Greetings one last time...here are the final races!
I have been working for the last several years on my own homebrew using Flavor from such sources as Jack Vance's Dying Earth, Ken Hood's Sleeping Imperium, Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun, The anime Last Exile, and Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind, etc. As any project of this scope it is incomplete but I have come fairly far. I have a full document detailing the rules governing the homebrew, but suffice to say that it is a high powered campaign world and even the basic races are significantly more powerful that a standard campaign.
These worlds in my campaign have existed for millions of years with intelligent species and none of them except the humans resemble any typical fantasy races. I have tried my best to make every race unique, although I have obviously taken inspiration (in some cases, STRONG inspiration) from various sources (I'm sure some of you will spot some of them), In a few cases I have even stolen ideas directly, although for the most part I have tried to change them enough that it is not direct plagerism (is that how it is spelled?) and I have always given credit to my sources of inspiration.
Remember, these races are meant to be balanced against EACH OTHER, not any other standard.
I have decided to include two races per post from now on as this should give people sufficient material to comment on. Please let me know what you think, be it constructive critisism or even just a nod that you like them (or dislike them).
Links to the other races of Ej'aeka
Humans of the Empire
The Aon'daaf and Axud'fia
The Dax'jeut and Duzk'enuh
The Eif'veum and Juga'doiq
The Nokwmaa and Nup'tsuu
And now, the Uas'raok and the Zuufu'nien:
(Please note that ONLY game statistics are Open Game Content and all the flavour text is MY own, PLEASE do not use it without my express permission.
Uas’raok:
The Uas’raok are small insectoid mammalians that often live in symbiosis with certain types of fungal creatures. There are two types of Uas’raok societies and they are drastically different from each other. The first type of Uas’raok is a lively collector of all sorts of physical possessions and they most commonly travel in clustered groups of balloons and flying ships tied together with pathways, nets and ropes to create a flying caravan traveling where the wind takes it and allowing the Uas’raok to trade with the other people they encounter. These Uas’raok have cultures that vary widely depending on their surroundings and are the most commonly encountered. The second type of Uas’raok are regarded as a myth by nearly all the races of Ej’aeka and they are powerfully Psionic tribes who live within the Fungal Forests, growing and shaping the fungus into symbiotic creatures, taming insects to act as guards and transport, and living in harmony with the forest. These tribes are incredibly solitary and do not often appear to people not of their own tribe, although there exist myths of the wild Uas’raok coming to the rescue of lost or endangered members of other species within the Fungal Forest. The first type of more civilized Uas’raok are the same as the fungal forest tribes, but simply have lost their original culture.
History:
There are stories that tell that an Originator once breathed his dying breath and his soul flew out in a miasma from his lungs out into the world. This soul searched for Nature, a concept foreign to the technologically advanced Originators, but it did not know how to begin. The search for nature became desperate until one day a small boy breathed in the soul and realized the search himself. He began to grow new forms of fungus and crossbreed them and let them loose into the wild. This boy who had breathed the soul of the Originator began to grow strange growths from his body and slowly he became part of the fungus that he had been cultivating. His laboratory grew wild and the boy stopped growing. He forgot his research and lived with his creations becoming one of them. An age passed and the laboratory grew into a forest, the boy forgotten lived in its heart and a small race of beings had come into existence in the passing time. Replicas of the ideal that the boy had had, these creatures tried to live in harmony with the fungal forest and eventually they became to Uas’raok.
The Uas’raok are divided as to whether this story holds the true key to their existence, but most see it as having at least some truth. Most people believe parts of this tale, but in every village and city the tale is told differently. The facts are hard to place in reality as they differ so widely.
Physical Appearance:
The Uas’raok are actually small creatures but with very long “legs”. On average they weigh between 40 and 50 Kg but when standing are between 200 and 250 cm tall. The females are slightly larger than the males and are often considered the leaders of their societies although it is not unheard of to have a male leading them. The Uas’raok are related to insects and have several insectoid characteristics. The Uas’raok are difficult to describe. Their evolution seems to have gone in the opposite direction from most other species and they have a small body and torso extremely long “arms” that they use as legs, and at the bottom of their torso they have three small arms used for fine manipulation. The torso is held suspended in the air between the long arm-legs. Each of these legs is about 2 meters long and about halfway up has a flexible joint which splits into two appendages. Each of these smaller legs has a single knee-like joint and finally ends in a small foot that is incapable of fine manipulation, but has a strong grasp. Their heads are humanoid and seem to be elegant and finely structured, although their teeth are all pointed like needles and their eyes are large, convex, and multifaceted, like those of a dragonfly. They also have two antennas that extend about 30 cm from their foreheads. At the bottom of the torso the Uas’raok have three short arms each about half a meter long and ending in a four fingered hand as capable as a humans’. Uas’raok have some of the most varied skin tones on the planets and range in color from red to tan to black or white. There seems to be no difference or prejudice between Uas’raok based on skin tone, but these varied colors are always a darker, muted hue, never a bright or neon color. The eyes of the Uas’raok come in as many varied shades as their skin, but are almost never the same color as the individuals skin tone. The Uas’raok have hair, but it comes in several thick strands. Unlike most species, a single piece of Uas’raok hair is roughly 1 Cm in diameter and therefore the Uas’raok uniformly appear to have dreadlocks (although they claim that other species are simply imitating them by growing dreadlocks with “unfit” hair). The Uas’raok never grow facial hair and seem to be fascinated by other species that do. The Uas’raok often have differing appearances due to the Fungal implants they have attached to their bodies.
Possessions:
The Uas’raok do not normally consider possessions to be of importance. They seem to recognize the transitory nature of ownership and embrace it fully. This being said, the Uas’raok are incredible packrats. They keep everything they find thinking that it may be useful one day. They have no attachment to these objects, they just view them as potentially useful. These objects are often displayed and traded without a moments thought to anyone who might be interested. It is just this attitude that has made Uas’raok into the friendly trading society that everyone view’s them as. An Uas’raok is just as likely to offer something he has had for ages up for trade for a new item that catches his eye as he is to hoard it forever.
Uas’raok do not have special interest in weaponry of a specific type and may be trained in any weapons commonly found in Ej’aeka. One item of note is that often an Uas’raok’s fungal symbiots may have capacities that can be used as a weapon and therefore no Uas’raok should be considered completely unarmed. Similarly, most Uas’raok armor is implanted or hidden and inaccessible to other races.
Living Quarters:
The Uas’raok have two common forms of living quarters depending on what their society is. The roaming Uas’raok most commonly live in large balloons, blimps and airships tied to one another by ropes, bridges, and walkways to create floating caravans. These caravans are known throughout the planets as traders and tinkers. Always a welcome sight the Uas’raok floating villages come for a few days or weeks and then move on drifting on the air currents. Each Uas’raok “owns” a ship or hanging caravan and may choose to dis-attach from the “village” if he so desires, but most Uas’raok are content to travel the skies with their families meeting new folk and trading for new goods.
The other Uas’raok live in the fungal forests and have much stranger forms of housing. Some villages are built into great mushrooms, hundreds of meter tall, while others are houses built in the “branches” of the fungal forest. Some rare villages have even been built out of discarded giant insect shells, providing incredible defense while the most daring of all have been built into the living carapace of the largest insects in the fungal forest.
Calendar:
The Uas’raok use the standard calendar for the Ej’aeka system and do not distinguish any different system of telling time. They do not have much of a sense of time and let the seasons pass as they will. Uas’raok are unusual in that they have almost no celebrations of their own, but rather celebrate with enthusiasm and vigor all holidays in every region that they visit. In fact, many cultures look forward to the arrival of an Uas’raok caravan before a major holiday as the festivities will only be better for their appearance.
Social Skills:
The Uas’raok are friendly and accepting of other races. They enjoy learning about others, and expect the same attitude in return. Those Uas’raok living in the fungal forests are shyer, but still greet foreigners with warmth. The forest dwelling Uas’raok will not, however, tolerate the destruction of their forests and will actively attack those who seem determined to wreak havoc on the fungal forests on a wide scale.
The Uas’raok treat everyone with an equal amount of respect and enjoy the sensation of being polite.
Diet:
The Uas’raok have two main fares in their diet. They live off a substantial amount of fungus and mushroom complemented with meat in various varieties. While able to eat nearly any substance the other standard races can, they prefer a large amount of meat. In the air-faring Uas’raok societies this is usually large amount of birds and other flying creatures caught from their flying caravans. For the deep fungal forest dwelling Uas’raok there is usually a large supply of insects raised for their meat and eaten with every meal. Both types of Uas’raok keep plantations of fungus of a bewildering variety as their standard meals. The gas used to keep blimps and airships afloat is ideal for raising crops of mushrooms and therefore the Uas’raok will often trade mushrooms that are considered delicacies by other races. Although just as susceptible to the fungal miasma as other races, the Uas’raok are mostly immune to fungal based poisons that are eaten and therefore and find a reasonable fare nearly anywhere within the fungal forests.
