Races:
The campaign will be set in the Empire of the Petal Throne, Tsolyánu. It is strongly suggested that players run Tsolyani characters. Though one or two at the most outsiders or non-human would be alright. Tsolyani are human.
Humans are the vast majority. The five great empires Livyanu, Mu’ugalavya, Tsolyanu, Yan Kor, and Salarv’ya are ruled by humans and most of the smaller nations are formed and ruled by humans. Except for the N'lüss they conform to the standard rules for creating humans in the Player’s Handbook.
Names: All Tsolyánu have a personal name, a lineage name, and a clan name
Male Names: Achán, Adlár, Bálesh, Chúrisan, Dlamúz, Fíru, Gayán, Héttukeng, Hóru, Kágesh, Kémuel,
Kotáru, Mígor, Mízhotl, Mnéktu, Mottán, Mridók, Nirún, No’ómu, Núromen, Omél, Pí’ur,
Sánjesh, Shémek, Treshélmu, Tsodlán, Túrisan, Visán, Zagár, Zhurák
Female Names: A’én, Atín, Balané, Chashána, Dzái, Halé, Kalusü, Ke’él, Layéth, Linátla, Mikúsa, Mísa,
Nélel, Ngáya, Osuré, Paluél, Qiláin, Rayána, Réluen, Sáyi, Senértha, Shánü, Shekkára, Sídla,
Srúdhal, Ta’ána, Tálodel, Tlayésha, Umá, Visháya
Lineage Names: Arusá, Burusá, Chaishyáni, Chánkolu, Fershéna, Gurúma, Kétkolel, Khanúma, Kutonyál,
Kúrodu, Mraktiné, Mrékka, Mriyén, Náshomai, Nezár, Pagártra, Qolyélmu, Ri’inyússa, Sayúncha,
Sénkolum, Sérekel, Sóruna, Ssáivra, Ssánkoral, Ssánmirin, Tánkolel, Tlakán, Tlekólmü, Tlélsu,
Tukkoién, Tuplángte, Túkkimchash, Víridu, Vraisúna, Zhayárvu, Zhnáyu
Clan Names
IMPERIAL
Tlakotani The clan to which the Tsolyani royal family belongs; some well-to-do farmers and middle-class urban merchants are members as well; found around Béy Sü, Hauma, and Usenanu.
VERY HIGH
Sea Blue Descended from the royal families of the Bednalljans and correspondingly proud and arrogant even when poor; includes many members of various faiths and professions, although courtiers, bureaucrats, and administrators predominate.
Golden Sunburst Descendants of the nobility of the Engsvanyali Empire; aristocratic and exclusive; mostly devoted to Karakan, Chegarra, and Hnalla, with a sprinkling of other sects of Stability; most members are nobles, high bureaucrats, and military officers; found throughout the Imperium.
Vriddi The original semi-autonomous rulers of Fasiltum; fierce and haughty; totally devoted to Vimuhla and Chiteng; almost entirely limited to Fasiltum, although a few clan-houses are found in the predominantly Vimuhla- worshipping cities of the west (e.g., Khirgár and Tumissa); not trusted by the Imperium because of separatist tendencies, and some younger hotheads are now languishing in prison.
Might of Gánga Derived from Engsvanyali royalty; composed of priests and warriors of the sects of Avanthe, Tht5mis, Hnalla, Belkhanu, and their Cohorts; largely limited to the island of Gánga and the southern coastal cities of Tsolyanu.
Ito: The ancient lords of the Chakan Protectorates; worshipers of Sarku and his Cohort, Durritlamish; limited to the Chakas but with clanhouses in the City of Sarku, Mekt5, and Purdimal; also looked upon as a source of trouble by the Imperium.
Golden Bough Traceable to the Engsvanyali governors of the south; eclectic with no particular religious or professional affiliations; contains many officials and military personnel; powerful all over the Imperium but with main centers in Jakalla, Thraya, and Jaikalor.
Sword of Fire A small and very ancient clan descended from the Dragon Warriors; totally devoted to Vimuhla; aloof and disinterested in politics; centered in Béy Sü’ but with clanhouses in Tumissa, Khirgár, and Chene Ho; this clan has many mercantile ventures in the west and in Mu’ugalavya, and its contacts in the latter country make it suspect in Im-perial eyes.
