Azal (3.5e Race)

Author: Eiji-kun (talk) Date Created: 9-30-23 Status: Complete Editing: Clarity edits only please

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Azal

The azal are tall goat people with a history of dealing with and intermixing with extraplanar powers.

Long ago, a race of goat people lived together with others and excelled in the growing science of planar knowledge and lore. Their discoveries brought many advancements to their homeland, but also opened them to the machinations of extraplanar forces. It is said that one of these entities schemed to capture the worship of their homelands and disarm the population against spiritual invasion. The azal became aware of the deception too late. By stroking the fires of envy and ignorance over the azal's status and powers, their homeland began to persecute and hunt the azal. They scattered to the winds, many escaping to other planes they had become so familiar with until eventually time passed, kingdoms rose and fell, and they eventually made their way back to the material world wary, wise, and changed.

It is believed that a group of azal had played planar politics of their own, finding a way to return the favor of ousting their original betrayer from their seat of power and stealing their knowledge and power for themselves. This power became one with their bloodline, leading to their kind being prone to strange mutations and unnatural awareness of things beyond normal experience. Unfortunately it gives others little trust in them, for much like tieflings their background is suspect at best.

Personality

Azal’s have personalities as varied as any human. Some claim that their extraplanar essences influence them more often than not, causing them to act the part of their bloodline, but this is a stereotype and not a rule.

The azal see their previous persecution as a result of ignorance, and vowed never to be blinded again. Thus, they removed the restrictions of knowledge seeking they once followed in an effort to know as much as they could. This release from rules would carry onto other behaviors, and the idea of rejecting the status quo and seeking more would become their motto. This behavior would often put them at odds with any status quo, adding to their unpopularity. Nevertheless they persist.

Physical Description

The azal are humanoid goat people which stand tall from human sizes, to nearly giant (just under 8 feet tall). They are covered in a thin layer of fur, with goat horns and face, a stubby tail, and human proportions otherwise. They come in various colors, typically white, black, or various earthtones. Their kind is prone to mutation, resulting in oddities such as extra horns, a third eye, a longer than normal tail, or unusual proportions. All of these traits are minor and have no mechanical effect. As many work within the supernatural arts, traditional dress is typically some manner of robe or toga. In fact, the azal seem to have no gender differences in terms of clothing or appearance.

Relations

Some do not trust the azal, for much like tieflings their blood is muddled with forces determined by cosmic alignments and powers beyond mortality. If this can be overcome, the azal prove to be dutiful allies who remember those that showed them kindness.

Alignment

Any. Stereotypically their bloodlines and their alignments find themselves hand in hand.

Lands

In their past they once held onto an arid land known as Alini, though this land is now long gone. Their numbers scattered, they never recovered to group as a whole again but work in the shadows of other cultures. Perhaps in time one day they would reforge their land anew.

Religion

Azal often give at least passing respect to gods of all sorts, but how they feel about them individually varies from person to person.

Language

Common, and one exotic language of your choice (from Abyssal, Aklo, Celestial, Infernal, or Necril).

Names

The names of the azal are old, often invoking latin, greek, and hebrew themes.

‘’Male Names:’’ Acacius, Augustus, Levi, Marduk

‘’Female Names:’’ Ava, Ceres, Ishtar, Phoebe

‘’Family Names:’’ Family names are often more modern descriptors, such as Morningstar, Pendragon, Skywind, and similar names.

Racial Traits

• -2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence or +2 Wisdom or +2 Charisma: Their minds are trained to deal with the strange and unknown, but their bulk works against them at times.
• Humanoid (Anthro): Azal are humanoid shaped, in spite of their goat-like features. 
• Medium: As a Medium creature, an azal has no special bonuses or penalties due to its size.
• Azal base land speed is 30 ft feet.  
• Darkvision: An azal can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and an azal can function just fine with no light at all. 
• Elder Knowledge (Ex): Azal always treats Knowledge The Planes as a class skill with a minimum of 4 ranks (1 rank in Pathfinder), and may roll twice and take the best result on Knowledge The Planes checks. They may apply their Knowledge Planes checks to non-outsiders and elementals that are directly associated with eldritch or occult entities, such as the undead Atropal and similar beings. 
• Mark of the Outsider (Su): Each azal can express their unnatural natures by revealing a special power associated with their bloodline with the extraplanar entities of old. When their mark is expressed, they count as a member of their race as well as an outsider (native) with their alignment as alignment subtypes for the purpose of interacting with spells and effects (such as favored enemy and for the purposes of bypassing damage reduction). True neutral azal may select one alignment subtype to express. Expressing or suppressing their mark is a move action which does not provoke attacks of opportunity. In addition to the above, choose one ability from below which also is activated when the mark is expressed. Any saving throws are based on their highest mental ability modifier.

’’’Crown of Flames:’’’ You shed light as a torch, and may cast ‘’light’’ as a spell-like ability at will with a caster level equal to your character level. At 6th HD, they can use scorching ray 2/day.

’’’Outer Essence:’’’ You gain angelic or fiendish traits, depending on your alignment, and may cast guidance at will with a caster level equal to your character level. At 6th HD, you may use

consecrate (if good) or desecrate (if evil) 2/day.  Neutral characters must choose one or the other.

’’’Phantom Hand:’’’ Visible ghostly limbs or tentacles appear, and you may cast ‘’mage hand’’ as a spell-like ability at will with a caster level equal to your character level. At 6th HD, they can use levitate 2/day.
’’’Spirit Eye:’’’ You gain one or more extra eyes or your eyes become visibly aberrant, and may cast ‘’detect magic’’ as a spell-like ability at will with a caster level equal to your character level. At 6th HD, they can use augury 2/day.
 

• Natural Weapons (Ex): Azal possesses a gore attack which deals 1d8 damage as a primary natural attack. 
• Planar Emissary (Ex): The azal have a +2 racial bonus on any ability or skill check made against an extraplanar entity, and on saves against their spells and effects. This rises to +4 if their mark is expressed and does not oppose the alignment of the entity on either the moral or ethical axis.
• Automatic Languages: Common and one Exotic (Abyssal, Aklo, Celestial, Infernal, or Necril)
• Bonus Languages: Any
• Favored Class: Wizard or Cleric or Sorcerer
• Level Adjustment: +0
• Effective Character Level: 1

Vital Statistics

Table: Azal Random Starting Ages

Adulthood	Simple	Moderate	Complex
15 years	+1d6	+2d6	+3d6

Table: Azal Aging Effects

Middle Age1	Old2	Venerable3	Maximum Age
75 years	150 years	200 years	+2d20 years
At middle age, −1 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At old age, −2 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At venerable age, −3 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha.

Table: Azal Random Height and Weight

Gender	Base Height	Height Modifier	Base Weight	Weight Modifier
Male	5' 10"	+3d12	180 lb.	× (1d12) lb.
Female	5' 10"	+3d12	180 lb.	× (1d12) lb.

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