ||8d8 ||8d4
|-
|9 ||620,000 ||9d8 ||9d4
|-
|10 ||920,000 ||9d8+1 ||9d4+1
|-
|11 ||1,220,000 ||9d8+1 ||9d4+2
|-
|Subsequent ||290,000 ||+1 hit point ||+1 hit point
|}

{| class=wikitable
!Sidhe's Level |Fairy Spells by Level
|-
|||1||2||3||4||5||6||7
|-
|0 ||-||-||-||-||-||-||-
|-
|1 ||1||-||-||-||-||-||-
|-
|2 ||2||-||-||-||-||-||-
|-
|3 ||2||1||-||-||-||-||-
|-
|4 ||2||2||-||-||-||-||-
|-
|5 ||3||2||-||-||-||-||-
|-
|6 ||3||2||1||-||-||-||-
|-
|7 ||3||2||2||-||-||-||-
|-
|8 ||3||3||2||-||-||-||-
|-
|9 ||3||3||2||1||-||-||-
|-
|10 ||3||3||2||2||-||-||-
|-
|11 ||3||3||3||2||-||-||-
|-
|12 ||3||3||3||2||1||-||-
|-
|13 ||3||3||3||2||2||-||-
|-
|14 ||3||3||3||3||2||-||-
|-
|15 ||3||3||3||3||2||1||-
|-
|16 ||3||3||3||3||2||2||-
|-
|17 ||3||3||3||3||3||2||-
|-
|18 ||3||3||3||3||3||2||1
|-
|19 ||3||3||3||3||3||2||2
|-
|20 ||3||3||3||3||3||3||3
|-
|21 ||4||4||3||3||3||3||3
|-
|22 ||4||4||4||4||3||3||3
|-
|23||4||4||4||4||4||4||3
|-
|24 ||4||4||4||4||4||4||4
|-
|25 ||5||5||4||4||4||4||4
|-
|26 ||5||5||5||5||4||4||4
|-
|27 ||5||5||5||5||5||5||4
|-
|28 ||5||5||5||5||5||5||5
|-
|29 ||6||6||5||5||5||5||5
|-
|30 ||6||6||6||6||5||5||5
|-
|31 ||6||6||6||6||6||6||5
|-
|32 ||6||6||6||6||6||6||6
|-
|33 ||7||7||6||6||6||6||6
|-
|34 ||7||7||7||7||6||6||6
|-
|35 ||7||7||7||7||7||7||6
|-
|36 ||7||7||7||7||7||7||7
|}

{{D&D1e-Races}}

===Mr. Welch's Work===
[[Mr. Welch]], for whatever reason, decided to include the Sidhe as a playable race in his [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition]] [[splatbook]], "The Mystara [[Player's Handbook]]. It's a lot less complicated than the above, but still pretty complex as 5e races go:
::Ability Score Modifiers: +2 Charisma, +1 Dexterity
::Size: Medium
::Speed: 30 feet
::Eternal Creature: You cannot take the [[Cleric]], [[Druid]], [[Ranger]], [[Paladin]] or [[Warlock]] class.
::Fey Magic: You know one [[Wizard]] cantrip from either the Illusion school or the Enchantment school. At every even-numbered level (2, 4, 6, etc), pick one [[Wizard]] spell from the Illusion or Enchantment schools with a level equal to half your character level (1st level spell at level 2, 2nd level spell at level 4, all the way to 9th level spells at levels 18 and 20). You can cast each spell selected for this racial trait 1/day.
::Water Breathing: You can breathe air and water.
::Iron Allergy: You are Vulnerable to damage inflicted by iron weapons (anything with a +2 or higher enchantment is not considered iron), and cannot use your Fey Magic spells whilst touching, wearing or wielding iron weapons or armor.
::True Fey: Your Creature Type is [[Fey]], you are immune to nonmagical diseases, and can see other fey that are invisible. Raise Dead and related spells do not function on you unless cast within 10 minutes of your death.

[[Category: Monsters]] [[Category: Mystara]]

Firbolg

2026-05-20T12:54:04Z

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[[File:Firbolg 1e.jpg|right|300px|thumb|The original playable [[Frost Giant|giant viking]] from 1e's Monster Manual 2.]]
Firbolgs are a race of [[giant-kin]] -- [[giant]]s who aren't big enough to be "proper" giants, but still bigger than [[human]]s -- introduced in the [[Monster Manual]] 2 for the very first edition of [[Dungeons & Dragons]], and have managed to sneak into every edition since.

In general, they're described as [[Alignment|neutral-with-good leanings]], being a reclusive and fairly reasonable race of giants. They look very [[human]], essentially appearing as 10ft tall Irish Celts, probably because their name is taken from a race of mythical, magical giants in Irish Celtic folklore. Perhaps because of this, [[4e|4th edition]] tweaked them into a race of fae giants who worship a Maiden/Mother/Crone trinity ([[Sehanine]], [[Melora]] and [[The Raven Queen]] respectively) and who engage in the Wild Hunt. 5e kind of watered them down pretty badly, earning many complaints that they now resembled the [[Voadkyn]] more than they did their original selves.

They have the distinct honor of being one of the few giant-kin races that have actually been traditionally playable, if always hindered by the rules -- for example, the 3.5 Firbolg had a [[Level Adjustment]] of '''+18''', showcasing just how ridiculous that mechanic could get. Playable versions of the Firbolg appeared in the Book of Monstrous Humanoids (AD&D), the Monster Manual 2 (3.5) and Volo's Guide to Monsters (5e).

They should not be confused with the Furbolgs from [[World of Warcraft]], who are large, nature-loving [[bear]]-people.

==Original Mythology==

The Firbolg (also spelled Fir Bolg or even Fir Bholg) are a race of humanoids from the ''Leabhar Gabhála Éireann'', also known as the 'Book of the Conquest of Ireland' or the 'Book of Invasions'. This was a psuedo-historical account written in the 12th century by Irish clergy, explaining what they viewed as the history of Ireland. Unfortunately, we don't have the original Celtic mythology that this was likely based on, since the Druids refused to write anything down for religious reasons, instead keeping everything as an oral tradition. Since by the time of this writing, the druids had died out, we only have what the clergy had chosen to record. To make a long story short, there is not much written about the Fir Bolg, and what ''is'' written should be taken with a grain of salt. In the Book of Invasions, the Fir Bolg are described as the fourth people to inhabit Ireland. The first people to inhabit Ireland are wiped out by the Biblical flood (as you can see the Christians added some stuff to make it suit their own world-view), the second people was led by Partholàn, who battled against the Fomhoire (aka the Fomorians), and were eventually wiped out by a plague. Next came the children of Nemedh, who after doing a bunch of stuff were enslaved by the Fomhoire, tried to rebel, got almost wiped out, fled Ireland, before eventually returning and re-settling Ireland and becoming known as the Fir Bolg (there is more to this story, but listing all the other stuff going on in the story would take forever, so go read the Book of Invasions for yourself if you are curious). Then the Tuatha Dé Danann (these are almost certainly the original Irish gods, but since the story was written by Christians that part is never explicitly stated, and instead they are depicted as just regular humans who know magic) invade and after a number of battles, culminating in the First Battle of Magh Tuiredh, the Fir Bolg are conquered by the Tuatha Dé Danann. After this, the Fir Bolg pretty much drop out of the picture for the rest of the story. Note that the original Fir Bolgs are not giants, nor do they have any great magical powers; they are pretty much just regular humans, albeit badass ones. Goddess only knows why D&D decided to make them giants, it's not like D&D doesn't have enough of those already.

==2e Firbolgs==
Firbolgs actually had two entirely separate batches of lore in this edition. The first was their "generic" D&D fluff, which could be found in the Monstrous Manual and in the [[Complete Book Series|Complete Book of Humanoids]], and the second was their fluff for the [[Forgotten Realms]], which appeared in Giantcraft.

===Generic AD&D Firbolgs===
[[File:Firbolg MCV2 2e.jpg|left|300px|thumb]]
Of all the giant-kin, the firbolg is the most powerful, due to natural intelligence and considerable magical power. Firbolgs appear to be normal humans, except that they are over 10 feet tall and weigh over 800 pounds. They wear their hair long and keep great, thick beards. Their skin is a normal fleshy pink, with any shade of hair color, although blonde and red are most common. The flesh and skin of firbolgs are unusually dense and tough. Their voices are a smooth, deep bass, thick with rolling consonants.

Firbolgs are cautious and crafty. They have learned to distrust and fear humans and demihumans. If possible they avoid an encounter, either by hiding or with deception. If forced to fight, they do so with great strategy, utilizing the terrain and situation to best effect. They operate as a group, not a collection of individuals. Ten percent of all encounters is a large group of 4d4 members en route to an enclave of some sort.

Firbolgs live in remote forests and hills. These giant-kin distrust most other civilized races, and stay well away from them. They keep on even terms with druids and the faerie creatures, including elves, neither asking nor giving much, but avoiding insult or injury. Strangers are met with caution, frequently in illusionary disguise as one of their own race. They do not attack or kill without reason, but do enjoy pranks, particularly those that relieve strangers of treasure.

Firbolg society is close-knit and centered around the family or clan. Each clan has 4d4 members and frequently a shaman. The level of the shaman is determined by rolling 2d4-1 if the DM doesn’t wish to choose it himself. The clans live apart from each other, existing as gatherers and sometimes nomads. Their homes are huge, single-storey, wooden houses with stout walls and a central fireplace opening in several directions in the common room. When great decisions are needed, the clans involved meet in an enclave. This happens at least once a year at the fall solstice, just to celebrate if nothing else. The shamans preside over these events, and settle any disputes between clans.

Firbolgs live off the land and with it. Their homes are built from trees cleared from around the house. The clan does keep a field for harvest, but only enough to supplement their diet. They trade tasks involving great strength for food, usually with other peaceful folk in the forests or hills. The rest of their food is obtained by gathering and hunting an area up to 20 miles from their homestead. Meat is used in small quantities for most meals, although major celebrations always include a large roast of some sort.

Although many creatures are capable of killing a firbolg, none hunt them exclusively. They are stronger than most forest beasts, and intelligent creatures know better than to mess with them. They avoid true giants, except storm giants, and aggressively repel other giant-kin from their lands.

::Ability Score Minimum/Maximum: Strength 14/19, Dexterity 8/15, Constitution 12/18, Intelligence 8/18, Wisdom 8/18, Charisma 3/14
::Ability Score Adjustments: +2 Strength, -2 Charisma
::Can only be a [[Fighter]] (max level 12) or a [[Shaman]] (max level 7)
::+13 hit points at 1st level
::Natural AC of 3
::Gain spell like abilities in response to levelling up. All Firbolgs gain Detect Magic at 3rd level, Diminution at 5th level, Fool's Gold at 7th level and Alter Self at 9th level. Firbolg Shamans also get 2 random Illusion spells as SLAs each level; 1st level spells at levels 1-5 and 2nd level spells on levels 6 and 7.
::Can wield two-handed human weapons in one hand
::Can wield Large-scaled two-handed weapons
::So long as they have at least one hand free, they can try to deflect incoming missiles by rolling a D20; a 6+ harmlessly deflects the missile. A firbolg can deflect two missiles per round.
::Large missiles like thrown boulders or catapult shots can be caught and then thrown back with a -2 attack roll penalty.
::15% Magic Resistance, even against benevolent spells.
::Cannot wear armor or use shields
::Firbolg Fighters double the XP needed to gain a level, whilst Firbolg shamans ''triple'' the requisite XP.
::Weapon Proficiencies: Club, Halberd (Human and Giant-Kin), Two-Handed Sword (Human and Giant-Kin)
::Non-Weapon Proficiencies: Agriculture, animal handling, animal training, blacksmithing, cooking, eating, gaming, herbalism, hunting, intimidation, reading/writing, set snares, weaponsmithing, weather sense.

===Forgotten Realms AD&D Firbolgs===
[[File:Firbolg MM 2e.png|thumb|right|Our first full-body picture, from the 2e Monstrous Manual.]]
Firbolgs are the most intelligent of the kin. Of all the various giant races, only the firbolgs reject the concept of [[ordning]]. Instead, they value free will over all, and the restrictions of rank have no place in their clannish societies. In fact, firbolgs pioneered a crude form of democracy known as "the cast". Whenever a decision affecting the clan is necessary, a call goes out to all able members of the tribe to assemble and vote on the issue. To cast their ballots, the firbolgs use flat rocks engraved with their own personal runes. The actual casting of the stones differs from area to area and clan to clan, with some clans throwing the stones into holes dug in the ground and others simply holding the stones over their heads when called to vote. In a large firbolg settlement located in the Cold Mountains, there is said to exist a 50-foot-tall balance scale that the firbolgs use to dramatically display the results of a cast. The kin of this steading vote by placing their stones upon one of the huge pans on either side of the scale, with the heavier side winning the issue.

====The Code====
Long ago, the firbolgs developed a stringent code of conduct that governs their actions. Although the code is obviously thousands of years old, its exact origins are now obscured by the mists of time. At the heart of the code is the idea that individuals should be judged based upon their actions rather than upon their birth; to the firbolgs, people's deeds are the truth of their being. Another of the code's important concepts is the idea that the individual is nothing without society, and the preservation of society must be of the highest priority of all individuals. Every firbolg clan reacts differently to the code, but all see it as vital to their survival and elevation. Most firbolgs keep the code to themselves, believing it is virtuous to simply live the code rather than preach it. Merely talking about deeds and philosophies rather than living them is sometimes looked upon as a form of cowardice.

A firbolg who breaks the code faces grave retribution. Minor transgressions might be settled by spending a period of time as a slave to the tribe. Major transgressions inevitably require banishment. Of course, few of these penalties are ever necessary since the code is so indelibly ingrained into most firbolgs from birth that few could even think of straying.

Most firbolg clans require their members to carry the code with them in a written form. For example, the members of one clan (the Kappebror) write copies of the code on fine parchment and seal them in amulets they wear around their necks, while another (the Helligbror) tattoo the code upon their chests in red dye, and yet another (the Kriggabror) etch the words upon finely made bracers they swear never to remove.

The Firbolg Code (in the original): ''Prakt, Strev, Rang, glang byrd.'' (Bravery, Effort, and Honor over birth.)

This dictum illustrates the firbolgs' disdain for the concept of [[ordning]] and all it represents. To the firbolgs, actions make the individual.

Also, firbolgs see the honor and mettle of an individual as representative of the honor and mettle of a tribe. This is why the concept of bravery is so important to them. If observers should notice a firbolg acting weak or cowardly, they would probably assume the firbolg's entire clan to be weak and cowardly, perhaps prompting an attack on the clan. The firbolgs believe that the only way to avoid unnecessary wars and battles is to convince all observers that all firbolgs are fiercely brave and capable.

''Stomm rang glang du.'' (The tribe's honor above your honor.)

The whole of the clan is more important than an individual member. To honor the tribe or clan, the firbolg must do great deeds and, when given praise, explain that the deed would have been impossible if not for the support, education, and resources of the clan. This provision has also been interpreted to mean that the will of the individual is secondary to the will of the clan. Some renegade firbolgs contend that this is not the case, and that the will of the individual is more important than the will of the clan.

''Blod ettin er blod kong.'' (The blood of a runt is the blood of a king.)

This provision reminds the firbolgs to treat all intelligent creatures equally. Just as Hartkiller was a runt himself, so may the lowest beggar be elevated to the throne.

''Gi tusen val nul.'' (Give one thousand for nothing.)

Firbolgs prize charity as a virtue, though they feel that any charitable act is nullified if the recipient is aware of the contributor's identity. The act itself is the virtue, not the glory associated with the act. Allowing oneself to take credit for a virtuous action opens the spirit to harm. For that reason, while gregarious with friends, most firbolgs are quiet in public, not wishing to call attention to their often heroic deeds.

''Trut zund stommpaart.'' (Truth is the honor of the tribe).

Much of firbolg society is built around a backbone of truthful communication. Without such communication, the firbolgs believe their entire society will topple. As a consequence, firbolgs don't lie, by either omission or commission. In fact, a firbolg who lies breaks out in a cold sweat; his voice cracks, his limbs tremble. The very act of dissembling causes great physical discomfort.

====Firbolg Settlements====
Most of the countless clans of firbolgs have created settlements of their own, away from the [[giant]]s, in remote regions of Faerûn These settlements generally prove inhospitable to visitors since the firbolgs tend to distrust outsiders. After time, however, the firbolgs tend to warm toward any individuals of a good alignment whom they consider honorable (that is, individuals who wittingly or unwittingly tend to follow the dictums of the code).

Most firbolg clans build their settlements amidst low rolling hills or thick forests. Such settlements usually consist of a collection of grand wooden halls with thatched roofs built among a series of defensive catwalks and observation towers. Always attuned to their environment (though not nearly so much as the [[voadkyn]]), firbolgs usually know visitors are approaching their encampment as long as two days before they arrive.

In the Spires, a few firbolgs have chosen to live among Hartsvale's humans, who extend them a great deal more hospitality than the giants of the region. Although most of these firbolgs still operate as "loners" by human standards (many are forest guides and independent scouts in the king's army), a few have truly urbanized. One particularly extroverted firbolg now owns and operates an inn that lies along the main trail connecting Hartwick and the Ice Spires.

====Giantcraft Firbolg Stats====
Understandably, alternative AD&D stats for Firbolgs appeared in the [[Forgotten Realms]] [[splatbook]] "FOR7: Giantcraft". Whilst there were some similarities to the Complete Book of Humanoids version, there were also a number of differences...
::Ability Score Minimum/Maximum: Strength 15/20, Dexterity 8/15, Constitution 12/18, Intelligence 8/18, Wisdom 8/18, Charisma 3/14
::Ability Score Adjustments: +2 Strength, -2 Charisma
::Racial Class & Level Limits: [[Fighter]] 1, [[Ranger]] 1, [[Runecaster]] 7, [[Shaman]] 6, [[Thief]] 7
::+13 hit points at 1st level
::Natural AC of 3
::Can wield two-handed human weapons in one hand
::Cannot wear armor or use shields
::Weapon Proficiencies: Club, Giant-Kin Weapons, Two-Handed Sword
::Non-Weapon Proficiencies: Agriculture, animal handling, animal training, blacksmithing, cooking, eating, gaming, herbalism, hunting, intimidation, reading/writing, set snares, weaponsmithing, weather sense.

==3e Firbolgs==
[[File:Firbolg3e.jpg|thumb|right|3e's take on the classic image; a little less polished, but you can see where it's coming from.]]
Firbolgs are reclusive giants who tend to avoid contact with humanoid races and even other kinds of giants. Unlike some of the more brutish giantkin, firbolgs do not depend heavily on raiding for subsistence, nor do they rely solely on force to resolve problems. A firbolg looks like a 10-foot-tall human and weighs more than 800 pounds. Its skin is a fleshy pink color, and it can have hair of almost any shade, although blond and red are the most common. A firbolg of either gender wears its hair long, and the typical male sports a great, thick beard.