Cloak of Azure Gems Supposedly servitors of Ksarul at the Battle of Dormoron Plain but probably Bed-nalljan; followers of Ksarul and Hr;5’u and their Cohorts; mostly priests and administrators; based in Meku and Mrelu but with clanhouses in Sokatis, Béy Sü, and other cities.
Jade Diadem Origins unknown; devotees of Dlamelish and her Cohort, Hrihayal; largely city ad-ministrators and landed nobility; found throughout the Imperium.
Blade Raised High Descended from the palace guard of the Engsvanyali Priest Kings; devoted to Kara-kan and Chegarra; primarily soldiers and military administrators; found throughout the Empire but centered in Katalal and Usenanu .
HIGH
White Stone An eclectic clan devoted to Avanthe, Dlamelish, and their Cohorts (but also contain-ing members of other sects}; many administrators and military personnel; found throughout the Empire but centered at Béy Sü and Sokatis.
White Crystal An old and respectable clan; includes many high- and medium-level officials and bu-reaucrats as well as priests of several sects (but no specific religious affiliation); originally from Jakalla but now widespread throughout the center of the Empire.
Red Sword, Red Sun, Red Mountain, and Red Stone These “Red” clans belong to the west and worship Vimt5hla and Chiteng, with a sprinkling of followers of Karakan and Chegarra as well; includes warriors, priests of these deities, and medium-level officials; based around Tumissa and Butrus but ex-tends into Mu’ugalavya also.
Purple Gem Originally scribes and bookmakers in the Engsvanyali Empire; many medium- and high-level court officials at Avanthar are members; no religious affiliation; based at Avanthar but has clanhouses throughout the Empire.
High Pinnacle Many medium-level military personnel and high- and medium-level bureaucrats are members; no religious affiliation; based around Hauma, Mrelu, and Si’is but has clan-houses throughout the west and center of the Empire.
Emerald Girdle Mostly worshipers of Hnalla, Thumis, and Avanthe and their Cohorts; many rural landowners belong to this clan; found throughout the Empire.
Great Stone Originally a northern matrilineal clan based at Khirgár; many followers of Ksarul, Hru’u, and their Cohorts, but not exclusively so; members often involved in trade, shipping, caravans, and mercantile ventures, but also contains a number of priests, bureaucrats, and a few soldiers; found largely in the northwest of the Empire but has clanhouses elsewhere also.
Domed Tomb The ancient nobility of the City of Sarku and totally devoted to Sarku and Durritlam-ish; wealthy farmers, priests, administrators, and soldiers of the Worm Lord’s sect; mainly based in the Kraa Hills and around the City of Sarku but has clanhouses in Béy Sü, Pgrdimal, Sokatis, etc.
Dark Fear, Dark Water, Dark Moon, and Dark Flame These “Dark” clans are devoted to Hru’u, Ksarul, Sarku, and their Cohorts; many medium-level officials, priests, and soldiers; found in the midwest and the north.
Amber Cloak Devoted to Belkhanu, Thumis, and their Cohorts; composed of priests, scholars, apothecaries, physicians, and professional people; found throughout the Empire.
Sweet Singers of Na-kome Descended from an ancient hero who was given this strange nickname; devoted to Vimuhla and Chiteng; members are agriculturists and soldiers in the Vimuhla-worshipping legions; fought only around Fasiltum.
Standing Stone Composed of priests and officials, plus many middle-class agriculturists; no religious affiliation; centered around Warmish but has clanhouses in most major cities.
Rising Sun Includes minor nobles and upper-class merchants of the eastern Empire; no religious affiliation; based at Jaikaldr with houses at Sokatis, Thraya, Jakalla, etc.
Joyous of Vra Descended from the old Vrayani nobility; mostly worshipers of Belkhanu, Thdmis, Hnalla, and Avanthe and their Cohorts; originally established on the island of Vra but now found throughout the Empire.
Iron Helm The lords of Mekdi are hereditary members of this clan; usually devotees of Ksbrul and Gruganu, although others are worshipers of Hru”u’, Wurt5, etc.; widespread throughout the Empire.
