Dragonforged [18]
a.k.a. Xwurkadarastrix
“We are born of two parts, and our existence brings forth two questions. The question we ask our spirit is 'Who am I?' The question we ask the world is 'What am I to do with my life?' When you are old, withered, and gone, you will be remembered by how you chose to answer those questions.”
-Naosthyr, Dragonforged Mystic
Background
The spirit and ferocity of a dragon barely contained within a humanoid form; in a previous age, Dragonforged were a race created by the dragon Malzvirdask. While they could technically be considered her children, she was hardly the most loving of mothers, and their position was mainly one of soldier and servant. Individuals might earn some amount of free will, but the majority of the race was meant to serve Malzvirdask's will. A human mother might discipline her children with a swat on the bottom; Malzvirdask might well roast you alive and have your carcass for an appetizer.
Using foul magics, unspeakable lore, and an archaic sort of genetic engineering, she found a way to corrupt the embryos of various humanoid mothers with her essence. Discarding the undesirable specimens and moving forward into further generations, she eventually had shock troops and servants with which to wage of a war of tyranny and greed against the rest of the world; seeing herself as the rightful heiress to the mantle of god in a world where such beings no longer acted directly. The same magic she used to create the Dragonforged was also used to create a magic orb which she then bound their minds to. Through the orb, she had complete dominance over her creation.
Against odds, the world managed to throw off the growing yoke of Malzvirdask's influence. Part of the victory against her involved shattering her prized orb and throwing her servants into disarray. Today, Dragonforged still exist, and have evolved into a race which breeds true. Suffering from both a social stigma based upon their past and uncertainty about what a future free of guiding purpose will bring, they seek to find their way in the world. Introspection about their true nature and place in the world has lead to a culture of philosophy and spiritual exploration even as their natural gifts often lead them to serve as hired muscle.
Physical Description
Dragonforged are pretty much what you'd expect a humanoid dragon to look like. They have large pointy teeth inside of a draconic head, sharp claws, tails, and scales. Most also have the capability to exhale fire. Standing a head taller than most humans, this makes for a fearsome figure.
Dragonforged scales usually range from a sandy yellow to a gator green, but many other reptilian colors are possible. Gold, black, and red tints, patterns, or flecks among the scales are also common. Many Dragonforged seek meaning among the exact coloration and pattern of their scales as well as that of the egg they hatched from. Unusual colors or patterns may be viewed as an omen among some tribes or family units.
The sexual dimorphism of the race differs greatly from that of humans and other mammalian humanoids. Males often have vestigle horns, horns, bone formations, boney head frills, skull spikes, skull nubs or other such formations on their heads, and males also tend toward thicker and more rugged scales. Females do not have breasts, but are instead often marked by soft head frills of various patterns; they also tend toward smaller scales which are smoother.
Dragonforged are 4 inches taller than a human of the same ST and weigh 25 lbs. more.
Attribute Modifiers
ST+2 (size -10%) [18]
HT+1 [10]
Secondary Characteristics
SM+1
Advantages
Burning Attack 1d (Jet, +0%; Reduced Range 2, -10%; 2FP cost, -10%; Requires 5 seconds to recharge, -10%) [3]
Claws (Sharp) [5]
Damage Resistance 1 (Tough Skin, -40%) [3]
Nictitating Membrane 2 [2];
Peripheral Vision [15]
Striker (Tail; Crushing; Clumsy, -2 to hit, -40%)[3]
Teeth (Sharp) [1].
Disadvantages
Social Stigma (Monster) [-15]
Increased Consumption 1 [-10]
Disciplines of Faith (Mysticism) [-10]
Greed (15) [-7]
Features: Born Biter. Head armor isn’t interchangeable with
human head armor. Armor isn’t interchangeable with human armor. Hatch from eggs. Scales.
This is the base template. The draconic ancestry of the race does not always manifest the same way in each specimen. At the GM's discretion, a Dragonforged PC may choose to have different natural gifts than a Burning Attack.
Other common traits for males are head horns (which can be used as a limited arc impaling, piercing, or crushing striker -depending upon the size and shape), thicker skull DR, and/or a heavier (more damaging) tail striker.
Other common traits for females are Breath-Holding, Flight with the winged and controlled gliding limitations, and/or lighter tails which are less damaging, but more accurate.
Other common traits for either gender are Fire College aspected Magery, more strength, thicker scales (more DR), a modified breath weapon, and/or an acute physical sense.
None of this is meant to suggest any of these traits is strictly the realm of one gender or the other, but is meant to detail which traits are commonly found among the two genders. In any event, if you wish to substitute any of these traits for part of the racial template or if you wish to gain them (perhaps through spending time meditating and releasing more of your inner dragon,) you should speak with your GM.
The 2 FP cost for the breath weapon and recharge is perhaps a tad expensive, but for the fantasy setting these guys were for, I was trying to keep the cost of my templates down. I also wanted there to be reason behind why these guys would use mundane weapons and tactics rather than simply using their innate attack all the time. It also gives some room for a player/character to explore the idea of honing and improving their innate attack (subject to the approval of the GM.) For what it's worth, in my own games at home, I've largely adopted the house rule that Rev Pee Kitty has which makes "Costs FP" worth more as a limitation, but I listed the default RAW costs for the purposes of sharing.