Firbolgs speak Giant and Common.

Firbolgs are both cautious and crafty. They have learned to distrust and fear the “civilized” races, such as humans and elves. If possible, they avoid encounters with humanoids altogether, either by hiding or by deception. If forced to fight, firbolgs employ effective combat strategy, using the terrain and situation to best effect. They always operate as a team, not as a collection of individuals.

Firbolgs usually live in well-fortified colonies, either in the depths of the forest or in cavern complexes dug into hillsides. All firbolg settlements are protected by guard towers. These creatures live primarily by hunting and gathering, but each colony also practices simple agriculture.

As mentioned above, these Firbolgs got an absolutely ''insane'' [[Level Adjustment]], mostly due to their ridiculously high stat boosts.

::Ability Score Modifiers: +26 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +12 Constitution, +4 Intelligence, +4 Wisdom, +4 Charisma
::Size: Large
::Racial Type: Giant
::Rock Throwing (Ex): +1 racial bonus to attack rolls with rocks.
::Spell-Like Abilities: Alter Self, Detect Magic, Feeblmind, Know Direction, all 1/day
::Trample (Ex)
::Fast Healing (Ex): 3 hitpoints regained each round.
::Rock Catching (Ex): Once per round, a firbolg that is aware of an attack being made against it by throwing a rock or similar projectile can attempt to catch it by making a Reflex save based on the projectile's size (Small: 15, Medium: 20, Large: 25) plus any enchantment bonus to the attack roll. On a successful roll, the firbolg catches the rock.

==4e Firbolgs==
[[File:Firbolg4e.jpg|thumb|right|Mythic-Punk NeoPagan Monster-Hunting Giants... and they say 4e had no cool ideas!]]

Large, fierce humanoids of the [[Feywild]], firbolgs live for the hunt. They value independence, courage, and the middle ground between good and evil. They are agents of destiny, death, and the unforgiving wild.

Firbolgs are hunters of the Feywild, the creators and keepers of the Wild Hunt. Small settlements dot firbolg territory in the deep wilderness of the Feywild, perched on precarious heights, dangerous terrain, or floating motes of rock for greater defensibility.

Firbolg society is made up of clans led by the mightiest warriors, usually masters of the [[Wild Hunt]]. Clan and family ties are strong among firbolgs. Arcana DC 25: The firbolgs’ religion is centered on three deities: the Maiden ([[Sehanine]]), the Mother ([[Melora]]), and the Crone (the [[Raven Queen]]). As a people, they follow the Maiden’s demands that they walk a middle road between good and evil.

Firbolg priests, who are usually female, are called moon seers and are treated with great respect. Seers and elite warriors dedicated to the deities wear masks or helmets that cover their features.

Firbolgs love trophies and treasure, but they value other creatures’ promises more than wealth. Firbolgs call a hunt to pursue oath breakers. It is said that a dark ritual can be used to call firbolgs to the world to hunt one who has broken a vow made to the ritual’s performer or those the performer represents.

Firbolgs respect strength and forthrightness, endurance and skill. Numerous firbolgs serve other [[fey]] and mighty nonfey. They also allow others to join in Wild Hunts, which often include firbolg hounders, hunters, and moon seers. The most frightful Wild Hunts are composed of all sorts of fey led by a master of the Wild Hunt and his hounds.

==5e Firbolgs==
[[File:Firbolg5e.jpg|thumb|left|Seriously, how did we go from the 4e version to this?!]]

5e produced the watered-down, hippified, kinda-hobbit-like-but-less-cool, furry giants that the firbolg are supposed to be. It stands up there along with Corellon (remember that cool elf god who had two brides in Sehanine and Lolth?) as some of the most forget-the-cool-lore-and-lets-milk-some-groups-for-their-money-pretending-that-we-care-about-them acts made by WotC.

These firbolgs look like happy-go-lucky furry giants who live in the forest, eating "magical mushrooms" and apparently demonstrating formidable skills with weapons and druidic magic, even though they spend most of their time being hippies. Up yours and your vaunted logic, Mr. Spock.

These guys are PEHTA in SPA..!! I mean...IN THE FOREST! sharing with every animal in winter to ensure that they survive, cuz apparently they love the animals of wood like a lot. Like seriously love them. Maybe even marry them, but you didn't hear that from me. It doesn't say that in the book, but neither it says in Mordenkainen's Tome of WotC that 5e's Gruumsh is a stand-in for homophobics. So there is that.

Obviously, Firbolgs are innate druids. They are so in tune with nature -whatever the hell that means- that all firbolgs learn at least a couple of nature magic -whatever the hell that means- spells. The druids are usually the leaders among them, and as such being the case, Firbolgs would rather go hungry than strain the land during a famine. I guess they are so in tune with nature that straining the land for food its like cutting yourself for food or something like that. These guys would give Radaghast (the addict from the awful Hobbit movies, not the cool guy from the books) (bruh they weren’t that bad, watch the directors cut and realize that the higher ups want a trilogy, Jackson was kinda fucked.) a run for his money when it comes to living with nature and rabbits.

When they encounter a settlement near their forest, Firbols tend to be reasonable and cool, unless they perceive the guys like evil, in which case they strike and apparently win, even though they spend most of their time just being in the forest and eating mushrooms. I SAY GET OUT OF HERE, MR. SPOCK!

By the way Firbolgs are super-druidic-guardians of the wood with strong family bonds, meaning the few adventuring firbolgs there are, are surely special snowflakes whose clan was destroyed or they committed some foul deed, like killing a deer and eating it...and maybe, even, found it tasty (GASPH!) and like all snowflakes, they are loners and stuff. Otherwise, they might become nature crusaders, like the Avengers but with more salad.
And then there is the even more special snowflake firbolg who is entrusted by their clan with some important mission. They must adventure into civilization where they become claustrophobic when inside any building with a roof...NO MATTER THE SIZE, NO SIR!

These are their traits. It is recommended, if you decide to play a Firbolg, to talk with your DM, keep the traits, forget all this crap and make the firbolgs like 4e's firbolgs. If you don't play Firbolg, but you encounter them in your adventures, and they are like 5e's firbolgs, kill them for good measure and send WoTC a letter detailing your good deeds. Have a nice day.

And remember, when it comes to 5e's lore, Mr. Spock has no place.

::Ability Score Modifier: +2 Wisdom, +1 Strength
::Size: Medium
::Speed: 30 feet
::Vision: Normal
::Firbolg Magic: Can cast Detect Magic and Disguise Self once per short rest. Disguise Self can make the firbolg look up to 3 feet shorter.
::Hidden Step: Can become invisible as a bonus action once per short rest. Invisibility ends if you attack, make a damage roll or force someone to make a saving throw.
::Powerful Build: Treat size as 1 step larger for carrying, pushing, dragging and lifting.
::Speech of Beast and Leaf: Can talk to animals and plants.

For some reason, the player base interprets these guys as being cow people, a change many people attribute to Caduceus Clay's appearance in [[Critical Role]]. This mostly has to do with the fact that the canon 5e art of firbolgs gives them furry-adjacent ears and big, pink, triangular noses, which the character designer no doubt took to mean "these people are cows," and now everyone and their mother is running with it. You know, despite the fact that before this edition, firbolgs were literally just big guys, and have ''never'' been cow people.

{{D&D2e-Races}}
{{D&D5e-Races}}
{{D&D-Giants}}

[[Category:Monsters]] [[Category: Giants]]

Nereid

2026-05-20T12:53:38Z

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{{monstergirls}}

[[File:Nereid tournament module.png|right|400px]]

'''Nereids''' are one of the many branches of the [[Nymph]] family tree from Greco-Roman mythology. Specifically, they are nymphs of the sea, said to be daughters of the sea god and responsible for helping him look after the various aspects of the sea.

On /tg/, Nereids are most associated with [[Dungeons & Dragons]], having debuted in the [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] 1st edition adventure [[Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan]]; from here, they made it into the [[Monster Manual]] II, with updates for 2e as the "[[Elemental]] - Water Kin" in the Monstrous Compendium Volume Two and the Monstrous Manual. They made it into [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]] via [[Environment Book Series|Stormwrack]] and into [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition]] via the updated Hidden Shrine in [[Tales from the Yawning Portal]].

[[Pathfinder]] got in on it and added them in the Bestiary 2.

In AD&D and Pathfinder, Nereids are portrayed as a whimsical and dangerous species of [[elemental]] [[fey]] native to the [[Elemental Planes|Plane of Water]]. They care about little other than playing or protecting the purity of the waters in which they dwell, and thusly can be quite dangerous to mortals. Their soul is bound up in a magical shawl, and destroying this will kill the nereid instantly; as a result, powerful [[mage]]s or pirate lords often attempt to steal these shawls and force nereids into servitude. When in the water, they become virtually translucent, but upon exposure to air, they take on their true form of a beautiful [[elf]]-like maid. Nereids have the power to drown mortals with a touch.

The 3e version maintains the shawl weakness, but is presented as a more benevolent and inoffensive creature.

Variants of the nereid mythos have given rise to other, long-forgotten watery [[fey]] maidens of D&D, including [[nixie]]s, [[asrai]] and [[Siren|sirines]].

==AD&D Lore==
[[File:Nereid Water weird MM 2e.png|thumb|right|300px]]
Many a male has thrown his life away for the fleeting embrace of the “honeyed ones”, the beautiful nereids from the elemental plane of Water. Playful and flighty, and as unpredictable as their watery homes, the nereids tempt and trick sailors to their dooms.

In the water nereids are transparent, 95% undetectable except as golden angel seaweed, but these creatures assume human form on contact with air. Gorgeous and voluptuous, these forms are almost always females, young and slim with long, golden hair, pearly white skin. and sparkling green eyes. Their voices are heavenly and their songs are engaging to [[human]]s and [[demihuman]]s. While they always carry a white shawl, either in their hands or draped over their head and shoulders, they are otherwise lightly clad in white and gold.

If confronted by only female [[human]]s or [[elves]], the nereid appears in a male guise, but its powers are not as effective on women and there is a 65% chance that the women distrust the beguiling nereid. All males that look at a nereid find themselves incapable of harming the creature (no saving throw), and it seems to be a shy and flirtatious girl playing by the shore.

Nereid are capricious, but whether they are good, neutral, or evil depends on the individual, with the majority (50%) being chaotic neutral in their actions.

'''Combat:''' As creatures of the element water, nereids have few physical attacks should their roles as sirens fall. Nereids can spit a venom up to 20 feet that blinds a target for 2d6 rounds if it hits, and it can be washed away with water. A blinded victim suffer a -4 penalty to his attack roll, and both saving throws and Armor Class are worsened by 4 until the effects wear off.

Nereids can control the watery of their lair out to a distance of 30 feet, and they often do this to form pleasant watery shapes to amuse and entertain themselves. This power can also be used to defend against invaders by causing the waters to heave in great waves that slow movement to ¼ normal or by making the water boil and froth, increasing the chance of drowning by 10%. Nereids can cause the waves to crash with a enormous roar so great that characters within 60 feet may be deafened for 3d4 rounds if precautions are not taken. They can also form the water into the shape of a serpent or fist, and cause it to strike as a 4-Hit Die monster and inflict 1d4 points of damage. Only one of these attacks may be done per round.

Nereids are 85% likely to have a pet that tries to protect its master. To find out the type of pet, roll 1d8 and consult the following table:

D8 Roll: Pet
::1: Giant eel
::2: Giant otter
::3: Giant snake (poisonous)
::4: Giant octopus
::5: Giant squid
::6: Dolphin
::7: Giant leech
::8: Sting ray

If a nereid is caught by an amorous man, it rolls a saving throw vs. poison, and if successful, it flows away like water. The nereid also gets a saving throw vs. poison to avoid damage from a weapon. Most men or demihumans try to catch a nereid to gain a kiss. While it is loath to give these, in its kisses lie its final defense — once their lips touch, the character must roll a successful saving throw vs. breath weapon, with a -2 penalty, or drown instantly. If he doesn’t drown, he finds total ecstasy.

The nereid protects its shawl at all costs, since it contains the nereid’s essence and if it is destroyed the nereid will dissolve into formless water. Possession of a nereid’s shawl gives a character control over the fearful creature, and it can be commanded to do one’s bidding. A nereid will lie and attempt anything short of hostile actions to regain its soul-shawl.

'''Habitat/Society:''' Nereids can be found in the sea, rivers, wells, mountain and cavern springs, and on the elemental plane of Water. If they are on the Prime Material plane, then they have discovered a means to escape from their plane of existence, or have been deposited in this world as punishment. Usually one nereid is located in a certain body of water, but sometimes a group of 1d4 creatures lives in an area, especially along an ocean front or in shoals around a rocky and deserted island. A group of nereid join together because of like alignment, and control of the group is always held by the eldest.

Fresh, clean waters sustain them, while polluted waters drain their vigor and often cause them to move to a new place. Even good nereids have been known to attack those who wantonly pollute their lairs. While they don’t need food, they hunt or fish for their pets, and evil nereids lure men and demihumans close so that their pets may feed. They don’t value metals and discard gold and silver, but any magical treasure they gain from a fallen sailor or amorous fool is saved in their watery lair. True to its nature, the nereid has no goals or ambitions, choosing instead to splash and cavort in the waters, to the delight of males everywhere.

'''Ecology:''' These creatures take little from the environment and give little in return. Powerful sea captains might wear nereid shawls as scarves, to show their command over the creatures of the sea; the forlorn nereids can be glimpsed following in the wake of their ships, sobbing and begging for the return of their essences. These shawls command handsome sums from those who need the services of a water creature, but they are seldom sold and are very scarce. It is rumored that wizards who hold a shawl use their enslaved nereid as a guide on journeys to the elemental plane of Water.

==3e Lore==
[[File:3e Nereid.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]

Nereids are retiring fey native to the Elemental Plane of Water. They resemble tritons and share a common ancestry, but unlike their cousins they have never moved permanently to the Material Plane. Nereids occasionally leave their home plane to explore Material Plane seas.

Tales speak of nereids as beautiful women who drown men with a kiss, but in fact they are extremely shy. A nereid is nearly impossible to detect in its element, with a shimmering body that is almost transparent. On the rare occasions that a nereid leaves the water, it takes on a more solid-looking appearance, resembling a pale elf wearing a distinctive shawl.

Nereids are often found in the company of sea creatures and water elementals. They speak Aquan with voices that sound like the soft hiss of surf.

A nereid relies on concealment and camouflage to avoid danger, and it does not attack unless in the most desperate circumstances (such as retrieving a stolen shawl). Nereids use their water magic to hold back attackers and summon elemental allies to assist them in combat.

==Pathfinder Lore==
Nereids are capricious and often dangerous aquatic fey that appear as strikingly beautiful women, often seen bathing unclothed in the water. Many sailors have met their doom following a nereid, for though a nereid’s beauty is otherworldly, her watery kiss is death (unless you can breath water). Others seek out nereids, for if one can secure control over thecreature’s shawl, the cloth can be used to force the nereid’s compliance. A nereid forced to obey in this manner immediately attempts to slay her master as soon as she can secure her shawl’s safety.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Nereid C1 brown 1.jpg
Nereid C1 brown 2.jpg
Nereid MM2.jpg
nereid B2 PF.png
nereid PF Kingmaker.png
Nereid SaS4.png
nereid PF 2e.png
</gallery>

[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons]] [[Category: Pathfinder]] [[Category: Monsters]] [[Category:Greek Mythology]]

Mukaali

2026-05-20T12:53:20Z

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{{Wh40k-stub}}
[[File:Mukaali.jpg|right]]
{{Topquote|Not of our world, but surely created for it.|Nadueshi Nomad saying}}

The Mukaali are a species of non-sentient xenos animals utilised by the Tallarn Desert Raiders Astra Militarum regiments' specialised Rough Rider squadrons as mounts and beasts of burden. These animals originated in the vast equatorial deserts of the Imperial world of Goru-Prime, but have since been imported to other Imperial Desert Worlds such as Tallarn. These mounts are ideally suited to combat operations in arid environments.

The Mukaali is a creature perfectly adapted to a life of stifling heat and shifting sands. Tall and long-necked, a Mukaali have wide padded feet that help them move across soft sand drifts and other perilous desert terrain.

Mukaali tend to be passive creatures and extremely slow to anger. This makes them unsuited to combat, yet they are still used by numerous Rough Rider regiments, especially those that hail from the sands of Tallarn.

Mukaali are particularly useful as mounts because of their sheer stamina, which allows them to cross vast swaths of inhospitable environments without rest. These hardy beasts can go for long periods of time without food or water. This makes them an attractive proposition for long campaigns where re-supply is difficult.

In fact, Mukaali are usually much more resilient than their riders, and so their ability to endure is rarely put to anything resembling a true test. Those Tallarn Rough Rider regiments that employ Mukaali use the beasts to strategically outmanoeuvre their foes, using the tireless creatures to ride for days so that they can strike from angles unexpected.

==History==
Rough Riders are specialised mounted cavalry units found among numerous Imperial Guard regiments from Feral and Frontier Worlds where riding animal mounts remains a commonplace military skill. Many primitive cultures from such worlds retain the use of such mounted units in warfare. The Imperial Guard often employs these mounted cavalry units on the field of battle, where they are especially useful for operations undertaken on uneven terrain that is unsuitable for tracked vehicles.

The Tallarn Desert Raiders utilise Rough Rider squadrons as they employ many of the same favoured strategies of the Tallarn -- stealth, swiftness, and the ability to deliver the killing blow. The riders of the Tallarn Rough Rider squadrons ride to battle mounted on standard Terran horses, but some of the Tallarn regiments' Rough Rider squadrons ride large reptilian xeno-mounts called "Mukaali."

These desert-dwelling herbivores are native to the vast equatorial deserts of the world of Goru-Prime. Realising their potential, these desert-dwelling herbivores soon began appearing on numerous other planets with similar climates as local tribesmen struck deals with Rogue Traders to export the beasts for many uses, including combat roles, most notably with the Imperial Guard mounted regiments hailing from Tallarn.

Many Tallarn Desert Raiders regiments' battle-honours include the right to export thousands of Mukaali from Goru-Prime every ten standard years. Some regiments no longer exercise these rights, but many still choose to do so to keep their herds of these valuable beasts from suffering from inbreeding and genetic stagnation.

==Mukaali of Naduesh==
Mukaali have existed on the Feral World of Naduesh in the Koronus Expanse for many generations, imported long ago by a clever Rogue Trader who realised they were a perfect fit for the wide areas of dry, desert climate on that world. Here they quickly became part of the native culture, acting as personal transport, beast of burden, and even food should conditions demand the desperate act.

