User:Paleomancer/Emerald Sun (3.5e Campaign Setting)/Races

Because the standard D&D racial setting privledges humanoid races over non-humanoid or monstrous races, it is recommended that the simplified races variant rule is utilized for Emerald Sun. While mechanically any simplified race could be used here, thematically it is recommended to use those presented here.

Universal Base Traits

Unless otherwise indicated, all races possess the following traits:

• Humanoid Type
• Medium Size
• Base Land Speed 30 ft.
• Low-light vision (Ex): A creature with low-light vision can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of shadowy illumination. It retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions. A spellcaster with low-light vision can read a scroll as long as even the tiniest candle flame is next to her as a source of light.

Mortal Races

Tellurian races whose sole universal characteristic is inevitable mortality. Mortals can embrace a diverse and usually contradictory array of beliefs and values, and their beliefs and thoughts sustain the diversity of the Dreamlands in a uniquely dramatic fashion.

Deep One

A tall and thin fish-like figure rears out of the water before you. Physically, it resembles a roughly humanoid hybrid of frog and fish. Its toad-like head bears four bulging eyes and a wide mouth bristling with needle-sharp teeth, and five shark-like gill slits adorn each side of its neck. It has a long, strong tail with an eel-like ribbon on the top and underside. Its webbed hands and feet resemble those of a salamander, bearing no claws or nails, and its scales are coated with a faint trace of slime. A slight smell of static underlies its otherwise fishy smell.

Deep Ones are an ancient line of marine humanoids whose culture dominates the oceans of Tellus. Deep Ones are range in height from six to nearly eight feet, and their length from nose to tail is usually six to ten feet, mostly tail. While all Deep Ones possess some common traits, such as slimy skin and limited electrical generative abilities, the extreme age of the species and its affinity for abyssal magic have diverged the Deep Ones into a number of related, physically distinct species. The dominant variety is the Anguillian (eel-like) variety described above, but Deep Ones with attributes of other icthyian species, such as lionfish, shark, manta, sea horse, angler fish, or barracuda characteristics are also common, and more exotic mutants have arisen due to Fremd manipulation (coral, octopus, seaweed, cetacean, etc.). While the ancestors of the Deep Ones were united under an ocean-spanning empire more powerful than any land-based Tellurian civilization to date, their descendants war with one another more often then they combat other Tellurian peoples or even the Fremd. These conflicts are bloody and often denigrate into genocide.

Like any sapient people, Deep Ones vary immensely in their individual personalities and cultural beliefs. However, most Deep Ones do share a disdain towards land-dwellers (whose ancestors were mere animals when the Deep Ones founded their oceanic society), and usually possess an intense hatred of the Fremd, who they hold responsible for the collapse and fragmentation of their ocean-spanning empire.

Starting Languages: Aquan (many, many dialects), Common.

Homelands: The Great Ocean.

Racial Traits

Combat Ability - Electric Impulse: Once per encounter as an immediate action, you may make a melee touch attack to emit a pulse of electricity, which deals 1d4 electricity damage (Fort DC 11 + your HD half). For every three HD you possess over your first the damage is increased by 1d4 (2d4 at 4th HD, 3d4 at 7 HD, and so on). Underwater, or when grappled, you instead deal 1d6 damage, plus 1d6 for every three HD after first level. If a Deep One is involved in a grapple, they may automatically apply damage, but it takes a full round action to do so.

Passive Ability - Amphibious: You can breathe water as easily as you do air, and have a swim speed of 30'. Your base land speed is reduced to 20 ft.

Utility Ability - Slimy Skin: You are considered to have a number of ranks in Escape Artistry equal to your HD + 3.

Ghoul

An emaciated grayish green humanoid figure clothed in rags half-crawls, half-walks across the path. It has an ape-like face, with pointed ears, short tufts of hair, and disturbingly large fangs. Although frail in appearance, it clearly possesses a wiry grace and its burning eyes indicate a keen intelligence.

Ghouls are feral humanoid scavengers who have survived on the outskirts of human civilization for millennia. Due to their association with cannibalism and grave-robbing, ghouls have an "unclean" status in human society and are seen as vermin or pests by other powerful Tellurian races. Ghouls tend to return this hatred and contempt in kind, and do on occasion commit acts considered horrendous by other races if it helps them survive, such as waylaying travelers or raiding villages. Oddly, the vast majority of ghouls have a very strong taboo against harming children of any sapient race, and they are known to adopt lost children into their clans (human children so adopted eventually take on Ghoulish traits). Ghouls and Selenites have an unusual enmity towards one another, the source of which remains unknown; nevertheless, both species have been known to work together against external threats. The ghouls do have favorable relations with the talpa, as both species have a similar focus on survival and community, and possess an outcast status among the other sapient races. Otherwise, ghouls are very diverse in their social structures and personal beliefs.