The Uas’raok drink water with the occasional revel bolstered by an alcoholic nectar that is created by insects that the Uas’raok raise especially to harvest this from. All Uas’raok communities have at least one colony of the insects that produce this fermented nectar. Most Uas’raok eat when they like without worrying about social conventions or banquets. A typical Uas’raok meal gathering is an informal affair organized like a modern day barbeque with everyone eating what they wish when they wish and socializing in a relaxed fashion.
Fashion and Dress:
Most Uas’raok wear loose clothing in bright colors. Their affinity for insects means that they have mastered several species of insect and grow the best silk in Ej’aeka. The Uas’raok enjoy closing that does not restrict their movement and can catch the wind and air allowing them to feel part of the world they are in. Different types of silk are highly prized for resilience, softness, lightness, the ability to hold brighter dyes, or other qualities. Uas’raok wear loose fitting pants for both sexes tailored to their unique physiology. With all Uas’raok styles, color and the combinations thereof are as important as a good cut of clothes.
In the fungal forests the Uas’raok also have a strange traditional exploring garb built out of the thickest layers of cushioned spider silks with tight cuffs at the wrists of all limbs. Tough gloves are worn on all hands and a helmet seals the outfit off with large goggled eyepieces set into the mask. This outfit provides decent protection against all the casual dangers of the fungal forests and includes a built in Breathe Mask and some degree of armored protection as well without restricting the Uas’raok’s freedom of movement.
Education:
Males and females are taught equally in Uas’raok society and the skills depend on which type of society they are. The traveling Uas’raok focus on trading and bartering skills, basic flying and piloting techniques, and navigation of the planets. The forest dwelling Uas’raok are trained in the lore of the fungal forests, the taming of insects for domestic use, and the basic skills of exploration, survival, and endurance. Both types are always taught the basics of silk farming. The Uas’raok consider it their duty to instruct the young of their community in everything they know. Young Uas’raok are constantly taught everything from every adult around them until they gradually show some interest in one subject or another and begin to focus more on that. Uas’raok often speak many languages but rarely learn to read or write more than one of these.
Communication:
The Uas’raok have their own language. A fast paced, almost musical tongue filled with chirps and clicks. The Uas’raok tongue is also useful for other species that need a language for warfare as most simple commands have forms that are very similar to the natural noises of the planets and in nature setting are indistinguishable from animal life. Most Uas’raok that live and travel in a flying caravan learn the dominant language of region they usually travel through as well as several tongues of the surrounding regions.
The Uas’raok use their hands, all three of them, in every conversation. When speaking most Uas’raok are incredibly expressive and gesticulate theatrically, although not without a modicum of grace and control.
While most Uas’raok speak their own language as well as several others, few Uas’raok learn to read or write more than one language. Most commonly they pick up the ability to read and write the Luzian Imperial tongue as it is the most commonly written language. In order to send messages between their ships and floating caravans, most Uas’raok use the standardized flare gun signals combined with alight gun to send signals in Morse code.
Professions:
The Uas’raok are highly Psionic and develop their skills in this regard to the highest degree. Even the common Uas’raok who trades from village to village is likely to have developed the powers of the mind to some small degree. This respect for the mental arts is universal in their culture and pervades all aspects of life. Nowhere is this more so than in the small communities that dwell in the fungal forests. In addition to the mental arts all types of skillful labor are respected. Few Uas’raok join the path of the professional warrior as most with this predisposition join one of the rare floating monasteries of Psionic monks training together.
Medicine:
The Uas’raok do not have a very special affinity for medicine. Although they do have doctors and healers, those trained as such are usually only competent at fairly simple medicine with one exception. Because of their affinity for the Fungal Forests, the Uas’raok have learned to distill many powerful medicines from the fungus and can more readily treat illnesses with their strong anti-biotics and healing salves.
Social Factors:
The Uas’raok have evolved to bear fungal symbiots on all of their species. Even the Uas’raok living in floating caravans will have symbiots from a young age, descended from the symbiots of his parents. For Uas’raok, these are part of life and to be without symbiots would be shocking indeed. An Uas’raok who has been stripped of his symbiots (a long, painful, and dangerous process the equivalent of physically mangling a person into deformity) is looked upon with pity and horror. Similarly, the simple suggestion that a symbiot looks strange or is unappealing is frowned upon and making fun of an Uas’raok’s symbiots is clearly unacceptable and boorish behavior. The Uas’raok are known for being good bargainers, but usually fair. It is rare that an Uas’raok merchant will truly take advantage of a customer. This does not mean that the will not over embellish a bit, or exaggerate an objects usefulness, that is the nature of business, but most Uas’raok care less about physical possessions, and more about the act of trading.
The Uas’raok are a strange species and lay small soft shelled eggs that take nearly a year to grow and mature. These eggs hatch and the infant Uas’raok larva is born although very small and nearly unintelligent. Over another year the larva grows and becomes more and more intelligent until finally it is considered to be a child. Uas’raok live in large families. It is not unusual for several Uas’raok to join together with several males and several females all being “married” to one another. This kind of family circle rarely extends to more than five or six being in total, but it is rare for an Uas’raok family to have a single mother/father pair. Most children share a father or mother, but very few share both a mother and a father. This type of family situation means that Uas’raok share the burden of raising their young and it never becomes an all-consuming job for a single being. Since Uas’raok are used to this type of family, they often include other species that they have become close to in this symbolic family unit. Uas’raok tend to fall in love rather easily and often with more than one individual, therefore it is easy for this type of polygamous family to exist and grow. Children do not make a distinction between their birth mother and father and their other mothers and fathers.
Most Uas’raok treat each other as equals. The leader of a clan or village tends to be the eldest or wisest female but this position is mostly symbolic and each community will make decisions with all members present. While marginally matriarchal, it is not unheard of for a male to become the elder of a community either.
Religion:
The Uas’raok are a skeptical species, they do not normally have a belief in a “god” or creator. They tend to worship certain natural forces with some regularity, but work more toward furthering peaceful harmony with the planet, fungal forests, insects, and other species, than carrying out the will of some “greater being”. This being said, there are a share of Uas’raok who have come to worship certain deities that surrounding cultures venerate.
While having no traditional holidays of their own, the Uas’raok tend to celebrate with great glee every other races holiday that they encounter, although only while in the region dominated by that species. It is because of this that the Uas’raok are known as festive beings who always improve a celebration.
Although they often celebrate all ceremonies of the cultures that they pass through, the closest to genuine worship that the Uas’raok get is their floating monasteries. These are well-ordered floating caravans that have only a monastic order of Uas’raok (and occasionally a visiting member of a different species) engaged in quiet contemplation, psychic expansion and martial training. These monasteries are well respected and often are sought after by wandering monks and contemplatives who wish to learn from another species.
Most Uas’raok believe in some form of reincarnation and eventual higher spiritual evolvement. For most Uas’raok death is a time of celebration and pleasure. Certain ceremonies are preformed in order to guide the dead into a suitable body for its next incarnation and all beings celebrate the gradual mental evolution taking place. Whether the dead are ever actually reincarnated is greatly doubted by many other races, but there is no proof one way or another.
Transportation:
As stated previously, most Uas’raok use floating caravans for travel, following the air currents wherever they may roam. Some Uas’raok also tame giant insects and other large flying beings in order to travel more easily, but it is rare that an Uas’raok will travel on the ground through any power but his own. In the fungal forests the Uas’raok are adept climbers and are able to move vertically almost as easily as they are able to move horizontally.
Protection:
The Uas’raok rarely need to defend themselves. As a mostly nomadic race, occasionally their floating caravans are set upon, but this is a rare occasion and even the loss of a caravan will not affect the race as a whole. The fungal forest dwelling Uas’raok keep their villages a secret and only have to defend against the occasional giant insect or unexpected intruder. For the most part, the Uas’raok have no real need to defend themselves on a large scale.
When a community is set upon the Uas’raok use their symbiots and Psionic powers to distract their enemies and deal powerful hidden blows while secretly slipping away. The Uas’raok do not find it necessary to wipe an enemy out, preferring instead to simply leave the enemy behind and confused.
Uas’raok Racial Traits:
• +2 Dexterity
• +2 Wisdom
• +2 Charisma
• - 2 Strength
• - 2 Constitution
• Small: As small sized creatures, Uas’raok gain a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on Attack Rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but they must use smaller weapons than Humans use, and their lifting and carrying limits are three quarters of those of medium-size characters.