Staff of Beneficence Mostly wealthy physicians and apothecaries devoted to Thdmis and his Cohort, Ketengku; found throughout the Empire.
Grey Cloak and Grey Wand These two clans are composed of devotees of Thumis and Ketengku with a scattering of members worshipping others of the Lords of Stability; most are upper and middle-class administrators, landholders, merchants, etc.; based around Paya Gupa and Chene Ho but with clanhouses in most of the large cities of the Empire.
MEDIUM
Green Bough Prosperous agriculturists; no religious affiliation; found throughout the Empire but has its largest clanhouse at Katalal.
Blue Kirtle Members are devoted to Avanthe and her Cohort, Dilinala; originally potters, wine-makers, and builders but now includes medium-level priests and administrators as well; based at Béy Sü’ but has clanhouses throughout the Empire.
Black Stone Composed of medium-level bureaucrats, scribes, professional people, and priests in the service of the Lords of Change; found throughout the Empire.
Green Malachite A southern agricultural and maritime clan; includes farmers, sailors, fishermen, etc.; mostly devoted to the Lords of Stability; based on Penom but has houses all along the southern coast and as far north as Usenanu on the Mssdima River.
Red Sky and Red Star Two more Vimuhla-worshipping western “Red” clans; agriculturists and breeders of Hmelu and Hma but also some lower-level bureaucrats, soldiers, and priests; found throughout the western and central regions of the Empire.
Ripened Sheaf A prosperous agriculturists’ and artisans’ clan; no religious affiliation; centers at Ur-mish, Penom, Katalal, and Jakalla with smaller clanhouses in almost every village in this area.
Green Kirtle An offshoot of the Blue Kirtle clan which turned to the worship of Dlamelish and Hrihayal; follows a variety of middle-class occupations; based in Béy Sü and the west but has clanhouses all across the Empire.
Golden Dawn, Golden Sphere, Golden Sheaf, and Golden Sapphire These “Golden” clans all follow the Lords of Stability and contain medium-level business people, soldiers, priests, agriculturists, etc.; found throughout the Empire.
Glory of the Worm Mountain people from the City of Sarku and the Kraa Hills; devoted to Sarku and Durritlamish; medium-level agriculturists, growers of Dlel-fruit trees, and landowners; found largely in the northwest but has clanhouses in Béy Sü and Jakalla.
Blue Shadow and Blue Stream Rural agriculturists and landowners; devoted to Avanthe and Dilinala with a sprin-kling of worshipers of others of the Lords of Stability; found throughout the Empire.
Black Pinnacle Agriculturists, craftsmen, and artisans; no religious affiliation; based at Hekellu in the far north-east but with clanhouses at Fasiltum, Sokatis, and Thraya.
Copper Door Merchants and moneylenders; usually followers of Sarku but some are devotees of others of the Lords of Change; centered at Béy Sü and along the Msst5ma River.
First Moon and Moon of Evening These two clans contain merchants and artisans, plus a few bureaucrats and priests; no religious affiliation; largely southern clans with houses at Jakalla, Thraya, Jaikalor, and Penom.
Golden Lintel Comprised of moneylenders from Béy Sü’; no religious affiliation; clanhouses and members found in all of the cities of the Empire and abroad as well.
Silver Lightning and Silver Collar These two clans contain many artists, jewelers, and workers in the ornamental crafts; mostly devoted to Avanthe and Hnalla and their Cohorts; found throughout the Em-pire.
Red Flower An old Vrayani mercantile clan with sailing, shipping, and foreign trading interests; mostly devoted to Karakan and Chegarra but with followers of both the Lords of Change and the Lords of Stability as well; centered on the island of Vra but has clan-houses at Jakalla, Thraya, Penom, and even at Béy Sü.
Scroll of Wisdom Comprised of jurists and scholars; no religious affiliation; found throughout the Em-pire.
Red Eye of Dawn The best jewelers’ clan in the Empire; largely made up of worshipers of Avanthe and Dilinala in spite of the “red” of its name; centered in Béy Sü but has clanhouses in almost every major city.
Weeping Stone Manufacturers of liquor and wines; no religious affiliation; found throughout the Em-pire.