Starting Languages: Common, Alghul (secret language, only spoken if from established ghoul clan).

Homelands: The Crescent Sea.

Racial Traits

Combat Ability - Feed: As a standard action, you can feed on a dead body (must have died within 8 hours), which provokes attacks of opportunity as normal. Upon completion, you heal 2 HP per CR of the body in life, up to your full normal HP. Any HP over that limit are instead gained as temporary HP, up to a maximum of twice your level, which last for one hour. As normal, multiple temporary hit point applications do not stack; only the newest application applies. You may use this ability as often as you like, provided you have fresh corpses on which to feed. As a secondary benefit, a ghoul cannot contract disease from eating rotting meat and can thrive on such fare.

Passive Ability - Graveborn: You gain a +4 bonus on saves against death effects, disease, mind-affecting effects, poison, and stunning.

Utility Ability - Sneakiness: You are considered to have a number of ranks in the Stealth skill equal to your HD + 3.

Human

A humanoid figure appr... You see a human. Come on, you should know what one looks like!

An simian species possessing no particular strength or focus, perhaps best described by the phrase "mostly harmless:" weak and vulnerable to most other species, but capable of impressive and horrifying violence when provoked. As the youngest and least imposing of Tellus' mortal peoples, the vast majority of humans are servants of the Great Old Ones, kept in line by fear and awe of their otherworldly masters. Humans do not dominate the planet as they do on other worlds, as competition with established peoples like the serpentfolk and the deep ones limited early human expansion. In fact, the only reason for human dominance of the Crescent Sea is due to that region's proximity to the nightmare city of R'lyeh, near which no older species dared remain for long. Humans are found in other regions of Tellus, including remote mountains and island chains, but these civilizations are fairly isolated and sparsely populated. Tellurian humans have fairly normal ranges of skin colors, but a wider range of natural eye and hair colors than in the real world.

Starting Languages: Common, Native (varies).

Homelands: The Crescent Sea.

Racial Traits

Combat Ability - Adaptable: You gain a bonus feat. This feat may be changed at the start of each day as long as it is not a prerequisite for any other feat, class, or ability.

Passive Ability - Skillful: You gain four extra skill points at first level, and one extra for every level afterwards.

Utility Ability - Talented: You select one skill to be a permanent class skill for all classes.

Does NOT have low-light vision.

Ophidian

A human-sized serpentine creature approaches, with a human-like torso, but a snake-like head and body. It has stripes of black, red, and yellow across its body, with a white underbelly. It meets your gaze unblinkingly, with a hypnotic stare, and briefly flicks a black forked tongue.

Ophidians, or serpentfolk, are members of an ancient civilization that preceded the rise of humans by millions of years. In appearance, ophidians resemble human-sized serpents with reptilian humanoid arms. Just like the deep ones, ophidians are old enough that they have begun to differentiate into a variety of lineages, althought the variety is significantly less diverse, mainly involving different kinds of snakes, such as pythons, rattlesnakes, coral snakes, sea snakes, and cobras. Ophidians have a long history of conflict and mistrust with many of the other races (which is not entirely deserved), but most ophidians maintain a veneer of admittedly coldblooded civility with even their worst enemies.

Starting Languages: Common, Ophidian.

Homelands: The Southern Continent.

Racial Traits

Combat Ability - Spit Vitriol: Once per encounter as a move action, you may spit corrosive venom at a single target within 30 ft. This requires a ranged touch attack, and deals 1d6 acid damage (Fort DC 11 + your HD for half damage). For every two HD you possess over your first the damage is increased by 1d6 (2d6 at 3 HD, 3d6 at 5 HD, and so on).

Passive Ability - Serpent's Tongue: You have the scent ability out to 30 ft.

Utility Ability - Snake in the Grass: Once per encounter, you may make a charge action by slithering on your belly. You do not provoke attacks of opportunities from adjacent foes while making the charge, but otherwise take all penalties and advantages.

Selenite

A strange segmented humanoid appraoches you. Its head resembles a bird of prey, but with mandibles, compound eyes, and short antennae. It walks on three legs, two on the side and one behind, and bears three segmented limbs bearing wicked claws.