• Uas’raok base speed is 40, Climb 15
• All Uas’raok may choose two Fungal Symbiots to begin play with. These symbiots represent the infant symbiots it was implanted with by its parents in infancy. In addition to these two implants each Uas’raok may have up to five additional symbiots (although no more than one per body area) implanted over time by paying the purchase price and experience point cost in a location where they are available (such as a Fungal Forest Uas’raok society). The Fungal Symbiots will be detailed in a later section.
• An Uas’raok may take the Multi-dexterity and Multi-Wielding feats in order to fully utilize his three limbs.
• Automatic Languages: Uas’raok and Luzian Imperial Common. Bonus Languages: Morse Code, Ship Signals
• Favored Class: Psionicist or Rogue
Zuufu’nien:
The Zuufu’nien are a short but stocky race of seafarers and ocean dwellers. They have lived traditionally in the great sea cliffs and have for millennia built the largest, strongest, and swiftest sea vessels. The Zuufu’nien are natural and graceful in the water and its surrounding environments, but in the many millennia of their existence, they have adapted to other surroundings as well. The Zuufu’nien still have traditional sea cliff harbors built into the rocks, but also have flying ships, and even occasional land-bound outposts. The Zuufu’nien ships have come to be appreciated by every race, even those that despise the sea. Zuufu’nien trading vessels travel nearly as fast as the slowest airships and have a much greater carrying capacity, while Zuufu’nien warships have anti-aircraft weapons and occasionally the ability to travel underwater.
History:
The Zuufu’nien have two creation myths that conflict and followers of one will occasionally come to blows with followers of the other. One creation myth states that of the myriad species of the oceans of Ej’aeka the Originators chose to exalt one species and through careful genetic manipulation and extra-dimensional magic enhancement, the Zuufu’nien were created to be the companions of the Originators and shared in their technological paradise until whatever disaster occurred befell them both. These Zuufu’nien believe themselves to be superior to all other races, except perhaps the true descendants of the Originators, whoever they may be.
The other sect of Zuufu’niens believe that they are a race of land dwelling beings who have formed a bond with the oceans so strong that their very bodies have been divinely shaped to be perfect. They believe that the oceans gave birth to all life on the planets, and that a profound respect for the oceans is necessary to recover the paradise of the Originators whose very they say was liquid based and organic.
While these two sects are the largest religious groups among the Zuufu’nien, there are many who do not believe either of these myths and simply consider themselves another intelligent race in a strange, dying world. The Zuufu’niens have kept incredible records of the oceans, maps chronicling the changes in coastlines over hundreds of thousands of years. Tidal information and predictions of oceanic disasters such as new volcanoes or tsunamis, but their personal history is strangely lacking. Most Zuufu’nien cities only have records accurately recording the last several hundred, or rarely, thousand years.
Physical Appearance:
The Zuufu’nien are short but stocky. Both sexes have the same average build and are about 1.3-1.5 meters tall and between 100-150 Kg in weight. They are nearly as wide as they are tall with a shoulder span usually reaching just over one full meter. The Zuufu’nien have wide, thick, sturdy frames with short powerful legs. They have a long thick torso with broad muscled shoulders and thick arms, hanging just a bit longer than they would on a human, ending with hands that seem oversized for the Zuufu’nien’s height. The Zuufu’nien have a rounded head with nearly no neck at all. A Zuufu’nien’s head movement is limited to up and down movements and very small twists of the neck, but their flexible backs allow them to turn their entire bodies in order to see something more clearly. Zuufu’niens have an extraordinarily wide, broad mouth filled (but not overly) with sharp pointed teeth. Their noses are small and the nostrils are slits that can be held closed in water, while Zuufu’nien eyes are clear and either solid black or solid white. The Zuufu’nien have a second pair of eyelids allowing them to see underwater with no penalties for blurriness, and some Zuufu’nien have found that they can use this eyelid during high speed flights instead of goggles to prevent their eyes from watering. Zuufu’nien have very small ears that barely protrude from their skulls and many Zuufu’nien also have a very small (1-2 cm) ridge on their heads looking something like a fin. The spaces between Zuufu’nien toes are webbed and the hands have a small amount of webbing between the fingers as well.
The Zuufu’nien uniformly have pitch-black, glossy skin covered in white patches and lines that are unique for every individual. They never grow any kind of body or facial hair and are generally scornful of the style in other races. Zuufu’nien are known for their intricate tattoos using black ink to decorate their white patches and a special sea urchin venom to stain white designs in their normally black skin. When first seen by a race the Zuufu’nien look like nothing so much as powerful, humanoid Orcas or Killer Whales. Most races find the Zuufu’nien to be humanoid enough to be incredibly attractive in a sleek, brawny sort of way.
Possessions:
The Zuufu’nien have few important possessions. One item that every Zuufu’nien has at all times is a wickedly sharp knife with one smooth and one serrated edge. Under the water, a knife such as this always comes in handy whether for defense, cutting entangling seaweed or prying tasty shells off of rocks. The Zuufu’nien almost always bestow this knife on a child when it reaches adulthood and it is carved from the bone of the great sea leviathans, the traditional enemy of the Zuufu’nien. Nearly every Zuufu’nien has this knife with them at all times and treats it as a masterwork great insect shell dagger. Losing this blade is considered incredibly dishonorable and most Zuufu’nien will go to extreme length to retrieve theirs.
Other than this, the Zuufu’nien do not put much weight on personal possessions. Other than this knife, many Zuufu’nien learn to use the weapons most useful for the sea. The Harpoon is a traditional Zuufu’nien weapon as is a special form of crossbow powered by a powerful spring rather than string. Although oceanic weapons are common among the Zuufu’nien, there are many who choose to study other weapons and their inherent strength makes them quite good at using any type of weapon.
Zuufu’nien rarely wear much armor. It is common to use leather armor created from sea creatures, but all Zuufu’nien treasure their freedom of movement and ability to swim. Occasionally Zuufu’nien will have a set of leather armor with Chitin plates that weight nearly nothing providing additional protection for vital areas.
Living Quarters:
The Zuufu’nien have several typical dwellings. The traditional Zuufu’nien hold is built into the massive sea cliffs that tend to exist throughout Ej’aeka. These cliffs, many thousands of meters in height, and hollowed out and fitted with massive sea doors of stone as large as 100 meters high and 150 meters wide. Inside the cave is a large enclosed harbor where Zuufu’nien vessels can dock, trade, and leave again. Although the majority of vessels will be Zuufu’nien, there will always be several ships of other species doing trading and carrying out business. Inside this massive cavern are countless caves with winches and gear to load and unload ships, and behind these caves, dug into the very stone itself are the cities and homes of the Zuufu’nien. There will always be several tunnels that connect to the surface as well as several that extend underwater. The cave cities of the Zuufu’nien are grand and enclosed and keep their ships safe from any danger.
Additionally the Zuufu’nien will live onboard ships of all shapes and sizes. The Zuufu’nien are the undisputed masters of shipbuilding and have craft varying from galleons, tankers, traders, to more radical designs. It is said that the largest of Zuufu’nien ships is nearly a kilometer long and has its own port where smaller ships can dock and travel. This massive ship is powered by unknown means and could possibly be mistaken for an island as a distance. There are also darker murmurs that the Zuufu’nien have recovered the technology to build submarines and have begun to explore the seafloor in earnest, finding many of the untouched Originator artifacts that other species have been unable to acquire.
Calendar:
The Zuufu’nien have the most advanced lunar calendar in Ej’aeka in on every planet keep track of time through the moon cycles and the way that they affect the tides. This being said, normal time keeping is used with the standard Ej’aekaen system. The Zuufu’nien have several major holidays throughout the year, but the most common is a monthly holiday on the day of the full moon, the Zuufu’nien have a feast and swim through the darkly moonlit seas together celebrating the beauty and wonder of the sea. Within a Zuufu’nien community everyone takes part in this monthly festival and even foreigners are invited to swim with the Zuufu’nien who will bring equipment and show the wonders of the oceans to the willing.
Social Skills:
The Zuufu’nien have a tendency to act a bit superior to other races. Many Zuufu’nien have been raised to think that they were created by the Originators with a nearly perfect form, and this innate vanity can show itself. This being said, however, most Zuufu’nien treat others with a jovial attitude, looking on others not as “unworthy” but simply to be pitied a bit for their lacks. A typical Zuufu’nien may point out other races physical lacks, but will do it such a friendly and non-aggressive way that most simply accept this as common Zuufu’nien behavior.