Victorious Globe Makers of paper, inks, paints, and scribal materials; mostly devotees of Thdmis, Hnalla, and their Cohorts; found in every major city of the Empire.
Standing Pinnacle Originally from the tribal areas of the Kdrt Hills but now urbanized; dealers in woods and forest products; largely worshipers of Avanthe and Dilinala with a sprinkling of followers of most other faiths; centered at Hauma and Tsuru but has clanhouses throughout the western Empire.
Black Hood, Black Mountain, and Black Monolith These “Black” clans contain middle-class merchants, artisans, and laborers; most members follow Hru’u, Ksarul, Sarku, and their Cohorts; found throughout the Em-pire.
Blazoned Sail Sea-captains, shippers, sailors, and maritime artisans; no religious affiliation; found in almost every city with access to the sea.
Broken Reed A large Can of agriculturists, warriors, lower-class artisans, and a variety of other occupations; no religious affiliation; found throughout the Empire.
Broken Bough Again these are agriculturists; mostly worshipers of the Lords of Stability, although some devotees of Vimuhla and Chiteng are encountered around Fasiltum; based at Usenanu but with clanhouses throughout the center and eastern regions of the Empire.
Iron Fist and Iron Hand These two clans contain mainly smiths and armorers; worshipers of Vimuhla, Kara-kan, and their Cohorts; originally western clans but now spread throughout the Empire.
LOW
Open Sepulcher Embalmers, tomb guards, and professional mourners; devoted to Belkhanu, Sarku, and their Cohorts; found all over the Empire.
Plume of White Scribes, accountants, clerks, and administrators; mostly devoted to the Lords of Sta-bility, although members of other sects are also found; centered at Jakalla but with clanhouses throughout the Empire.
Open Hand Peasants, laborers, and tenant farmers; no religious affiliation; encountered through-out the rural areas of the Empire.
Ivory Staff Peasants and laborers, Dlel-fruit and Mash- fruit pickers; largely devoted to the Lords of Stability, although members of other sects are occasionally found; a northern clan centered at Si’is and Khirgár with a few clanhouses in other major cities.
Green Forest and Green Reed These two clans are comprised of peasants and rural craftsmen; mostly worshipers of Avanthe, Dlamelish, and their Cohorts; based at Sokatis but with clanhouses through-out the east and along the Missuma River.
High Tower Chlen-raisers, tanners, and leather workers, plus a few officials and administrators; no religious affiliation; based at Usenanu but with clanhouses throughout the center of the Empire.
Green Stone, Green Em-erald, and Green Opal These “Green” clans are dyers, weavers, tailors, and a few priests and warriors; pri-marily worshipers of Dlamelish and Hrihayal; found throughout the center and eastern part of the Empire.
Flowering Life Rope and net-makers, fishermen, and shellfish gatherers; the majority is devoted to Avanthe and Dilinala with a large percentage of worshipers of Hnalla and his Cohort, Dra, as well; found all along the southern seacoast.
Eye of Flame Originally barbers but now includes many low-level soldiers and hired bodyguards; worshipers of Vimuhla and Chiteng; based at Tumissa but with clan-houses through-out the west and north.
Deep Flowing Water An old and respectable agricultural clan; largely devoted to Hru’u, Ksarul and their Cohorts; based at Mrelt5 but with clanhouses at Purdimal, Meku, etc.
Flat Peak Lower-class artisans, usually carpenters, brick-layers, masons, furniture-makers, etc.; no religious affiliation; encountered throughout the Empire.
Sapphire Bird Peasants, Hmelu and Hma raisers and herdsmen, and tanners; devoted to Avanthe, Dlamelish, and their Cohorts; centered at Thraya and found throughout the east and southeast and also across the border in Salarvya.
Blue Water Peasants, foresters, wood workers, pitch and tar makers, and fletchers; mostly wor-shipers of Hnalla and Avanthe, with a scattering of other faiths as well; centered at Jaikalor but now found throughout the eastern Empire.
BlackStone Tomb Once the bodyguards of the Ito family of the Chakas, this clan specializes in grave digging, embalming, and the guarding of tombs; devoted to Sarku and Durritlamish; based at Chene Ho, Paya Gupa, and Tumissa but with clanhouses at Mrelu, Meku, Purdimal and the City of Sarku.