Overall they have adapted very well, creating a slightly new strain unique to the world. Breeders on Naduesh discovered though that if their Mukaali were not allowed to breed in the wild, they are even more cowardly and timid than usual, barely suited for anything but the mildest of burden duties, and even then they may run away when startled.

For this reason, many herds are allowed to breed in the open plains, with herdsmen deployed to watch over them to protect from poachers or other dangers. As needed, stock is culled from these wild herds for training and resale to buyers across the Koronus Expanse and beyond.

The beasts are a common trading item and source of income for many Nadueshi tribes. Many experienced hunters travel from the Calixis Sector to pick steeds to carry them on their latest expeditions, and colonists purchase entire herds as they prepare to immigrate to the drier or hotter planets they intended to make home.

They have also been seen in use amongst several Planetary Defence Forces as military mounts, but less frequently in mercantile or mercenary bands.

One infamous Imperial Guard Brontian Longknives platoon even somehow arranged for a herd to stampede into enemy lines, shocking their foes long enough for the Guardsmen to overrun their flattened enemy.

==Biology==
The Mukaali (sometimes locally referred to as "Sand Pacers"), live in huge herds. Mukaali are supremely adapted to these desert environs. The species originates from far away on the world of Goru-Prime, where vast herds roamed the great scorched wastelands covering the equatorial regions. In these arid regions the beasts thrive like no other, able to live for long stretches without either food or water.

Their skin is exceptionally dense and acts both as an insulator from external heat and a barrier to prevent interior moisture from escaping. The hide protects powerful muscles, designed more for duration than sprinting but still capable of reaching good speeds over short distances. Unlike other creatures that metabolise stored fats to provide energy, the Mukaali's metabolism is acutely efficient, and can extract nourishment to an extraordinary degree.

They are grazers, living on a traditionally thin diet of tough shrubs and other sparse desert vegetation, which they chew and regurgitate through multiple stomachs and digestive organs, some beginning in their bulky necks. Each organ extracts more and more moisture and nutrients, allowing the creature to sustain itself far longer on far less than would be expected for its size. One of the major dangers in caring for the creature is overfeeding, for their digestion can be easily overwhelmed with unpleasant results.

A Mukaali can survive for long periods on very small amounts of food and water, easily outlasting a human or even the sturdiest pack animal. Conversely, they have very poor protection against cold climates and die quickly when exposed to sub-zero temperatures for any length of time. The hide protects powerful muscles, designed more for long-duration movement than sprinting but still capable of reaching a good speed over short distances.

A Mukaali's main advantage over a Terran horse is its exceptional endurance and load-bearing capability. In the driest of hot desert conditions they can keep going for solar days, even without food or water, and will long outlive a horse or even their human rider. A Mukaali-mounted Rough Rider squadron can range further afield and carry more equipment than a horse-mounted squadron.

A Mukaali's feet are adapted to move over sand at speed. Large, soft pads similar to those of a Terran camel help spread their weight to prevent their sinking into soft sand. Their thick hides generally have a mottled grey/blue colouring, running to a pink/brown underbelly.

Standing easily over two metres tall at the shoulders, Mukaali are hairless, quasi-reptilian beasts. Their tough, thick hide hangs in great folds, and is strong enough to not only provide protection from predators, but also offer a limited defence against weapons. Their sloped backs and long necks leave a perfect spot for a rider atop the Mukaali's shoulders, and while their gait is somewhat odd in appearance, their long legs allow them to travel at considerable speed.

More important to the sorts of operations for which the Tallarn Desert Raiders prefer the creatures, Mukaali can sustain their pace for long periods of time, even longer than horses. Mukaali have relatively small heads, barely broader than their thick necks, which are almost completely flat and featureless.

From a distance, it is difficult to even identify the small, deep-set eyes and nostril holes. Due to their size and gait, Mukaali require a completely different approach to handling than the horses more commonly used by Rough Riders. Those riders willing to learn are rewarded with a dependable and durable beast of burden, capable of handling much heavier loads than other comparable mounts -- a creature perfectly suited to long-term operations behind enemy lines.

==Uses==
Tallarn Rough Riders on a dawn patrol on Taros; their Mukaali mounts are superbly adapted to desert conditions
Mukaali mounts can carry heavy loads and are sometimes used for transporting supplies or towing other equipment. Once broken and trained, Mukaali are well-tempered and placid creatures, if rather dim-witted, but lack any natural aggression.

They make superb riding beasts and beasts of burden in arid climates, as they quickly demonstrated during the Taros Campaign against the T'au on the former Imperial Mining World of Taros, but will not engage in combat. Even Mukaali bull males show little aggression and when faced with any danger an unmounted Mukaali always flees.

Lacking any sense of aggression, Mukaali have no actual offensive strengths other than accidentally trampling their enemies as they stride forward. Unless actively controlled, the animals quickly run from almost any perceived danger and must undergo intense training to be able to gallop forward towards enemy lines.

Despite this, the beasts take part in many operations where their tough skin, strong muscles, and survival characteristics keep them and their riders alive and fighting longer than many other mounts.

[[Category: Warhammer 40,000]]
[[Category: Megafauna]]

Ranald

2026-05-20T12:52:49Z

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[[File:Ranald symbol.png|right|200px]]
{{Topquote|I’d rather give my tenth coin to Ranald than risk losing the remaining nine.|Eckhardt Reinschol, Wool Merchant from Grafenrich}}

'''Ranald''' is the fickle God of Luck and Fortune. A deity of the common people, Ranald's cult is a curious one, for it lacks the trappings, the pomp and majesty, even the structure of other cults. His priests are thieves, tricksters, and gamblers, rather than the educated effete elite so favored by others. His temples are the gaming halls, the brothels, the taverns, and other dens of iniquity, not the gilt structures of gold and marble. Indeed, Ranald and his priests are unlike any others—a fact that is both distressing and delightful. He is referenced in two video games so far: [[Total War: WARHAMMER]] where he gets to decide to decrease the gauge of a spellcaster's magical wind, or in [[Vermintide 2]], where he gets to decide to whether fill up the remaining chest upgrade bar.....or not. Both of these game mechanics are purely designed for Ranald to troll the players, and put Ranald in the position of being a stand-in for RNG; in these contexts, Ranald, likely joyfully takes his role as the Random Number God.

His backstory is that he literally conned the goddess [[Shallya]] into turning him into a god.

==Aspects of Ranald==
Part of Ranald’s curious nature stems from the fact that this God has a several different aspects. To most, he is known as the Night Prowler, God of Thieves and patron of thieves and rogues. Venerated by the criminal elements in the Old World, his symbols and sayings serve as the foundation for much of the secret language used by thieves.

Ranald is also the Deceiver, watching over, or rather inspiring, charlatans and tricksters. In this way, Ranald is something of a force of nature, the personification of irony but also illusion—hence Ranald’s appeal to Grey Wizards. As well, Ranald is the patron of gaming, gambling, and more than anything, luck. It is in this form that Ranald is upheld by the Empire folk and to curry favour with the God, Old Worlders employ a dizzying array of superstitious sayings and gestures to ensure they retain or acquire the God’s attention.

Of all the forms Ranald assumes, though, none is more brutally oppressed than his role as the Protector. The symbol of freedom from tyranny, liberation from despots, and the symbol of revolution, this aspect of Ranald is embraced by agitators, demagogues, and even a few politicians. In fact, Ranald in this role is a rallying force for the democratic movement that persists in the Empire’s largest cities.

The Cult of Ranald views the rest of the world as the ebb and flow of fortune, from good to bad and back again. Because there is no “typical” cultist of Ranald, there’s little in the way to describe the workings of the cult itself. Most trust only their own wits and abilities, taking what they can and praying to Ranald to keep them one step away from danger. Cultists laugh at limitations and boundaries placed upon them, and often break laws and enter into forbidden areas just for the sake of doing so, slipping back into the shadows and teeming, anonymous masses before getting caught. The Cult of Ranald is viewed with suspicion by both the other cults and the ruling classes, even though he is still paid lip service by them all. Other cults afford the priests of this cult little respect, though this typically suits the followers of Ranald just fine, as they care little about the air of pomp put on by most other groups. Indeed, one of the tenants of the cult is to shine the light of hypocrisy on those with inflated egos or heightened status. Because of this, priests of Ranald stay out of sight, performing their works in back alleys, secret meeting places, and other dens of low character.

Although the cult has a deserved reputation as being filled with gamblers, thieves, and con artists, just as many priests are simple hedonists who grab life by the reins. Those that partake in illegal endeavours always give a healthy portion of their winnings back to the cult or, in some cases, to those in need. The cult abhors violence, seeing it as a “failure.” Their best “crimes” are those that go undiscovered until months after they have done the deed. Those who rely on violence and cruelty find a better patron in Khaine, or other, darker Gods, than the free spirit that is Ranald. Cultists of Ranald often have personalities that mimic the four main aspects of Ranald. Those who follow the Night Prowler are thieves and larcenists, who perform crimes just as much for the thrill of performing the perfect caper as they do for the loot.

Those who follow Ranald the Deceiver are smooth con artists, who move easily through all strata of society, never laying down roots and constantly on the prowl for new targets to fleece through the use of clever thought and silvertongued lies. Cultists of Ranald the Gamester are consummate gamblers and risk takers, spending their days playing games of chance and concocting schemes to gain more money so they can continue their passion. To them, money is not the ends, but the means, to happiness. Lastly, there are the cultists who believe in Ranald the Protector and take up the mantle as the guardian for those who cannot defend themselves. They are infamous for stealing from the well-to-do in order to assist the poor, exposing the hypocrisy and excesses of the powerful, and standing up for the rights of the common citizen from thuggery, senseless persecution, and exploitation. Most other cults consider members of this “sect” the worst of the lot, as they often attempt to disrupt the status quo in the name of freedom and justice, regardless of the cost to the rest of society.

However, by their very nature, cultists of Ranald are highly individualistic, and it can be difficult to describe what makes a person become one in the first place. Most are experts at disguise and deception, keeping their true nature hidden from the rest of the world. The Cult of Ranald is ruthlessly persecuted in other parts of the Old World. Bretonnia in particular is notorious for its heavy-handed punishments for finding cultists merely travelling through their land

==Beliefs==
Cultists of Ranald believe in individuality, freedom from oppression, and the rise and fall of fortune and luck. They adhere to the belief that whilst Ranald grants his blessing on those that call often enough, he’s more inclined to help those that help themselves. Cultists attempt to balance practicality with an irreverent attitude, knowing that what’s here today could disappear tomorrow—and vice versa. The most altruistic strive to better the lives of other, usually through the wealth and power of other, wealthier individuals.
Although theft, cheating, lying, and skulduggery are all acceptable in the eyes of Ranald, violence, and especially murder, should be avoided at all costs. A common thug that slits the throat and steals the purse of a wealthy merchant while invoking Ranald’s name is more likely to lose his favour than most.
Cultists accept the fact that Ranald is known by many names and titles, and that he can appear in any disguise

==Strictures==
*One coin in ten belongs to Ranald.
*Ranald frowns upon unnecessary violence.
*Live by wits, not by your sword.
*A true devotee of Ranald uses the dagger and stiletto; only amateurs and the slow-witted need armour and long sword.
*It’s better to live free and die, rather than suffer under oppression.
*There is no honour among thieves, yet trust in your brothers and sisters.

==Cultists==
Cultists of Ranald can be found in every strata of society, from the most powerful of nobles to the lowliest of gutter trash. However, most cultists are noted for rising above their original station in life, through sheer willpower, talent, and of course, luck. Cultists of Ranald almost always wear a necklace with an “X” or a hand with crossed fingers. The “X” symbol is the most common, and in fact, wildly popular, worn by untold numbers of citizens. These necklaces are so prevalent that they rarely cause suspicion, though everyone is sure to keep them hidden if a witch hunter or priest of another faith is about. It is widely believed that the symbols of Ranald lose their potency if displayed openly. The boldest (or most foolish) of cultists even get tattoos of these symbols on their body, though most have them done in such a way that only the initiated and savvy can understand them for what they truly are.

==Signs of Ranald==
The "salute of Ranald" is made by crossing the index and middle fingers on the right hand. It is commonly used as a way to garner luck or to avoid a particularly bad fate. Holding crossed fingers behind the back is said to “hide” a lie that is told, while doing so openly for all to see is to express the fact that a person is telling the absolute truth. Cultists secretly show their allegiance to Ranald to each other by performing this salute with their left hand. This act is considered unlucky by the rest of the populace, but true cultists know better. Holding crossed fingers directly in someone’s face is a grave insult and a sure way of starting a fight.

Cultists make oaths to each other while both parties hook their index fingers together. When cultists of Ranald are in dire need of luck, they may cross the fingers on both hands and the toes of both feet. It’s felt that the more crossed digits, the more you ward off bad luck. Other cultists may walk their forefinger and index finger on the palm of their left hand as a sign of strange things afoot. Finally, when cultists of Ranald feel they have had a particularly bad spout of luck, they’ll run the back of their hand under their chin, to alert the God that they’ve learned from their errors and would like their luck to change.

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
Ranald 1e.jpg
Ranald shrine.jpg|A shrine to Ranald.
Ranald cultist 1.png
Ranald cultist 2.png
Ranald vermintide 2.gif| Hey brah, hows that hard fought legendary Emperor Chest going for you?
Ranald vermintide 2 honest.png| A more fitting symbol for Ranald's Gift
Ranald tww magic.PNG| Ranald is with you.....so you can't cast your unit-raping-spell while I laugh at your failure from afar.
</gallery>

{{Empire-Gods}}

Arcane Dragon

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'''Arcane Dragons''' are a family of [[dragons]] in the world of [[Dungeons & Dragons]]. Created in May 2006 for [[Dragon Magazine]] #343's Creature Catalog V, Arcane Dragons are a 3e invention made to recognize something; that despite the long association of dragons with arcane power, only the [[Metallic Dragon|Gold and Silver Dragons]] come anywhere near the inherent potency of humanoid [[wizard]], with most species learning a small handful of inate spell-like abilities over their long life. Arcane Dragons, then, truly embody the concept of the magical, spell-casting dragon, trading physical potency for expanded magical affinities; all Arcane Dragons are powerful spellcasters, even beyond their innate spell-like and supernatural abilities, and whilst their physical attacks are puny by comparison to a normal dragon's, they are deft flyers and adroit shapeshifters.

Arcane Dragons should not be confused with the Occult Dragon of the [[Esoteric Dragon]] family. They're kinda like Imagine Dragons, except Arcane.

==Hex Dragon==
[[File:Hex dragon.png|right|300px]]
Possibly distant relatives of the [[Chromatic Dragon|Black Dragon]], if Black Dragons are the cruel and malevolent villain of a Saturday morning cartoon, then the Hex Dragon is their edgy, dweebish little brother. Hex Dragons are cruel, manipulative, and infamous for their love of corruption and nickleback. Making their lairs in caverns, dark forests and fetid swamps, they are the [[witch]]es of the dragon world, embodying the sinister and corruptive aspects of magic. These dragons have long, segmented bodies, with mouths filled with a multitude of small but needle-sharp teeth. Their eyes are emerald green, and smoulder within sunken pit-like eyesockets beneath a pair of corkscrewing horns that rise from their crowns. Wyrmling hex dragons are surprisingly flabby, with corpse-pale scales that give them an almost maggot-like appearance. As they age, though, they darken in color to a deep eldritch purple, with fat melting away to be replaced by wiry muscles; an adult hex dragon is lean and strong. Hex dragons are marked by myriad arcane runes, which form on their scales shortly after hatching and become increasingly luminiscent as the dragon ages, until they burn with eldritch fire. A hex dragon's voice is described as being high-pitched, melodious, and sweet as poisoned honey.

Hex dragons frequently work with the [[undead]], and also make use of their inherent skill as [[Enchanter]]s to enslave living subjects. Younger hex dragons unable to access caverns to dwell in have their minions craft them large huts, lavishly furnished and decorated with macabre imagery; unless the hex dragon eventually discovers a sufficiently inviting cave, these huts will grow with the dragon's powerbase, eventually forming small cities in the middle of nowhere, packed to the brim with painfully creepy trinkets. Cavern lairs are decorated with the same grisly imagery in the form of frescoes and pilasters. Regardless of whether the hex dragon lives above or below ground, its lair is a hellish place filled with strange odors, smoking vats & braziers, pickled specimen jars, and mummified corpses.

Whilst able to eat practically anything, hex dragons are notoriously fussy eaters, often turning the act of dining into a ritual - such as only consuming specific organs from specific creatures during specific phases of the moon.

All hex dragons automatically know all [[Enchanter]] and [[Necromancer]] spells available to [[Sorcerer (Dungeons & Dragons)|Sorcerers]], as well as all spells associated with the Knowledge [[Cleric Domain]]. Their caster level increases with their age category. In addition to these spells, hex dragons possess a [[Breath Weapon]] in the form of a line of putrid venom, the Vile Resistance extraordinary ability (immune to disease & poison, +4 on saves vs death effects, enchantment spells, and negative energy damage), and the Retributive Curse supernatural ability, which enables them to deliver all manner of painful maladies against their attackers, with their options only growing nastier as the dragon ages - Wyrmlings can inflict temporary sickness, Young Dragons can inflict short-lived but crippling agony, Adults can deliver permanent blindness, Very Old Dragons can cause permanent insanity, and Great Wyrms can '''obliterate''' a victim in retaliation every turn! If that's not bad enough, when slain, a hex dragon delivers a dying curse, afflicting everyone within 10 feet per age category with its curse! In terms of spell-like abilities, all hex dragons can cast Deathwatch from the moment they hatch. Once they reach the Very Young stage, they can cast Suggestion 3/day, whilst Young Adults can cast Geas/Quest 1/day. Old Hex Dragons can cast a Mass Hold Person 1/day, whilst Great Wyrms can release a Wail of the Banshee 1/day.

Needless to say, hex dragons never fight fair, employing the dirtiest tactics to ensure their success - and with their great intelligence, they are capable of wicked tactics indeed. Pincer attacks with waves of undead slaves and/or dominated minions whilst the dragon launches venom and spells from above, using its shapeshifting and enchantment spells to set their foes upon each other, and launching deadly ambushes are all prominent fixtures of their repertoire.

These dragons have the Earth subtype and their expected [[alignment]] is Neutral Evil.