Zuufu’nien have a very friendly social system when on land, but as soon as they go onboard a ship, everyone is treated under a strict military style rank system. Accomplished sailors or navigators will have special tattoos clearly marking their level of skill and therefore when changing ships or working for a time on one, the Zuufu’nien are able to distinguish what rank to adopt for the duration of the voyage.
Diet:
As may be expected, the Zuufu’nien are voracious carnivores who eat an inordinate amount of seafood. Fishing is a national sport and fishing fleets are based in every Zuufu’nien stronghold. Larger and more dangerous fish are often hunted by hand and the Deephunters, as they are called, are one of the more respected professions among the Zuufu’nien, bringing back sharks, whales, kraken and other dangerous delicacies. The Zuufu’nien are able to eat vegetables, but prefer the taste and nourishment of meat, perhaps garnished with a small amount of seaweed.
Zuufu’nien dine in large mess halls with vast quantities of seafood piled on the tables. Some cooked dishes are famous throughout Ej’aeka, while other types of fish are eaten raw. In fact, Zuufu’nien who are swimming often catch and eat fish raw as a light snack.
Fashion and Dress:
The Zuufu’nien do not often wear much clothing, although this can change depending on the climate of the area where a ship currently is. Most Zuufu’nien wear thin trousers or a long skirt made from the leather of a sea creature, light and easy to swim with. Additionally, the Zuufu’nien often have vests made of a similar leather, and no one would be caught without a thick leather belt with several watertight pouches and a sheathe for their ritual knife. Color is unimportant to the Zuufu’nien, but when possible they prefer to dye their leathers in the blues, greys, and greens of the ocean.
During formal occasions the Zuufu’nien wear leather clothing embellished with rich embroidery and light silk. The leather outfits are cut perfectly to show off the impressive physique of the Zuufu’nien while drawing attention to their grace at the same time.
Education:
All Zuufu’nien are taught the basics of living in the sea and operating a sea vessel. Basic sailing, navigation, and undersea hunting are taught to every Zuufu’nien child before they reach adulthood. Zuufu’nien children that wish to learn about subjects not related to their species specialties are occasionally sent away to academies and schools outside of their home regions. Most Zuufu’nien are taught to read and to write the Luzian Imperial Tongue and other than that, use only the peculiar Zuufu’nien sign language. All Zuufu’nien are also taught Morse code and the signals used to communicate between ships.
Communication:
The Zuufu’nien are unusual in that they speak two native languages. The Zuufu’nien language is a complex sign language using only the hands which allows them to communicate under water. Because this language has limitations as well, all Zuufu’nien have learned Luzian Imperial Common as well and use this language to speak with other races. The Zuufu’nien sign language is useful in many situations and other races have often learned it in order to be able to communicate silently.
Because of this unusual native language, the Zuufu’nien also have a bewildering array or rude and offensive hand movements, which have been adopted into many other racial communities.
Zuufu’nien show respect to a superior or commanding officer by saluting smartly with a closed fist over the heart. The typical greeting among friends is to strongly clasp the others right shoulder at the same time creating a connection between equals.
All Zuufu’nien are also taught the basics of visual Morse code, Luzian Imperial Common both spoken and written, and the flare signals used to communicate long distances between ships.
Professions:
The Zuufu’nien appreciate all walks of life, but obviously have a much greater appreciation for professions that deal with the ocean. Among the classes the Zuufu’nien often become rangers of great skill hunting deep sea monsters and sailing the seas looking for their prey. The Zuufu’nien also often train themselves to enter a berserker rage where they can tear much larger creatures apart. The subtler skills of Psionics and Magic are appreciated, but not nearly as common among the Zuufu’nien.
Medicine:
While the Zuufu’nien do have some healers, they rarely require them. The Zuufu’niens innate ability to heal quickly from any injury means that they almost never require healers or doctors except in the direst of emergencies.
Social Factors:
For the Zuufu’nien the only truly shocking trait in other species is Hydrophobia. They simply cannot understand how a species could be afraid of the water, which the Zuufu’nien regard as the most important life-giving force in the planets. Most Zuufu’nien simply fail to acknowledge this fear in others, and often unconsciously ignore the fear.
The Zuufu’nien are reasonably honest, although known has hard workers and shrewd traders, they are also known for violent streaks and an extreme desire for vengeance when they have been wronged. A Zuufu’nien may climb the social ladder of rank simply by training in new skills and proving himself. This means that the lowliest Zuufu’nien can, through ability and talent, climb to the highest ranks of ship life.
Zuufu’nien social structure is organized in closely knit family packs. Within the family honesty and trust are paramount, and many businesses, ships, and influential groups are formed of single families. The Zuufu’nien nearly always mate for life in pairs and have between three and five children throughout their lives. Any immediate family will share in the raising of children and be as close as parents to the children.
Religion:
The Zuufu’nien generally worship themes of oceans, storms, speed, or hunting. Occasionally great and powerful creatures from the sea gain a small following of Zuufu’nien who worship it, or treat it is god-like. Creatures of this category are often massive and ancient whales, kraken, or leviathans that, within their territory, are unimaginably powerful. Although these religious Zuufu’nien do exist, more commonly Zuufu’nien do not hold any strong beliefs and don’t spend any amount of time “worshiping” anything.
Although most Zuufu’nien are not religious nearly every community will have a multi-religious meditation and contemplation room. This room will be a natural alcove with a pool of water in the center. Invariably this pool is linked to the ocean and moves and laps at the edges with a gentle sound reminiscent of the sea. Even non-religious Zuufu’nien will come to these chambers when they feel overburdened by the world.
The Zuufu’nien have elaborate funeral ceremonies when one of their kind dies. There is great feasting and mourning for two days and then all go out on boats to a deep offshore trench and the Zuufu’nien release the body of their comrade into the depths where it slowly sinks to become part of the ocean. The Zuufu’nien believe that all personalities that have been sent into the depths will someday be reborn with a similar personality in either the past or future.
Transportation:
As mentioned before, the Zuufu’nien are the foremost shipbuilders and sailors in the world and no other race can compare. Although most Zuufu’nien feel at home on the oceans, a large amount have taken to the skies and now sail the sea of clouds. In fact, any type of ship feels like a home to any Zuufu’nien that goes on board. The only type of travel that most Zuufu’nien do not enjoy is slow plodding along the ground. In fact, many Zuufu’nien have built wheeled sailing carts in order to travel on land in a manner that they enjoy more.
Protection:
The Zuufu’nien are spread through the worlds on ships and in great sea cliff holds. There species on the whole have very little to fear from other species, although individually the Zuufu’nien ships are often set upon by pirates or lost in an unfriendly port. Zuufu’nien holds built into the sea cliffs are incredibly durable and difficult to invade. It is possible, but usually requires a direct boring attack through the rock that the hold has been carved out of.
When it comes down to fighting and brawling the Zuufu’nien enjoy a good tumble. With their impressive physiques and the ability to quickly recover from injury the Zuufu’nien are fantastic fighters and feared in tavern brawls throughout Ej’aeka. Most Zuufu’nien enjoy a rumble without weapons, but if more serious combat is called for, every Zuufu’nien has their sharp and deadly knife for personal defense, and many others have trained in the use of other, larger weaponry.
All in all, the Zuufu’nien taken as a species are very well equipped to defend themselves from all types of danger.
Zuufu’nien Racial Traits:
• +2 Strength
• +2 Dexterity
• - 2 Wisdom
• Medium sized creatures
• Zuufu’nien Base speed is 20 feet but this is not affected or reduced by carrying heavy loads, Swim 20
• The Zuufu’nien begin play with a masterwork great insect shell dagger, but should they ever lose this, they must spend every bit of reasonable effort to reacquire it.
• The Zuufu’nien have an amazing ability to heal very quickly, especially when their adrenaline is pumping in combat. All Zuufu’nien gain Fast Healing 2 while in combat, but this ability slows down quite a bit when the Zuufu’nien is not directly in combat and the Zuufu’nien heals 1 Hit Point every hour. The Zuufu’nien also automatically stabilizes if brought below 0 Hit Points, but does not continue using its Combat Fast Healing (although it will heal 1 Hit Point per hour until brought above 0 HP)
• Zuufu’nien can hold their breath for 20 minutes + 1 minute per point of Constitution Bonus.
• Due to its sturdy frame a Zuufu’nien can do twice as much heavy work before becoming fatigued, or if becoming fatigued for some other reason, they recovery in half the time.
• +2 racial bonus on Profession (sailor) and Knowledge (navigation) skill checks. As well, at first level all Zuufu’nien gain one free rank in each of these skills.