Black Hand Miners and glassblowers; devoted to Hru’u, Ksarul, Sarku, and their Cohorts; found throughout the north and west, this clan is responsible for the elegant purple glassware of Purdimal.
Woven Whip Leatherworkers and tanners; no religious affiliation; centered at Tsuru and Hauma with clanhouses throughout the center of the Empire.
Round Rock Agriculturists, weavers, dyers, and cloth-makers; no strong religious affiliation, al-though many do worship Hnalla and Dra; based along the Equnoyel River in the southeast with clanhouses throughout the eastern Empire.
VERY LOW
Woven Mat Weavers, mat-makers, and builders of cheap furniture; no religious affiliation; found throughout the Empire.
Red Moon Impoverished peasants, laborers, woodcutters, etc.; mostly worshipers of Vimuhla and Chiteng; based at Béy Sü and encountered throughout the center of the empire.
Scarlet Mantle Professional servants and domestics; usually devoted to Karakan or Chegarra and claim to have once been a warrior clan; found throughout the Empire.
Arch of Heaven Brewers of beer, distillers of the cheaper liquors, and vineyard workers; no religious affiliation; found throughout the Empire.
Nighted Tower Tomb guards, makers of various chemicals and often accused of being tomb robbers; followers of all of the Lords of Change except for Vimuhla and his Cohort, Chiteng; based at Purdimal but found throughout the northwest.
Bright Sword Musicians, singers of epic poems, panderers, courtesans, and hostel-keepers; no re-ligious affiliation; based at Jakalla but found all across the Empire.
Green Pyramid Laborers, peasants, and poor urban merchants; usually devoted to Dlamelish and Hri-hayal but with members of other sects as well; common throughout the Empire.
Flat Rock Poor laborers and peasants; no religious affiliation; found throughout the western re-gions of the Empire.
Scarlet Planet of Knives Butchers, hunters, and lower-class warriors; devoted to Karakan and Chegarra; based at Katalal but encountered in every major city.
Granite Lintel Cooks, body-servants, and kitchen workers; devoted to Hnalla, Thumis, Avanthe, and their Cohorts; based at Ormish but found all across the Empire.
Black Earth Peasants, artisans, fishermen, and swamp workers; followers of Hru’u and Wuru al-though other sects are found as well; based at Purdimal but also numerous around Penom.
Glass Spear Potters, bricklayers, cement-workers, layers of mosaics, etc.; no religious affiliation; clanhouses exist all over the Empire.
Sinking Land Peasants, producers of swamp products, and fishermen; devoted to Belkhanu and his Cohort, Con; based in the waterlogged lowlands around Penom but with clanhouses at Jakalla, Warmish, Usenanu, and Katalal also.
Artificers of Iron Village smiths, although some have become prosperous urban armorers and manu-facturers of metal tools; worshipers of Vimuhla, Karakan, and their Cohorts; especially strong in Tumissa and Butrus but encountered all across the Empire.
Turning Wheel Carters, suttlers, wheelwrights, and transporters of goods; no religious affiliation; en-countered all over the Empire.
Standing Reed Mostly N’luss who settled long ago in the Empire; professional soldiers, gladiators, bodyguards, fletchers, and makers of leather armor; devoted to Vimuhla and Chiteng; based in the rural areas around Khirgár but with clanhouses throughout the Empire.
Collar of Bronze Professional slavers, many of whom are wealthy but are without social prestige be-cause of their work; no religious affiliation; small clanhouses exist in every major city.
Hand of Compassion Professional prison guards and warders; devoted to Belkhanu and Qon; based at Ja-kalla but with representation in every large city and many towns.
Wicker Image Latrine-cleaners, sewer workers, bathers of corpses, and house-sweepers; no religious affiliation, except that those who bathe corpses are likely to be followers of Belkhanu and Qon; clanhouses are found everywhere in the Empire.
Emerald Circlet Panderers, prostitutes, dancers, jugglers, roadside entertainers, etc.; followers of Dlamelish and Hrihayal with a sprinkling of other faiths; often thought to be thieves and purveyors of poisons, aphrodisiacs, etc.; found all over the Empire.
