The Exultants from Urth of the New Sun

[A2Z]

I've been playing around with the idea of setting a game in an Urth of the New Sun (by Gene Wolfe) type far-future game and I'm trying to come up with an Exultant type race. For those not familiar with the books the Exultants are the ruling class of the Commonwealth. They are human but they originated on either Mars or Venus and due to the lower gravity of these planets they tend to be very tall and slender. Many of them are over 7'-0" tall. Before the Commonwealth they returned to Urth (Earth) with Typhon, the last Monarch, and were set up as a ruling class with their more advanced technology.

After the overthrowing of the monarchy and the rise to power of the Autarch they lost much of their power. They are still the ruling class but they are forced to serve the Autarch's wishes. They fill most offices of power, such as military officers, govenment officials and church bishops. They still possess more advanced technology than the common masses, including things like fliers and cloning technology. Some of them work against the Autarchy in an attempt to return to their glory days of the Monarchy and in fact it's one such individual that launches the book's protagonist on his journey.

Anyway, here's what I've come up with so far. Honestly I think it's a bit week for a +1 LA so if anyone has any suggestions let's hear them.

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Human (Exultant)

• -2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, -2 Charisma
• Medium: As Medium creatures, humans have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Human base land speed is 30 feet.
• 1 extra feat at 1st level.
• 4 extra skill points at 1st level and 1 extra skill point at each additional level.
• Exultants gain a +4 bonus on all Concentration checks.
• +4 racial bonus on will saves.
• Level Adjustment: +1

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Since they originated on a lower gravity world I figure the strength and dexterity adjutments make sense. As for the intelligence and charisma, they are far more educated than most people but they are nobility and not likely to deal well with anyone below them.

Standard human skill points and feat. They may be off world invaders but they're still humans.

Concentration and Will save bonus'. These are somewhat arbitrary really. I put them there because I felt they needed something to represent their noble composure. It's just a starting point really. So, let's hear some suggestions. Thanks!

 

[GreatLemur]

Are you sure about that DEX bonus? I would think that living in a higher gravity than one is used to would make one clumsy and lethargic. You certainly wouldn't be more agile than the locals.

Not too sure about the CHA penalty, either. Charisma bonuses and penalties that are based on assumed differences between the character and those he or she interacts with don't make much sense, because those circumstances won't always apply. Should Exultants suffer such a penalty when dealing with other Exultants? Or with lower-class humans who are especially loyal to their masters? What if the Exultant, as an individual, doesn't buy intot he caste system? Should a penalty that represents an aristocrat-commoner divide affect things like Intimidate checks? Bluff checks to feint? Disguise checks to impersonate other Exultants?

A more logical move might be to give them Diplomacy and Bluff penalties that only come into play under appropriate circumstances. Like "-2 to Diplomacy checks with non-Exultants," etc.

 

[A2Z]

Are you sure about that DEX bonus? I would think that living in a higher gravity than one is used to would make one clumsy and lethargic. You certainly wouldn't be more agile than the locals.

Not too sure about the CHA penalty, either. Charisma bonuses and penalties that are based on assumed differences between the character and those he or she interacts with don't make much sense, because those circumstances won't always apply. Should Exultants suffer such a penalty when dealing with other Exultants? Or with lower-class humans who are especially loyal to their masters? What if the Exultant, as an individual, doesn't buy intot he caste system? Should a penalty that represents an aristocrat-commoner divide affect things like Intimidate checks? Bluff checks to feint? Disguise checks to impersonate other Exultants?

A more logical move might be to give them Diplomacy and Bluff penalties that only come into play under appropriate circumstances. Like "-2 to Diplomacy checks with non-Exultants," etc.

I'm pretty comfortable with most of the ability adjustments but the skills penalties instead of Cha penalty do make sense.