• Automatic Languages: Zuufu’nien Sign Language and Luzian Imperial Common, Bonus Languages: Morse Code, Ship Signals
• Favored Class: Ranger or Barbarian
I have been working for the last several years on my own homebrew using Flavor from such sources as Jack Vance's Dying Earth, Ken Hood's Sleeping Imperium, Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun, The anime Last Exile, and Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind, etc. As any project of this scope it is incomplete but I have come fairly far. I have a full document detailing the rules governing the homebrew, but suffice to say that it is a high powered campaign world and even the basic races are significantly more powerful that a standard campaign.
These worlds in my campaign have existed for millions of years with intelligent species and none of them except the humans resemble any typical fantasy races. I have tried my best to make every race unique, although I have obviously taken inspiration (in some cases, STRONG inspiration) from various sources (I'm sure some of you will spot some of them), In a few cases I have even stolen ideas directly, although for the most part I have tried to change them enough that it is not direct plagerism (is that how it is spelled?) and I have always given credit to my sources of inspiration.
Remember, these races are meant to be balanced against EACH OTHER, not any other standard.
I have decided to include two races per post from now on as this should give people sufficient material to comment on. Please let me know what you think, be it constructive critisism or even just a nod that you like them (or dislike them).
Links to the other races of Ej'aeka
Humans of the Empire
The Aon'daaf and Axud'fia
The Dax'jeut and Duzk'enuh
The Eif'veum and Juga'doiq
The Nokwmaa and Nup'tsuu
And now, the Uas'raok and the Zuufu'nien:
(Please note that ONLY game statistics are Open Game Content and all the flavour text is MY own, PLEASE do not use it without my express permission.
Uas’raok:
The Uas’raok are small insectoid mammalians that often live in symbiosis with certain types of fungal creatures. There are two types of Uas’raok societies and they are drastically different from each other. The first type of Uas’raok is a lively collector of all sorts of physical possessions and they most commonly travel in clustered groups of balloons and flying ships tied together with pathways, nets and ropes to create a flying caravan traveling where the wind takes it and allowing the Uas’raok to trade with the other people they encounter. These Uas’raok have cultures that vary widely depending on their surroundings and are the most commonly encountered. The second type of Uas’raok are regarded as a myth by nearly all the races of Ej’aeka and they are powerfully Psionic tribes who live within the Fungal Forests, growing and shaping the fungus into symbiotic creatures, taming insects to act as guards and transport, and living in harmony with the forest. These tribes are incredibly solitary and do not often appear to people not of their own tribe, although there exist myths of the wild Uas’raok coming to the rescue of lost or endangered members of other species within the Fungal Forest. The first type of more civilized Uas’raok are the same as the fungal forest tribes, but simply have lost their original culture.
History:
There are stories that tell that an Originator once breathed his dying breath and his soul flew out in a miasma from his lungs out into the world. This soul searched for Nature, a concept foreign to the technologically advanced Originators, but it did not know how to begin. The search for nature became desperate until one day a small boy breathed in the soul and realized the search himself. He began to grow new forms of fungus and crossbreed them and let them loose into the wild. This boy who had breathed the soul of the Originator began to grow strange growths from his body and slowly he became part of the fungus that he had been cultivating. His laboratory grew wild and the boy stopped growing. He forgot his research and lived with his creations becoming one of them. An age passed and the laboratory grew into a forest, the boy forgotten lived in its heart and a small race of beings had come into existence in the passing time. Replicas of the ideal that the boy had had, these creatures tried to live in harmony with the fungal forest and eventually they became to Uas’raok.
The Uas’raok are divided as to whether this story holds the true key to their existence, but most see it as having at least some truth. Most people believe parts of this tale, but in every village and city the tale is told differently. The facts are hard to place in reality as they differ so widely.
Physical Appearance:
The Uas’raok are actually small creatures but with very long “legs”. On average they weigh between 40 and 50 Kg but when standing are between 200 and 250 cm tall. The females are slightly larger than the males and are often considered the leaders of their societies although it is not unheard of to have a male leading them. The Uas’raok are related to insects and have several insectoid characteristics. The Uas’raok are difficult to describe. Their evolution seems to have gone in the opposite direction from most other species and they have a small body and torso extremely long “arms” that they use as legs, and at the bottom of their torso they have three small arms used for fine manipulation. The torso is held suspended in the air between the long arm-legs. Each of these legs is about 2 meters long and about halfway up has a flexible joint which splits into two appendages. Each of these smaller legs has a single knee-like joint and finally ends in a small foot that is incapable of fine manipulation, but has a strong grasp. Their heads are humanoid and seem to be elegant and finely structured, although their teeth are all pointed like needles and their eyes are large, convex, and multifaceted, like those of a dragonfly. They also have two antennas that extend about 30 cm from their foreheads. At the bottom of the torso the Uas’raok have three short arms each about half a meter long and ending in a four fingered hand as capable as a humans’. Uas’raok have some of the most varied skin tones on the planets and range in color from red to tan to black or white. There seems to be no difference or prejudice between Uas’raok based on skin tone, but these varied colors are always a darker, muted hue, never a bright or neon color. The eyes of the Uas’raok come in as many varied shades as their skin, but are almost never the same color as the individuals skin tone. The Uas’raok have hair, but it comes in several thick strands. Unlike most species, a single piece of Uas’raok hair is roughly 1 Cm in diameter and therefore the Uas’raok uniformly appear to have dreadlocks (although they claim that other species are simply imitating them by growing dreadlocks with “unfit” hair). The Uas’raok never grow facial hair and seem to be fascinated by other species that do. The Uas’raok often have differing appearances due to the Fungal implants they have attached to their bodies.
Possessions:
The Uas’raok do not normally consider possessions to be of importance. They seem to recognize the transitory nature of ownership and embrace it fully. This being said, the Uas’raok are incredible packrats. They keep everything they find thinking that it may be useful one day. They have no attachment to these objects, they just view them as potentially useful. These objects are often displayed and traded without a moments thought to anyone who might be interested. It is just this attitude that has made Uas’raok into the friendly trading society that everyone view’s them as. An Uas’raok is just as likely to offer something he has had for ages up for trade for a new item that catches his eye as he is to hoard it forever.
Uas’raok do not have special interest in weaponry of a specific type and may be trained in any weapons commonly found in Ej’aeka. One item of note is that often an Uas’raok’s fungal symbiots may have capacities that can be used as a weapon and therefore no Uas’raok should be considered completely unarmed. Similarly, most Uas’raok armor is implanted or hidden and inaccessible to other races.
Living Quarters:
The Uas’raok have two common forms of living quarters depending on what their society is. The roaming Uas’raok most commonly live in large balloons, blimps and airships tied to one another by ropes, bridges, and walkways to create floating caravans. These caravans are known throughout the planets as traders and tinkers. Always a welcome sight the Uas’raok floating villages come for a few days or weeks and then move on drifting on the air currents. Each Uas’raok “owns” a ship or hanging caravan and may choose to dis-attach from the “village” if he so desires, but most Uas’raok are content to travel the skies with their families meeting new folk and trading for new goods.
The other Uas’raok live in the fungal forests and have much stranger forms of housing. Some villages are built into great mushrooms, hundreds of meter tall, while others are houses built in the “branches” of the fungal forest. Some rare villages have even been built out of discarded giant insect shells, providing incredible defense while the most daring of all have been built into the living carapace of the largest insects in the fungal forest.
Calendar:
The Uas’raok use the standard calendar for the Ej’aeka system and do not distinguish any different system of telling time. They do not have much of a sense of time and let the seasons pass as they will. Uas’raok are unusual in that they have almost no celebrations of their own, but rather celebrate with enthusiasm and vigor all holidays in every region that they visit. In fact, many cultures look forward to the arrival of an Uas’raok caravan before a major holiday as the festivities will only be better for their appearance.
Social Skills:
The Uas’raok are friendly and accepting of other races. They enjoy learning about others, and expect the same attitude in return. Those Uas’raok living in the fungal forests are shyer, but still greet foreigners with warmth. The forest dwelling Uas’raok will not, however, tolerate the destruction of their forests and will actively attack those who seem determined to wreak havoc on the fungal forests on a wide scale.
The Uas’raok treat everyone with an equal amount of respect and enjoy the sensation of being polite.
Diet:
The Uas’raok have two main fares in their diet. They live off a substantial amount of fungus and mushroom complemented with meat in various varieties. While able to eat nearly any substance the other standard races can, they prefer a large amount of meat. In the air-faring Uas’raok societies this is usually large amount of birds and other flying creatures caught from their flying caravans. For the deep fungal forest dwelling Uas’raok there is usually a large supply of insects raised for their meat and eaten with every meal. Both types of Uas’raok keep plantations of fungus of a bewildering variety as their standard meals. The gas used to keep blimps and airships afloat is ideal for raising crops of mushrooms and therefore the Uas’raok will often trade mushrooms that are considered delicacies by other races. Although just as susceptible to the fungal miasma as other races, the Uas’raok are mostly immune to fungal based poisons that are eaten and therefore and find a reasonable fare nearly anywhere within the fungal forests.