Tsolyáni males average 1.68m in height, and are generally of slender-wiry or medium builds. Complexions range from coppery brown to a golden tan; noses are aquiline or straight; hair is fine and straight, always a glossy black; and there is relatively little body hair. Muscular, square-jawed and hawk-featured is the Tsolyani male preference. Women are 1.57m in height on average with rather voluptuous figures; the common standard of female beauty is Tanulé, one of the Aspects of Avánthe, who is depicted as a slim girl with long black hair, triangular and piquant features, a retrousse nose and wide cheekbones. Curly or brown-streaked hair is considered unbeautiful, and light-coloured eyes are thought to be a sign of dishonesty.
Tekumel Non-Human Player Character Races Available to Play.
The N'lüss are tall and muscular, 2.3 to 2.15m in height. They are of genetically enhanced human stock and can interbreed with normal humans. They compel the Mu'ugalavyáni to maintain large garrisons along their northern frontiers, and bands of these huge barbarians are welcome by both the armies of Yán Kór and Tsolyánu. Each band of N'lüss consists of several extended families of commoners, plus one or two 'noble' lineages, from which the hereditary chief (N'lüss: Sárq) is chosen. This applies even to towns such as N'lüssa and Malcháiran, but the lords of these places have had to employ foreign scribes, clerks, and functionaries to deal with the complexities of an incipient urban society. The old traditions still persist, however, and the wishes of the Sárq of Malcháiran carry all the force of an Imperial edict in Tsolyánu.
The N'lüss worship Vimúhla and Chténg, being descendants of the Dragon Warriors. They distinguish between 'nobles' (ie. lineages from which chiefs are hereditarily selected) and 'commoners'. Within each of these two groups wealth then plays a part. They are seen as rowdy, pugnacious, brutal, and honourable to a fault.
N'lüss Racial Traits:
+2 Strength, -2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -2 Intelligence
Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, N'lüss have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
N'lüss base speed is 30 feet.
+2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison: N'lüss are hardy and resistant to toxins
N'lüss characters start out with one bonus combat feat (the ones allowed to fighters), but they do not get the extra skill points that other humans do.
The forest-dwelling, friendly Pachi Lei are active in human affairs, enjoying politics and social interaction enough for many of them to have attained high posts in the army, priesthoods and administartion of the Tsolyani Imperium. They despise the Mu'ugalavyani, however, because of historical massacres of their race by the inhabitants of that country.
The Pachi Lei have four short legs, a soft, grey-green pear-shaped body covered with small knobs and pendulous protuberances, four slender upper arms with four fingers and a thumb on each hand, and a heavy-jawed, toothy, animal-like head. Their huge, platter-shaped eyes permit them to see well in the dark, and they also possess an atrophied 'sixth sense'. They range from 1.53 to 2.01m in height.
The Pachi Lei reproduce by budding; exuding spore-like spermatoza which fertilize the 'egg-buds' on the bodies of others. These become pod-like extrusions which burst open to release an infant in about 250 days. They have no families as such, but tend to live in small groupings of two to eight individuals.
Pachi Lei Racial Traits:
+2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma.
Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, Pachi Lei have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Pachi Lei base speed is 30 feet.
Low-light vision: Pachi Lei can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these circumstances.
+3 racial bonus on Climb, Search, Spot and Wilderness Lore checks.
Pachi Lei automatically have the Multidexterity feat (see p. 11, 3e MM) if their Dexterity is 11+.
The Pe Choi are most comfortable in a thickly forested habitat, but they enjoy human society, join human institutions, and copy human dress and customs. They possess considerable psychic talent and are often found in the temples as scholars. The Pe Choi may seem a little 'delicate' in human terms, and they often conceal their own cultural attitudes behind smooth and sophisticated facades, however they are perhaps the most 'human' of the nonhuman species.