The moonfolk, as they are commonly known, are strange insect-like tripedal humanoids native to Selene, the moon of Tellur. The selenites are a recent conquest of the Fremd, and as such are not as nearly as cowed as humans, ghouls, or even bathyians are by the Great Old Ones. Since humans were instrumental in their conquest, they tend to be unfriendly to humans. They have a eusocial society, with no real rulers or servitors, and a collectivist, almost anarchic approach to duties and responsibilities. The sole exception is the breeder caste, as most Selenites (including player characters) are sterile. Selenites tend to react with hostility to humans, who helped conquer their colonies, and the ghouls, who did not. Both ghouls and humans also react badly to Selenites, although no one knows the reason for this enmity.

Starting Languages: Common, Thri-Keen.

Homelands: Selene.

Racial Traits

Combat Ability - Retributive Burst: Once per encounter as an immediate action upon being damaged by an opponent in melee, you may have that opponent make a Reflex save (DC 11 + HD) or take 1d6 fire damage. This damage is increased by 1d6 for every two levels beyond one that you possess (2d6 at 3 HD, 3d6 at 5 HD, and so on).

Passive Ability - Chitinous Shell: You are covered in a hard shell, which grants you a +1 natural armor bonus. This bonus increases by +1 at 10th level, and every 10 levels after. This is an actual improvement, and thus stacks with all other applicable bonuses.

Utility Ability - Leaper: You are considered to have a number of ranks in the Jump skill equal to your HD + 3, and and you may jump +20 ft. farther or 10 ft. higher (your choice) than your check result would suggest (provided you succeed on the check).

Talpan

A broad, heavily built humanoid lumbers out of nearby cave. It meets your gaze, with small black eyes and a vertical slit for a mouth. It is dressed like a miner, but instead of a pick, it claws through sand and stone with massive claws.

The Talpa, often known as mole people, are subterranean creatures with a vaguely humanoid build, squashed faces, a vertical mouth, and large, heavy claws. Talpa are a Tellurian slave race of unknown origin, and many still exist as slaves or servants in many Tellurian societies. They get along well with ghouls, given the outcast status of both peoples, and generally are unfriendly or hostile to other races, who they see as oppressors (justified or not).

Starting Languages: Common, Terran.

Homelands: Subtellus.

Racial Traits

Combat Ability - Rending Claws: You gain two natural claw attacks that each deal 1d4 damage, and may be used as primary attacks or one as a secondary attack with a weapon. If you hit with both claw attacks, you deal an additional 1d4 + 1.5 Str modifier damage. Rend damage increases by +1d4 at 5th level, and every 5 HD after, but only applies to claw attacks. It can be used with a monk's unarmed strike ability, however.

Passive Ability - Stare Down the Void: You can see normally in mundane and magical darkness out to 60 ft.

Utility Ability - Tenacious Digger: You gain a burrow speed of 5 ft. as a full round action, but only through soil, sand, dirt, and similar materials, and unless you or another person are simultaneously constructing supports, you do not leave a usable tunnel. You may remain underground in this fashion indefinitely, but others with you may face suffocation as normal. Your burrow speed increases by 5 ft. at 5th level, and every 5 levels after 5th (10th, 15th, 20th level, and so on).

Alien Races

Alien races are sapient entities whose essence is derived from the Dreamlands, but whose physical form draws upon the material world in some fashion. Essentially, the following races are Fremd and mortal hybrids, many of whom are bound in service to the Elder Fremd who beget them. Since the Great Conjunction, many alien beings have gained some semblance of free will, and may choose whether they follow their progenitors, side with mortals, or make their own path. Regardless of affiliation, alien characters share a special bond with one another that influences their every decision.

Doppelganger

A strange figure approaches you from the mists. Something is faintly and disturbingly familiar about the figure, but you cannot trace it. The figure raises its head, revealing a blank grey, featureless face. As you start, its features seem to melt and suddenly, you gaze upon your own face!

It is said that everything strives to be, even the most immaterial of ideas. Perhaps nothing proves that adage more true than the doppelgangers, mysterious shapeshifters born in the Dreamlands, but drawn to the Material Plane by inscrutable purposes. Doppelgangers, as mutable creatures of both matter and dreamstuff, have few consistent physical features, although most are grayish, roughly humanoid figures with blank faces. Feared by many for their talent in mimicry, most doppelgangers live lonely lives dominated by one goal: to find the purpose of their existence. Most doppelgangers have no culture or society of their own, and thus live alone or as a thrall for a greater power. A rare few break free either to seek out their own fortune, or forge a new future for their people.

Starting Languages: Common, any one.

Homelands: The Dreamlands.

Racial Traits

Combat Ability - Horrifying Visage: You change your form into something strange and horrible to behold. Once per encounter as a swift action you may demoralize a foe as a swift action, though the result does not stack with other fear effects. For the purpose of making this check only, you may use your HD in place of ranks in Intimidation, if it is higher. For doppelgangers with a specific progenitor, this ability gains a +4 bonus on the Intimidate check, and it does stack with other fear effects, but only against the progenitor.