==Tome Dragon==
[[File:Tome Dragon.png|right|200px]]
With unclear origins, Tome Dragons are the sages of the dragon world, embodying the studious and esoteric aspects of magic. One of the smartest dragon species in existence, if not the smartest, these dragons spend their lives engaged in arcane and esoteric research, on topics including planar conjunctions, the ecology of outsiders, fate, destiny, and the flow of time itself. Highly social, by dragon standards, they often form cabals that pool their knowledge and their hoards in isolated, well-defended communal lairs, which often receive a not-unjustified reputation as library-monasteries dedicated to the most exotic and obscure of lore. Even lone tome dragons can develop powers of spellcraft and foresight said to rival those of deities, and as they age, spend increasing amounts of time exploring the world around them and the [[plane]]s beyond through astral projection.

Needless to say, when even a wyrmling tome dragon's intellect rivals that of the greatest human sage, this species has a justified tendency towards the heights of arrogance and hubris. Most find it inconceivable that they might be lacking in knowledge or judgment.

In appearance, tome dragons are unmistakable. If their disproportionately long tails - capped with pointed fins at the tip - and iridescent-sheened silver scales don't make their nature obvious enough, then their faces will; tome dragons are all but unique amongst dragondom for possessing great manes of silky, silver-colored hair. Their slender digits are highly dexterous, well-suited for manipulating tomes and scrolls that might be far smaller than their draconic reader, and their expressive faces are framed by cheek-frills of thin, backwards-pointing spines. Their eyes reflect the colors of the sky; pale blue at birth, turning to azure by early adulthood, then deep purple, and finally a dark midnight blue flecked with silver starlight. The voices of tome dragons vary from wyrm to wyrm, but are always highly characterful; thick accents, raspy coughs, smokey whispers and booming laughs are all common traits.

Tome dragons have little interest in conventional wealth and beauty; their lairs are invariably given minimalist adornments. By extension, they have little general interest in food; they eat the basic minimums they need to fuel themselves, and that only when their biology demands sustenance. That said, as a species, they do have one consumptive vice; fine tea, the more exotic its ingredients the better, is irresistible to tome dragons.

All tome dragons automatically know all [[Conjurer]] and [[Diviner]] spells available to [[Sorcerer (Dungeons & Dragons)|Sorcerers]], as well as all spells associated with the Knowledge [[Cleric Domain]], with their potency as a caster growing as they age. They invariably develop an extensive library of Metamagic options, as their unique power of Free Metamagic allows them to apply metamagic effects with inhuman swiftness and with greater freedom than any humanoid sorcerer. Their breath weapon is unique; a bead of elemental matter that explodes at a designated point in an eruption of flames, howling wind, jagged stone or high-pressure water. They also possess multiple spell-like abilities; able to cast Arcane Sight at will from the age of wyrmling, juvenile tome dragons can cast clairaudience/clairvoyance 3/day, whilst adults can Plane Shift 1/day, ancient tome dragons can cast True Seeing 1/day, and great wyrms can cast Astral Projection 1/day.

Additionally, tome dragons are said to have the unique ability of "Precognition". In an infamous editing stuff up, the actual mechanics for this trait aren't printed in the issue!

It goes without saying that fighting tome dragons is a dangerous effort. With their mastery of divination spells, ambushing one is all but impossible, and they readily use their conjuration skills to create instant armies to defend them against assailants, supporting their minions with judicious spellcasting from above. With their advanced intelligence and extensive studies, tome dragons are natural tacticians, even without their potent divinations to back them up.

These dragons have the Air subtype and their expected [[alignment]] is Lawful Neutral.

{{D&D-Dragons}}

Djinn

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[[File:Djinn5E.PNG.png|thumb|right|300px|The most iconic and distinctive of all the [[genie]]s.]]

A '''Djinn''' in Islam is a primordial spirit present before the Creation of mankind. As a being answerable only to God, such are independent of humanity and can be helpful or harmful to us. Classical Arabic is ambiguous about whether singular / plural goes jinnî / jinn, or jinn / jann; the Qurân goes with the latter.

Islamic fiction (and Islamic ''law'') are full of stories about djinn, malevolent or benign. They haunt the wadis of the desert inspiring madmen and poets.

=Dungeons & Dragons=
In [[Dungeons & Dragons]] Djinni is the singular, Djinn the plural. Such are one of the four [[genie]] races of the [[multiverse]], being associated with the [[Elemental]] force of Air. Like all genies, they are natives of either the [[Elemental Planes]], specifically the Plane of Air, or the [[Elemental Chaos]], depending on whether you look at them from the perspective of the [[Great Wheel]] or the [[World Axis]].

==Great Wheel==
Djinn are an arrogant breed, looking down on all races incapable of natural flight, but not a malicious one; despite their arrogance, they have a fundamental respect for the notion of freedom, like most airy [[elemental]]s, and are generally content to live and let live. On the Plane of Air, they dwell in isolated freeholds made of solidified clouds or floating islands of earth. Such a freehold consists of 6d10 "commoner" djinn, often with about one-third that number in [[jann]], as well as a staff of lesser air [[elemental]]s that function as servants, soldiers and laborers. The leader of a freehold typically calls itself by an Islamic noble title, and the loose society of the djinn centers itself around the more powerful members of their kind, called "Caliphs"; each caliph rules over all djinn estates within two days travel, and ultimately they report to the Great Caliph, the supreme ruler of their race who dwells in the Citadel of Ice and Steel. Such is the power of this Great Caliph that even the [[fey]] races indigenous to the Plane of Air offer the position respect or outright serve the current incumbent. Rumor has that even [[Sardior]], the god of the [[Gem Dragon]]s, has been known to visit the Great Caliph of the Djinn.

Perhaps due to their arrogance, the djinn are frequently at war. On the Plane of Air, they regularly battle [[Cloud Giant]]s, [[Storm Giant]]s, and other airy [[elemental]]s. But their bitterest and most long-lasting feud is with a fellow [[genie]] race - not the [[Dao]] of the Plane of Earth, as you might expect (perhaps due to the fact each finds the other's environment nauseating if not terrifying), but the [[Efreet]]. This ultimately stems from their opposing personalities; though the djinn are an arrogant race, they respect individual achievement and hate slavery - djinn have servants, yes, but in the form of retainers who enjoy their position and respected for their aid. In comparison, the efreet are tyrannical, authoritarian, and love to enslave others. It's not unheard of for particularly driven djinn to undertake crusades or raids against efreet or dao to free their slaves and embarrass them, and [[lulz|they will cooperate in any attempt to embarrass or thwart their enemies]].

Djinn possess a number of magical abilities, mostly relating to illusions or low-level transmutations. Their iconic power is their ability to summon a whirlwind as a personal steed to carry them at speeds far faster than they can fly. These genies look like exceedingly tall, well-muscled men and women, always possessing attractive, noble-looking features. Their skin color ranges from pale blue to the more common olive-brown and dark tan of desert natives. Their eyes are usually brown, but there are also blue-eyed djinn, who are believed to be marked by Fate for great actions. (Blue also suggests increased powers of the evil eye, however.) Djinn dress in airy, shimmering silks, which are designed for comfort as well as to flaunt their musculature.

Uniquely amongst the four "true" genies, djinn can't grant wishes at all - only the more powerful "Noble Djinn" have this ability, and they can only grant three wishes to a single individual in that individual's life.

<gallery>
<center>
Djinn 1e.png
Djinn MCV1.jpg
genie MM 2e man.png
2e Djinni Female (LoF).png
2e Djinni Male (LoF).png
Noble Djinni.gif
Djinn & Efreeti 3E.jpg
</center>
</gallery>

===5e===
Proud, sensuous genies from the Elemental Plane of Air, the djinn are attractive, tall, well-muscled humanoids with blue skin and dark eyes. They dress in airy, shimmering silks, designed as much for comfort as to flaunt their musculature.

Djinn rule floating islands of clouds covered with enormous pavilions or topped with wondrous buildings, courtyards, fountains, and gardens. Creatures of comfort and ease, djinn enjoy succulent fruits, pungent wines, fine perfumes, and beautiful music. Djinn are known for their sense of mischief and their favorable attitude toward mortals. Among genies, djinn deal coolly with efreet and marids, whom they view as haughty. They openly despise dao and strike against them with little provocation.

The djinn ride powerful whirlwinds that they create and direct on a whim, and which can even carry passengers. Creatures that stand against a djinni are assaulted by wind and thunder, even as the djinni spins away on that wind if outmatched in combat. When a djinni flies, its lower body transforms into a column of swirling air.

The djinn believe that servitude is a matter of fate, and that no being can contest the hand of fate. As a result, of all the genies, djinn are the ones most amenable to servitude, though they never enjoy it. Djinn treat their slaves more like servants deserving of kindness and protection, and they part with them reluctantly. A mortal who desires the brief service of a djinni can entreat it with fine gifts, or use flattery to bribe it into compliance. Powerful wizards are able to forgo such niceties, however, if they can summon, bind into service, or imprison a djinni using magic. Long-term service displeases a djinni, and imprisonment is inexcusable. Djin11 resent the cruel wizards that have imprisoned their" kind in bottles, iron flasks, and wind instruments throughout the ages. Betrayal, particularly by a mortal whom a djinni trusted, is a vile deed that only deadly vengeance can amend.

==World Axis==
Djinn were once one of the great powers of the [[World Axis]], with an unparalleled ability to shape chaos-stuff into whatever they desired. Mighty mage-artisans, they were supposedly born at the spot in the [[Elemental Chaos]] where the first cloud took shape, growing until it spread for miles in all direction. Here, the djinn came into being, and created the First City; a sprawling work of living art. They were arguably the most society of all the elemental races; a marvel of soaring inspiration, intellect, and creative power, free of the warlike natures of [[efreet]] or [[titan]]s. They were the original inventors of ''al-Buraj'', the mystical art that is used to help navigate the Elemental Chaos.

Unfortunately, they are now a shattered, broken people; whilst they cling to the attitudes of haughty nobles, it's a desperate attempt to deny how far they fell. The djinn made the unwise decision to fight the [[Dawn War]] on the side of the [[Archomental|Primordials]] - most likely because they feared that the gods would strip them of their ability to shape and mold reality as they saw fit. That became a self-fulfilling prophecy; when they lost, the gods punished the djinn by sealing their mightiest leaders into physical vessels, and stripping all who remained free of significant portions of their power.

So broken are the modern djinn that they have abandoned their former holdings, including the magnificent cloud fortresses that their noble caliphs once called home. As they see it, there is little purporse in rebuilding their society as it once was if they cannot make it ''exactly'' as it was. They now eke out existences as either solitary nomads or small clans, constantly struggling to find a way to free the imprisoned caliphs or restore their former power; this desperation to shake off the yoke of their shameful punishment and reclaim even an echo of their lost glory leaves them a grim race.

<gallery>
<center>
File:4e Djinn Skylord.png
File:4e Djinn Stormsword.png
File:4e Djinn Thunderer.png
File:4e Djinn Windbow.png
</center>
</gallery>

==Publication History==
Alongside their hated rivals, the [[Efreet]], djinn are the oldest of the four genie races in D&D metalore, having debuted in the original "white box" for [[Dungeons & Dragons]] back in 1974. They were converted to [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] 1e in the original [[Monster Manual]], and to BECMI in the Expert Set. [[Tracy Hickman]] mooted a caliph for them in [[I3-4-5: Desert of Desolation | I4: Oasis of the White Palm]].

AD&D 2e brought the djinn under the "genie" heading into the Monstrous Compendium Volume One, which was in 1993 reprinted for the Monstrous Manual. The noble djinn and their Great Caliph appeared for the [[Al-Qadim]] setting in the Monstrous Compendium Al-Qadim Appendix. The djinn also appeared in this setting under the header "Genie of Zakhara" in the Land of Fate boxed set.

Like all genies, it appeared in the [[Monster Manual]] for [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]].

In [[Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition]], however, it lost that spot, and wouldn't appear until the [[Monster Manual]] 2. The race's lore would be fleshed out in the [[Elemental Chaos]] [[splatbook]] "Secrets of the Plane Below".

It reappeared alongside its fellow [[genie]]s in the [[Monster Manual]] for [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition]].

[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons]] [[Category: Pathfinder]] [[Category: Monsters]]

Oread

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'''Oreads''' are part of the sprawling [[Nymph]] family in Greco-Roman Mythology; cousins to the [[Dryad]] and [[Nereid]], Oreads are mountain nymphs, known to be more aggressive in temperament than their cousins and thus often following in the entourage of [[Artemis]].

==D&D==
[[File:Oread FF 3e.jpg|thumb]]
[[Dungeons & Dragons]] took the similarity between oreads and [[dryad]]s to its logical extreme; oreads were reinvented as the [[fey]] spirits of mountains, sort of an earthy analogue to dryads, and given a particular presence on [[Ysgard]], [[Arborea]] and the [[Beastlands]]. They debuted, alongside several other "[[angel]]ic [[fey]]" such as the [[lillend]], in the "Planes of Chaos" splatbook for [[Planescape]], with the following fluff.

===Official Fluff===
Oreads are to mountains what [[dryad]]s are to oak forests: They are guardian spirits, protectors, and shepherds. Oreads are lithe, stony women with skin the color of the rock of the mountain they protect. Some Oreads are soft and round and tawny like limestone or sandstone; others are grainy red, white, and black like granite; or sharp, angular, and brittle like dark gray gneiss. Their eyes are always the color or clear gemstones and their hair resembles lichen: pale gray, whitish green, or a dark yellow-brown. In winter, their hair and their shoulders always turn white, like the snow-capped peaks. Like dryads, all Oreads are female.

Oreads always wear loose gowns in black, gray, or gold. They are very fond of ornaments, such as ribbons resembling white, plunging waterfalls, crowns of gold and jewels, and glowing shawls that somehow bend light into rainbows.

Oreads speak a dialect of the language of dryads, and the two races can make themselves understood to each other, though only with some difficulty. In addition to their own language, oreads also speak the language of [[satyr]]s, [[korred]]s, [[galeb duhr]], [[Stone Giant|stone giants]], [[Mountain Giant|mountain giants]], and [[dwarves]].

====Combat====
Oreads dislike combat but are hellions when miners, woodcutters, quarrymen, or builders threaten their territory. Oreads can club their enemies with their hard fists for 1d6 points of damage, or they can use their powerful spells.

Each oread can sing the song of stone once per day. The song sounds like a fast mountain brook, like the rushing wind in trees, like the clatter of stones in a rockslide. This magical form of attack charms all those who hear it unless they make a saving throw versus spell at -3. Those who fail must serve the oread for one year, and no dispel magic or remove curse can break this charm. Part of the enchantment causes the oread’s servant to be so devoted to her that he’ll willingly lay down his life for hts mistress. A limited wish or holy word is required to break the hold of an oread over her servant. Most oreads keep only a single servant at a time, and if appealed to, they sometimes ransom their servants back to their families before their time of service is done.

An oread can cast each or the following spells once per day as a 9th-level caster: stone shape, stoneskin, and stone tell. An oread can dimension door anywhere on her mountain three times per day, and can meld into stone at will. Once melded within the stone, they can either return to the surface when the spell’s effect expires, or they can burrow rapidly through solid stone to reappear elsewhere. “Burrowing” is actually an inaccurate term when applied to oreads: they are at one with the stone that they travel through as other races might travel through water, leaving no trace of a tunnel or disturbance behind them.

Oreads prefer to ambush the enemies of the mountains when they can. Their assaults take place on footpaths that their victim travels often. The oreads all meld into stone before the taget arrives, and then leap out as he passes by. In these situations, they gain surprise on a roll of 1-7 on 1d10.

Oreads sometimes befriend snow leopards, mountain lions, and mountain goats. These animals aren’t their slaves or servants, but come and go as they please. Oreads have little other company, so they defend their pets fiercely, sometimes to the death.

====Habitat/Society====
Oreads are tied to a single mountain peak. They can travel anywhere on their mountain, from the valley to the heights, but they may never go more than 500 yards from the foot of their mountain. Unlike dryads, they are not vulnerable to the death of their mountain — after all, a mountain cannot die — but they are pained by mining, deforestation, and magical erosion.

Although oreads are solitary, up to four have been encountered in one place. These meetings are usually in mountain valleys surrounded by many peaks, and the oreads are usually related. Arboreans say this is why mountains that stand near one another are sometimes called sisters.

The mountain spirits dwell alone for most of their lives, though once a century they may raise a daughter. Like [[dryad]]s, the children of oreads are born of [[satyr]] or [[korred]] fathers, though the fathers have nothing to do with (and no interest in) raising their young. The young oreads resemble [[korred]] until they reach puberty at age 19, when they begin to lose their wild hair and mountain-goat hooves. Any male young are [[satyr]]s, who quickly grow to maturity and then strike out on their own.

====Ecology====
Oreads devour certain minerals — especially clear gemstones such as quartz, topaz, emeralds, sapphires, and diamonds — and they gladly accept such gifts from visitors and admirers. They are quite brash about their desires and are not ashamed to bluntly ask for gems that they admire. They enjoy metal jewelry but don’t eat metals of any kind. Oreads are on good terms with [[dryad]]s, [[korred]], [[satyr]]s, [[galeb duhr]], and most [[Fey|faerie]] creatures. They are the sworn enemies of [[dwarves]], [[gnome]]s, [[goblin]]s, [[pech]], [[xorn]], and other mining races. They are rivals of [[sylph]]s, who often tease and harass the earthbound oreads.

====Snowhair====
The snowhair are the legendary oreads who have broken the bonds of their ties to a particular mountain and become the guardians of entire mountain ranges. They are the eldest oreads, the keepers of wisdom and the legacy of the entire race, and their age is reflected in their snow-white hair, their craggy features, and their slumped bodies, like mountains worn into foothills with the passage of time.

Snowhair are much stronger than their younger sisters; they have 12 Hit Dice, can cast earthquake once per week, and may cast animate rock, dig, Maximillian’s earthen grasp, and part stone (an earthen version of part water) at will. If they are severely threatened or angered, they can petrify opponents with a touch. Most snowhair oreads resort to this only against miners, quarrymen, and the like who ignore their warnings and continue to mine. The victim is entitled to a saving throw, and if it succeeds he can never be petrified by that particular snowhair oread. If it fails, he ist transformed into a boulder of about the same size. Because their form is altered, victims can only be restored through a combination of stone shape and stone to flesh.

The snowhair are responsible for taking oread daughters from their mothers to the mountains that the young will be bonded to when they mature, so the snowhair are often seen by the oreads as bringers of sorrow. However, they are also the defenders of the mountains. When a planar shift threatens to slip a mountain over a boundary from one plane to the next, the snowhair oreads are the ones who make the final efforts to keep the land in the plane it belongs to.

All snowhair oreads are peaceful, smiling, and talkative, full of the tranquil strength that comes with age. Some are even proxies of the powers. A group of seven ancient snowhair oreads is said to be the guardian nature spirits of Mount Olympus.