The Uas’raok drink water with the occasional revel bolstered by an alcoholic nectar that is created by insects that the Uas’raok raise especially to harvest this from. All Uas’raok communities have at least one colony of the insects that produce this fermented nectar. Most Uas’raok eat when they like without worrying about social conventions or banquets. A typical Uas’raok meal gathering is an informal affair organized like a modern day barbeque with everyone eating what they wish when they wish and socializing in a relaxed fashion.
Fashion and Dress:
Most Uas’raok wear loose clothing in bright colors. Their affinity for insects means that they have mastered several species of insect and grow the best silk in Ej’aeka. The Uas’raok enjoy closing that does not restrict their movement and can catch the wind and air allowing them to feel part of the world they are in. Different types of silk are highly prized for resilience, softness, lightness, the ability to hold brighter dyes, or other qualities. Uas’raok wear loose fitting pants for both sexes tailored to their unique physiology. With all Uas’raok styles, color and the combinations thereof are as important as a good cut of clothes.
In the fungal forests the Uas’raok also have a strange traditional exploring garb built out of the thickest layers of cushioned spider silks with tight cuffs at the wrists of all limbs. Tough gloves are worn on all hands and a helmet seals the outfit off with large goggled eyepieces set into the mask. This outfit provides decent protection against all the casual dangers of the fungal forests and includes a built in Breathe Mask and some degree of armored protection as well without restricting the Uas’raok’s freedom of movement.
Education:
Males and females are taught equally in Uas’raok society and the skills depend on which type of society they are. The traveling Uas’raok focus on trading and bartering skills, basic flying and piloting techniques, and navigation of the planets. The forest dwelling Uas’raok are trained in the lore of the fungal forests, the taming of insects for domestic use, and the basic skills of exploration, survival, and endurance. Both types are always taught the basics of silk farming. The Uas’raok consider it their duty to instruct the young of their community in everything they know. Young Uas’raok are constantly taught everything from every adult around them until they gradually show some interest in one subject or another and begin to focus more on that. Uas’raok often speak many languages but rarely learn to read or write more than one of these.
Communication:
The Uas’raok have their own language. A fast paced, almost musical tongue filled with chirps and clicks. The Uas’raok tongue is also useful for other species that need a language for warfare as most simple commands have forms that are very similar to the natural noises of the planets and in nature setting are indistinguishable from animal life. Most Uas’raok that live and travel in a flying caravan learn the dominant language of region they usually travel through as well as several tongues of the surrounding regions.
The Uas’raok use their hands, all three of them, in every conversation. When speaking most Uas’raok are incredibly expressive and gesticulate theatrically, although not without a modicum of grace and control.
While most Uas’raok speak their own language as well as several others, few Uas’raok learn to read or write more than one language. Most commonly they pick up the ability to read and write the Luzian Imperial tongue as it is the most commonly written language. In order to send messages between their ships and floating caravans, most Uas’raok use the standardized flare gun signals combined with alight gun to send signals in Morse code.
Professions:
The Uas’raok are highly Psionic and develop their skills in this regard to the highest degree. Even the common Uas’raok who trades from village to village is likely to have developed the powers of the mind to some small degree. This respect for the mental arts is universal in their culture and pervades all aspects of life. Nowhere is this more so than in the small communities that dwell in the fungal forests. In addition to the mental arts all types of skillful labor are respected. Few Uas’raok join the path of the professional warrior as most with this predisposition join one of the rare floating monasteries of Psionic monks training together.
Medicine:
The Uas’raok do not have a very special affinity for medicine. Although they do have doctors and healers, those trained as such are usually only competent at fairly simple medicine with one exception. Because of their affinity for the Fungal Forests, the Uas’raok have learned to distill many powerful medicines from the fungus and can more readily treat illnesses with their strong anti-biotics and healing salves.
Social Factors:
The Uas’raok have evolved to bear fungal symbiots on all of their species. Even the Uas’raok living in floating caravans will have symbiots from a young age, descended from the symbiots of his parents. For Uas’raok, these are part of life and to be without symbiots would be shocking indeed. An Uas’raok who has been stripped of his symbiots (a long, painful, and dangerous process the equivalent of physically mangling a person into deformity) is looked upon with pity and horror. Similarly, the simple suggestion that a symbiot looks strange or is unappealing is frowned upon and making fun of an Uas’raok’s symbiots is clearly unacceptable and boorish behavior. The Uas’raok are known for being good bargainers, but usually fair. It is rare that an Uas’raok merchant will truly take advantage of a customer. This does not mean that the will not over embellish a bit, or exaggerate an objects usefulness, that is the nature of business, but most Uas’raok care less about physical possessions, and more about the act of trading.
The Uas’raok are a strange species and lay small soft shelled eggs that take nearly a year to grow and mature. These eggs hatch and the infant Uas’raok larva is born although very small and nearly unintelligent. Over another year the larva grows and becomes more and more intelligent until finally it is considered to be a child. Uas’raok live in large families. It is not unusual for several Uas’raok to join together with several males and several females all being “married” to one another. This kind of family circle rarely extends to more than five or six being in total, but it is rare for an Uas’raok family to have a single mother/father pair. Most children share a father or mother, but very few share both a mother and a father. This type of family situation means that Uas’raok share the burden of raising their young and it never becomes an all-consuming job for a single being. Since Uas’raok are used to this type of family, they often include other species that they have become close to in this symbolic family unit. Uas’raok tend to fall in love rather easily and often with more than one individual, therefore it is easy for this type of polygamous family to exist and grow. Children do not make a distinction between their birth mother and father and their other mothers and fathers.
Most Uas’raok treat each other as equals. The leader of a clan or village tends to be the eldest or wisest female but this position is mostly symbolic and each community will make decisions with all members present. While marginally matriarchal, it is not unheard of for a male to become the elder of a community either.
Religion:
The Uas’raok are a skeptical species, they do not normally have a belief in a “god” or creator. They tend to worship certain natural forces with some regularity, but work more toward furthering peaceful harmony with the planet, fungal forests, insects, and other species, than carrying out the will of some “greater being”. This being said, there are a share of Uas’raok who have come to worship certain deities that surrounding cultures venerate.
While having no traditional holidays of their own, the Uas’raok tend to celebrate with great glee every other races holiday that they encounter, although only while in the region dominated by that species. It is because of this that the Uas’raok are known as festive beings who always improve a celebration.
Although they often celebrate all ceremonies of the cultures that they pass through, the closest to genuine worship that the Uas’raok get is their floating monasteries. These are well-ordered floating caravans that have only a monastic order of Uas’raok (and occasionally a visiting member of a different species) engaged in quiet contemplation, psychic expansion and martial training. These monasteries are well respected and often are sought after by wandering monks and contemplatives who wish to learn from another species.
Most Uas’raok believe in some form of reincarnation and eventual higher spiritual evolvement. For most Uas’raok death is a time of celebration and pleasure. Certain ceremonies are preformed in order to guide the dead into a suitable body for its next incarnation and all beings celebrate the gradual mental evolution taking place. Whether the dead are ever actually reincarnated is greatly doubted by many other races, but there is no proof one way or another.
Transportation:
As stated previously, most Uas’raok use floating caravans for travel, following the air currents wherever they may roam. Some Uas’raok also tame giant insects and other large flying beings in order to travel more easily, but it is rare that an Uas’raok will travel on the ground through any power but his own. In the fungal forests the Uas’raok are adept climbers and are able to move vertically almost as easily as they are able to move horizontally.
Protection:
The Uas’raok rarely need to defend themselves. As a mostly nomadic race, occasionally their floating caravans are set upon, but this is a rare occasion and even the loss of a caravan will not affect the race as a whole. The fungal forest dwelling Uas’raok keep their villages a secret and only have to defend against the occasional giant insect or unexpected intruder. For the most part, the Uas’raok have no real need to defend themselves on a large scale.
When a community is set upon the Uas’raok use their symbiots and Psionic powers to distract their enemies and deal powerful hidden blows while secretly slipping away. The Uas’raok do not find it necessary to wipe an enemy out, preferring instead to simply leave the enemy behind and confused.
Uas’raok Racial Traits:
• +2 Dexterity
• +2 Wisdom
• +2 Charisma
• - 2 Strength
• - 2 Constitution
• Small: As small sized creatures, Uas’raok gain a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on Attack Rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but they must use smaller weapons than Humans use, and their lifting and carrying limits are three quarters of those of medium-size characters.
