Monstrous Races of Lingusia
Gnolls
Gnolls dominate the vast region of the
Northern Wilderness, but over successive generations many clans have migrated
southward and invaded the shores of Hyrkania, much like any other barbarian presence.
These periods of great migration are memorable periods of conflict, and the
last great migration was about two centuries ago; scholars attribute such
invasions by the gnolls to population pressure.
Gnolls in the Middle Kingdoms can be found
in large migratory tribes and townships throughout northern Hyrkania and the
southern deserts, raiding, working as mercenaries, or seeking out buried,
ancient temples through which to try and commune with their dreadful demon gods.
Although most gnolls are only loosely allied
to one another these days, there is a growing movement that seeks to reunite
the old gnollish tribes in to a stronger movement, headed under the dominion of
a chief demon lord. The gnolls have long been obsessed with the demon lords of
the Abyss, and have a variety of myth tales about how they were created from
demon seed in the era of the War of the Gods. Some believe that if they can
once more fulfill this purpose, then the diaspora of tribes will find a new
strength and the gnolls will at last have a new guiding purpose to lead them on
to domination. Luckily, no single priest or warlord among the gnolls has become
strong enough to influence their kind as a whole. Yet.
Gnoll Adventurers
Gnolls work as indicated in the MM. Gnolls
are by and large an unfriendly fringe race, but if your campaign tends to avoid
urban humanocentric regions in favor of the vast wilderlands inhabited by other
monsters then gnolls may be especially suited to your particular games.
Living Constructs
Various fantasy realms have living constructs
of different sorts. Such beings are very, very rare n Lingusia, should you
decide to introduce one. They are usually the creation of specific alchemists
and artificers, sometimes silver dwarves, who imbue a golem shell with the
spirit of a newborn elemental. The process for creating a living construct is
something only recently uncovered, and their practical use beyond efficient but
expensive soldiers and guardians has yet to be explored. It is said that the
fabled wizard Colimandras discovered the technique for creating living
constructs on the Isle of Porondor, shortly before his ancient castle of
fabulous gearworks was submerged in a volcanic deluge of lava.
Living Construct Adventurers
In 4E the warforged race may be used to
represent various living constructs, but the uniqueness of each such being
should be emphasized, as well as the unusual rarity of their kind. You should
roll on the following charts to develop a unique look and feel. Roll once for
body type then roll 1D3 times for body composition (or choose as desired):
D20 Body
Type Body Composition
1-2 humanoid clay
3-4 humanoid wood
5-6 humanoid stone
7-8 halfling-like metal
9-10 dwarf-like crystal
11-12 avian false
flesh
13-14 giant-like flesh
and metal
15 draconic cloth
16 centauroid darkness
17 trilinear fire
18 octopoid mud
19 a floating eye liquid
20 cyllindrical mechanical
Marlack
Draconians
The marlack draconians are among the most
tolerable of the lesser draconian to interact with humanity. Once bred as shock
troops in the many ancient wars of dragon kind, the Marlacks and their
draconian kin have become increasingly rare, and most now survive in remote
communities in regions far from human dominion. Marlacks and other draconian
have difficulty breeding true, and for this reason it is exceptionally
difficult to swell their numbers when needed, though it is also widely held
that the magic of the dragon lords can alleviate this condition when necessary.
The largest marlack presence can be found in
Galvonar, to the south, but there are communities of marlacks in the southern
Isles of Karaktu, existing more often than not with the half-breed Yenetai
weredrakes.
Average
Height:
6'-7' tall
Average
Weight:
typically 300-450 lbs; the natural armor of draconians is heavy
Languages: Draconic and
Tradespeak
Marlack Adventurers
Use the dragonborn race, but add the
following feature:
Wings: Marlacks
have dragon wings which give them lift. They can move somewhat faster, fly
reasonably well, and are sufficiently talented that they gain no normal penalty
when fighting while in flight (thus fighting as if they were on solid
ground). They gain a flying speed of 8
squares.