Passive Ability - Aberrant Being: You gain the Aberration type, and gain Darkvision out to 60'. You gain no other benefits of the Aberration type (such as skill points, HD, base saves, or weapon and armor proficiencies).

Utility Ability - Shapeshift: By concentrating for three rounds you may mold your features to a different form, allowing you to make minor adjustments to yourself as if making a Transformation check (though no disguise kit is required). This functions as the disguise self spell, except that it is an extraordinary ability that does not provoke a Will save if interacted with. True seeing and similar spells reveal the true form of the doppelganger, and skills like Psychology can detect the subterfuge, if not the disguise. As a secondary benefit, doppelgangers do not need disguise kits for Transformation rank 1 and rank 4 abilities to alter physical appearance (but not clothing) when using this ability, since their body actually changes into those proportions, including weight.

Homunculus

A tall, imposing being stands before you, apparently composed of stitched body parts assembled into a humanoid form. Its appearance is horrifying, yet it moves with grace and fluidity, and its proportions are statuesque. Its eyes burn with eldritch power and keen sentience.

Homunculii are entities whose mere existence tests the definition of life and sapience. As products of occult science, Homunculii are a race by category, rather than heredity. One may be constructed out of human and ghoul parts, another out of bones, and a third covered with eyes, yet they are share the same abilities. As they are not a biological species, they must construct their own children to perpetuate their species. A homunculii "infant" may have adult proportions, but their minds are undeveloped, lacking even the most basic instincts possessed by humanoid infants, and they are very vulnerable to prejudice or manipulation during this time.

Often created as slaves or cannon fodder, and forged from the dead (or rarely, living victims), Homunculii have an unfair reputation as monsters even by the fairly diverse world of Tellur. R'lyeh is the exception, as the legions of Homunculii were created from the honored dead and safeguarded the Isle of Nightmares from invaders with absolute devotion. The decision to release the Homunculii from service with honors was virtually unanimous, and even to this day, Homunculii are seen as inherently trustworthy by most citizens of that dread citadel.

Starting Languages: Common.

Homelands: Any.

Racial Traits

Combat Ability - Powerful Build: You are considered one size larger for all effects and abilities when it would be advantageous to you.

Passive Ability - Living Construct: As per the type in Eberron setting. You also have darkvision in place of low-light vision.

Utility Ability - Unnatural Form: You hve a 25% chance to negate a critical hit or sneak attack dealt to you, as if by light fortification.

Ichorite

A strange hooded figure approaches you from the shadows, clad only in a thick brown cloak. Its appearance slightly repels you, resembling nothing more than a humanoid figure composed of grayish-green tendrils and tentacles, with a vaguely squid-like head.

Eldritch beings composed of tentacles, with a superficially cephalopod head, who serve as lesser servitors to the Old Ones and seem to be of a similar, albeit considerably weaker nature. They were created by the Old Ones by combining mortal blood with the unnatural essence of the Old Ones, and as such are hybrids of mortal and outsider natures. The Ichorites are greatly feared throughout Tellus, and while their power and social status does grant them considerable might, they do not actually eat souls... or at least no one has actually seen them do so.

Starting Languages: Common, Farspeech.

Homelands: The Dreamlands.

Racial Traits

Combat Ability - Psychic Burst: As a standard action, once per encounter, you can blast a foe within 30 ft. with pure psychic energy. The foe must make a Will save (DC 11 + your HD) or be stunned for one round. The duration increases by an additional round for every five HD you possess, and the foe may make a new Will save each round on their turn to end the effect early. This is a mind-affecting stunning effect.

Passive Ability - Aberrant Being: You gain the Aberration type, and gain Darkvision out to 60'. You gain no other benefits of the Aberration type (such as skill points, HD, base saves, or weapon and armor proficiencies).

Utility Ability - Spell Resistant: You gain spell resistance equal to your HD + 5. While you must release it to allow allies to case on you unimpeded, you may choose to cast spells on yourself without release it, if you choose.

Nightghaunt

A sinister black figure appears out of the gloom. It is midnight black in color, leaching the very light from its surroundings. Its forehead bears two curved horns, two immense wings on each shoulder, and a long whip-like tail. The most disturbing aspect of the creature, as it turns to face you, is its lack of any facial features.

Winged humanoids of vaguely demonic appearance, who come from the Dreamlands. Even members of older races shun the nightghaunts for their sinister looks, and most nightghaunts do little to dissuade this belief. The majority serve the Old Ones in some capacity, although they are not above bending commands to suit their needs when they can. No one, not even the Nightghaunts themselves, know why they do not have faces.