The slender and graceful Pe Choi are from 1.63 to 2.2m in height, covered with a chitinous exoskeleton (males are jet black, while females are chalky white), with two powerful rear legs, four smaller upper limbs ending in bony three-digited hands with an opposable thumb, and a segmented prehensile tail. The head is long and slender, with two large green eyes, a tapering proboscis, and two fan-like 'ears' at the rear of the skull. They have excellent hearing and vision, and a simple form of telepathy which can detect the presence of another creature within 2m. The same sense can detect when a member of their species has been slain within 5km, and if they can ascertain who was responsible, they are unforgiving and implacable enemies thereafter. They also possess a double set of lungs, one in the upper torso and another in the lower abdomen.
The Pe Choi have two sexes, plus a 'neuter' stage which can be adopted by either sex. males make up about 40 percent, females 35 percent, and the neuters 25 percent of their population.
Pe Choi Racial Traits:
+2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution
Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, Pe Choi have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Pe Choi base speed is 30 feet.
+3 racial bonus on Listen, Search and Spot checks.
+2 natural bonus to Armor Class.
Pe Choi have the Blind Fight feat for free.
Pe Choi automatically have the Multi-weapon Fighting feat even if their Dexterity is not 13+.
Pe Choi has a –6 Racial Penality to all Swim checks
Pe Choi heal at half normal rate (1 hit point per day per two character levels); this also affects magical healing.
The ferocious-looking Shen are mildly friendly towards men, rather harsh and abrupt in manner, a little clumsy, and laconic of speech. They dislike over-refinement and delicacy and value physical power, ferocity and endurance. Their psychic and magical talents are weak, and they are disdainful of sorcery. Preferring the heat of their southern enclaves, they come north only for brief periods to serve as mercenaries. The Shen never forget an offence - they still hate the Ayoggya because the latter once cooked and ate some Shen captives during the invasion of Salarvya by Emperor Hejjeka II 'the Heretic' (1,325-1,340 A.S.) - a perfectly natural act for the Ayoggya.
The Shen are great armoured reptiles that stand between 1.83 and 2.31m high and are roughly humanoid, standing erect upon two powerful rear legs and with two forearms ending in three-fingered hands with an opposable thumb. They are covered with shining black scales (the fashionable among them paint these in iridescent colours), and have a thick, prehensile tail with a mace-like knob at the end which they use in combat, a curved, beak-like snout, double rows of needle-sharp teeth, and a crest of glittering spines. These usually lie flat along their skulls, but are extended when the Shen becomes enraged.
The Shen have three sexes: males ('egg-creators') about 40 percent, females ('egg layers') 35 percent, and 'egg-fertilisers' 25 percent. They are divided into genetic lineages called 'egg-groups' that may be friendly, neutral or dangerously hostile to one another, and their states are built around these groups.
Shen Racial Traits:
+2 Strength, -2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -2 Intelligence,
Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, Shen have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Shen base speed is 30 feet.
Natural Weapons: 2 claws (1d4) and bite (1d4).
+3 Natural Armor.
.Ahoggyá react to Shén with a -5 to the roll (on the Influencing NPC attitudes table.)
The small Tinaliya are intensely curious, learned, materialistic, often generous, and disturbingly literal-minded - they cannot comprehend exaggerations, jokes, idioms and figures of speech, which sometimes results in misunderstandings. They are good fighters, and noted for their magical talents and skill with devices of the ancients. The Livyani permit several legions of Tinaliya to serve under their own leaders as a defence against the Mu'ugalavyani, whom the Tinaliya despise as being too officious and insistent upon their formal bureaucratic procedures.
The Tinaliya range from .56 to .75m in height, have four short, outwardly-bowed lower legs, a spherical abdomen, two long arms ending in claw-like three-fingered hands with an opposable thumb, and sloping heads with huge eyes and vaguely humanoid features. The body is divided into small bulbous segments and is covered with a horny integument, usually tan, russet or deep brown in colour. There are three sexes: males (10 percent), females (5 percent), and neuters (85 percent); the latter sex, and a few females, are usually the ones who wander out into the world to explore, trade and satisfy their curiosity for a few years before returning to the intricate social life of their cities.
Tinaliya Racial Traits:
-4 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence
Small: As Small creatures, Tinaliya 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-sized characters.
Tinaliya base speed is 30 feet.
+2 Natural Armor
+2 racial bonus to Knowledge (Arcana), Listen, and Spellcraft checks.
-6 racial penalty on Bluff and Innuendo checks.
Next......Background