• Uas’raok base speed is 40, Climb 15
• All Uas’raok may choose two Fungal Symbiots to begin play with. These symbiots represent the infant symbiots it was implanted with by its parents in infancy. In addition to these two implants each Uas’raok may have up to five additional symbiots (although no more than one per body area) implanted over time by paying the purchase price and experience point cost in a location where they are available (such as a Fungal Forest Uas’raok society). The Fungal Symbiots will be detailed in a later section.
• An Uas’raok may take the Multi-dexterity and Multi-Wielding feats in order to fully utilize his three limbs.
• Automatic Languages: Uas’raok and Luzian Imperial Common. Bonus Languages: Morse Code, Ship Signals
• Favored Class: Psionicist or Rogue
Zuufu’nien:
The Zuufu’nien are a short but stocky race of seafarers and ocean dwellers. They have lived traditionally in the great sea cliffs and have for millennia built the largest, strongest, and swiftest sea vessels. The Zuufu’nien are natural and graceful in the water and its surrounding environments, but in the many millennia of their existence, they have adapted to other surroundings as well. The Zuufu’nien still have traditional sea cliff harbors built into the rocks, but also have flying ships, and even occasional land-bound outposts. The Zuufu’nien ships have come to be appreciated by every race, even those that despise the sea. Zuufu’nien trading vessels travel nearly as fast as the slowest airships and have a much greater carrying capacity, while Zuufu’nien warships have anti-aircraft weapons and occasionally the ability to travel underwater.
History:
The Zuufu’nien have two creation myths that conflict and followers of one will occasionally come to blows with followers of the other. One creation myth states that of the myriad species of the oceans of Ej’aeka the Originators chose to exalt one species and through careful genetic manipulation and extra-dimensional magic enhancement, the Zuufu’nien were created to be the companions of the Originators and shared in their technological paradise until whatever disaster occurred befell them both. These Zuufu’nien believe themselves to be superior to all other races, except perhaps the true descendants of the Originators, whoever they may be.
The other sect of Zuufu’niens believe that they are a race of land dwelling beings who have formed a bond with the oceans so strong that their very bodies have been divinely shaped to be perfect. They believe that the oceans gave birth to all life on the planets, and that a profound respect for the oceans is necessary to recover the paradise of the Originators whose very they say was liquid based and organic.
While these two sects are the largest religious groups among the Zuufu’nien, there are many who do not believe either of these myths and simply consider themselves another intelligent race in a strange, dying world. The Zuufu’niens have kept incredible records of the oceans, maps chronicling the changes in coastlines over hundreds of thousands of years. Tidal information and predictions of oceanic disasters such as new volcanoes or tsunamis, but their personal history is strangely lacking. Most Zuufu’nien cities only have records accurately recording the last several hundred, or rarely, thousand years.
Physical Appearance:
The Zuufu’nien are short but stocky. Both sexes have the same average build and are about 1.3-1.5 meters tall and between 100-150 Kg in weight. They are nearly as wide as they are tall with a shoulder span usually reaching just over one full meter. The Zuufu’nien have wide, thick, sturdy frames with short powerful legs. They have a long thick torso with broad muscled shoulders and thick arms, hanging just a bit longer than they would on a human, ending with hands that seem oversized for the Zuufu’nien’s height. The Zuufu’nien have a rounded head with nearly no neck at all. A Zuufu’nien’s head movement is limited to up and down movements and very small twists of the neck, but their flexible backs allow them to turn their entire bodies in order to see something more clearly. Zuufu’niens have an extraordinarily wide, broad mouth filled (but not overly) with sharp pointed teeth. Their noses are small and the nostrils are slits that can be held closed in water, while Zuufu’nien eyes are clear and either solid black or solid white. The Zuufu’nien have a second pair of eyelids allowing them to see underwater with no penalties for blurriness, and some Zuufu’nien have found that they can use this eyelid during high speed flights instead of goggles to prevent their eyes from watering. Zuufu’nien have very small ears that barely protrude from their skulls and many Zuufu’nien also have a very small (1-2 cm) ridge on their heads looking something like a fin. The spaces between Zuufu’nien toes are webbed and the hands have a small amount of webbing between the fingers as well.
The Zuufu’nien uniformly have pitch-black, glossy skin covered in white patches and lines that are unique for every individual. They never grow any kind of body or facial hair and are generally scornful of the style in other races. Zuufu’nien are known for their intricate tattoos using black ink to decorate their white patches and a special sea urchin venom to stain white designs in their normally black skin. When first seen by a race the Zuufu’nien look like nothing so much as powerful, humanoid Orcas or Killer Whales. Most races find the Zuufu’nien to be humanoid enough to be incredibly attractive in a sleek, brawny sort of way.
Possessions:
The Zuufu’nien have few important possessions. One item that every Zuufu’nien has at all times is a wickedly sharp knife with one smooth and one serrated edge. Under the water, a knife such as this always comes in handy whether for defense, cutting entangling seaweed or prying tasty shells off of rocks. The Zuufu’nien almost always bestow this knife on a child when it reaches adulthood and it is carved from the bone of the great sea leviathans, the traditional enemy of the Zuufu’nien. Nearly every Zuufu’nien has this knife with them at all times and treats it as a masterwork great insect shell dagger. Losing this blade is considered incredibly dishonorable and most Zuufu’nien will go to extreme length to retrieve theirs.
Other than this, the Zuufu’nien do not put much weight on personal possessions. Other than this knife, many Zuufu’nien learn to use the weapons most useful for the sea. The Harpoon is a traditional Zuufu’nien weapon as is a special form of crossbow powered by a powerful spring rather than string. Although oceanic weapons are common among the Zuufu’nien, there are many who choose to study other weapons and their inherent strength makes them quite good at using any type of weapon.
Zuufu’nien rarely wear much armor. It is common to use leather armor created from sea creatures, but all Zuufu’nien treasure their freedom of movement and ability to swim. Occasionally Zuufu’nien will have a set of leather armor with Chitin plates that weight nearly nothing providing additional protection for vital areas.
Living Quarters:
The Zuufu’nien have several typical dwellings. The traditional Zuufu’nien hold is built into the massive sea cliffs that tend to exist throughout Ej’aeka. These cliffs, many thousands of meters in height, and hollowed out and fitted with massive sea doors of stone as large as 100 meters high and 150 meters wide. Inside the cave is a large enclosed harbor where Zuufu’nien vessels can dock, trade, and leave again. Although the majority of vessels will be Zuufu’nien, there will always be several ships of other species doing trading and carrying out business. Inside this massive cavern are countless caves with winches and gear to load and unload ships, and behind these caves, dug into the very stone itself are the cities and homes of the Zuufu’nien. There will always be several tunnels that connect to the surface as well as several that extend underwater. The cave cities of the Zuufu’nien are grand and enclosed and keep their ships safe from any danger.
Additionally the Zuufu’nien will live onboard ships of all shapes and sizes. The Zuufu’nien are the undisputed masters of shipbuilding and have craft varying from galleons, tankers, traders, to more radical designs. It is said that the largest of Zuufu’nien ships is nearly a kilometer long and has its own port where smaller ships can dock and travel. This massive ship is powered by unknown means and could possibly be mistaken for an island as a distance. There are also darker murmurs that the Zuufu’nien have recovered the technology to build submarines and have begun to explore the seafloor in earnest, finding many of the untouched Originator artifacts that other species have been unable to acquire.
Calendar:
The Zuufu’nien have the most advanced lunar calendar in Ej’aeka in on every planet keep track of time through the moon cycles and the way that they affect the tides. This being said, normal time keeping is used with the standard Ej’aekaen system. The Zuufu’nien have several major holidays throughout the year, but the most common is a monthly holiday on the day of the full moon, the Zuufu’nien have a feast and swim through the darkly moonlit seas together celebrating the beauty and wonder of the sea. Within a Zuufu’nien community everyone takes part in this monthly festival and even foreigners are invited to swim with the Zuufu’nien who will bring equipment and show the wonders of the oceans to the willing.
Social Skills:
The Zuufu’nien have a tendency to act a bit superior to other races. Many Zuufu’nien have been raised to think that they were created by the Originators with a nearly perfect form, and this innate vanity can show itself. This being said, however, most Zuufu’nien treat others with a jovial attitude, looking on others not as “unworthy” but simply to be pitied a bit for their lacks. A typical Zuufu’nien may point out other races physical lacks, but will do it such a friendly and non-aggressive way that most simply accept this as common Zuufu’nien behavior.