Nightghaunts and ghouls have a particularly aggressive relationship, the origins of which are obscure.

Starting Languages: Common, Farspeech.

Homelands: The Dreamlands.

Racial Traits

Combat Ability - Barbed Sting: You may use your tail as a primary natural weapon, dealing 1d6 + strength modifier damage, or as a secondary attack with a weapon, adding one-half your strength to damage and taking a -5 penalty on the attack roll. If you attempt to grapple an opponent of your size or smaller, you can use the sting to gently tickle your foe into submission, inflicting a -8 penalty on any opposed grapple checks they make against you.

Passive Ability - Faceless Sight: You are immune to being dazzled or blinded, and you gain a +4 bonus on saves against gaze attacks. You also have darkvision out to 60 ft (this replaces your low-light vision). You otherwise see normally.

Utility Ability - Wings of Shadow: You gains wings which you may use to glide, negating falling damage from a fall of any height and allowing 30 feet of forward travel for every 5 feet of descent at your base speed with average maneuverability. Should you fall unconscious or helpless in midair, your wings naturally unfurl and powerful ligaments stiffen the wings. You descend in a tight corkscrew and take only 1d6 points of falling damage, no matter what the actual distance of the fall. Even if your maneuverability improves, you cannot hover while gliding. When you reach 9 HD, you are able to fly at your base speed with average maneuverability for up to a number of rounds equal to your Constitution modifier, and can exert yourself for up to twice that time but are fatigued at the end of your flight, as well as after spending ten minutes per day of flying. Because you can glide before, after, and between rounds of actual flight, you can remain aloft for extended periods (even if you can only use flight for 1 round at a time without becoming fatigued). When you reach 12 HD, you have no chance of becoming fatigued from flying.

Puppeteer (Symbiote)

A normal-looking human guard approaches you in the gloom, bearing a lantern. You nod at him and make to pass by, when he suddenly grabs your arm. As you stop to remonstrate with him, his eyes suddenly glow fluorescent blue, and his voice becomes slightly hypnotic. As you start in surprise, a small, faintly glowing blue and red worm-like creature with fins carefully extracts itself from the man's mouth, and darts towards you!

Puppeteers are one of the newer hybrid Fremd, small ethereal beings employed by their progenitors to possess and control mortal creatures. Possessed of very weak magical and physical qualities on their own, puppeteers can become truly formidable when in a host, using their innate understanding of mortal minds to dramatically amplify senses and abilities, and unlike a doppelganger, a puppeteer actually uses its host's body, making anti-polymorph and disguise penetration abilities and spells useless.

Physically, a puppeteer resembles a nudibranch, or sea slug, and usually glows faintly when outside of a host. A puppeteer can hover on its own, but needs a host to develop its latent skills and to survive in the mortal realm for any significant length of time (usually less than a week before being shunted back into the Dreamlands). Symbiote puppeteers usually are bound to a willing host through a ritualized surgery, which leaves a distinctive scar, usually in the chest or neck. Symbiotes often associate themselves with a specific mortal family, and union with the symbiote is often required for the heirs of such a family. Parasitic puppeteers usually enter through the mouth, so as to not leave any visible sign of their presence, and then suppress as much of the host's personality as possible.

A substantial number of puppeteers rebelled against their masters in the last Great Conunction, the majority of which have elected to form willing symbiotic relationships with mortals. Mechanically, there are few differences between puppeteers who possess unwilling hosts and those who bind with willing hosts, but both share an fascination with mortal sensory experiences, and either become very creative or very hedonistic in the absence of external restraint. Puppeteers may choose to court willing hosts, while those serving powerful Aklo and Fremd lords usually groom one or more family lines to provide them with successive hosts. Puppeteers loyal to the Fremd usually live in "vessels," normal humanoids physically and mentally modified to enhance Puppeteer powers while remaining largely docile.

Starting Languages: Minor Telepathy (Host only), understands Common and Aklo.

Homelands: The Dreamlands.

Select one of the following traits in place of a racial trait or your starting feat.

Racial Traits

Combat Ability - Persuasive: Once per minute you may cast command (DC 11 + your HD) as a spell-like ability. Should your target fail the save, this effect lasts for only a single round. Note: Typically taken by Puppeteers who favor the hostile takeover approach.

Passive Ability - Keen Senses: If you are not surprised at the start of combat, none of the rest of your allies are and may act normally even in surprise rounds.

Support Ability - Alien Resilience: Once per encounter as a non-action upon being dealt damage by an enemy's attack or effect you may reduce the damage taken by a number equal to 3 + your HD.