Gnolls of the Independant Island-State of Orrukar
Orrukarn Gnoll
Medium Humanoid (Gnoll)
Hit Dice: 2d8 (9 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (+1 Dex, +2 armor, +2 shield), touch 11, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+2
Attack: Heavy flail +2 melee (1d8+1) or composite shortbow +2 ranged (1d6+1/x3)
Full Attack: Heavy flail +2 melee (1d8+1) or composite shortbow +2 ranged (1d6+1/x3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: None
Special Qualities: Guarded vision, potent mind
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +1
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 11
Skills: Appraise +2, Craft (weaponsmithing) +5, Listen +5, Knowledge (war) +2, Profession (cook) +2, Spot +5
Feats: Combat Expertise, Improved Disarm
Organization: Solitary, pair, kssh'rhal (3-8 plus 1 har'rkal of 2nd-4th level), uuraiik (5-16 plus 2 har'rkal of 2nd-4th level plus 1 tu'rrash of 5th-8th level), or llrrae'kesh (11-31 plus 4 har'rkal of 2nd-4th level plus 2 tu'rrash of 5th-8th level plus 1 gour'angr'afh of 9th-11 level)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Often lawful neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +1
Climate/Environment: Any land (preferably warm forest)
The statistic block above is for a typical young Orrukarn guardsman, with no class levels yet. Ability scores before racial adjustments were Str 10, Dex 11, Con 10, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 11. The Orrukarn guardsman detailed above speaks, reads, and writes both Ar'kesh and Aquan. He or she wears the unique style of armor used by Orrukarn gnolls, in this case a long-sleeved jerkin and pants of Orrukarn quartz-silk, essentially quartz made flexible by magic yet hardened across most of the chest, back, upper arms, and upper legs. This quartz-silk jerkin is equivalent to leather armor in all respects except for its material, weight, and cost. The quartz-silk jerkin is 50% heavier than leather armor and costs triple that of leather armor. As it is made of quartz crystal, the armor does not burn like leather, though it was magically hardened to provide protection similar to boiled leather. The magic used to make quartz-silk does not cause it to count as a magic item, except for purposes of suppressing the magic that makes it flow like silk, in which case it has an effective caster level of 3. Thus, when the magic is suppressed, the armor hardens and immobilizes the wearer. A DC 20 Strength check will break the thinner parts of the armor to allow for movement, but will also reduce the base armor bonus to one-half normal, rounded up, until repaired. A Make Whole spell, power, or ability will repair the quartz-silk. Craft Wondrous Item can be used to repair quartz-silk just like any other magic item. The Orrukarn guardsman carries a heavy shield of magically-hardened quartz, which functions as per a heavy steel shield, except that it costs triple that of a heavy steel shield. Orrukarn quartz-silk and magically-hardened quartz does not lose its extra hardness when its magic is suppressed, as the hardening process does not itself enhance the material, merely performing a one-time transmutation.
The civilized gnolls calling themselves Orrukarn inhabit a large island east of Eyros and Ghalfaen, south of Indracca, across the Pearl Sea that borders Ghalfaen and Indracca. The island Orrukar is a semi-tropical land half-cleared of vegetation to make room for the gnolls' sprawling cities, leaving only the southern and eastern edges of the island mostly-untouched. A few thousand Orrukarn live on the isle, their cities built of glass, quartz, obsidian, and ivory. Much of this material is imported from distant lands, supposedly stolen from those lands even, as Orrukar has few resources besides tropical birds, fruits, and trees, as well as bordering the aptly-named Pearl Sea and a particularly vibrant part of the great ocean. Orrukarn feed largely on fish, calamari, lobsters, clams, coconuts, bananas, and imported meats from the mainland, which the gnolls favor. They spice their food with the small quantities of sugar from Orrukar's sugarcanes, salt from the sea, and a few island herbs. They drink mostly water, but also brew a sweet, heady sugarwine with a blend of fermented island fruits. Orrukarn import a bit of rum from the halfling seafarers, as well as an occasional batch of bitter ale from Eyros or Indracca.
Orrukarn gnolls have a longstanding tradition of philosphy, art, and research into both arcane magic and psionics. They are accomplished bards, sorcerers, and especially psions, but also have a few wizards, psychic warriors, and the occasional soulknife or wilder. Their small military force is made up mostly of warriors, monks, and psychic warriors. Orrukarn have no priests and no religion, thus no clerics, druids, paladins, or rangers. Instead they have a long tradition emphasizing personal empowerment and enlightenment, so self-perfection and assisting others in achieving it is the only nod Orrukarn have towards any sort of religion. Orrukarn are ruled by those who have achieved the greatest enlightenment and psionic perfection, the wisest and most powerful of their people. The society is broken down into social castes with stringent laws, so while their people are divided into different lifestyles and professions, they all seek the same goals and share a kindred spirit. Even the greatest psychic master respects the fisherman and the pearldiver, the vintner and the glasswright, for they all serve their role in society while pursuing wisdom and power. The social caste of an Orrukarn is determined by their hair color and eye color, which has something to do with their bloodlines and heritage.
Orrukar largely trades pearls, exotic fishes, lobsters, clams, calamari (a delicacy in Eyros), and a few fruits of the island. Thus, Eyrian nobles sometimes get to partake of Orrukarn coconuts or bananas, or spice their meals with Orrukarn sugar, or on rare occasions, drink a vintage of Orrukarn sugarwine, brewed with fermented semi-tropical fruits and a bit of sugarcane. The gnolls of Orrukar also sometimes trade works of glass, as they are reknowned glasswrights and glassblowers. Their trading partners are Eyros and Nistadeen, and to a much lesser extent, Indracca, Ghalfaen, and the halfling seafarers.
Orrukarn gnolls are slightly taller and leaner than their savage cousins in the far north. They stand straighter, with a regal bearing, and their hair/fur is carefully groomed. Their hair and fur ranges from white to tan and sandy blonde, with a few splotches of black in places. Orrukarn have eyes of bright green, blue, or red, which gleam with keen intelligence. They wear garments of woven glass and quartz, varying from opaque to translucent or transparent, forged through magic or psionics to flow like silk and thus be wearable. Obviously these tend to be very revealing outfits, reflecting the hedonistic Orrukarn society, somewhat at odds with the sophisticated aspects of their culture. Gnolls of Orrukar wear jewelry and other ornamentation of gold, silver, and ivory, embedded with pearls, obsidian, turquoise, and sometimes Indraccan lapis lazuli.
The gnolls of Orrukar are haughty and a bit self-absorbed, seeing themselves as superior to most other folk because of their wisdom and the enlightened focus of their culture. They regard and treat other races as though they were children or primitives, but at the same time they are exceedingly polite. This tends to come off as being condescending and patronizing, which often annoys other races, but a few have gotten used to it when dealing with Orrukarn. The Orrukarn society is a blend of hedonism from the savage heritage of the gnoll culture, and at the same time a sophisticated new culture of enlightened brotherhood emphasizing self-actualization and personal pride. They are a confident and honest people for the most part, wise and ordered, but obviously self-absorbed and gloating.
Orrukarn gnolls speak Ar'kesh, a highly-refined variant of the crude Gnoll language used by savage gnolls in the north. Orrukarn often learn the languages of Eyros, Indracca, Ghalfaen, and Nistadeen, as well as the language of halflings and the Aquan language of sea creatures. However, more often than not, they only know Ar'kesh and one or two Eyrian languages, sometimes Elven as well for trade with Nistadeen. Orrukarn are usually literate.
ORRUKARN GNOLL CHARACTERS
An Orrukarn gnoll character possesses the following racial traits.
*Strength +2, Dexterity +2, Intelligence +2, Wisdom +2.
*Size Medium.
*An Orrukarn gnoll's base land speed is 30 feet.
*Racial Hit Dice: An Orrukarn gnoll begins with 2 levels of humanoid, which provide 2d8 hit dice, a base attack bonus of +1, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +3, Ref +0, Will +0.
*Racial Skills: An Orrukarn gnoll's racial levels give it skill points equal to 5 x (2 + Int modifier). Its racial level class skills are Appraise, Craft, Knowledge (any one), Listen, Profession, and Spot.
*Racial Feats: An Orrukarn gnoll's racial levels give it one feat.
*An Orrukarn gnoll's humanoid levels grant them proficiency in simple weapons, the heavy flail, the composite shortbow, light armors, and shields, but not tower shields. All Orrukarn are taught the basics of self-defense, and they believe in fighting smartly. The flail has many uses in battle and the composite shortbow is a ranged weapon relatively easy for gnolls to train with and use, while also possessing a decent range. Light armors provide some protection and can sometimes be mixed with normal clothing, without hindering stealthy movement when necessary.
*Guarded Vision: Orrukarn gnolls are adapted to thriving in the sunlight and enduring the bright rays shining through their crystalline cities. They are not nocturnal like other gnolls tend to be, and they do not have darkvision. Instead, Orrukarn receive a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against any effect that would blind, dazzle, stun, or daze them, but only if the effect uses bright light to do so. Orrukarn also receive this bonus on saving throws against effects with the Light descriptor.
*Potent Mind: An Orrukarn gnoll receives a +2 racial bonus on Will saving throws against mind-affecting effects. Orrukarn also receive a +2 racial bonus on any caster level checks or manifester level checks to beat a creature's Spell Resistance or Power Resistance. Additionally, Orrukarn gnolls receive a bonus feat with their 2nd level of humanoid, which can be any feat they qualify for, just like a human's bonus feat.
*Automatic Languages: Ar'kesh, Common (Vulgar Eyrosian). Bonus Languages: Aquan, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Ghalfaenite, Gnome, Halfling, Indraccan, Noble Eyrosian, Orc. Note that Orrukarn who don't leave the island and don't deal with foreigners will not know the Common (Vulgar Eyrosian) language, but may instead take it as one of their bonus languages.
*Favored Class: Psion or Sorcerer, chosen at character creation.
*Level Adjustment: +1. Orrukarn are a somewhat strong LA +1 race, but their racial traits are not particularly concentrated, and for any given strength they lend to a class, they lend some weakness as well, be it hit points, skill points, attack bonus, or caster levels.