Dragonborn in Lingusia
True dragonborn, unlike marlacks, are not
purebred from draconian stock, but are the rare byproduct of humanoid and
dragon interaction over the last several thousand years. Dragonborn are true
hybrids, with both mammalian and draconic traits, and can breed true. In times
past dragonbron were much rarer, as they were the result of rare couplings
between mortals with elder dragon lords transformed in to the forms of elves
and humans. Such offspring were usually cared for by the dragon parent, and in
time the dragonborn as a race were born. Like their draconian and marlack
relatives dragonborn have often been used as envoys, soldiers, thralls and
slaves by the dragon lords. As lesser hybrids dragonborn have also been looked
upon with disdain by their pureblood relatives. When a dragon lord perishes,
his entire herd of dragonborn thralls are put to death, unless they affect an
escape or are lucky enough to be protected by a rival dragon lord who takes
pity on them.
Dragonborn in the Middle Kingdoms dwell in
one of three types of communities: those located in the region of a known
dragon of power, acting as his servant; those who seek to escape the control of
their dragon lords, perhaps because their patron dragon perished in a conflict,
and those who have sought to establish their own way as a race and have been
emancipated from the control of the dragon lords for multiple generations.
Often these dragonborn seek to befriend humans or other kin in the region, as a
way of gaining support against the risk of a dragon lord that mike seek to
enslave them once more.
There
are known dragonborn enclaves in the city of Niras’ien as well as Klydanth and
Malas. Some dragonborn have been welcomed to the elvish communities of Sylvias.
Rogue dragonborn who have adopted the barbaric way fo local humans can be found
in the Cimeran and Hexerei Mountains. In the southern Isles of Karaktu rumors
abound of the remnants of an ancient, powerful empire that was dominated by
dragonborn now lost to time, as well as a unique society of dragonborn in the
region of Yenetai, who are of mixed ashtarth and dragon blood.
Ogres
The ogres, always brutish and barbaric, have
remained a firm but minor presence in the Middle Kingdoms, usually dwelling in
their own small tribes, or in conjunction with ogreish or giantish tribes. They
are also found, semi-civlized, along the Inner Sea working as fishermen and
hired mercenaries. All ogres live to an average of 60 years, assuming good
clean living.
Ogres of Lingusia
are big brutes, prone to moments of kidness punctuated by bouts of intense
rage. They are moody and poetic, yet bloody and lighthearted during combat.
Though ogres are often associated with orcs
and other chaos kin, this is more out of necessity than any sort of kinship.
Ogres will in fact be happy to take up residence in or near human lands if they
are certain peace can be kept, though this does rarely happen.
Ogres are obsessive in their religious
faith, and tend to favor the worship one of only three deities, the only three
they consider worth paying attention to. Ogres revere Hargameth for his
strength in battle, Zingar for his patronage of the hunt, and Wolfon for his
dominance over the beasts of the wilds. They disdain the worship of the demon gods
or foul chaos gods such as Baragnagor or Dalroth, but some ogres that dwell
among orcs and other chaos-kin are prone to worshipping these demon lords and
chaos gods. Such ogres are treated as deviants in pure ogre communities.
Ogre Adventurers
Average
Height:
8’ to 12’ feet tall
Average
Weight:
400-900 lbs.
Languages: Ogreish,
plus one other (usually Tradespeak or Giantish)
Ability
Scores:
+4 Strength and +2 Constitution or +2 Charisma
Size: Large
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: normal
Skill
Bonuses:
+2 Endurance, +2 Intimidation
Tough Hide: Ogre’s have
thick skin offering a +2 AC bonus.
Large Weapons:
All ogre-sized weapons are one size category larger for damage purposes. They
can wield normal human-sized medium two-handed weapons as one handed weapons.
Reach: As large creatures, ogres gain Reach 1.
Disguise Issues: Ogres can’t attempt a decent disguise unless they
are trying to masquerade as a different sort of large creature, like a troll or
minotaur.
Smash: Ogres have one particularly effective at-will attack:
Me Smash - Ogre
Racial Basic Attack
You smash
good. Real good.
At-Will –
Standard – Martial, Melee or Unarmed
Target: one foe; Reach 1;
Attack: Strength+2 vs. AC
Hit: 1D10+Strength
damage.
Special: Your fists
are melee weapons for purposes of any exploits, and may be used two-weapon
style (two fists) for exploits such as Twin Strike.
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