==Pathfinder==
[[File:Ondorum.jpg|right|300px]]
In [[Pathfinder]], oreads are an [[elemental]] [[planetouched]] race native to the [[Great Beyond]] cosmology. They are the [[Pathfinder]] equivalent of Earth [[Genasi]].

Physically and mentally strong, they are a stoic breed who feel a closer affinity for the earth and its denizens than most civilized races. They are one of the rarer [[planetouched]] breeds of Golarion.

::+2 Strength, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma
::Native Outsider
::Medium
::Base speed 20 feet
::Darkvision 60 feet
::Spell-like Ability: Magic Stone 1/day with a caster level equal to character level.
::Energy Resistance: Acid Resistance 5
::Earth Affinity: Oread Sorcerers with the Earth bloodline treat their Charisma as being +2 points higher for all sorcerer spells and class abilities, whilst oread Clerics with the Earth domain use its domain power and domain spells at +1 caster level.

Gemsoul changes the ability scores to +2 Strength, +2 Charisma, -2 Wisdom and gains Color Spray in place of the SLA, which once again would make great Paladins if there weren't better races. Ironsoul replaces the ability scores with +2 con, +2 wis -2 dex and the SLA to unerring weapon.

===Gallery===
<gallery>
Oread B2 PF.png
Oread portrait.jpg
Oread PF.jpg
Oread PF 2e.png
Oread ARG 1.png
Oread ARG 2.png
</gallery>

{{Pathfinder-Races}}
{{Starfinder-Races}}

[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons]] [[Category: Monsters]] [[Category:Planetouched Races]] [[Category: Planescape]]

Efreet

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[[File:Efreeti-5e.png|thumb|right|300px|Evil [[genie]]s of flame and smoke, efreet are arguably the most recognizable of their kin. If only because they look like [[fiend]]s.]]

'''Efreet''' (singular Efreeti) are spirits of Iranian mythology like so much else of an "Orientalist" flavour. The Quran canonised them in the sura of Solomon aka "the Ants"; its hero-prophet-king knuckled them under, along with other(?) [[genie]]s.

[[Dungeons & Dragons]] loved these guys, and made 'em one of the genie races of the [[multiverse]] - here, the [[Elemental]] force of Fire. Or maybe of the [[Elemental Chaos]]. That all depends on whether you look at them from the perspective of the [[Great Wheel]] or the [[World Axis]].

==Great Wheel==
Resembling [[fiend]]s with their crimson skin, fiery hair, glowing eyes, fangs, claws and short horns, efreet are obviously evil the moment you look at them, and in this case, appearances are not deceiving. Efreet are rapacious tyrants who crave to dominate and subjugate mortals, surrounding themselves with slaves, servitors and thralls. Yet, at the same time, they are weirdly charming and alluring, excelling at manipulating and beguiling the unwary. Denizens of the Plane of Fire, efreet are the [[genie]] race most interested in interacting with the rest of the [[multiverse]], and as such the capital city of the efreet - the [[City of Brass]] - is one of the more important planar metropoleis, though still inferior to [[Sigil]], of course. It is ruled over by the Sultan of the Efreet, a figure who is unnamed throughout D&D's history... unless you go to [[Al-Qadim]], where the genie splatbook "Secrets of the Lamp" state that his name is Marrake al-Sidan al-Hariq ben Lazan... a name that, ironically, would only appear one other time, and that's in 3e's Planar Handbook. They are the dominant race of the Plane of Fire, and thusly rule over large portions of the populations of fiery [[elemental]]s, especially [[salamander]]s and [[azer]]s.

The efreet war on... pretty much everyone who seeks to stop or thwart them, but have a particular loathing for the [[marid]]s (who are their enemy element) and the [[djinn]] (whose love of freedom and respect for mortals incenses the slave-taking efreet).

Ironically, efreet are the [[genie]]s most likely to be enslaved by [[conjurer]]s, [[sha'ir]] or, well, anybody who knows the proper magic. This is because efreet are unique amongst geniekind in that they can grant true wishes practically at-will! Efreet can grant three wishes per day to any nongenie... although they absolutely hate using this ability (in no small part because their superiors will find out and call them to account for granting wishes), and wherever possible they will try to turn wishes sour on their foes, unless the wish is being made by a true ally or somehow serves the efreet's purpose. Strangely, noble efreet have no particularly greater power than this.

<gallery>
<center>
Efreet ODD1.png
Efreet 1e.jpg
Efreeti Monster card.jpg
Efreet MCV1.jpg
Efreeti MM 2e.png
Efreet tRoSP.png
2e Efreet Female (LoF).png
2e Efreet Male (LoF).png
Noble Efreet.gif
Djinn & Efreeti 3E.jpg
</center>
</gallery>

===5e===
[[File:Beavis-and-Butt-Head-Fire.jpg|thumb|right|Tell me what to do and I will obey!]]
Hulking genies of the Elemental Plane of Fire, the efreet are masters of flame, immune to fire and able to create it on a whim. Fine silk caftans and damask robes drape their magma-red or coal-black skin, and they bedeck themselves in brass and gold torcs, chains, and rings, all glittering with jewels. When an efreeti flies, its lower body transforms into a column of smoke and embers.

The efreet are deceptive, cunning, and cruel to the point of ruthlessness. They despise being forced into servitude and are relentless in pursuit of vengeance against creatures that have wronged them. Efreet don't see themselves in this light, naturally, and regard their race as fair and orderly, even as they admit to an enlightened sense of self-interest.

Efreet view all other creatures as enemies or potential serfs. They raid the Material Plane and the elemental planes for slaves, which they capture and bring back to their homes on the Elemental Plane of Fire. The efreet rule as oppressive tyrants, promoting only the cruelest among their slaves. Those overseers are given whips to help keep the rank-and-file slaves in line.

Most efreet reside on the Elemental Plane of Fire, either in great domed fortresses of black glass and basalt surrounded by churning lakes of fire, or in the fabled City of Brass. Additionally, efreet military outposts thronging with their minions and slaves can be found scattered throughout the planes. On the Material Plane, efreet dwell in fiery regions such as volcanoes and the burning expanses of the world's deserts. Their love of the desert brings them into conflict with the [[djinn]] that ride the desert whirlwinds, and with the earthbound [[dao]]. Efreet utterly despise [[marid]]s, with whom they have maintained a passionate conflict throughout the history of both races.

==World Axis==
Efreet of the World Axis are... pretty much the same as their counterparts in the Great Wheel! What can we say, it's an obvious winning formula? The "evil merchant princes" aspect of efreet society is played up in this version, however, with more emphasis on the efreet being planar movers and shakers - with its indigenous temperature lowered from "lethal save at the efreeti's whims" to "scorching hot summer's day", the City of Brass is also considerably more important in this cosmology, being one of ''the'' big planar trade hubs of the World Axis. They are most famous for having mastered (they claim created, but the [[djinn]] argue otherwise) the mystical lore of ''al-buraj'', a complex blend of philosophy, mathematics and drug-fueled spiritualism that is the most reliably way for beings to charge navigable paths through the ever-shifting plane.

The precise origins of the efreet? Nobody actually knows. Theories include being the archetypal "fire race" of the multiverse (thus, other fiery creatures, including [[fiend]]s, are merely copying the efreet), being yet another fiery creation of the [[Archomental|Primordials]], being descendants of rebellious [[devil]]s, being the creations of a god that defected to the side of the primordials, or even being the fruit of a forbidden love betwixt god and primordial.

One notable if minor lore change between the cosmologies is that the efreeti Grand Sultan in the World Axis is no longer Marrake al-Sidan al-Hariq ben Lazan (don't be ashamed if you don't know that name; it literally only appeared the once in AD&D), but a young up-and-comer named Bashamgurda, who took the throne about 400 years ago. Ironically, Bashamgurda would go on to be slain by a band of adventurers late in the [[Scales of War]] adventure path, being replaced by a general named Estumishu... although the adventure even consistently misspells his name as "Bashumgarda". Precisely why the name was changed, given so much else about the City of Brass writeup in 4e was taken from 3e's Planar Handbook, which was the only planar sourcebook to reuse that info from [[Al-Qadim]], is a mystery. Perhaps it was to cement that the World Axis is a different cosmology to the Great Wheel. Maybe it was because "Marrake al-Sidan al-Hariq ben Lazan" was deemed too stupid and/or offensively 90s to be reused. Maybe WotC just figured nobody would care, since the name literally only appeared in two sourcebooks across two editions. Whatever the reason, it is what it is, and the change was made very early in the Axis' creation, since Bashamgurda was namedropped in the "Worlds & Monsters" edition previous splat.

Another, more major change, is that the efreet of the Axis no longer have any real rivalry with the [[marid]]s - oh, the two races still despise each other, because the marids hate slavery, but they just don't focus on each other all that much. The real enmity in the Axis is between efreet and [[djinn]]; the two have been clashing for position of the "dominant" elemental race since the dawn of history, and it's rumored that it was the efreet who came to the gods with the secret of binding djinn into physical vessels, which has resulted in the near-collapse of djinni civilization. Naturally, the djinn want revenge.

<gallery>
<center>
File:4e Efreeti.png
File:4e Efreet Sultan of Brass.png
</center>
</gallery>

==Publication History==
Alongside their hated rivals, the [[Djinn]], efreet are the oldest of the <strike>two</strike><strike>four</strike>five genie races in D&D metalore, having debuted in the original "white box" for [[Dungeons & Dragons]] back in 1974. They were converted to [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] 1e in the original [[Monster Manual]], and to [[Basic Dungeons & Dragons|BECMI]] in [[Tom Moldvay]]'s Expert Set.

They first made their appearance in AD&D 2e under the "genie" heading in the Monstrous Compendium Volume One, which was then reprinted and in the Monstrous Manual. The noble efreet and the Sultan of the Efreet appeared for the [[Al-Qadim]] setting in the Monstrous Compendium Al-Qadim Appendix. The efreet also appeared in this setting under the header "Genie of Zakhara" in the Land of Fate boxed set.

Like all genies, it appeared in the [[Monster Manual]] for [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]].

In [[Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition]], it was the only genie race to appear in the original [[Monster Manual]]. The race's lore would be fleshed out in both the 4e [[Manual of the Planes]] and in the [[Elemental Chaos]] [[splatbook]] "Secrets of the Plane Below", such is their prominence in the [[World Axis]].

It reappeared alongside its fellow [[genie]]s in the [[Monster Manual]] for [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition]].

[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons]] [[Category: Pathfinder]] [[Category: Monsters]]

Phaethon

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[[File:Phaethons.png|thumb|right|300px|Because a regular elf just ain't special enough.]]

'''Phaethons''' are a minor race from the [[Dragonlance]] setting of [[Dungeons & Dragons]]. Descended from a line of [[elves]] with distant blood-ties to the Krynnish god [[Habbakuk]], they are distinguished from their kinsfolk by their ability to produce wings of magical fire from their backs. They are a reclusive, isolationist people who inhabit the Khalkhist Mountains of Krynn, having broken away from mainstream Kagonesti society when their demigod patriarch and his offspring were persecuted for their claims of divine ancestry.

Phaethons take their name from a minor character of Classical Mythology; the demigod son of the solar deity (either [[Apollo]] or Helios, depending on the tale), who begged his father to be allowed to drive the Chariot of the Sun in order to impress the mortals who had mocked him for his claims of being a god's son. Then he lost control of the chariot and almost destroyed the world before [[Zeus]] struck him dead with a thunderbolt.

==Publication History==
Phaethons first appeared in the Dragonlance novels, specifically showing up in the story "Wanderlust", which was part of the Meetings Sextet mini-series. They were then adapted as monsters to [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] in the 2nd Dragonlance Monstrous Compendium.

[[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]] saw Phaethons first make an appearance as both a monster and a playable race in the 3.0 adventure "Age of Mortals #1: Key of Destiny". They were then fleshed out in the [[Races of Ansalon]] splatbook.

==AD&D Fluff==
Phaethons are a simple, rustic people of mountain-dwellers who can be mistaken for short, thin, ruddy-skinned, brightly haired (coppery red is the most common) [[half-elves]] with dark brown eyes at first glance. Only when they reveal their magnificent flaming wings can they be identified for what they are. They dress in simple, drably colored garb and pursue humble lives in terraced farming communities, where they grow various grains, fruits and vegetables, herd sheep and goats, and keep rabbits and chickens. They are a completely self-sufficient culture, with neither need for nor interest in the outside world - though arguably xenophobic, it's in the sense of wanting to avoid having anything to do with other races, rather than active aggression; phaethons prefer to just let travelers be on their way and avoid interacting with them. When they do need to protect their homes and families, however, phaethons are ruthless and uncompromising.

Hard-working and proud of their accomplishments, phaethons are best characterized by their absolute dedication to honesty and truthfulness; lying for any reason is considered a more grievous crime than stealing, although the race is so devoted to lawfulness and honesty that many of them have a hard time understanding the concept of willfully committing a crime.

This devotion to honesty extends beyond the spoken word and respect for property. To phaethons, actions really do speak much more loudly than words. A man who lights a fire and then lets it go out through neglect is considered foolish. A man who chops down a tree and then lets it lie is considered a complete loss.

These attitudes cause a deal of friction when phaethons deal with other [[demihuman]] races. They are always willing to judge individuals on their own merits rather than the faults or strengths of others, but telling even the slightest untruth for any reason permanently blemishes that person’s reputation; those who would seek out the phaethons for any reason whatever must be prepared to be scrupulously honest at all times and about all things.

To avoid problems, phaethons customarily do not question each other or outsiders about their personal lives unless they are from the same family. The desire to give an honest answer often conflicts with the need for privacy or the need to not insult friends. Therefore, phaethons do not ask leading questions without first preparing themselves for the worst. For a stranger or an outsider to ask such questions is considered rude at best and a personal challenge at worst.

Phaethons do not spend a great deal of time flying; it is a luxury to them, something to be done when work is finished. Still, on calm summer evenings, groups of them can be seen soaring above the peaks and swooping through the valleys.

The life expectancy of most phaethons is 90 to 100 years. For a reason not even the phaethons understand, some do not die of old age; instead, sometime around their 90th year, they are overcome by a desire to fly toward the sun. They climb, and climb, and climb ever higher until either exhaustion or lack of oxygen or both causes them to pass out. As they plunge back toward Krynn, a marvelous transformation takes place and as they regain their senses, still thousands of feet above ground, they discover that they have metamorphosed into elder phaethons.

Elder phaethons are taller than phaethons, with snow white hair, black pupils, and copper-colored skin. Their flaming wings are brilliant and at least 30 feet from wing tip to wing tip. They can, quite literally, dance in the air. Those phaethons that make this transformation become immensely solitary creatures. They still know their family and friends, but they have no need or desire to return to them or to their farms. They spend their days soaring through the mountains, scouting for intruders, lost travelers, and anything else that is out of place or unusual. They are invaluable guardians for the phaethon settlements in that little happens in the mountains without their knowledge.

Most of an elder phaethon’s time is spent either in flight or sitting atop a mountain and scanning the world around. A panoramic vista and air beneath their wings seem to be their only concerns.

Elder phaethons neither hunt nor gather. Their food requirements are very slight and are met entirely by the inhabitants of the phaethon settlements under their guardianship. The people of these settlements leave food out in the open and, approximately once a week, an elder phaethon stops by to pick up the food and relay any pertinent messages. These visits are always brief and formal. Elder phaethons have also been known to look after villages of humans and demihumans as well as those of normal phaethons, if the humans and demihumans have demonstrated that they are worthy of protection. If the village ever neglects to leave food for the elder phaethon or lies to him in any way, he will forsake that village forever. However, if a village is under his wing, so to speak, he will defend it with his own life, if necessary.

In the absence of violence, an elder phaethon can live another 150 to 200 years.

==3e Fluff==
A phaethon resembles a [[half-elf]], with deep brown eyes and red-blonde to dark coppery brown hair. Their most stunning feature is, of course, their brilliant fiery wings, which vanish and reappear as willed; because they view their wings as a sacred gift from their divine ancestors, they are loathe to use them unless necessary. The typical phaethon's personality is best summed up with three words: fiery, aloof, and introverted. Phaethon culture is based on hundreds, even thousands of years of orally-recorded divine tradition, which preaches the phaethons need only look to the example of those who came before them and that the outside world has nothing to teach them - there is no need to investigate the philosophy of other races, nor acquire enlightenment from association with outsiders.

Obviously, this makes them seem pretty damn distant, if not outright arrogant, but not all phaethons are so closed-minded.

A phaethon is disciplined and organized, with simple and elegant solutions to most daily problems. Her activities are carried out in accordance with how her people have always done things, although a creative and novel approach is never dismissed. Rather, such innovations are regarded as the uncovering of lost and hidden truths. In battle, she is reluctant to fight unless the situation is dire or her homestead is threatened with destruction. When this occurs, her fury is focused and determined.

Phaethons inherited much from their elven kindred, including a fondness for nature and a close relationship with animals and forests. However, their forced isolationism and self-reliance has given rise to a distinctly ordered and austere community that embraces honesty, truth, and simple traditions. They lead rustic lives in high mountain areas where sheltered valleys provide some measure of agricultural resources and seclusion.

Traditionally, phaethons live in the Khalkist Mountains, but the Chaos War sees their homeland destroyed by incursions of Fire Dragons. As a result, the phaethons of the Age of Mortals are mostly found in the Desolation, where they forged a pact with Malystryx the Red Dragon Overlord that saw them being given permission to settle in "her" mountains in exchange for serving as border scouts and occasional agents. Small communities can also be found in high and isolated mountain regions throughout Ansalon.

In the wake of Malys’ death and the conclusion of the War of Souls, the phaethons are now forced to deal with treasure hunters, [[adventurer]]s, rogue [[dragonspawn]], and other threats to their peaceful existence. This being the case, younger phaethons are drawn to the outside world, eager to better understand the danger to their kindred. A phaethon who chooses to leave his community is an exceptional individual, willing to relinquish some part of himself to embrace the life of a traveler. Many phaethon try to leave their race behind them, but ultimately return unfulfilled.

Phaethons don’t typically get along with most other races, simply as a result of their isolated past. The people of Krynn thought of them as a myth until recently. However, their preference would be toward other trustworthy folk, such as dwarves, or to sylvan people, such as the Kagonesti, who while barbaric and wild are still more honest than other elves.

Phaethons have a strange relationship with red dragons. The mighty reds know the phaethons to be immune to their flames, and they managed to broker a compact with Malystryx—no easy feat. Even after her death in the War of Souls, most of Ansalon’s red dragons will spare a phaethon, either out of respect for the compact or because they consider them touched by the gods and not worth the trouble to harass.