Zuufu’nien have a very friendly social system when on land, but as soon as they go onboard a ship, everyone is treated under a strict military style rank system. Accomplished sailors or navigators will have special tattoos clearly marking their level of skill and therefore when changing ships or working for a time on one, the Zuufu’nien are able to distinguish what rank to adopt for the duration of the voyage.
Diet:
As may be expected, the Zuufu’nien are voracious carnivores who eat an inordinate amount of seafood. Fishing is a national sport and fishing fleets are based in every Zuufu’nien stronghold. Larger and more dangerous fish are often hunted by hand and the Deephunters, as they are called, are one of the more respected professions among the Zuufu’nien, bringing back sharks, whales, kraken and other dangerous delicacies. The Zuufu’nien are able to eat vegetables, but prefer the taste and nourishment of meat, perhaps garnished with a small amount of seaweed.
Zuufu’nien dine in large mess halls with vast quantities of seafood piled on the tables. Some cooked dishes are famous throughout Ej’aeka, while other types of fish are eaten raw. In fact, Zuufu’nien who are swimming often catch and eat fish raw as a light snack.
Fashion and Dress:
The Zuufu’nien do not often wear much clothing, although this can change depending on the climate of the area where a ship currently is. Most Zuufu’nien wear thin trousers or a long skirt made from the leather of a sea creature, light and easy to swim with. Additionally, the Zuufu’nien often have vests made of a similar leather, and no one would be caught without a thick leather belt with several watertight pouches and a sheathe for their ritual knife. Color is unimportant to the Zuufu’nien, but when possible they prefer to dye their leathers in the blues, greys, and greens of the ocean.
During formal occasions the Zuufu’nien wear leather clothing embellished with rich embroidery and light silk. The leather outfits are cut perfectly to show off the impressive physique of the Zuufu’nien while drawing attention to their grace at the same time.
Education:
All Zuufu’nien are taught the basics of living in the sea and operating a sea vessel. Basic sailing, navigation, and undersea hunting are taught to every Zuufu’nien child before they reach adulthood. Zuufu’nien children that wish to learn about subjects not related to their species specialties are occasionally sent away to academies and schools outside of their home regions. Most Zuufu’nien are taught to read and to write the Luzian Imperial Tongue and other than that, use only the peculiar Zuufu’nien sign language. All Zuufu’nien are also taught Morse code and the signals used to communicate between ships.
Communication:
The Zuufu’nien are unusual in that they speak two native languages. The Zuufu’nien language is a complex sign language using only the hands which allows them to communicate under water. Because this language has limitations as well, all Zuufu’nien have learned Luzian Imperial Common as well and use this language to speak with other races. The Zuufu’nien sign language is useful in many situations and other races have often learned it in order to be able to communicate silently.
Because of this unusual native language, the Zuufu’nien also have a bewildering array or rude and offensive hand movements, which have been adopted into many other racial communities.
Zuufu’nien show respect to a superior or commanding officer by saluting smartly with a closed fist over the heart. The typical greeting among friends is to strongly clasp the others right shoulder at the same time creating a connection between equals.
All Zuufu’nien are also taught the basics of visual Morse code, Luzian Imperial Common both spoken and written, and the flare signals used to communicate long distances between ships.
Professions:
The Zuufu’nien appreciate all walks of life, but obviously have a much greater appreciation for professions that deal with the ocean. Among the classes the Zuufu’nien often become rangers of great skill hunting deep sea monsters and sailing the seas looking for their prey. The Zuufu’nien also often train themselves to enter a berserker rage where they can tear much larger creatures apart. The subtler skills of Psionics and Magic are appreciated, but not nearly as common among the Zuufu’nien.
Medicine:
While the Zuufu’nien do have some healers, they rarely require them. The Zuufu’niens innate ability to heal quickly from any injury means that they almost never require healers or doctors except in the direst of emergencies.
Social Factors:
For the Zuufu’nien the only truly shocking trait in other species is Hydrophobia. They simply cannot understand how a species could be afraid of the water, which the Zuufu’nien regard as the most important life-giving force in the planets. Most Zuufu’nien simply fail to acknowledge this fear in others, and often unconsciously ignore the fear.
The Zuufu’nien are reasonably honest, although known has hard workers and shrewd traders, they are also known for violent streaks and an extreme desire for vengeance when they have been wronged. A Zuufu’nien may climb the social ladder of rank simply by training in new skills and proving himself. This means that the lowliest Zuufu’nien can, through ability and talent, climb to the highest ranks of ship life.
Zuufu’nien social structure is organized in closely knit family packs. Within the family honesty and trust are paramount, and many businesses, ships, and influential groups are formed of single families. The Zuufu’nien nearly always mate for life in pairs and have between three and five children throughout their lives. Any immediate family will share in the raising of children and be as close as parents to the children.
Religion:
The Zuufu’nien generally worship themes of oceans, storms, speed, or hunting. Occasionally great and powerful creatures from the sea gain a small following of Zuufu’nien who worship it, or treat it is god-like. Creatures of this category are often massive and ancient whales, kraken, or leviathans that, within their territory, are unimaginably powerful. Although these religious Zuufu’nien do exist, more commonly Zuufu’nien do not hold any strong beliefs and don’t spend any amount of time “worshiping” anything.
Although most Zuufu’nien are not religious nearly every community will have a multi-religious meditation and contemplation room. This room will be a natural alcove with a pool of water in the center. Invariably this pool is linked to the ocean and moves and laps at the edges with a gentle sound reminiscent of the sea. Even non-religious Zuufu’nien will come to these chambers when they feel overburdened by the world.
The Zuufu’nien have elaborate funeral ceremonies when one of their kind dies. There is great feasting and mourning for two days and then all go out on boats to a deep offshore trench and the Zuufu’nien release the body of their comrade into the depths where it slowly sinks to become part of the ocean. The Zuufu’nien believe that all personalities that have been sent into the depths will someday be reborn with a similar personality in either the past or future.
Transportation:
As mentioned before, the Zuufu’nien are the foremost shipbuilders and sailors in the world and no other race can compare. Although most Zuufu’nien feel at home on the oceans, a large amount have taken to the skies and now sail the sea of clouds. In fact, any type of ship feels like a home to any Zuufu’nien that goes on board. The only type of travel that most Zuufu’nien do not enjoy is slow plodding along the ground. In fact, many Zuufu’nien have built wheeled sailing carts in order to travel on land in a manner that they enjoy more.
Protection:
The Zuufu’nien are spread through the worlds on ships and in great sea cliff holds. There species on the whole have very little to fear from other species, although individually the Zuufu’nien ships are often set upon by pirates or lost in an unfriendly port. Zuufu’nien holds built into the sea cliffs are incredibly durable and difficult to invade. It is possible, but usually requires a direct boring attack through the rock that the hold has been carved out of.
When it comes down to fighting and brawling the Zuufu’nien enjoy a good tumble. With their impressive physiques and the ability to quickly recover from injury the Zuufu’nien are fantastic fighters and feared in tavern brawls throughout Ej’aeka. Most Zuufu’nien enjoy a rumble without weapons, but if more serious combat is called for, every Zuufu’nien has their sharp and deadly knife for personal defense, and many others have trained in the use of other, larger weaponry.
All in all, the Zuufu’nien taken as a species are very well equipped to defend themselves from all types of danger.
Zuufu’nien Racial Traits:
• +2 Strength
• +2 Dexterity
• - 2 Wisdom
• Medium sized creatures
• Zuufu’nien Base speed is 20 feet but this is not affected or reduced by carrying heavy loads, Swim 20
• The Zuufu’nien begin play with a masterwork great insect shell dagger, but should they ever lose this, they must spend every bit of reasonable effort to reacquire it.
• The Zuufu’nien have an amazing ability to heal very quickly, especially when their adrenaline is pumping in combat. All Zuufu’nien gain Fast Healing 2 while in combat, but this ability slows down quite a bit when the Zuufu’nien is not directly in combat and the Zuufu’nien heals 1 Hit Point every hour. The Zuufu’nien also automatically stabilizes if brought below 0 Hit Points, but does not continue using its Combat Fast Healing (although it will heal 1 Hit Point per hour until brought above 0 HP)
• Zuufu’nien can hold their breath for 20 minutes + 1 minute per point of Constitution Bonus.
• Due to its sturdy frame a Zuufu’nien can do twice as much heavy work before becoming fatigued, or if becoming fatigued for some other reason, they recovery in half the time.
• +2 racial bonus on Profession (sailor) and Knowledge (navigation) skill checks. As well, at first level all Zuufu’nien gain one free rank in each of these skills.
• Automatic Languages: Zuufu’nien Sign Language and Luzian Imperial Common, Bonus Languages: Morse Code, Ship Signals
• Favored Class: Ranger or Barbarian
Last edited:
