Glade Riven
Adventurer
Something for my Phaetos campaign setting, athough it is probably something that won't show up in the first published book. Ghanthis is a different continent than Zantier, where the dwarves are originally from.
[sblock]
Dwarf, Yaksha
Physical Description: Dwarves have the same physical description as depicted under Dwarf in the Races chapter of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook, with a few minor changes. Yaksha men usually cannot grow a proper beard, but often grow thick sideburns instead. Yaksha women are exceedingly attractive with voluptuous curves, especially for dwarven women.
Dwarves as Characters: Dwarves have the same racial statistics as provided under Dwarf in the Races chapter of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook.
Optional Alternative Racial Traits:
They settled heavily in the wooded mountains of Ghanthis, displacing or integrating with the original locals. A sizable amount of halfling ancestry is readily apparent in many of the hill dwarves. Very few yaksha are cosmopolitan as most prefer a traditional rural environment with a tradition of living in harmony with nature. Yaksha typically build comfortable homes under hills - and if there isn't a hill, they will build one. A yaksha approaches problems head on and aim for the simplest, most practical solution.[/sblock]
In short, Hillbilly dwarves! With a touch of hobbit. Loosely based on east asian mythology about the Yaksha.
I like the flavor, and I think the alternative racial traits I have are balanced. Favored Terrain is pretty strong (being a 3rd level ranger ability), which is why it swaps out for two normal racial traits. I thought about having optional alternative racial ability scores (because of the halfling ancestory mixed with dwarf), but decided against that. While they are more physically attractive than your normal dwarf, their stubborn and grating personality makes up for it.
[sblock]
Dwarf, Yaksha
Physical Description: Dwarves have the same physical description as depicted under Dwarf in the Races chapter of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook, with a few minor changes. Yaksha men usually cannot grow a proper beard, but often grow thick sideburns instead. Yaksha women are exceedingly attractive with voluptuous curves, especially for dwarven women.
Dwarves as Characters: Dwarves have the same racial statistics as provided under Dwarf in the Races chapter of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook.
Optional Alternative Racial Traits:
Moonshiner: +2 bonus to use a survival check in order to scrounge up and construct a still for the fermentation of alchohol to whiskey. This replaces the Stonecutting racial trait.
Hillfolk: A Yaksha gains a single Favorite Terrain (see Ranger in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game core rulebook) for the type of terrain they grew up in. This replaces Defensive Training and Appraise racial traits.
The yaksha, or hill dwarves, settled early on Ghanthis during the great dwarven exodus from the icy fjords. Yaksha are stubborn, highly independent, and outright hostile towards those who try to assert authority over them. They enjoy their whiskey, and are protective of their woman folk. While the women folk of the hill dwarves are physically attractive, they are equally as brash, stubborn, and uncouth as the men folk – if not more so. Hillfolk: A Yaksha gains a single Favorite Terrain (see Ranger in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game core rulebook) for the type of terrain they grew up in. This replaces Defensive Training and Appraise racial traits.
They settled heavily in the wooded mountains of Ghanthis, displacing or integrating with the original locals. A sizable amount of halfling ancestry is readily apparent in many of the hill dwarves. Very few yaksha are cosmopolitan as most prefer a traditional rural environment with a tradition of living in harmony with nature. Yaksha typically build comfortable homes under hills - and if there isn't a hill, they will build one. A yaksha approaches problems head on and aim for the simplest, most practical solution.[/sblock]
In short, Hillbilly dwarves! With a touch of hobbit. Loosely based on east asian mythology about the Yaksha.
I like the flavor, and I think the alternative racial traits I have are balanced. Favored Terrain is pretty strong (being a 3rd level ranger ability), which is why it swaps out for two normal racial traits. I thought about having optional alternative racial ability scores (because of the halfling ancestory mixed with dwarf), but decided against that. While they are more physically attractive than your normal dwarf, their stubborn and grating personality makes up for it.