A phaethon community consists of a mountain village or town built above the treeline, often chosen for magical or mystical qualities. Given they have fiery wings coming out of their backs, for obvious reasons, they eschew wood as a building material; rocky outcroppings and natural caves are used extensively where possible, but the phaethons put in plenty of hard work and magic to shape the rugged landscape to their needs. Being immune to fire, they find active volcanoes a perfectly hospitable home, and in fact prefer such terrain - being immune to fire lets them harvest the molten metal and stone from its guts, which are far easier to shape.

Leadership of a phaethon community is handled by a council of elders, which for phaethons designates members of their race who have undergone a physical and spiritual metamorphosis into a more powerful form (handled in 3e as a racial prestige class). Aside from the basic fact that the elders handle all things relating to laws, judgment or the future of the community - elders often undertake rituals of [[elemental]] communion and omen-based divination to locate sites to found new settlements, for example - phaethons are basically egalitarian, with none of the traditions of leadership or aristocracy seen amongst their [[elf]] relatives.

The phaethons are deeply spiritual people, although they take it to an ascetic level rather than expressing it outwardly. They do not typically adorn themselves with religious or holy icons, nor do they set aside buildings as temples or shrines. Instead, each phaethon is expected to come to an understanding, or agreement, with one of the Great Patrons alone; most simply choose a god and live a life in accordance with that credo, although others take this to another level.

The Great Patrons are [[Habbakuk]], [[Sirrion]], and [[Sargonnas]], as each are associated with fire. A minor rite of ascension, sharing elements of that which leads to the transformation of an elder, is undertook by a phaethon who seeks to embrace the life of a devotee. Phaeran the Firebird (Habbakuk) is the foremost of the Patrons, and his followers, some of whom are paladins, are known as the Phaenar. Their fiery wings become blue once they have completed their holy rites. Sirithos the Flame (Sirrion) is patron to an order of monks who, quite at odds with phaethon and monastic culture, abstain from discipline and law for the apparent randomness and spontaneity of inner wisdom. Kinthalos the Scar (Sargonnas) is usually invoked to calm a volcanic fire or in an oath of vengeance, but he has some evil followers who practice dark rites of scarification, sacrifice, and murder. Clerics of Kinthalos do not live openly for obvious reasons, although their deep blood-red flames are difficult to conceal.

A fair number of [[mystic]]s arose among the phaethon communities of the Age of Mortals. Most are fire mystics, practicing the same rites and keeping to the same traditions as their [[cleric]]al brothers. Typically, a community will have [[mystic]]s or [[cleric]]s, but rarely both. No animosity is held toward the other, but a schism may exist if the mystics do not return to their faith eventually.

==PC Stats==
::Strength -2, Wisdom +2.
::Humanoid (elf, fire): Phaethons are humanoids with both the elf and fire subtypes. They are immune to fire, but are vulnerable to cold and subject to any spells or effects that target fire creatures.
::A phaethon’s base land speed is 30 feet; he has a fly speed of 60 feet (average) when his wings are manifested.
::Low-light vision: Phaethon do not have the elvensight of their wingless cousins, but are still capable of seeing twice as far as a human in dim light.
::Flaming Wings: As a free action that does not draw an attack of opportunity, a phaethon can manifest a pair of fiery wings that enable him to fly. These wings may also be used to cause fire damage in unarmed combat. A phaethon who makes an unarmed strike while his wings are manifested inflicts 1d6 points of fire damage in addition to the standard unarmed damage. A phaethon who is involved in a grapple may add this damage to any other damage inflicted on the opponent as a result of a grapple check. A phaethon who uses his wings to inflict additional fire damage in a round cannot also use them to fly in that round. Manifesting his wings is a supernatural ability with an effective caster level equal to the phaethon’s character level for the purposes of antimagic and dispel effects.
::Automatic Languages: Common, Elven. Bonus
::Languages: Celestial, Draconic, Dwarven, Ignan, Sylvan.
::[[Favored Class]]: [[Monk]] - Phaethons can take a racial [[Variant Class]] called the Phaethon Monk, see below.
::[[Level Adjustment]]: +2.

===Phaethon Monk Class Feature===
The devotees of [[Sirrion]] among the phaethon call themselves the Order of Sirithos. Unlike other [[monk]]s, the brothers of the Order embrace the chaotic aspects of their fiery patron and eschew the lawful disciplines. Phaethon monks in the Order must be chaotic in alignment and suffer the same penalties if they change to a non-chaotic alignment as standard monks do if they change to a nonlawful alignment.

Dance of Flames
::You abandon the inner disciplines and meditations of other monks in order to unleash the chaotic dance of your patron.
::Level: 3rd.
::Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain the following monk abilities at their respective levels: Still Mind, Purity of Body, Wholeness of Body, Diamond Body, Diamond Soul, Timeless Body, Empty Body, Perfect Self.
::Benefit: Beginning at 3rd level, whenever you make a full attack using your flurry of blows, you may also move up to your speed. You must move a minimum of 5 feet between each attack, and you may not enter a square you just exited. Dancing in this way provokes an attack of opportunity, but you may tumble as part of your move. While dancing, you may not use any skill or ability that requires concentration or which requires you to remain still, such as Hide or Move Silently. You may perform such a dance only once per encounter, and the dance lasts for 1 round for every 2 ranks in Perform (dance) you possess.
:::Once the dance has ended, you are fatigued for the remainder of the encounter. You may perform the Dance of Flames only once per day at 3rd level. The number of times per day increases by 1 for every 4 levels afterwards: twice a day at 7th level, three times per day at 11th level, four times per day at 15th level, and five times per day at 19th level.
:::In addition to the dance’s other effects you gain a bonus to all Will saves and damage rolls for the duration. Your bonus begins as +1 at 3rd level, increasing by +1 at 5th level and every 4 levels after that: +3 at 9th level, +4 at 13th level, and +5 at 17th level.
:::At 9th level, you are no longer fatigued after your dance has ended. At 20th level, you are immune to all mind affecting or enchantment effects while dancing, and there is no limit to the number of times per day that you may dance.

===Elder Phaethon Prestige Class===
Entry Requirements
*Race: Phaethon
*Base Attack Bonus: +4.
*Skills: Any 2 knowledge skills 10 ranks.
*Special: Survive the Rite of Ascension.
Class Features
*Flaming Wings (Su): at 1st, 2nd and 3rd level, your wings increase in size and power and your flight increases by 10 feet. At 1st level, the fire damage dealt by your wings increases to 1d8. At 2nd level. your maneuverability increases to good and the fire damage increases to 2d6. At 3rd level, the fire damage increases to 3d6.
*Spell Resistance: Beginning at 1st level, you gain spell resistance equal to your character level +10.
*Fiery Aura: Once per day at 2nd level, you may wreath your body in an aura of radiant flame. While your aura is active, you cannot use your wings to fly, but you gain a deflection bonus to AC equal to your Cha bonus, and any creature striking you with melee attack takes fire damage equal to that delivered by your wings. You may maintain the aura for a number of rounds equal to 3 plus your Con modifier.
*Native Outsider At 3rd level, your type changes to outsider (fire, native).

[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons Races]] [[Category: Dragonlance]]

Fog Giant

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[[File:Fog giant 2e.png|left|300px]]
'''Fog Giants''' are an offshoot species of the [[Cloud Giant]]s in [[Dungeons & Dragons]], characterized by their dwelling on land in misty territories, where their milky white skin and silvery-white hair better enable them to blend into their environments. Whilst often perceived as dull-witted and brutish by outsiders, they are in fact a highly intelligent and cultured race, which helps explain why they share the position of their Cloud Giant cousins in the [[Ordning]].

Physically, they are characterized by excessive amounts of body hair (although, weirdly, they don't grow facial hair), their distinctive pallor, the length at which they wear their hair, and the fact their arms and legs are extremely well-muscled, if not disproportionately so, due to their culture revolving heavily around games and contests of throwing and strength. They have extremely sharp senses of smell and hearing, and are also particularly adept at rock throwing even by giant standards.

Living in caves, canyons, or thickets, which are themselves located in the most inaccessible areas of marsh, swamp, forest, or coast, fog giant life revolves around two activities: hunting and playing. The men spend most of their time wandering in groups, typically foraying up to a dozen miles from their base camp at a time, in order to secure the food that they need to feed themselves and their families, whilst the women look after the children at home. The bulk of their diet is made up of (typically spit-roasted) meat, with a particular taste for flesh from hooved animals - [[centaur]]s '''despise''' fog giants, because the giants consider centaurs to be as valid as horses, cattle, deer and elk when it comes to filling their bellies. However, they also have a sweet tooth and relish consuming fruits or confectioneries when they have access to them. Like many other giants, they're also avid drinkers of liquor, although they don't distill their own.

When not hunting, or sometimes even whilst on the hunt, fog giants like to relax by either smoking milkweed pods in giant wooden pipes (which humanoids find disgustingly bitter) or through their games of strength, skill and fighting abilities. The favorite game of fog giants is called “copsi” and consists of the giants pairing off to toss larger and larger boulders to their partners until one of the pairs misses its throw.

Because of their size, fog giants consume a large quantity of food, and require a considerable territory per hunting group to support themselves. The giants will often place territorial markers of boulders and logs to define the boundaries between their hunting territories. They do not look kindly on anyone who tears down or moves these markers. Their regular pathways are hard to hide, and are instead trapped with deadfalls of rocks and logs to discourage trespassers. Territorial disputes sometimes flare up between groups, especially in times of bad hunting. Friendly disputes can sometimes be resolved by a game of copsi or an arm-wrestling match. Fog giants fighting amongst themselves will generally throw rocks and fist-fight, rather than use swords.

In general, fog giants don't mix well with other races, but the race displays a human-like flexibility of [[alignment]] (although giants of a given hunting group will usually share the same alignment, to keep squabbles down) and so it's impossible to truly generalize things. They usually will just try and avoid the smaller races, but they're not completely antisocial; trade in goods and services with other races is well-established, particularly when it comes to securing liquor, sweets and, above all else, refined silver. This precious metal is of deep importance to fog giants, and they hold it as sacred. By tradition, a young giant may not mate until he has obtained at least one large ornament of silver. Usually, the young giant joins with several others in a quest to find one (or acquire enough treasure to buy one).

==Publication History==
Fog Giants debuted in [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] 1st edition, in the original [[Fiend Folio]]. They would be updated to 2e in the Monstrous Compendium Fiend Folio Appendix, and from there be reprinted in the Monstrous Manual.

Their last appearance to date was in [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]], in the 3.0 [[Forgotten Realms]] splatbook "Monsters of Faerun".

==5e's Reinvisionment==
[[File:BugEyedFogGiant.png|thumb|The fluff does not explain how being exiled causes their ears to grow and eyes to turn black.]]
A quasi-official update for the Fog Giants appeared in [[Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio]] #1 for [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition]]. Here they were retconned as [[Cloud Giant]]s who were exiled for being too poor.

The place of [[Cloud Giant|cloud giants]] in the [[ordning]]—the set of values and expectations that determines their rank in giant society—is driven by wealth. Whoever is the richest, and can prove it via display, is at the very top of their ordning, but even the lesser Cloud Giants tend to be incredibly well-off by other races' standards, with castles richly decorated with beautiful art and rare resources. And then, there's Fog Giants.

Cloud Giant society puts a lot of stock in the trading of wealth- gift-giving and betting are time-honored traditions amongst Cloud Giants, and fortunes among them wax and wane. Inevitably, some incompetent or just plain unlucky giants will lose the game, and lose hard. A destitute Cloud Giant is almost an oxymoron in the [[Ordning]], so anyone who doesn't have ''any'' wealth to call their own will be kicked out of their clan and left to fend for themselves, becoming Fog Giants. Such giants are desperate to regain the respect of their peers, and the only way they can do that is by regaining the wealth that defines a Cloud Giant. And without the social games normal Cloud Giants play, the only real way to do that is via theft.

Though they live as ruthless raiders, fog giants remain tasteful and refined in their desires. They remember their former wealth and power with a bitter mix of longing, regret, and shame, seeking always to replace the grandest treasures they once possessed. Simple coins, gems, or trade goods do nothing to satisfy the giant’s desires. Instead, they seek out grand works of art, wondrous jewelry, and beautiful sculptures.

Fog giants are powerful warriors, but they prefer to use threats and intimidation to get their way. A fog giant seeks out news and rumors of treasures that appeal to its sense of refinement, then tracks down and treats owners of those treasures to a show of force. Kicking down the gate of a backwater duke’s castle, slaying a dozen or more guards, then calling for parley is a typical fog giant strategy—followed by an offer to leave the duke alive in return for a treasure or two.

Forced to dwell in exile in the lands of the small folk, many fog giants develop an interest in those folk. Using a combination of threats and the promise of vast reward once they return to their proper station, a fog giant lures desperate criminals, cunning bandits, and other raiders into their service in the dismal wilds they inhabit. These giants prefer to work with ambitious [[human]]s, renegade [[elves]], and greedy [[dwarves]]—all folk they see as properly civilized. They treat [[orc]]s, [[goblinoid]]s, and other “barbarian” types as pesky vermin, best killed or driven away.

When a fog giant accumulates followers, it sets them to the task of rebuilding the giant’s collection of wondrous, expensive treasures. Its favored servants are civilized folk who can mingle among the rich and refined. These agents take note of treasures that might interest the fog giant, who then plots heists, raids, and other stratagems to seize the chosen prize. A giant might undertake a carefully planned robbery, making extensive use of magic to cover their presence. Or it might engage in a brute-force raid that involves tearing off the roof of a merchant’s home, seizing what they seek, and stalking away before the town watch can rally.

Clever, ambitious, and greedy, many fog giants build up whole networks of bandits, raiders, spies, and criminals. In some cases, such a network might grow large enough that minions in the lower ranks are ignorant of their leader’s true nature. Fog giants who amass such organizations think of themselves as exiled nobles, and often take on such fanciful titles as Duke of Robbery, Baron of Bandits, or Lord of Larceny.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Old Fog gient.png
Fog giant FF 2e.jpg
Fog Giant.JPG.jpg
</gallery>

{{D&D-Giants}}
[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons]][[Category: Monsters]][[Category: Giants]]

Dao

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[[File:Dao-5e.png|thumb|right|300px|Why is there a [[dwarf]] [[genie]]? Who knows?]]

'''Dao''' are one of the four [[genie]] races of the [[multiverse]] of [[Dungeons & Dragons]], being associated with the [[Elemental]] force of Earth. Like all genies, they are natives of either the [[Elemental Planes]], specifically the Plane of Earth, or the [[Elemental Chaos]], depending on whether you look at them from the perspective of the [[Great Wheel]] or the [[World Axis]].

==Great Wheel==
The dao are the most avaricious of all the [[genie]] races; residents of the Plane of Earth, they constantly seek to mine the gemstones and precious ores of their planes, often extending their operations into the [[Material Plane]] or the Plane of Minerals to pursue their voracious hunger for more and more mineral wealth. They are the only genie race whose love of enslaving mortals and [[elemental]]s to serve them matches - or even exceeds - the [[efreet]]i. The dao occupy a portion of the Plane of Earth known as the Great Dismal Delve, which is made up of all the various maze-like fortress-citadels of the dao. Their ruler, the Great Khan, has the biggest and most impressive mazework citadel of all, a labyrinthine city called the Sevenfold Mazework, which links to all the other dao mazeworks, with the Great Khan's personal fortress being the Hidden Fulcrum of the Dao, located at its center.

Dao are reviled by [[djinn]]i and [[marid]]s; only the [[efreet]]i are willing to trade with them, since the dao are master producers of raw ore for the fiery [[genie]]s to smelt and have the largest slave market in all of the planes. Despite their use of slavery, dao are the most driven and industrious of the genie races, albeit focused in the fields of pursuing greater wealth. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zo0iupkMmA Their slaves are gold-plated, their gold is diamond-studded, and their diamonds are hollowed out to encase shavings of platinum and saffron.] These genies are diligent, hard-working, and driven to complete their tasks to the best of their abilities. Dao take pride in a thing well-made and a plot well-planned. Mortal agents sometimes employ dao to build fortifications and palaces, for their engineering skills are second to none. When constructing something, the malicious nature of the dao is submerged in the industry of the work.

Though dao are evil, they are also honorable in their own way. If shown kindness and fairness, a dao will return them in kind (taking everything else it can get as well). Dao make excellent advisors, particularly if they know that by helping a mortal they can cause harm to other mortals. These genies hate enslavement as much as the [[efreet]], and will seek out [[sha'ir]]s who have imprisoned their brethren - either to slay the sha'irs or to take them as slaves.

Male or female, dao are powerfully muscled individuals. Their polished skin is the color of earth, sand, or granite, and their finger- and toenails are made of a durable but lustrous metal. The fingers themselves are wide and pudgy, even if the dao assume other forms. Both sexes are bald and free of body hair. Males do have facial hair, worn in mustaches and angular beards. All dao enjoy adorning themselves with jewelry, such as earrings, bracers, chokers, nose rings and studs, ankle bracelets, rings, and bells. Many don shirts of lamellar plates.

Dao do not need to eat or drink. They can fast for years without significant detriment to their abilities. They also can slow their breathing to a point that enables them to remain buried beneath tons of debris and be unaffected. (They are still vulnerable to poisons and air-based attacks, however.) Despite such powerful constitutions, dao enjoy the sensations of life, and often partake in hedonistic revelry. For example, dao believe that powdered gems, gold dust, and gold leaf heighten the experience of eating - devouring them as mortals might use a precious spice.

Of all the genies, daos have the weakest ability to grant wishes, at least in [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]]; according to their expanded lore from the [[Al-Qadim]] setting, not only can a dao only grant 1 wish a day, but they can only grant it to true natives of the [[Material Plane]] (even [[planetouched]] are too "magical" to benefit), and the wish will '''always''' carry a hidden sting in its tail, even if the dao doesn't want it to! Noble Dao can grant three of these perverted wishes per day. In [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]], this was changed to dao simply being able to grant 3 Limited Wishes per day (but only for nongenies).

<gallery>
<center>
Dao S4.png
Dao Dragon 66.jpg
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genie MM 2e woman.png
2e Dao Female (LoF).png
2e Dao Male (LoF).png
Noble Dao.gif
3e Dao and Marid.png
</center>
</gallery>

===5e===
Dao are evil genies from the Elemental Plane of Earth, where they live in massive underground labyrinths guarded by all kinds of [[Xorn|nasty]] [[Elemental|creatures]]. A Dao isn't happy unless it is ordering around its [[Chaos_Dwarfs|"laborers"]], amassing a pile of gold, or scheming against mortals for fun and profit. Mostly profit.

The Dao settlements, called "mazeworks", are continually expanding as armies of workers and mages [[Dwarves|reshape the rock as they see fit]]. The main industry of the Dao is trade, and it is not unusual to see Dao merchants in neighboring planes or even in the [[Prime_Material|Material Plane]]. They are ruled over by the Great Khan, whose palace lies at the center of the [[Sevenfold_Mazework|Sevenfold Mazework]].

Being evil creatures, a Dao will never willingly assist a mortal unless the genie has something to gain. Preferred offerings include treasure, slaves, or the promise to [[Grimdark|make the world a worse place]]. Among other genies, Dao are on speaking and trading terms with the [[Efreet]], but they have nothing but scorn for [[Djinn]] and [[Marid]]s, who return the favor in kind. Other races native to the Elemental Plane of Earth avoid the Dao, which are always seeking new slaves to serve their empire.

Powerful wizards have been known to lure Dao to the Material Plane and trap them in the confines of magic gemstones or iron flasks. Unfortunately for the Dao, their greed makes it relatively easy for mages to con them into service. As much as they enjoy enslaving others, the Dao hate being enslaved, and will immediately begin [[just_as_planned|scheming against their master to secure their escape]].

An imprisoned genie is quite the prize, but Dao are probably the least handy genies to have in one's back pocket. While they do possess powerful innate magic, their ability to grant wishes (the whole point of having a pet genie) [[Fail|kinda sucks]]. They can only grant one ''limited'' wish per day, and it always has strings attached. Other genies might twist a wish in a playful way, but the Dao actively attempt to [[That_Guy|screw over the recipient in any way possible]].

Thus, any sane, non-desparate wizard wouldn't bother using the genie themselves, and would instead make it a gift to an impulsive king, a greedy lord, or anyone else in need of a floating magical jackass.

==World Axis==
The origins of the dao in the World Axis are unknown. What is known is that they are cruel, rapacious, and greedy creatures, constantly slaves to further their ability to strip mineral wealth from the infinite expanses of the Elemental Chaos. They are... pretty much identical to their Great Wheel counterparts, save for the art implying they are more monstrous; giant, earthen-hued humanoids with glowing eyes, hairless bodies, and horn-like stony growths armoring their skulls and joints.

<gallery>
<center>
File:4e Dao.png
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</gallery>

==Publication History==
The dao, like the [[marid]], are the "youngest" of the D&D Genie races. They only appeared in [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]], making their debut in the article "Featured Creatures" in [[Dragon Magazine]] #66, before seeing official print in the adventure [[Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth]] and the [[Monster Manual]] II.

They first made their appearance in AD&D 2e under the "genie" heading in the Monstrous Compendium Volume One, which was then reprinted in the Monstrous Manual. The noble dao and the Great Khan of the Dao appeared for the [[Al-Qadim]] setting in the Monstrous Compendium Al-Qadim Appendix. The dao also appeared in this setting under the header "Genie of Zakhara" in the Land of Fate boxed set - this sourcebook offers the ''largest'' amount of lore that the dao has ever enjoyed, and is far more informative than the Monstrous Compendium/Manual entry.

History would repeat itself, with the dao losing its place of prominence in [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]]; instead of appearing in the [[Monster Manual]], like the [[djinn]], [[efreet]] and even [[jann]] did, it wouldn't make its debut in 3e until the release of the [[Manual of the Planes]].

It fell even further from grace in [[Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition]], however; it's only presence was the article "Bestiary: Dao and Marid" in [[Dungeon Magazine]] #199.

It finally reappeared alongside its fellow [[genie]]s in the [[Monster Manual]] for [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition]], the first time all four were in a core [[splatbook]] since 1993.

==Shaitans==
In [[Pathfinder]], because "Dao" is somehow copyright to [[Dungeons & Dragons]], the earth branch of the genie family are the '''Shaitans''', taking their name from an Arabic name for the Devil.

[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons]] [[Category: Pathfinder]] [[Category: Monsters]]

Khaasta

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'''Khaastas''' are a race of [[fiend]]ish [[lizardfolk]] native to the [[Outlands]] and the Chaotic [[plane]]s of the [[Great Wheel]] in [[Dungeons & Dragons]]. They were invented for the [[Planescape]] setting and migrated to [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]] first through the [[Fiend Folio]], and then through the [[splatbook]] "[[Serpent Kingdoms]]" for the [[Forgotten Realms]]. They are essentially an entire culture of mercenaries and raiders, who migrate across the planes in search of loot and plunder. They also have become enemies of the [[sarrukh]] due to that race of elder [[serpentfolk]] arrogantly trying to enslave them when they first met, which has seen them develop a presence on the sarrukh's homeworld of [[Forgotten Realms|Toril]].

==AD&D Lore==
[[File:Khaasta MC Planescape 2.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]

The khasta are raiders, slavers, and smugglers who plague the [[Outlands]] and the chaotic [[plane]]s. They’re vicious, unreliable cutthroats and cross-traders who’ll turn stag on a cutter as soon as look at him. Only two things really matter to a khaasta: prestige and wealth. Wealth is fairly easy to accumulate and display, but the khaasta code of prestige is a convoluted and twisted set or rules of conduct that rewards backstabbing, conniving, and deceit. To a khaasta, there’s nothing so wonderful as peeling a powerful enemy and living to give him the laugh.

Khaasta bear a passing resemblance to [[lizardfolk|lizardmen]] of the Prime Material Plane. They’re humanoid in form, but their bodies are covered with tough, small scales, and they have long, powerful tails. A khaasta’s face has a blunt, lizardlike snout and its head is crowned with a flaring crest. A khaasta’s colorful scales create intricate, unique patterns that’re never repeated from individual to individual. Unlike their more primitive relations, khaasta dress in bronzed plate armor and wield exotic weapons.

Khaasta typically travel in roving trader-bands, although the trade of any particular group can turn to extortion, kidnapping, or smuggling at a moment’s notice. Since they have no innate planewalking abilities, khaasta are forced to walk the Great Road to get from plane to plane and must rely entirely on portals or conduits.

All khaasta, both male and female, consider themselves warriors and hold themselves ready for a fight at any time. Their tough scales provide a natural AC of 5, but khaasta typically wear bronze breastplates, greaves, and half-helms that improve their AC to 2. Khaasta are capable of delivering serious damage with their bites, and typically wield a large two-handed sword, halberd, or battle axe; their considerable Strength gives them a +1 to damage rolls. They can both bite and attack with a weapon in the same round.

Khaasta often use giant lizards as mounts and prefer to fight mounted whenever possible. Fighting mounted gives the khaasta a +1 bonus to hit characters on foot and also provides them with the additional combat power of their mount.

Note that a khaasta cannot use its bite attack while fighting from a mount. Whether on foot or mounted, khaasta are excellent archers, and almost all khaasta can use composite long bows in addition to any other weapons they may have.

A khaasta’s home is its band. Typically. a khaasta band wanders caravan-style across the planes, seeking opportunities for trade or pillage wherever it goes. There’ll always be a number of giant lizards equal to half again the number of khsasta present as mounts and pack-beasts.

Khaasta bands are notoriously chaotic and disorganized. They believe in the rule of the strong, and there are constant challenges of authority and schemes for advancement among the khaasta. Long ago they learned to resolve these differences by ritualistic, nonlethal combat; in ancient times the race almost dueled itself to extinction.

While dealing with a khaasta band is a dicey thing. it doesn’t always have to turn out badly. Khaasta can be excellent sources of information, muscle, or illicit goods, as long as a cutter can meet their price and demonstrate (forcibly) that he’s too tough to challenge or turn stag on. See, the khaasta code demands that they just take from the weak instead of dealing with ’em, and if a khaasta perceives itself to be in a position of strength it’ll try to take what it wants.

One last note: Never assume that a khaasta’s going to do what it promised it would. Another part of the khaasta code is the challenge of the strong by any means available. Even if a khaasta doesn’t think it can take a basher on today, it’s likely to plan an ambush or stack the odds somehow in a fight tomorrow.

Khaasta don’t have many friends out on the planes, and in some of the places thes travel they’rw the low sods on the food chain. Consequently, they take any opportunity to live well today. There’s nothing too good for a khaasta cockpot, including fellow travelers or the local natives if that’s the easiest meal at hand.

Khaasta young are carefully guarded by their parents until they reach 7 to 10 years of age. In an average band, a group of young equal to half the number of adults can be found tending the pack lizards or acting as noncombative scouts and sentries. Usually, about half the adults remain to guard the caravan while the rest raid or deal with outsiders.

The leader of a khaasta band is usually a warrior of exceptional size, strength, and cunning. Typically, a khaasta chieftain has 4+4 to 6+6 Hit Dice, a THAC0 of 15, and a useful magical item or two to help it stay on top. Khaasta chieftains gain a +3 damage bonus with weapons due to their Strength.

A band of 15 or more khaasta may have a wise one with them (50% chance). Wise ones are counselors and shamans to the khaasta chieftains, existing outside the code of challenge. Khaasta wise ones have the spell abilities of a 4th-level cleric and are defended by 2 to 4 khaasta warriors. Although the wise ones claim they are uninterested in the khaasta power struggles, it’s not unusual to find bands where the wise one is pulling the strings of a chieftain it advises.

==3e Lore==
[[File:Khaasta Fiend Folio 3e.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

Khaastas are dangerous reptilian humanoids that roam the wastelands of the [[Outlands]] and the chaotic [[plane]]s. They are infamous for being raiders, plunderers, slavers, and mercenaries.

Khaastas superficially resemble [[lizardfolk]], and they may have descended from them long ago. However, khaastas are considerably larger, tougher, and more aggressive than normal lizardfolk. Khaastas have tough, small scales and flaring crests that are colored in intricate, wild patterns unique to each individual. They have long, powerful tails that are used for balance rather than combat.

Most khaastas travel in nomadic bands in the [[Outer Planes]], where they look for loot, slaves, and combat. They hire themselves out to anyone that seems powerful (and in their eyes, worthy) enough to command them, but they backstab their patron at the first sign of weakness.

Khaastas speak Draconic and Common.

Khaastas look for ways to dive into combat. Some begin by peppering their opponents with arrows, while other khaastas charge into melee with their halberds. A khaasta can make a bite attack while wielding a weapon, and it relishes tasting blood during a fight. The creatures make use of giant lizards as mounts.

Khaastas plan and execute ambushes that focus on hindering dangerous foes until they can be brought down in melee combat. However, khaastas have a strong cowardly streak and run when the combat turns against them.

Among the roving bands of khaastas, might makes right. The pecking order of any band is in constant flux, and challenges are common. Khaastas once determined status by having duels to the death, until they almost drove themselves to extinction. Since then, disputes and challenges have been resolved through a nonlethal form of ritual combat.

Khaastas have a convoluted sense of honor that is impossible for outsiders to understand. Treachery, betrayal, theft, and murder are all acceptable methods of advancement in khaasta society.

Females are just as strong and tough as males and are just as likely to be found in marauder bands. Some foes have seen a female khaasta wading into battle with a young one strapped to her back. Despite this seeming disregard for the safety of their children, khaastas defend their young with incredible ferocity.

===3e Forgotten Realms Lore===
[[File:Khaasta Serpent Kingdoms.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]

Sometimes mistaken for powerful [[lizardfolk]], khaastas are extraplanar creatures native to the [[Abyss]]. On their home plane and the Barrens of Doom and Despair (where many have migrated), khaastas are mercenaries and [[fighter]]s who impose their will on others by force of arms. In Abeir-Toril, however, they take a much more cautious approach, staying on the outskirts of society and interacting with the natives only when they need to acquire specific information.

The khaastas are nomadic creatures by nature. Like many of the other lizard races, they were bred for war and have an unusual talent for waging it. When not doing battle with their own enemies, they are happy to fight on behalf of anyone else willing to hire their services.

Though physically similar to a [[lizardfolk]], a khaasta appears considerably more imposing. Its scales are small, and each individual sports a colorful, flaring crest that is unique in color and shape. Its long powerful tail is used for balance rather than combat.

Sometime in the distant past, the demon prince [[Demogorgon]] created the khaastas as servitors—specifically, to serve as warriors in his armies. As the demon lord’s power increased, scores of demons joined his army, and the best and brightest of them quickly rose to leadership positions. These demonic generals found the khaastas difficult to command, and in many cases, not as effective in battle as true demons. When they complained to Demogorgon, he pondered the khaastas’ thousands of years of loyal service and, in a brief moment of generosity, decided to free them.

The khaastas wasted no time establishing alliances with other demonic powers. They offered to help defend the domains of several demon lords in return for permission to hunt there, and most of those they approached found wisdom in such an arrangement. Such deals forged close relationships between the demons and the khaastas, and eventually both sides agreed to help one another in case of attack. Over time, the khaastas became particularly friendly with [[Sess’innek]], a demon lord who sought the mantle of divinity.

When the [[sarrukh]] who survived the fall of the Okothian Empire sought allies in the Abyss, their eyes fell upon the khaastas. Erroneously assuming that these creatures were no more powerful than the [[lizardfolk]] they had created in Faerûn, the sarrukh immediately tried to enslave them. Not only did their efforts fail, but the attempt offended the khaastas to such a degree that they immediately declared war on the sarrukh.

The sarrukh called on what few reinforcements they could muster from Faerûn, including an army of [[lizardfolk]] led by [[yuan-ti]] masters, and war was joined. Not understanding that the Okothian sarrukh were actually refugees from Faerûn, the khaastas hatched a plan to corrupt what they believed to be their enemies’ base of power in that world. They petitioned [[Sess’innek]] for aid, and he sent demons to take control of the lizardfolk tribes throughout Faerûn that the khaastas believed were supporting the sarrukh invasion. Though this demonic incursion had no effect on the war between the sarrukh and the khaastas, the demons did stay long enough to breed extensively with the lizardfolk, giving rise to the half-fiendish lizardfolk known as the lizard kings.

The war dragged on for centuries, often spilling out into some of the outlying planes. Although it had long since become a war of attrition for both sides, momentum finally built in favor of the khaastas under a ruler called Maadar’il. A brilliant tactician whose family had been slaughtered by the [[sarrukh]], Maadar’il proved himself capable of uniting several khaasta factions against the sarrukh. At last, he led his forces to victory, crushing the sarrukh’s remaining [[yuan-ti]] and [[lizardfolk]] allies in the process. The defeated sarrukh returned to Okoth.

Despite their victory, the khaastas had come to hate the [[sarrukh]] with a vengeance for killing so many of their kind. Upon following their fleeing enemies to Faerûn to complete their destruction, they learned that the race was nearly extinct on its home world. Unable to locate their quarry, they returned to the Abyss, where Maadar’il decreed that the war would not be truly won until the last of the sarrukh had been destroyed. To that end, he sent out khaasta scouts to gather information about the sarrukh. They returned with news of a few areas where the sarrukh had existed thousands of years ago. Maadar’il ordered the khaasta armies to invade those areas and destroy any sarrukh they found there, but most of these forces returned with neither news nor any trail to follow.

At last, Maadar’il decided to scale back the number of khaastas he committed to Faerûn and send the more civilized and intelligent members of their race to gather information instead. Several small groups of khaastas traveled to numerous points throughout Faerûn, eventually unearthing a trail that led to their sworn enemies. Raids followed, and though the [[sarrukh]] managed to defend their strongholds in Faerûn, they grew worried enough to strike a deal with Set. In exchange for help against the khaastas, they agreed to help him bind [[Sseth]], the aspect of the World Serpent that they worshiped. [[Set]] created the [[wereserpent]]s as a symbol of this pact, and he also managed to secure some [[werecrocodile]]s from his ally [[Sebek]] to send against the khaastas. This aid prevented the khaastas from inflicting heavy casualties upon the sarrukh, but the attackers were forced to withdraw from many of the locations in Okoth to the underground crypt of Sar’Rukoth. In this stronghold, they were protected not only by their minions, but also by miles of subterranean tunnels. Although the khaastas continued to send out raiding parties, they no longer knew where the sarrukh were hiding, so they began making random strikes throughout the area in hopes of uncovering them. In the meantime, the Okothian sarrukh’s betrayal of Sseth made enemies of the [[yuan-ti]] and sarrukh of Serpentes, who chose to remain loyal to their god.

The [[sarrukh]] struck back at the khaastas by using polymorph to turn a [[yuan-ti]] assassin into a khaasta and sending him to the Barrens of Doom and Despair. This agent infi ltrated Maadar’il’s camp and slew him by slipping poison into his food. The khaastas correctly assumed that the sarrukh were responsible, so they renewed the intensity of their attacks on Faerûn.

Currently, the khaastas and the [[sarrukh]] are at a stalemate. The sarrukh are in hiding in a heavily fortified position, and the khaastas have only vague clues as to where this stronghold might be. Meanwhile, the khaastas are becoming more and more entrenched in Faerûn, where they have staked out territorial claims in Okoth, the Heartlands, the Unapproachable East, and Mulhorand.

The khaastas view Faerûn as a tremendously challenging place, where they must fight their own instincts to wage war against the native inhabitants while gathering the information necessary to hunt down the [[sarrukh]]. Since most of the scaly races inexplicably refuse to betray the progenitor race, the khaastas face the daunting task of gathering this information from humanoids and other civilized beings of Faerûn—groups that in fact know very little about the sarrukh.

The khaastas have always been willing to exploit weakness whenever they encounter it—even within their own species. Shortly after they were freed by [[Demogorgon]], they fell to squabbling and nearly drove themselves to extinction through constant infighting. The reasons for such confl ict ranged from simple dislike of their fellows to power struggles in which rival factions tried to oust leaders and assume control of various tribes. But the khaastas were no fools, and when they realized what a toll this infi ghting was taking upon their numbers, they instituted ritual combat as a method of handling disputes. Though khaastas continue to fight and murder one another, this arrangement results in far fewer deaths. Furthermore, because ritual combat forces each khaasta to stand up for itself when wronged, laws are virtually nonexistent.

Khaasta society in Faerûn, however, takes on a different form. Because the khaastas living there must remain focused on their main goal of eradicating the [[sarrukh]], they tend to focus their combat skills on ridding their territory of menacing creatures rather than on engaging in glorious battle with one another. In addition, the highly magical nature of Abeir-Toril forces many to undertake training they would not otherwise have pursued simply to ensure the survival of their forces.

Khaastas bear little love for one another under any circumstances, though they are disciplined enough to join forces when needed. They choose mates based primarily on battle prowess. Though unions are usually for life, mates rarely like one another and spend as little time together as possible. True friendships are likewise rare, since any personal alliances tend to dissolve in the next perceived insult or ambitious power play. Khaastas do, however, honor their parents and other mature relatives—albeit sometimes grudgingly.

Unlike many scaly races, khaastas are born alive, normally in litters of three or four at a time. Within a year of birth, each newborn’s family gives her an ornate masterwork scimitar, which she is expected to keep and use in battle for the remainder of her life. Should a khaasta’s blade ever be lost, she is expected to explain why her birth scimitar is no longer with her.

Khaastas begin training their young to fight at an early age. The females of the race are just as aggressive as the males, and they often carry their young into battle with them. During the ten years it takes for a khaasta to mature, she learns swordsmanship, armor use, and the art of ritualized combat.

As soon as a khaasta comes of age, she must enter a ritualized battle to first blood with a peer of the same age. The loser owes a blood debt, or favor, to the victor. Blood debts are almost always collected within the first year after the battle, and they normally involve some kind of combat—most often protection of the winner’s person during a raid. Since failure in such a duty means immediate exile from the tribe, young khaastas are quite willing to fight to the death to fulfill a blood debt.

Virtually every khaasta that comes of age is a combatant. Because so few ever reach old age, their true biological lifespan remains uncertain, but most die before the age of thirty, with elders commonly living no more than ten years beyond that. Because khaastas consider it shameful to die of old age, many elders place themselves on the forefront of raiding parties and undertake dangerous missions against their enemies.

When a khaasta dies in combat, her tribe holds a great feast to celebrate her departure. At the conclusion of the meal, the body is burned in a great bonfire, and the charred bones are interred in a shallow pit in the tribe’s burial mound—usually a small hill in the Barrens of Doom and Despair. Journeying to the burial mound to inter the dead is a sacred duty offered as a reward for notable accomplishments in combat, and no more than five khaastas may escort any one deceased individual.

One per year, the khaasta migratory pattern takes each tribe to its burial mound. Upon arrival, the tribe holds a great feast and sacrifices one of its captive enemies in honor of the dead. The birth scimitar of each khaasta slain in the last year is passed down to the next individual born into that family. Should there be no young to receive the blade, the family name is inscribed upon the hilt, and the scimitar is left at the burial mound. A typical khaasta burial mound sports a ring of swords at the top, commemorating clans that no longer exist.

Khaastas are not naturally inclined toward arcane spellcasting— in fact, in the Barrens of Doom and Despair, khaastas that can use arcane magic are almost unheard of. Normally, the khaastas simply call upon their [[demon]]ic allies to provide magic for them when needed. The demons typically oblige such requests more out of hatred for whatever beings the khaastas are fighting than any loyalty they feel toward their allies.

The war with the [[sarrukh]], however, has caused the khaastas to revise their way of thinking to some degree. Their strategy of placing near-permanent settlements in Faerûn while raiding sarrukh strongholds from their home plane has created a need for magic that allows them to move between the planes. [[Sess’innek]] initially provided them with such magic, but they have since acquired a large number of magic items that allow planar travel as well.

In Faerûn, khaasta [[wizard]]s and other wielders of arcane magic are beginning to appear. But because the khaastas are superstitious folk by nature, those who have learned to use magic are often rejected by their tribes upon returning to their planar homes. This practice has led a few small groups of khaastas to carve out permanent homes for themselves in Faerûn. Such outcasts normally find work in mercenary bands of other races, but a few have discovered [[lizardfolk]] tribes and taken up residence
as their shamans.

Khaastas venerate the demonic [[Sess’innek]] rather than an actual deity. The worship of Sess’innek has more to do with the arrangements previous generations of khaastas made with him than with any actual respect on the part of those currently living.

The khaastas are not particularly religious, which is fine with [[Sess’innek]] as long as they fulfill the minimum requirements he sets forth—namely a certain number of sacrifices in his name. The khaastas sacrifice approximately one out of ten prisoners to Sess’innek. [[Cleric]]s exist, though they do not receive their spells from Sess’innek, and their value is measured by their ability to fight and restore the wounded to health rather than by the spiritual guidance they can provide.

On the other hand, the khaastas venerate their ancestors almost as gods. Each khaasta learns the names and deeds of past generations for as far back as the older clan members can recall. Such information is passed down in the oral tradition and never written down. Before going into battle or facing some other trial, the khaastas call not upon the favor of [[Sess’innek]], but upon the blessings of their ancestors. Periodically, each clan performs ceremonies of remembrance to honor the lives of their ancestors.

Despite their innately vicious nature and traditionally short tempers, the khaastas have mounted no attacks on the civilized regions of Faerûn. In fact, they have taken care to maintain amicable relations with all the civilized creatures they have encountered, so as to prevent splintering of their power through local conflicts. A few [[orc]]ish tribes ousted from their territory by the newcomers have attempted to strike back, but their attacks have been both costly and ineffective.

In addition to their birth swords, khaastas prize fine weapons and armor above all else. Though khaastas rarely make their own magic items, many sport magic weapons or armor that they have taken from enemies or received as gifts from their demonic allies.

[[Category: Monsters]] [[Category: Dungeons & Dragons]] [[Category: Planescape]] [[Category: Forgotten Realms]]

Shadow Unicorn

2026-05-20T12:49:56Z

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[[File:Shadow Unicorn.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Guaranteed to give you Equinophobia, or your money back!]]

'''Shadow Unicorns''' are a corrupt, malevolent form of [[unicorn]] native to the [[Demiplane of Dread]], distinguishable from its true cousin by its infernal coloration; a dappled gray coat, varying from coal to steel in coloration, offset by long, silky, sin-black mane & tail, paired with smoldering red eyes, razor-sharp cloven hooves the color of scorched earth, a mouth filled with fangs, and a 2ft-3ft long ebon or steel-hued horn, which is sometimes illuminated by a corona of crimson flames. Stallions possess tangled black beards, which mares lack.

Residents of the forests of Darkon, Falkovnia, the Phantasmal Forest of Avonleigh, Invida, Valachan and the Shadow Rift, Shadow Unicorns are believed to be the spawn of the [[Unicorn]] [[Darklord]] [[Addar]] and his [[nightmare]] consort. Statistics for the race appeared in the "Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium III" for [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] and in "Denizens of Darkness/Dread" for [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]] (Darkness for 3.0, Dread for 3.5). Weirdly, despite the wonderfully horrific "unicorn/nightmare hybrid" art made for Denizens of Darkness, the 3.5 reboot replaced this art with a much cheesier piece consisting of a grayscale standard unicorn with goofy sabertooth fangs.

Cruel, sadistic monsters, shadow unicorns live to inspire fear and pain in others. As intelligent and patient as they are malicious, these dark steeds will attempt to attack in whichever way will cause their foes the most heart-rending fear, pain, and horror. They are very well adapted for this; their dark heritage allows them to meld with the shadows around them, rendering them inaudible and all but invisible when in dark areas. They use this ability to sneak around their victims, occasionally allowing the pounding of their hooves to be heard in order to inspire fear. Add in their ability to "blink" (teleport short distances) thrice per day when engulfed in shadow, and their magically terrifying wails, and scaring people comes easily.

More than one victim has been frightened nigh unto death by the sound of a galloping shadow unicorn pounding closer and closer behind him only to have the actual beast rear up in front of the terror-stricken traveler seconds later with its horn blazing, eyes glowing, and piercing shriek ripping through the night air. This is truly one of the most frightening sights in all of Ravenloft and an event that few live to relate to others.

Even in the heat of battle, the screaming of a shadow unicorn mimics the effects of a Fear spell (as does the pounding of its hooves, in 2nd edition); in 2e, there is a 5% chance whenever somebody fails their save against this fear effect that their hair will permanently turn white, whilst in 3e, this happens as the result of suffering a Major Effect as a result of a failed Fear check.

When fighting, shadow unicorns employ hooves, fang and horns with skill and relish. Their horn is particularly lethal because the shadow unicorns can engulf it in magical flames; in 2e, this grants +2d4 damage for 8 rounds and can only be done thrice per day, whilst in 3e, they can do it at will but for only +1d4 damage. Their charge attack is particularly deadly. Defensively, they are immune to poisons, charm spells and hold spells. In 2e, they are also immune to death effects.

In 3rd edition, it's noted that the horns of shadow unicorns are prized for their value as a reagent to make flaming weapons or alchemist's fire. This stems from the fact that, in 2e, powdered shadow unicorn horn can be used by an alchemist in the creation of 2-12 (2d6) applications of oil of fiery burning.

Shadow Unicorns are, in a small mercy, extremely territorial. Each stakes out its own sizable territory, and will fight viciously to defend it; only during the spring mating season will two shadow unicorns tolerate each other, and then only long enough to successfully tup. A shadow unicorn mare gives birth to twin foals after a fourteen month gestation period. In approximately 5% of these births, one member of the twins is actually a unicorn. Such throwbacks have the same initial coloration as young shadow unicorns, but both their abilities and temperaments match those of true unicorns. Such animals will grow up to become the mortal enemies of shadow unicorns if they survive. Fortunately for these unicorns, their mothers are incapable of distinguishing the youthful unicorns’ true nature until the creature’s near adolescence. At this point the unicorn’s coat grows in far too white for even the palest of shadow unicorns and, more importantly, the unicorn is incapable of causing its horn to flame. Most such unicorns flee their homes by this time, venturing out into the world to do what small measure of good they can for the forest and its denizens.

In 2e lore, it's established that forests haunted by Shadow Unicorns are particularly gloomy, miserable and twisted places. This is because shadow unicorns have the power to carve Glyphs of Gloom, enchanted sigils they etch into living trees with their horn. A Glyph of Gloom not only serves as a warning to other shadow unicorns, but it sucks the life out of its host tree to cause a magical gloom to descend on everything within 100 yards of the glyph. This gloom causes the light in the area affected to never rise above the level of twilight. A light spell can temporarily reverse this effect, while a continual light spell will provide a continuing oasis of light – at least, until the shadow unicorn senses the offensive presence and comes forth to put an end to it. A tree hosting a Glyph of Gloom dies within a year, forcing a shadow unicorn to constantly reapply its territorial marks, leaving a trail of dead, ruined trees in their wake, slowly killing the forest over the course of the shadow unicorn's 1000-year lifespan.

This ability is absent from the shadow unicorn's official 3e writeups, but is present in its writeup for 3e in the [[Books of S|Book of Sacrifices]].

Needless to say, these creatrues are a blight upon the cursed lands they call home. Whole forests have slowly withered and eventually been destroyed under a shadow unicorn’s vile ministrations, while much of the wildlife abandons the area in terror. In addition, over half the animals that do reside within a shadow unicorn’s woods do not reproduce, thus cutting population levels drastically. All in all, these vile creatures are abominations, foul mockeries of their virtuous cousins, and the cancerous heirs of their ancestors’ twisted desires.

Such is the sadism of these monsters that, despite being omnivores, they prefer to feed exclusively on things that can suffer. They especially relish the flavor of sapient plant creatures, making them one of the few predators of the evil [[treant]]s that share their woods. Occasionally, a grove of such creatures will come to an uneasy understanding with a particular shadow unicorn, but such an alliance rarely lasts.

Travelers who pass through a shadow unicorn’s forest are well advised to do so as swiftly as possible, since shadow unicorns delight in terrifying such intruders. Once the shadowy steed has noticed the travelers, it may or may not kill them outright. Why such a creature allows some to survive while it brings other unfortunates to their untimely ends is unknown. Certain peoples, in particular the Vistani, swear that speaking loudly of the shadow unicorn as a powerful lord, making obeisances to the forest, and leaving jewelry and other trinkets hanging from the branches of glyph-marked trees will gain safe passage, at least on most occasions. The Vistani even have several songs that are sung only while travelling through the woodlands claimed by a shadow unicorn, all of which show honor and reverence to the dark steeds.

The actual lair of a shadow unicorn is most often formed from tangled limbs and hanging vines, sheltering an area of ground strewn with mosses and various pieces of jewelry. Such lairs are always found at the heart of a dark steed’s territory.

[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons]] [[Category: Monsters]] [[Category: Ravenloft]]

Kilmoulis

2026-05-20T12:49:25Z

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[[File:Killmoulis 1e.png|right|200px]]
'''Kilmoulis''' (also spelled '''killmoulis''') is an obscure [[fey]] creature hailing from the Anglo-Scottish border of England. One of the vast family of "domestic fairies" - [[fey]] who choose to live in close proximity to humans - they are a distant cousin of the [[brownie]] that likes to occupy mills. They can be distinguished from their cousins quite easily; firstly, kilmoulis are ''incredibly'' ugly, as they lack a mouth and instead possess an oversized nose, feeding by inhaling food through their distended nostrils. Secondly, kilmoulis are much nastier than brownies; whilst they are friendly enough if treated well, they do have a love of pranks and trickery, and will often make mischief. They also have a tremendous appetite for food, and have been known to make the leap to a full-fledged "buttery spirit" (a fey that punishes disreputable and deceitful tavern & inn-keepers, usually by devouring most of the food).

In /tg/, kilmoulis initially appeared in [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]], as a variant of the common [[brownie]], with the following lore. Although they even had their own [[Archfey]] cum patron god in "Monster Mythology", the kilmoulis status as just a gimmicky version of the brownie meant they had no staying power and vanished with the loss of AD&D... at least, until [[Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio]] became a thing and brought them back into [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition]]

Andrew Besuden, an author for [[Changeling: The Dreaming]], envisioned the killmoulis as a Sluagh society, and provided rules for them on his website here: http://righttodream.digitaldreaming.org/rules-sluagh-abbey.html

==AD&D Killmoulis Lore==
[[File:Killmoulis 2e.jpg|left|200px]]
Killmoulis are diminutive beings who like to provide useful services but also commit mischief.

A killmoulis is under one foot in height. Although the overall shape is that of a thin humanoid, the head is immense in proportion. Killmoulis have no mouths or chins. They inhale food through their prodigious noses. Killmoulis do not speak but are apparently telepathic. They appear to be sexless.

'''Combat:''' Killmoulis are basically inoffensive beings. They lack any real ability to attack humans or demihumans. They may use needles to stab rats; such attacks cause 1 point of damage.

Killmoulis are very fast and are able to blend into their surroundings. They are only 10% detectable.

'''Habitat/Society:''' Killmoulis always dwell in places where humans or demihumans are involved in some form of industry, preferably in places where foodstuffs are handled. They make their homes under the floors, within the walls, or atop the dark rafters. They come out only when the workers are gone. Like their distan relatives the brownies, the killmoulis are torn between the benevolent perfomrance of useful duties and an mischievous streak to perform harmless tricks. Killmoulis are tireless workers adept at performing simple tasks.

They are always hungry and can devour prodigious amounts of grain, meal, flour, or whatever food is in the area. Their mischief tends to reflect the relationshop with their unwitting landlord. If they are left alone, the tricks tend to be irksome but not unduly destructive. If the landlord tries to capture or harm the killmoulis, such tricks can be destructive, although not overly fatal.

Killmoulis hate dogs, cats, and rats, as these animals attack killmoulis. Rats are snared nd stabbed with long needles. Cats and dogs are poisoned if the animals prove a threat to the killmoulis. If the killmoulis are unable to deal with the danger of an area, they pack up and leave for safer buildings.

Killmoulis are extremely shy. Although they like living and working alongside humans and demihumans, the are unable to directly face the “giants”. If detected, killmoulis flee in mindless panic. If caught, they may die of fright. Still, despite their reclusive nature, killmoulis can be befriended. They appreciate gifts such as warm food and garments their size. They like to watch their benefactors from hiding. They may even send barely noticeable telepathic messages of thanks and friendliness; the recipients generally perceive these as “warm feelings”.

Telepathic or shapechanging humanoids may be able to directly communicate or approach killmoulis. Killmoulis personalities and interests are similar to those of the tradesmen and farmers whose buildings they share. Killmoulis tales are dominated by stories of past friends and enemies, local gossip, and the proper methods of performing tasks. The killmoulis are habitual gossips. If a killmoulis will talk with a person, that person can gain access to an unparalleled spy network, although such information may be heavily slanted toward labor or domestic matters.

The sex of a killmoulis is difficult to judge due to the lack of external characteristics. There are no recorded encounters with immature killmoulis. It is believed that killmoulis reproduce in the same manner as other faerie humanoids such as brownies. Apparently the infants do not nurse (due to the lack of mouths or mammaries) but are born with the ability to inhale food. The actual life expectancy of a killmoulis is unknown (the killmoulis themselves don’t keep records of such things) but it may be centuries.

Killmoulis keep small amounts of treasure. These are usually items they have found or scavenged along the way. Although they may steal from hostile “giants”, they are happy to share their meager wealth with their friends.

'''Ecology:''' Killmoulis are a race that has adapted to a symbiotic lifestyle. Wise humans and demihumans welcome these secretive assistants: despite the killmoulis appetites, their word tends to be more valuable than the food they consume. Killmoulis also act as guardians and watchmen against mutual threats, such as vermin and fire.

==5e Killmoulis Lore==
[[File:Killmoulis 5e.jpg|left|200px]]
A killmoulis can be either a bane or boon to an adventuring party. When kept well fed with tasty treats, this creature is a helpful assistant that mends armor, collects herbs that make the blandest rations into a feast, and turns a dull, uncomfortable campsite into a welcoming refuge. But if a party abuses or neglects a killmoulis, the creature’s mean-spirited thirst for revenge can turn even the simplest expedition into a draining ordeal that leaves adventurers tired, dispirited, and sullen.

A killmoulis arises spontaneously in the Feywild whenever someone commits an act of charity to help a tired or lost traveler. Emerging from the shadows near the site of the deed, the creature takes to the road, wandering to seek out travelers who might have food it can sneak away with in return for the benefits of its magic. Shy and solitary by nature, a killmoulis enjoys watching and listening to folk from distant places that it knows little about. Whether fierce raiders, enterprising merchants, or bold adventurers, all travelers have something interesting to offer a killmoulis.

Despite their odd appearance and origins, killmoulis crave the same creature comforts as many folk of the world. They adore sweet candies, fresh fruit, and other delicacies. When a killmoulis encounters a party of travelers, it hides and keeps a careful watch on them. At night, it sneaks into the travelers’ camp and looks through their supplies for tasty treats, but will settle for rations, nuts, and other snacks. If it finds them, it quickly snuffles up a single day’s worth of food with its long nose. In return, it then uses its magic to enhance the travelers’ comfort as they rest.

A killmoulis will follow after any party that has provided it with a tasty snack, slipping into camp each night to gorge itself and pay for its feast with its beneficial magic. But if the travelers attack, interfere with, or try to trap the killmoulis, it places a minor curse on the group and attempts to flee. For the rest of the characters’ journey, their rations taste like ash and any camping spots are infested with lice and biting insects. Each character in the party wakes up sore and cramped, as rocks or sharp sticks somehow end up under their bedrolls.

Once a killmoulis is angered, it continues to tail a group and visit its curse upon them. Only an offering of fine food and an earnest apology can sooth an angry killmoulis. Without that, these creatures hold a grudge against a group’s rude behavior that can last for days.

[[Category: Monsters]] [[Category: Dungeons & Dragons]]